Chandika Devi Temple, Kothi
temple · 692 m away
town20 min from Kalpa
Reckong Peo (Rekong Peo) — Kinnaur's district town
Reckong Peo, also Rekong Peo, is the district headquarters of Kinnaur at 2,290 m, 20 minutes below Kalpa, with the district's main market and bus stand.
What it is
Reckong Peo, written Rekong Peo on some maps and simply Peo to the people who live there, is the headquarters of Kinnaur district. It stands at 2,290 m, about 7 km from Powari, a place on NH5. Wikipedia describes it as the commercial and administrative centre of the district, with its biggest market and all its important government offices. Kalpa, now a quiet village above it, held the district headquarters before the role moved down to Peo.
Photos: Eshank Sehgal (CC BY 2.0) · Steve Bennett (CC BY-SA 3.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.
Getting there
About 9 km and 20 minutes by road from Kalpa, by our routing, so it is a short drive down the hill and back. For flights, Wikipedia names Kullu-Manali Airport as the closest, 245 km by road, and our own routing gives 245 km from Bhuntar to Kalpa. The HRTC bus stand here handles transport within the district, so Peo is where onward buses are found for the rest of Kinnaur.
What you do here
Most visitors use Peo rather than visit it: they buy supplies, draw cash, and find a bus or a taxi. Wikipedia names the Chandi Mata Temple and the Bhabha Valley as the town's main attractions, and says the peaks of Kinnaur Kailash and Raldang can be seen from here. Apple orchards are abundant on the slopes, and the houses are built in the traditional style of the district.
Peo is also the base for pilgrims who walk to the Shivling of Kinnaur Kailash, a rock pillar at about 4,800 m. Our guide does not plan that walk, because we have no verified timings, route or permit rules for it, so ask in town and with the local authorities before you commit.
When to go
The town works through the year, but Kinnaur's winters are long and snowy, so check the roads before you travel in the colder months. The best-time guide sets out what is and is not published about Kalpa's seasons.
Around it
Kalpa's own sights are close: Narayan Nagini Temple in the old village, and Chandika Devi Temple at Kothi on the way. The two-day plan puts Peo on its second day, and things to do in Kalpa lists every stop.
Plans that include this
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Questions people ask
What is Reckong Peo?
Reckong Peo, written Rekong Peo on some maps and called Peo locally, is the headquarters of Kinnaur district. It stands at 2,290 m, and Wikipedia calls it the district's commercial and administrative centre, with its biggest market and all the main government offices.
How far is Reckong Peo from Kalpa?
About 9 km and 20 minutes by road, by our routing, so most visitors stay in Kalpa and come down for the day. Wikipedia lists Kalpa as the district headquarters before that role moved down to Peo, which is why the town is the practical base for the valley.
Is Reckong Peo worth a stop or just a supply town?
Mostly the second. The market and the bus stand are the draw, and Wikipedia names the Chandi Mata Temple and the Bhabha Valley as its main attractions. Top up cash and supplies here before going further up the valley, and treat the views of the snow peaks as a bonus.