Kinnaur & Spiti

Cycling the Old Hindustan Tibet Road

The Old Hindustan Tibet road ran through the Indian Himalaya from Shimla NE to the Tibetan border. Since the Chinese annexation of Tibet in the 1950s this ancient trade route has been closed at the border, with access beyond India's "inner line" denied to all but locals and government officials. In recent years, however, restrictions on the Indian side have been relaxed and inner line permits are now obtainable — reputedly (but not officially) even to individuals. I couldn't resist, and in October 2003, set off…

I stayed at Delhi, Shimla (3 nights), Narkanda, Rampur, Sarahan, Kalpa (3 nights), Puh, Nako (3 nights), Tabo, Kaza (3 nights), Losar, Chhatru, Manali (3 nights) and Delhi (3 nights).

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6 Oct 03
Shimla
7 Oct 03
Hotel White, Shimla
8 Oct 03
Shimla
8 Oct 03
Shimla
9 Oct 03
Leaving Shimla
9 Oct 03
Hotel Hatu, Narkanda
10 Oct 03
NH22 descent to Sutlej Valley from Narkanda
10 Oct 03
Sutlej Valley
10 Oct 03
Rampur, Sutlej Valley
10 Oct 03
Hanumaan statue, Rampur
11 Oct 03
NH2, Sutlej Valley heading East
11 Oct 03
Sutlej Valley, near Sarahan
11 Oct 03
Sutlej Valley, near Sarahan
11 Oct 03
Shree Bhima Kali Ji Temple, Sarahan
12 Oct 03
Sutlej Valley
12 Oct 03
NH22, Sutlej Valley
12 Oct 03
NH22, Sutlej Valley
14 Oct 03
Kalpa (2870 m), Kinnaur
13 Oct 03
Kalpa, Kinnaur
14 Oct 03
Apple pickers near Kalpa
14 Oct 03
Hotel Kinner Villa kitchen, Kalpa
15 Oct 03
Sutlej Valley
15 Oct 03
Sutlej Valley
16 Oct 03
Sutlej Valley
16 Oct 03
Near the confluence of the Sutlej and Spiti rivers
17 Oct 03
Nako (3645 m), 11 km from the border - permits required
17 Oct 03
Nako
16 Oct 03
Wedding, Nako
16 Oct 03
Wedding, Nako
16 Oct 03
Wedding, Nako
16 Oct 03
Wedding, Nako
17 Oct 03
Nako
17 Oct 03
Near Nako
17 Oct 03
Nako
17 Oct 03
Nako
17 Oct 03
Nako
17 Oct 03
Nako
19 Oct 03
The Malling slide
19 Oct 03
Beyond Nako, the road is more difficult…
19 Oct 03
Close-up
19 Oct 03
Road to Spiti
20 Oct 03
Tabo
20 Oct 03
Tabo Gompa, founded 996
20 Oct 03
Tabo Gompa
20 Oct 03
Tabo Gompa
20 Oct 03
River Spiti
22 Oct 03
Ki, with Sumling on the far bank
22 Oct 03
Ki village and gompa
22 Oct 03
Ki Gompa
22 Oct 03
Ki Gompa
22 Oct 03
Ki Gompa
22 Oct 03
Ki Gompa
23 Oct 03
Upper Spiti valley
24 Oct 03
Upper Spiti valley
24 Oct 03
Near Batal, Chenab valley, Lahaul
24 Oct 03
Kunzum La (4590 m), between Spiti and Lahaul
24 Oct 03
Near the Kunzum La
24 Oct 03
Chenab valley, Lahaul
24 Oct 03
Chhatru, Chenab valley, Lahaul
25 Oct 03
Chenab valley, Lahaul
25 Oct 03
Rohtang Pass (3978 m)
25 Oct 03
Rohtang Pass
25 Oct 03
Diwali celebrations, Manali
29 Oct 03
Nirula's Hotel, Connaught Place, Delhi
31 Oct 03
Gurdwara Bangla Sahib, Delhi
31 Oct 03
Gurdwara Bangla Sahib, Delhi
31 Oct 03
Gurdwara Bangla Sahib, Delhi
31 Oct 03
Gurdwara Bangla Sahib, Delhi
31 Oct 03
Gurdwara Bangla Sahib, Delhi