The picturesque hamlet of Nako Village is located on the Hangrang valley region of Kinnaur district, Himachal Pradesh. It lies just 130 kms from the nearest famous touristy place of Sangla. Perched on the lap of lofty, jagged mountains this remote village is popular for its turquoise colored Nako Lake.
Nako remains mostly off charts for many mainstream tourists visiting the state. And so with less crowd and untouched natural beauty, it is among one of state’s best offbeat places of visit. But, of late being half way to the Spiti Valley region from Shimla it is gradually gaining popularity as a stop over choice for all travelers heading to Spiti Valley. Many tends to reach this peaceful place by evening to spend a night here and then to move ahead to other destinations, the next day.
The just like any other village in the hinterland, Nako has its own glory with maze cobbled lanes and rows of traditionally built houses. These houses are they are mostly made up off mud, wood and stone. And being suited for the terrain these houses are said to be resilient to the type of climate this remote villages experiences. The village is sparsely populated and concentrated. So the whole village can be explored on foot.
Traditional Houses in Nako Village
Nako MonasteryThe lake is at the center of the village and is surrounded by rows of willows and poplar trees. Few patches of terraced farming is seen concentrated around the lake. The farmers there mostly grows wheat, potato and green peas. Apart from the soothing sight of the Nako lake, there is nothing more in the village worth spending time for. However, if you are amidst those keen travelers who wish to experience the true essence of the Himalayan and Tibetan cultures, this very place is a must visit.
Best Time To Visit Nako Village
The beauty of the village reaches its peak in the months from April till end of October. So apart from these months the Nako Village is mostly cutoff due to heavy snowfall in the region.
How To Reach Nako Village in Hangrang Valley
By Airways
The nearest airport to Nako is Shimla. It is at a distance of 312 km. However, you must note that Shimla has erratic air connectivity, given it’s an airport amid the hills.
By Roadways on Private Taxi
Private hired Taxi or shared Taxi are by far the best option to reach Nako Village in Hangrang Valley and further up to Spiti valley. Though it may be costly option but it is by far the most convenient way of travelling to nako and Spiti Valley.There are two routes that can be taken to reach Nako .
- One is of total 340 Kms covering the whole of Spiti Valley Manali -> Rohtang pass -> Batal -> Kaza -> Tabo -> Sumdo -> Nako
- The second route is of 482 kms that covers the Kinnaur and Hangrang Valley via Shimla -> Narkanda -> Rampur ->Reckong Peo -> Pooh -> Nako
Keep in mind, being very close to the international border, it is a part of the restricted zone along the Indo-Tibet border. And so any non resident Indians visiting this place would need to collect an inner line permit. This permit can be obtained from the DC office at Shimla or Rekong Peo or Kaza. The permits carries a validity of 2 weeks and should contains details of places where you intends to visit.
Distance References from Nako Village
Google map distance of Nako from Sangla : 127 kms
Google map distance of Nako from Chitkul : 150 Kms
Google map distance of Nako from Sarahan : 174 kms
Google map distance of Nako from Tabo Monastery : 64 Kms
Google map distance of Nako from Reckong Peo : 102 Kms
Google map distance of Nako from Kibber Monastery : 129 Kms
Google map distance of Nako from Langza : 126 kms
Google map distance of Nako from Key Monastery : 125 kms
Google map distance of Nako from Manali : 320 Kms
Google map distance of Nako from Shimla : 310 Kms
Fooding Options Available at Nako Village
The most widely available food are mostly Noodles, Thupkas and Momos. However few homestay also provide basic rice plate with dal option at a very reasonable rates.
Where to Stay when At Nako
There are many good options of homestay and hotels available in and around the Nako Lake. The price ranges from Rs 800 for a decent homestay options and Rs 1500 onwards for a hotel room with basic facilities.
Few of the recommended Homestay and Hotel options are
- Lovon hotel and Restaurant Rs 600/Per Night
- Kinner Camp Nako : Tents at Rs 5800 for Single occupancy and Rs 7800 for Double bed
- Reo Purguil : Rs 1150/Per Night
- NotOnMap – Tashi’s Home : Rs 1000/Per Night
Nearby Places of Visit Around Nako
- Nako Monastery : 14 Kms from Nako Lake
- Sangla Valley : 127 kms
- Chitkul Village : 150 Kms
- Sarahan Village : 174 Kms
VC : Into the Unknown
