Rakcham travel info

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While traveling from Sangla to Chitkul you will sure come across this breathtaking valley on the banks of River Baspa comfortably hidden away from the modern world . Nestled between mighty snow covered peaks and a lush green landscape, Rakcham or Rakchham is heaven on earth.

Rakcham is at an altitude of 2900 meters approx 10,000 ft above sea level. It is a relatively unknown place, located midway between Sangla and Chitkul ( 14 Km from Sangla and 10 Km from Chitkul) – the last Indian village before the Tibet Border. The beauty of this small village with a population of 800 is heavenly – please check the gallery pages to get some understanding.

The people of Rakcham are mostly nomadic and known as Kinnaurs. The men normally tend to the herd of cows and sheep while the women do the farming as also house work. The women known as Kinnauri’s are slim, tall with very sharp features. The people of Rakcham migrate every six months during winter to lower levels and again return during April to sow seeds and tend to crops.

At first glance Rakcham will seem to be a place out from the past – no newspapers, no post office, no internet, no police station, no wine shop, no market – just a couple of shop selling very basic necessities. The place however is blessed with crops, abundant water, and natural beauty. The place is absolutely free of any form of crime.

Winter sets around November and snowfall is about 2-5 feet across the valley. A few villagers , normally who do not possess any herds stay in the valley under extreme hardship.

Temples in Rakcham Village
There are two temples in the village, Kali and Shiva as also a Buddhist shrine. The Kali temple was renovated after a devastating fire in the village few years back which had destroyed the original temple. Throughout Kinnaur you will find a typical blend of Hindu and Buddhist ideology and as such the temples also depict dragons and many fusion characters.

Places to stay

We suggest visitors to stay in Sangla and visit this place from there on way to Chitkul – you can even spend a full day at Rakcham and then go back to Sangla which is more convenient in location. In Sangla our recommended place for stay is Igloo Nature Camp with 12 swiss tents. For booking you can send us a mail using the contact form or book directly. You can also get in touch with us for planning your tour in this valley and for booking in any of the places like Kalpa, Rakcham and Chitkul at discounted rates.

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