VANAMCOVE 
Nako
Sacred lake and willow trees near Tibet
Why this weekend?
The day-by-day plan
- Lake walk
- Monastery visit
- Mural stop
- Orchard hour
- Return
Geography & terrain
Nako lies in the Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh at about 3,662 m, 120 km from Reckong Peo and 470 km from Shimla — the Tibetan village of the region, its lake, the monastery and the apple orchards set on the Spiti's entry.
History & culture
The village's story runs with the 11th-century Buddhist era — the village of the 1,000-year-old Nako monastery of the translation school, with the village's modern role as the stop of the Kinnaur-Spiti circuit and the home of the Nako lake and the 1025 temple murals; the village's history of the trade route to the Tibet and the 1975 flood's reconstruction, gives Nako its Tibetan-village character.
Where to stay
Budget
₹1,000–2,500/nightMid-range
₹2,500–5,000/nightComfort
₹5,000+/nightThings to do
High lakes
Ancient monasteries
Temple murals
Orchard rows
Mani walls
Eat & drink
- Dham thali
- Madra (chickpea curry)
- Chha gosht
- Siddu buns
- Kaanji
Getting there
- Fly
- Kullu–Bhuntar (KUU) / Gaggal (DHM) / Shimla (SLV)
- Train
- Kalka–Shimla toy train (heritage); narrow-gauge to Joginder Nagar
- Road from Delhi
- 300–550 km depending on valley
- Getting around
- Taxis and HRTC buses on hill roads
Budget snapshot
- Total
- ₹3,000–8,000 (1 days)
- Per day · Stay
- ₹1,000–5,000/night
- Per day · Food
- ₹600–1,000
- Per day · Transport
- ₹600–1,000
- Per day · Activities
- ₹700–1,100
Month by month
Practical info
- Language: Hindi / Pahari dialects (English understood in tourist spots)
- Best window: May–Oct
- Connectivity: Patchy in deep valleys — offline maps essential
- UPI/cards widely accepted; keep small cash for hill and market stops
Practical tips
- The season (May–Oct) holds the road's open
- The altitude asks the slow days
- The monastery asks the quiet hours
Frequently asked questions
The Tibetan village of the Spiti's gate.
The lake, the monastery and the orchards.
A full day.
Sacred lake and willow trees near Tibet
Take the break. We'll take the planning.
Tell us your dates, budget and travel style — we'll build your Nako plan with day-by-day routing, stays, food and bookings.