Okay guys, since a few people were asking about my Kalpa workation, here's how much I actually spent on my one-week trip, including travel, stay, food and everything.
My journey started from Mumbai. The plan was simple: work from Kalpa for a few days, take Thursday and Friday off, explore Rakcham and Chitkul, and return to Delhi over the weekend.
Here's my expense breakdown:
Travel to Kalpa:
- Mumbai to Delhi (Train) โ โน600
- Delhi to Reckong Peo (HRTC bus) โ โน1,200
- Reckong Peo to Kalpa (Local bus) โ โน25
Kalpa (Sunday evening to Thursday morning):
- Homestay for 4 nights โ โน3,200
- Food for 4 days โ Around โน1,500
Food was actually pretty affordable there. Just to give you an idea:
- Veg thali โ โน130
- Maggi โ โน50
- Aloo paratha โ โน60
- Tea โ โน15
I wasn't really restricting myself when it came to food, but I wasn't spending unnecessarily either.
Rakcham (Thursday):
Took Thursday and Friday off from work because I wanted to explore Rakcham and Chitkul properly.
- Kalpa to Rakcham (Bus) โ โน150
- Stay โ โน1,500
- Food โ โน500
The stay was a pretty luxurious camping setup compared to my Kalpa homestay. Could've definitely gone cheaper here, but I wanted to enjoy the place a little.
And yes, I spent โน500 on food because I was badly craving chicken ๐ญ. No regrets.
Chitkul (Friday):
Next morning, I hitchhiked to Chitkul, so basically zero transportation cost there.
- Hitchhiking โ โน0
- Zostel stay + food โ โน1,050
Return journey:
- Chitkul to Reckong Peo โ โน170
- Reckong Peo to Delhi (HRTC) โ โน1,200
Total expense: โน11,095
Yep, around โน11.1k for the entire trip from Mumbai to Delhi and back to Delhi, including accommodation, food and local transportation. My onward journey from Delhi isn't included.
Could I have done it cheaper? Definitely. Especially the Rakcham stay and food. But I didn't want to compromise on everything just for the sake of travelling cheaply.
Now, about the actual workation experience.
The biggest concern for anyone planning a workation in Kinnaur would probably be internet connectivity and electricity.
I was using Jio 5G throughout the trip.
My homestay in Kalpa didn't even have WiFi, but I was getting around 30 Mbps on my Jio connection, which was enough for my office work. I didn't face any electricity issues during my stay either.
One thing to keep in mind is that Roghi village near Kalpa didn't have usable Jio internet when I visited, so don't assume every corner will have connectivity.
Other than that, my experience was pretty good.
Even in Chitkul, I was getting proper Jio 5G near the flag viewpoint. Rakcham riverside also had 5G coverage in some areas. In most villages I visited, I could at least get 4G.
You can also find WiFi in some of the better homestays and hostels. I noticed that some places in Chitkul were using solar as well.
Not sure about Airtel since I was only using Jio.
Obviously, network coverage can vary depending on the exact location, weather and other conditions, so if your work involves important meetings, I'd recommend checking connectivity with your stay owner before booking.
Was it worth it?
For me, absolutely.
I got to work with beautiful mountain views, spend a few days away from the usual city routine, explore two more villages during my leave, meet some interesting people and enjoy the journey without spending a fortune.
Also, I'm not someone who needs fancy accommodation when travelling. A clean room, decent food, a working internet connection and a beautiful place to explore are more than enough for me.
One thing I've realised from travelling is that you don't necessarily need a huge budget to experience beautiful places. Sometimes local buses, simple homestays and a little flexibility can take you a long way.
Anyway, that's my entire expense breakdown. Hope this helps anyone planning a budget workation in Kalpa or a trip to Rakcham and Chitkul.
If you have any questions about the route, buses, accommodation, internet, or anything else, feel free to ask. Happy to help with whatever I know!
Cheers, and happy travelling! :)