NAKO OVERVIEW
Located in the remotest corner of the Upper Kinnaur Valley, NAKO is an incredibly alluring village. With beauty & solitude in abundance, it is difficult to believe the existence of such a charming village even in the wildest of your imaginations. As you cross the KHAB bridge & enter the narrow gorge which ascends gradually on the KAZIGS or the KAH LOOPS, the vistas start changing & suddenly you will find barren landscapes.
The landscape & topography of NAKO is more comparable to the barren colors of the SPITI valley than the lush green KINNAUR valley. Nako is a small village with a population of about 500 plus people. NAKO village is known for the NAKO lake & the monastery in its vicinity. This tiny village is a stopover for tourists travelling to & fro SPITI valley. Treat yourself with a stay in this peaceful hamlet & believe me, you would never forget an evening spent here.
GEOGRAPHY
NAKO village, is an enchanting hamlet perched at an astounding height of 3,625 mtr (11,893 feet) in the Kinnaur district of the Himachal Pradesh. It is located in the Hangrang valley with the backdrop of Reo Purgiyal, 6,816 mtrs (22,362 feet), the highest peak in that region. Although, it’s the last village in the Kinnaur district before the Spiti Valley, it has a striking resemblance to any place in the SPITI valley. Nako is at a distance of 426 kms from Chandigarh via the NH5 & NH505 & at a distance of 294 kms from Manali via SPITI on the NH505.
CLIMATE
APRIL to JUNE:- Moderate bearable temperatures between 8 deg.C to 24 deg.C. This is the time, when the winter hibernation is lifted & the village starts seeing tourist enroute the Spiti Valley from the Shimla side.
JULY to AUG :-It rains heavily during these months. It may not be the best choice to travel during this period. The entire region is very sensitive. Roadblocks and landslides are very common.
SEPT to mid OCT:- A good season to travel and feel the post monsoon vibrant colors. It’s a mix of greenery & rustic colors.
NOV to MARCH:- NAKO experiences heavy snowfall during this period. Temperatures dip below sub-zero levels and almost everything freezes. The NAKO lake too freezes making it a place to try some skiing.
BEST TIME TO VISIT NAKO
Undoubtedly, the summers are the most ideal time to visit NAKO. From April to June, the temperatures are more bearable. Tourists can come from Shimla & travel upto KAZA with a halt at NAKO. You can extend yourself till LOSAR too, but would have to back track on the same route since KUNJAM pass would be under snow.
Post monsoon time between September & mid October is also an ideal time to travel to experience the colorful valley. The advantage of travelling post monsoon is that the KUNJAM pass opens up and you can complete the entire circuit of Kinnaur & Spiti by starting from the Shimla side & ending at Manali, while including the Chandartal Lake too.
INNER LINE PERMITS:- Being in the close vicinity of the Indo-Tibet border, foreigners are required to obtain a “Protected Area Permit” for travelling to areas between Rechong Peo to Kaza. These permits can be obtained from Shimla, Rechong Peo & Keylong. Indian citizens should carry their photo identity issued by a Government authority like the Aadhar Card, Driving License or a Voter’s ID.
HOW TO REACH NAKO
BY AIR
- The nearest airport for NAKO would be SHIMLA (333 kms), but practically CHANDIGARH airport would be a better option due to its direct connectivity with major cities of India.
- From the Manali side, BHUNTAR airport (334 kms via Jalori Pass) would be the nearest airport. However, this is subject to Jalori Pass being open for travel. From December to March / April, Jalori pass may be closed due to heavy snow. Again like Shimla, Bhuntar is a small airport with very limited direct connecting flights. In all practicalities, Chandigarh airport would be the best option.
- From the Manali side, BHUNTAR airport (345 kms via ROHTANG LA & KUNJAM LA) would be another approach. However, you can do this route only between June to October. Both these passes would remain under heavy snow for the rest of the months.
