KINNER CAMPS- SANGLA

Situated in the lush green forests of cedar and pine, Kinner Camp is an ideal setting for enjoying nature to its fullest The only camp in the valley to be run by local professionals, it provides luxury tented accommodation and also offers a multitude of other activities like rock climbing. rappelling ,nature trails, bird watching and river crossing. Being situated in the Greater Himalayan Range, Kinner Camps organises specialised treks into Lahaul and Spiti, Garwhal and the Pin and Parvati valleys.

ABOUT SANGLA VALLEY

A valley of breathtaking beauty located at a height of 2600m, Sangla valley,is considered Kinnaur's most beautiful site with the massive Kinner Kailash peak towering over it. The slopes of this valley are covered with cedar, pine ,walnut and apricot trees, apple orchards, fields and picturesque hamlets.The Baspa river which originates in the valley flows west through it to meet the main river Satluj at Karchham. Three kilometers after entering the Sangla Valley stands the tower - like fort of Kamru - a silent sentinel which has stood through the centuries. Kamru rises five storey high and the main gate has a image of Buddha, whose blessings must be sought before entering the village confines.The Kamru fort, which is now the Goddess Kamakhyas Temple, is a glorious example of how local craftsman using local materials created a highly evolved style of traditional architecture. Sangla Valley is adorned with the beautiful villages of Chitkul, Batseri, Kamru, Raksham and Chasang. The village houses are an epitome of wooden craftsmanship.The religion of the people is a remarkable mix of Hinduism and Buddhism. Honest, simple, pastoral folk, the villagers always extend a hearty welcome to tourists and visitors.

The custom of living in a joint family still prevails in this region. The villagers follow the polyandry system wherein all the brothers of the bridegroom are considered automatically the husbands of the bride. The polyandrous tribes of the Himalayas can be compared with the Pandavas of the ancient Indian epic of Mahabharata, who are believed to have had a polygamous system and who are also believed to have lived here. However, such marriages are steadily on the decline. The old Hindustan-Tibet road passes through the Sangla valley along the bank of the Baspa river and finally enters Tibet at Yamrang La pass. The Sangla Valley is also connected with Garhwal to the south by several passes like Rupin pass(4625m), Buran Gati pass(4578m), Borasu pass(5360m) and Lamkhaga pass(5284m) ,all of these making for excellent trekking routes.


Kinnaur—A tribal fascination

Tribal societies, any where in the world provide some of the most fascinating travel experiences to a visitor. Their uninhibited adherence to traditional life style, customs and costumes,for a tourist, is like perusing a book of the anthropological history of man. Kinnaur is home to some of India’s oldest legends. According to ancient Hindu texts Kinnauries are the descendants of ‘kinners’ who were celestial musicians and are believed to be half way between man and God. It is no wonder that the local tradition maintains that Kinnaur with all its beauty fell from the clouds as a gift from Gods.

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The land of fairytales and fantasies it has an amazing terrain of lush green valleys, orchards, snow clad peaks and the cold desert mountains are rich in flora and fauna. Its culture and language is completely different from the rest of the state. Situated in the Northeast corner of Himachal Pradesh, about 235 kms from Shimla it is surrounded by high mountains ranges like Greater Himalayas and Dhauladhar. The peaks towering 2500 to 6791m are a dream come true for trekkers. The river Satluj with its fast flowing currents passing through Kinnaur invites rafters& kayakers from all over the world to sail through its beautiful gorges.