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“Live your life by a compass, not a clock” – Stephen Covey

Picture of Spitfire Gautam or Gautam Lahiri

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My 🏔️ Himachal Pradesh Diary ✨ Where Rivers Meet the Mountains — A Mesmerising Drive to Khab Bridge, Himachal Pradesh 🏔️🇮🇳

Khab Bridge in Himachal Pradesh.

We had entered the Trans-Himalayan Range, where a cold, desert-like environment envelops the sedimentary and metamorphic rocks of the Hangrang Valley, Kinnaur district.

I drove the THAR with precision as the roads were narrow and very undulating.

The Sutlej River, from Tibet through Shipki La Pass, flows and meets the Spiti River. Due to the extreme temperature, we saw very sparse vegetation that included dry alpine shrubs, sea buckthorn, and hardy grasses. The altitude was 8500 to 9500 feet.

Reckong Peo 🏙️

Reckong Peo, Himachal Pradesh by gautam lahiri
The circuitous National Highway 5 passed through these craggy mountains. This town acts like the administrative town of Kinnaur, with markets, fuel stations, and views of the Kinnaur Kailash range

Kalpa 🌄

The Spiti River and broken rocks near Kalpa, Himachal Pradesh by gautam lahiri
Around the Kalpa, we saw a dusty rocky scree tumbling down the slanted rock face. Contrastingly, a peaceful apple-growing village known for wooden houses and sun-swept views of Kinnaur Kailash could be seen far in the distance
Kalpa mountain view in Himachal Pradesh by gautam lahiri
Kalpa is immensely scenic. Dense shrubs covered the wide expanse of the hills, and at times, it showed the exposed layers of the Earth’s crust and Himalayan uplift that formed these lofty mountains. A thin bridge crossed the Spiti River
Spiti River meandered through the mountains in Himachal Pradesh by gautam lahiri
The NH 5 followed the Spiti River, and so did we. The sloping mountains and the sparse vegetation came down and met the river below

Powari 🛣️

Powari in Himachal Pradesh by gautam lahiri
Ahead was a road junction point where the routes to Kalpa and Spiti separated along the Sutlej River

Khab Bridge 🌉

Khab Bridge in Himachal Pradesh by gautam lahiri
Round the turn, we saw the Khab Bridge looming ahead
Khab Bridge in Himachal Pradesh by gautam lahiri
We stopped our cars after crossing the Khab Bridge. Far away, we were told that Malling Nala existed, which is a known landslide zone. The Spiti River thinned out with heavy boulders all around, the black mountain silhouetted against the afternoon sun
Confluence of Spiti River and Sutlej River in Himachal Pradesh by gautam lahiri
The light black shadow that you see here is the confluence point where the two rivers meet. The one you see coming through the valley ahead is Spiti, and the river over which the bridge is made is the Sutlej

The Confluence in Action

I panned my camera to capture the two rivers, one sweeping under the bridge and the other around it
The Bridge Board at Khab Bridge in Himachal Pradesh by gautam lahiri
I am sitting on the edge of the black column where the BRO – Border Road Organisation welcomed the drivers who crossed the bridge

We brought you the iconic bridge at the Sangam, where the Spiti River merges into the Sutlej, marking the gateway to Spiti Valley☺️

Inference

  • Khab Bridge 🌉 sits at the remarkable confluence of the Spiti and Sutlej rivers
  • This bridge marks the gateway to Spiti Valley 🚩, which lies beneath the towering Reo Purgyil peak 🏔️
  • This magic place showcases rugged Trans-Himalayan geology 🪨
DistancesReckong Peo > 78 km takes 3–4 hours
Kalpa > 85 km takes 3.5–4.5 hours
Pooh > 32 km takes 1–1.5 hours
Nako > 18 km (before Khab) takes 45 min – 1 hour
Shimla > 290 km takes 9–11 hours
Chandigarh > 400 km takes 12–14 hours
When to goMay to October → Ideal, clear weather, open roads, stunning landscapes
November to April → Region gets extremely cold; roads may have snow/ice and temporary closures
Pocket PinchReckong Peo Best services, fuel, market access, Hotel costs, ₹1500–₹3500
Kalpa Scenic sunrise & Kinnaur Kailash views Homestays ₹1800–₹4500
Pooh Nearest reliable stop before Khab Basic guest houses / PWD rest houses ₹800–₹2000
Nako (ahead of Khab) Beautiful lake & monastery views Lake View Homestays / Kinner Camps ₹1200–₹3000
Travel Tips
My 🏔️ Himachal Pradesh Diary – The Mystical Bhimakali Temple in Sarahan🛕https://wp.me/pbXnOA-42a
My 🏔️ Himachal Pradesh Diary 🌄 Road-trip Rally: Chandigarh → Rampur → Sarahan by Mahindra Thar 🚙https://wp.me/pbXnOA-3Vw
My 🏔️ Himachal Pradesh Diary 🌄 Serenity & Skyline: 🏡 Homestay Retreat in Sarahan – Gateway to the Himalayashttps://wp.me/pbXnOA-43S
My 🏔️ Himachal Pradesh Diary 🌄 Chitkul – The Last Village of India 🇮🇳❄️ | A Himalayan Escape to the Edge of the Worldhttps://wp.me/pbXnOA-45h
My Himachal Pradesh Diary Series

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