Nako

Nako lies at roughly 3,660 m in the Pooh subdivision of Kinnaur. It is on the road that climbs from the Sutlej gorge toward Spiti. The village is built around a small lake fringed with willow and poplar. Its stone and mud houses, narrow lanes and old Buddhist temple complex give it a Tibetan feel. The Reo Purgyil massif rises beyond. A short walk takes you past the lake, the temples and a rock said to carry a footprint of the saint Padmasambhava. The altitude is high. So Nako is a sensible place to spend a night while you acclimatise on the Kinnaur to Spiti route. Headache and breathlessness are common if you rush up from the lower valley. Homestays and a few guesthouses give basic rooms. A night here pairs with Kalpa or Sangla before, and Tabo or Kaza after. Winter snow and landslides can close the highway.