How to reach Nako Lake from Shimla – 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 Shimla 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	325 Km
Travel Time by road	9:25 Hrs  (approximately)

How to reach Nako Lake from Shimla

Nako Lake is connected by road and accessible majorly during summers.  The distance between Nako Lake from Shimla is around 325 Km. There are different modes by which one can reach Nako Lake.

How to reach Nako Lake from Shimla 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	Shimla	0	7200	2200	00:00
2	Kufri	15	8500	2600	00:45
3	Narkanda	60	8900	2700	02:15
4	Rampur	120	3300	1000	04:00
5	Bhaba Nagar	170	5100	1550	05:45
6	Tapri	190	5600	1700	06:15
7	Karcham	200	5900	1800	06:30
8	Reckong Peo	215	7900	2400	07:00
9	Khab	290	8500	2600	08:45
10	Nako Lake	325	12000	3650	09:25

How to reach Nako Lake from Shimla on a Bus

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

Route – Shimla – Reckong Peo by bus and then Reckong Peo to Nako Lake by bus.

Below are the bus details you can choose

From Shimla to Reckong Peo:

SR. No.	SERVICE NO.	SHIMLA ISBT TUTIKANDI	RECONGPEO	DURATION	DEPOT	TYPE	ORIGIN	DESTINATION	ONLINE BOOKING
1	333	3:40 AM	4:00 PM	12:20 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	SHIMLA ISBT TUTIKANDI	POOH VILLAGE	YES
2	633	4:30 AM	1:30 PM	9:00 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	DHARAMSHALA	THANGI	NO
3	1220	5:00 AM	2:15 PM	9:15 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	HARIDWAR	RECONGPEO	NO
4	556	5:45 AM	3:00 PM	9:15 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	DELHI ISBT KASHMIRI GATE	RECONGPEO	NO
5	255	6:56 AM	4:40 PM	9:44 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	SOLAN	RECONGPEO	NO
6	1513	9:00 AM	7:00 PM	10:00 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	CHANDIGARH	RECONGPEO	NO
7	CHD-RPO	10:30 AM	7:00 PM	8:30 Hrs	REC PEO	HIMMANI DELUXE 2X2 NON AC	CHANDIGARH	RECONGPEO	NO
8	273	6:30 PM	3:30 AM	9:00 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	SHIMLA ISBT TUTIKANDI	RECONGPEO	YES
9	1511	10:20 PM	7:00 AM	8:40 Hrs	REC PEO	HIMMANI DELUXE 2X2 NON AC	CHANDIGARH	RECONGPEO	NO
10	CHD-SML-RPO	10:30 PM	7:00 AM	8:30 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	CHANDIGARH	RECONGPEO	NO
11	1512	11:30 PM	9:00 AM	9:30 Hrs	RAMPUR	ORDINARY	CHANDIGARH	KALPA	NO

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

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 Shimla on your own Vehicle

If you can reach Shimla in your own Vehicle then reaching Nako Lake is not too difficult a task.

1. The travel time is around 10 hrs so please make sure you start early in the day so that you reach Nako Lake in the evening..
2. Highway up to Karcham after that single-lane road.
3. Road near Nako Lake is not so okay, so having a high-ground clearance vehicle would be a good option.
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. 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.
7. There are limited petrol pumps the way after Rampur.

How to reach Nako Lake from Shimla 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 the 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 with as there might be rain at higher reaches.
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 Shimla 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 8 hrs.
3. Ground clearance of the Vehicle to be good.
4. Negotiate well before finalization.

How to reach Nako Lake from Shimla by Train

Nako Lake is not connected by train. The last station is at Shimla

How to reach Nako Lake from Shimla by air

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

Summary – “How to reach Nako Lake from Shimla”

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

• Nako Lake is a wonderful travel destination located in the Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh at around 325 KM from Shimla.
• You can reach Nako Lake in one day from Shimla.
• Nako Lake can be reached throughout the year 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.
• 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 Shimla ”. If you want to give suggestions on this blog ” please comment.

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions: