How to reach Nako Lake from Chandigarh – 2023 Updated

Nako Lake is a high altitude small lake situated in an extreme corner in Himachal Pradesh. This blog will share complete knowledge of how to reach Nako Lake from Chandigarh through different modes.  

Where is Nako Lake located?

Nako Lake is a small lake situated in Nako Village of Kinnaur district. Nako village is  around 110 Km ahead of Reckong Peo towards Spiti.

Name of the Place	Nako Lake ( नाको झील )
State	Himachal Pradesh
District	Kinnaur
Elevation	3650  m, 12000 ft
Accessibility	By road
Best time to visit	April – June, September – October
Travel Distance by road	445 Km
Travel Time by road	13 Hrs  (approximately)

How to reach Nako Lake from Chandigarh

Nako Lake is connected by road and accessible majorly during summers.  The distance between Nako Lake from Chandigarh is around 445 Km. There are different modes by which one can reach Nako Lake.

How to reach Nako Lake from Chandigarh by Road

There are various options to reach Nako Lake by road.

 You can refer to the below table to plan your journey to Nako Lake.

Sr. No.	Location	Distance (Km)	Elevation (ft)	Elevation (m)	Time  (Hr)
1	Chandigarh	0	700	225	00:00
2	Solan	70	5100	1550	02:00
3	Shimla	120	7200	2200	03:30
4	Kufri	135	8500	2600	04:15
5	Narkanda	180	8900	2700	05:45
6	Rampur	240	3300	1000	07:30
7	Bhaba Nagar	290	5100	1550	09:15
8	Tapri	310	5600	1700	09:45
9	Karcham	320	5900	1800	10:00
10	Reckong Peo	335	7900	2400	10:30
11	Khab	410	8500	2600	12:15
13	Nako	445	12000	3650	12:55

How to reach Nako Lake from Chandigarh on a Bus

If you want to travel to Himachal with a limited budget then traveling by Bus would be the best option. Unlike other hilly states, the bus network in Himachal is very good and night service is also available.

Himachal Pradesh State Owned Buses are called HRTC buses ( Himachal Road Transport Corporation buses). They are usually green/blue in color.   

There are multiple options to reach Nako Lake by bus. You can take the bus to major bus stands / ISBTs and then a further connecting bus can be taken.

Before moving to the options we need to understand the route map. 

Option – 1 Chandigarh – Reckong Peo by bus and then Reckong Peo to Nako Lake by another bus.

Below are the bus details you can choose

From Chandigarh to Reckong Peo:

SR. No.	SERVICE NO.	CHANDIGARH	RECONGPEO	DURATION	DEPOT	TYPE	ORIGIN	DESTINATION	ONLINE BOOKING
1	556	1:10 AM	3:00 PM	13:50 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	DELHI ISBT KASHMIRI GATE	RECONGPEO	NO
2	1220	1:30 AM	2:15 PM	12:45 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	HARIDWAR	RECONGPEO	NO
3	1513	4:44 AM	7:00 PM	14:16 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	CHANDIGARH	RECONGPEO	YES
4	CHD-RPO	6:05 AM	7:00 PM	12:55 Hrs	REC PEO	HIMMANI DELUXE 2X2 NON AC	CHANDIGARH	RECONGPEO	NO
5	1511	5:50 PM	7:00 AM	13:10 Hrs	REC PEO	HIMMANI DELUXE 2X2 NON AC	CHANDIGARH	RECONGPEO	YES
6	CHD-SML-RPO	6:00 PM	7:00 AM	13:00 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	CHANDIGARH	RECONGPEO	NO
7	1512	7:00 PM	9:00 AM	14:00 Hrs	RAMPUR	ORDINARY	CHANDIGARH	KALPA	YES

From Reckong Peo to Nako Lake:

SR. No.	SERVICE NO.	RECONGPEO	Nako Lake	DURATION	DEPOT	TYPE	ORIGIN	DESTINATION	ONLINE BOOKING
1	RPO-KZA-01	5:30 AM	9:30 AM	4:00 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	RECONGPEO	KAZA	NO
2	RPO-KZA-02	7:30 AM	11:30 AM	4:00 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	RECONGPEO	KAZA	NO

Option – 2  Chandigarh to Shimla, then to  Nako Lake.

The bus service from Chandigarh to Shimla is much more frequent. You can easily reach Shimla based on the connecting bus from Shimla.

From Shimla to Nako Lake Travel you can read this blog with complete details of Buses. .

