In a landmark initiative promoting sustainability, heritage, and adventure, Himachal Pradesh is opening the doors to some of its most closely guarded frontiers. Tucked away in the remote folds of the Himalayas, destinations such as Lepcha-La, Shipki-La, Gue Monastery, Khana, Dumti, the Rani area of Sangla, and Chitkul in Kinnaur district, along with handpicked locations in Lahaul-Spiti, are now set to welcome intrepid travellers. This move signals a new chapter in India’s tourism narrative—where cultural preservation and strategic sensitivity meet the call of wanderlust.
The state’s bold foray into border tourism is expected to be formally launched by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, who will flag off the initiative from Shipki-La, a high-altitude village on the Indo-Tibetan border. His upcoming two-day visit to Kinnaur will mark the ceremonial beginning of what the government hails as a “sustainable and secure” tourism model developed in close coordination with the Union government.
These newly accessible zones have been off-limits to tourists due to their proximity to the India-China border. Entry was possible only with special permissions from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and the Indian Army.
Now, under the revised norms, all it takes to explore these high-altitude gems is a valid ID both for a resident and a bona fide traveller.
Each newly opened destination offers something unique.
Shipki-La, a historic trade route that once connected India to Tibet, stuns with views of the Sutlej River as it crosses into India.
Chitkul, often dubbed the “last village on the Indo-Tibetan border”, is already a favourite among trekkers and solitude seekers, its wooden houses and apple orchards now accessible with greater ease.
Gue Monastery is famed for its quiet setting and for housing a 500-year-old naturally mummified monk, a spiritual relic drawing global curiosity.
Lepcha-La and Dumti have been inaccessible to most civilians until now, making their rugged terrains feel like newly discovered frontiers.
(With inputs from multiple reports)