BY RAIL
- The nearest railhead would be Shimla on the Kalka-Shimla route. The narrow gauge route takes you through 105 tunnels & mesmerizing vistas throughout. You should experience this journey, unless you are short of time of course. Practically again, Chandigarh / Kalka station would be faster options.
BY ROAD
NAKO is well connected by roads to all the major cities of India. Below routes with distances are listed.
- CHANDIGARH-114 kms-SHIMLA- 61 kms- NARKANDA-66 kms-RAMPUR-23 kms–JEORI-54 kms-KARCHAM-109 kms-NAKO (427 kms)
- MANALI-42 kms-KULLU-158 kms-(via JALORI pass)-RAMPUR-23 kms–JEORI-54 kms-KARCHAM-109 kms- (109 kms)- NAKO (386 kms). This road remains open from April to mid December.
- MANALI-95 kms (via Atal Tunnel)-BATAL- 12 kms-KUNJAM LA-19 kms-LOSAR-57 kms–KAZA-108 kms-NAKO (291 kms). This road remains open from June to October.
From the Chandigarh / Shimla side, NAKO remains connected throughout the year with the road extending till KAZA & LOSAR. However, in the winter months (November to March & extending till June), the high altitude passes ROHTANG LA / KUNJAM LA remain under snow & the road is cut off. Hence you would not be able to complete the entire circuit starting from Shimla & ending at Manali.
From the Manali side, the Jalori pass would be under snow from December to April, making the route inaccessible. Otherwise, nothing can be as wonderful as travelling via the beautiful Jalori Pass.
Again, from the Manali side, if you plan to enter SPITI valley, KUNJAM LA usually opens up by May / June (to be on the safer side). Even if it opens early, it takes a few weeks to stabilize before normal vehicle movement is restored.
WHAT TO SEE AT NAKO
NAKO is a secluded place where peace & tranquility prevails. If you wish to hear the melodious sounds of the birds, winds howling & the monastery bells then you have selected the right place. NAKO being a tiny village, you can cover the following places on foot.
CONFLUENCE OF SPITI & SUTLEJ RIVERS
Enroute Nako, as you cross the KHAB bridge, you suddenly enter a narrow valley, the Spiti which extends to SPITI. Th river flowing through this narrow gorge from the Spiti valley is the SPITI river. The SPITI river meets the Sutlej at the KHAB bridge, which originates from the Mansarovar Lake in Tibet.
The confluence of the two rivers & the narrow gorge is a unique scenic place. You can take a break for a while to feel the serenity of the place. The ancient monastery of Tashigang Gompa is located in the near vicinity. The towering peak of Reo Purgil at 22,400 feet (6,800 m), is prominently visible and the cold desert of Spiti lies across the KHAB bridge.
KAZIGS or KA LOOPS
As you cross the KHAB bridge & enter the narrow valley, the road takes you to a series of hairpin bends ascending one level above the other. As you ascend, the vistas keep on changing & suddenly the valley changes its colour from green to the barren colors. If you are travelling in the evening, you can see the yellow golden reflections of the sun over the naked mountains. The loops are named after the KA village which is located a little before NAKO. The entire stretch of road is proper tarmac.
NAKO LAKE
If you have been to PANGONG, TSOMORIRI, CHANDERTAL & are expecting to see something like that, then you may be surprised. NAKO lake is a man made lake at a height of 3,662 mtrs and forms an integral part of the village. In the midst of the gigantic mountains, this pristine lake is surrounded by willow & poplar trees and forms a part of the boundary of the village. At dusk, the entire periphery of the lake is filled with the flocks of birds making sweet melodious sounds. Reflections of the trees imparting shades of green & yellow can be prominently captured during early mornings & evenings. There are four Buddhist temples surrounding the lake. In the vicinity of the temples are four caves which are believed to be the meditation places of the great saint Padmasambhava. It is said that the great saint gave disclosure to the followers. There is also a waterfall in the vicinity of the lake, which is believed to be the abode of fairies. There is a small trail above the lake which gives you a bird’s view of the NAKO village. This tiny hamlet & the surroundings make it a major attraction for tourists to stop over for a night.