For online booking of buses on the HRTC website kindly Click here

Note: If you are planning to take an offline HRTC bus, kindly confirm the timings from the HRTC Depot office before finalization. Click here to know the phone numbers. 

 How to reach Nako Lake from Chandigarh on your own Vehicle

If you have good exposure to driving on mountainous roads and your vehicle is an SUV then this is a perfect option to travel to Nako Lake. Below are Key things to be considered while traveling to Nako Lake on your own driving.

1. The travel time is more than 13 hrs so please make sure you start early in the morning so that you reach Nako Lake in the evening before it is dark.
2. Roads till Solan are good ( separate lanes for up and down traffic).   
3. Highway up to Karcham after that single-lane road.
4. You don’t require a 4X4 vehicle there as the normal vehicle can reach there.
5. The road from Rampur to Nako Lake is considered among the most dangerous roads so driving should be done carefully.
6. There would be many landslide-prone areas that are treacherous during the rainy season.
7. In winter there would be high snowfall above Shimla to Narkanda and then in the Kinnaur district so weather updates to be taken before the start of the journey.
8. There are limited petrol pumps the way after Rampur.

How to reach Nako Lake from Chandigarh on a bike

Nowadays traveling into the Himalayas on Bike is becoming a trend. Lots of bikers every year travel to remote areas and enjoy the beauty. Reaching Nako Lake on a bike would be the dream for every adventure lover. Kindly consider the below points before planning a trip to Nako Lake on a bike.

1. Every bike can reach Nako Lake but prefer a bike with > 150 cc engine if you are with a pillion rider. 
2. You will feel the major variation in the temperature while traveling on the bike as there is a gain and drop of altitude. Shimla to Narkanda at a higher altitude than Rampur at a lower altitude.
3. Ride carefully as the road from Rampur to Nako Lake is considered a dangerous road so driving should be done carefully.
4. Carry rain covers along as there might be rainy uphill while there is a clear sky on the plains.
5. There are many landslide-prone areas that are treacherous during the rainy season.
6. During winters Bike riding is not advisable as there will be snowfall / black ice on roads and bike riding is extremely dangerous..
7. There are limited petrol pumps the way after Rampur so please plan and fill the tank based upon the fuel consumption of your bike. 

How to reach Nako Lake from Chandigarh on a Taxi

Taxis can easily be hired for Nako Lake and there are many options available on the online platforms. Following key things to be considered while taxing taxis to Nako Lake.

1. Drivers should be experienced in traveling in these areas.
2. Vehicle to be comfortable since travel time would be more than 12 hrs.
3. Ground clearance of the Vehicle to be good.
4. Negotiate well before finalization.

How to reach Nako Lake from Chandigarh by Train

The nearest railway station en route to Nako Lake is the Shimla railway station. But this station is on the narrow gauge. You need to change trains from Kalka railway station. The Kalka railway station is for both broad gauge and narrow gauge. You can easily reach Kalka railway station from Chandigarh which is less than an Hour.

• Pros
  • This route is a UNESCO world heritage site.
  • Best train route to see beautiful Himalayan mountains.
• Cons
  • Travel time is much high since the maximum speed of this train is around 30 km/hr
  • The frequency of the trains between Kalka and  Shimla is quite low.

How to reach Nako Lake from Chandigarh by air

Since Nako Lake is located deep  in the Himalayas, there is no major airport nearby.

The nearest airport en route to Nako Lake is Shimla airport but there is no direct service available on the plane from Chandigarh.

Heli service is available from Chandigarh to Shimla. 

Summary – “How to reach Nako Lake from Chandigarh”

Let’s summarize what we have understood in this blog  “How to reach Nako Lake from Chandigarh ”

• Nako Lake is a wonderful travel destination located in the Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh at around 445 KM from Chandigarh.
• You can reach Nako Lake in one day from Chandigarh.
• Nako Lake can be reached throughout the year except during peak winters but the best time is from April – June and then from September – October.
• Nako Lake can be reached by self-driven car, bike, taxi, and by Bus.
• Nearest railway station is  Shimla which is narrow gauge. The train can be taken from Kalka.
• Nearest airport is Shimla airport but no direct service from Chandigarh.
• Cheapest way to reach Nako Lake is by the HRTC bus and many options are available.

We hope you have got a good understanding of “How to reach Nako Lake from Chandigarh ”. If you want to give suggestions on this blog ” please comment.

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions: