Kalpa : Himachal's lesser know, but most relaxing tourist destination.

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 Summer has come. In such a situation, the first place that comes to mind is Himachal. The cool valleys here are the first choice of tourists in summer. Shimla, Manali, Dalhousie are the most famous places, but now tourists want to visit places which are not very famous. Moments of peace and tranquility, closeness to nature and glimpses of Himachal's culture are found at such lesser-known places. One such place is Kalpa. It is located in Kinnaur district and 225 km from Shimla. Is . Kalpa can be reached from Shimla via Narkanda and Rampur Bushahr. This entire route • is full of beautiful scenery and goes along the Satluj river.

The journey from Shimla to Kalpa is long and tiring, but as soon as you reach Kalpa, all the tiredness vanishes away. The view of the Kinnar Kailash range of the Himalayas is visible from here, which is not visible from anywhere else. Kalpa, situated at 2,900 meters above sea level, has a cool climate even in summer. Kalpa is a small village. Hindu and Buddhist people live here. Or simply say that all people believe in both Hindu and Buddhist religions. That's why there is a temple as well as a gompa here. The sound of aarti and bells coming from the temple and gompa in the morning and evening fascinates the mind.

The old name of Kalpa was Chini. It is situated on the old Hindustan-Tibet road. Earlier, traffic and trade between India and Tibet used to take place through this road. Later, another road was built along the Sutlej river, so the importance of this road decreased. There are some villages on this road even today, which remind us of those times. Prominent among these villages are Roghi and Pangi, which are situated at a short distance from Kalpa.

                     The temples and old houses of these villages are worth visiting. On walking from Kalpa towards Roghi, there is a place 3 km away, which is very dangerous. Here the mountain is very steep and the sight of the Sutlej river directly below 1,000 meters gives goosebumps. The road built along the Sutlej looks as if someone has drawn a line with a pen on paper. The vehicles moving on it look like ants. Its name is 'Roghi Cliff' or 'Rola Cliff'.

About 10 km away from Kalpa is a place called Chaka Kanda. It is 3,500 meters above sea level. Here the trees end and the grasslands begin. A kutcha road has also been built to reach here from Kalpa and can be reached while trekking.

                  Although Kalpa is better for spending a few days in peace, but if you want to see something else at a distance of 150 km from Kalpa, then Charang, Ropa and Nako are the best. Charang is 60 km, Ropa 75 km and Nako 100 km from Kalpa. Charang and Ropa are very beautiful villages, where hardly any tourists go. You can visit Charang and Ropa in one day and return to Kalpa. ,

                         How to reach?

 Kalpa is 580 km from Delhi, 330 km from Chandigarh and 225 km from Shimla. Chandigarh can also be reached by flight and train. Buses are available from Chandigarh and Shimla to Reckong Peo, from where Kalpa is only 6 km away. It can be easily reached by car and taxi also.                                where to stay?

Hotels and homestays of every budget are available in Kalpa. Himachal Tourism's hotel is also here. If the budget is less, one can also stay in Reckong Peo.

                       when is the best time ?

 There is a lot of snowfall in winter and the roads are closed. Because of this, most of the hotels also remain closed. Hence the best time to visit Kalpa is from March to November.