Reckong Peo is the district headquarters of Kinnaur, a place of tight hairpins, cliff-hung roads, and views of one of the finest mountains in the Himalayan foothills. Across the Sutlej valley, the peaks of Kinner Kailash rise to over 6,000 metres, and when the sun hits the summit at dawn, the rock glows red. At around 2,700 metres, Peo is an administrative town, busy with government offices, shops and a market, but a short ride above it lies Kalpa, a quieter village famed for its apple orchards and its view of the mountain.
This part of the Spiti circuit follows the old Hindustan-Tibet Road, a highway that clings to the cliff, in places carved from the rock itself. The surface is usually good, but landslides, falling rocks and sudden road washouts are common during the monsoon, and some sections have notorious overhangs. The valley is narrow and deep, with the Sutlej river thundering far below, and traffic includes buses, lorries and trucks carrying apples.
Kinnaur has a distinct culture, a blend of Hindu and Buddhist traditions that is reflected in its wooden temples with carved doors, its green felt caps worn by older men, and its fruit. The apple harvest in autumn is the main activity, and stalls along the road offer baskets of fruit. Local wine and the strong spirit called chulli, made from apricots, are part of village life. In the old temple at Kalpa, carved wood and slate roofs recall the style found in Tibet.
Services are good here, with fuel, a bank and basic repair shops, but supplies grow thin beyond. Fill up, buy snacks, and get an early night, because the days ahead include some of the most demanding riding on the circuit. Weather is mild in the day and cool in the evening. The best time to ride is from May to October.