NAKO MONASTERY
The NAKO monastery also known as Loksava Jhakang was founded in the 11th century (1025 AD) by an ancient translator Lochen Rinchen Zangpo who translated Buddhist scriptures from Sanskrit to Tibetan. This monastery has been constructed on the pattern of the TABO monastery. The monastery has four halls and is decorated with colorful artworks & intricate engraving patterns. Although Nako is a very tiny village, it has lots of narrow bylanes and finding the monastery may be a bit difficult unless, you check with some villager.
The monastery suffered damages during the Spiti earthquake in 1975, after which it was ransacked. It was in ruins for quite some time before the University of Vienna in collaboration with the Indian National Trust for Arts & Cultural Heritage, the Buddhist Association of NAKO & with the amazing determination of the local villagers revamped the entire site to restore the monastery to its glory that stands till date.
NAKO MONASTERY
The NAKO monastery also known as Loksava Jhakang was founded in the 11th century (1025 AD) by an ancient translator Lochen Rinchen Zangpo who translated Buddhist scriptures from Sanskrit to Tibetan. This monastery has been constructed on the pattern of the TABO monastery. The monastery has four halls and is decorated with colorful artworks & intricate engraving patterns. Although Nako is a very tiny village, it has lots of narrow bylanes and finding the monastery may be a bit difficult unless, you check with some villager.
The monastery suffered damages during the Spiti earthquake in 1975, after which it was ransacked. It was in ruins for quite some time before the University of Vienna in collaboration with the Indian National Trust for Arts & Cultural Heritage, the Buddhist Association of NAKO & with the amazing determination of the local villagers revamped the entire site to restore the monastery to its glory that stands till date.
PADMASAMBHAVA TEMPLE
Footprints of the great saint Padmasambhava on a rock are preserved in this temple. The temple has an idol of Guru Padmasambhava.
TRAILS AROUND NAKO
There are quite a few trails in and around the village. You can hire a guide from the YOUTH CLUB of NAKO. They charge a very nominal fee of Rs.50-100 per person to take you around the village. The guides would share the complete history of NAKO village, its cultural heritage & its values. If you are an avid trekker, you can engage a guide for a trail to the Turtle Rock. Otherwise, just be on your own, go around the village & relax.
CHANGO gompa is located at a distance of 26 kms from NAKO on the SPITI route. It has a prayer wheel which is said to be 500 years old. It is made of yak’s skin and is about 3.5mtr in diameter.
PHONE SERVICE:-Except for MTNL / BSNL, there are no phone services in NAKO. I always carry a MTNL / BSNL postpaid sim card (Jeevansathi Plan, with no rental & pay as you call. Some nominal charges of Rs.100/- apply every 6 months, if your phone is not in use). MTNL / BSNL would mostly cover every region & its surrounding places. You may be without a signal on the routes between two destinations.
ATM:-There is no ATMs in NAKO. The next reliable ATM would be at KAZA. Please carry sufficient cash & do not rely on Debit / Credit Cards for payments in the valley.
PETROL PUMPS:-There are no petrol pumps in NAKO. There is one at RECONG PEO which is operational. It is advisable to tank up at Chandigarh / Shimla & top up at NARKANDA / RAMPUR. There is a petrol pump at POWARI too, but it is not functional. The next petrol pump would be at KAZA.
TO SUMMARIZE
In this article, I have tried to provide as much information possible on the travel routes, weather conditions, best time to visit, places to see in NAKO, stay options & services. If you find my article useful, please share it with your family, friends & contact aspiring to visit the KINNAUR valley.
If you still require any further assistance, please feel free to write to me in the box below. I would be glad to be of any assistance to you.