Village Chitkul is the last and highest village in the Baspa valley in district Kinnaur. It is situated on the right bank of Baspa river Chitkul is the last inhabited village near the Indo-Tibet border. The Indian road ends here. During winters, the place mostly remains covered with the snow and the inhabitants move to lower regions of Himachal. Chitkul is well know for growing Potatoes, they are one of the best in the world and are very costly. Chitkul, on the banks of Baspa River, is the first village of the Baspa Valley and the last village on the old Hindustan-Tibet trade route. It is also the last point in India one can travel to without a permit. Of particular interest at Chitkul are its houses with either slate or wooden plank roofs, a Buddhist temple and a small tower. However, there has been an increased use of tin-roofs, especially the high school and the army/ITBP barracks. Chitkul is practically the last point of the famous Kinner Kailash Parikrama as one can hitch a hike from here onwards. After one crosses over the 5,242 m high Charang Pass, it is a long and steep run down through slithery scree slopes to Chitkul(3,450m). The powerful goddess of Chitkul is the only non-Buddhist deity to which respect must be paid by the Parikrama pilgrims. This is the last Indian village on border with China. The road doesn’t take you till the actual border, it closes around 90 km before it and then rest of the area is under the control of Indian Paramilitary force ITBP. There are wooden houses turned into hotels that can be found in Chitkul, these hotels are a bit expensive and most of the tourist prefer to stay at Sangla and make a day trip to this place. The views from Chitkul are awesome. The river Baspa is far below down from this valley and it will take atlas 1 hr to 1 hr 30 mins walking to reach the river from where the Chitkul hotels and homestays are. Sangla is close to Chitkul and hotels and camps provide very good arrangement for living and are comparatively cheaper. While in Chitkul make sure you carry adequate cash and petrol or diesel for your car as there is no ATM facility or fuel stations in this hilly area. There is also neither a clinic nor any hospital in this area and one has to travel back to Sangla for emergencies. The village abounds in typical Himachali architectural cottages of slate or wooden roofs. The Kagyupa temple has special significance because it houses a rare image of Shakyamuni Buddha with four directional kinds placed on every side. They say that the presiding deity of the village, Mathi is very alive and must be paid homage to. It falls directly on the Kinner Kailash parikrama route.
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