Sangla Valley in January

The January story

January Sangla is for the winter-committed. Kamru Fort — a 500-year-old wooden tower with carved balconies, one of Himachal's finest examples of Kinnauri architecture — wears snow like a crown. The Bering Nag temple complex (dedicated to a local serpent deity) is frozen and empty. The few guesthouses that stay open charge ₹500-800 and provide room heaters. The Kinnauri people's hospitality in winter is genuine — you're a guest, not a customer. The dried apple and apricot stores that fuel winter also make excellent gifts. Chitkul (28km further) is inaccessible. The valley's isolation in January is total — no phone signal in many spots, no restaurants, no taxi service. Carry supplies, check road conditions from Karcham, and be prepared to wait out weather.