The meaning of “Spiti” is “The Middle Land”, i.e. the land between Tibet and India. It’s a dry but breathtakingly beautiful region which remains under snow for 8 months in a year in mighty Himalayan mountain range. The area was made accessible to tourism only in 1992 and is almost untouched by modern world. Spiti offers a lot of opportunities to the adventurous tourists looking for camping, hiking, trekking, cycling, mountain climbing, bike rides etc. as well as sedate travelers looking forward to relax in the unpolluted mountains of Himalayas.
Day 01: Chandigarh – Manali (10 hours drive approx.)
on Arrival at Chandigarh airport transfer to manali, arrival in Manali and transfer to hotel for rest.
Day 02: Manali
Sightseeing in Manali beginning from Old Manali. We’ll visit Hidimba Temple and Manu’s Temple in old part of city. After that, we’ll drive to Vashishtha Temple and spend some time in hot water springs. Rest of day can be sent in Old Manali market.
Day 3: Manali – Rohtang Pass – Spiti Valley – Kaza – 12000 Feet
We begin this Spiti Valley tour by hitting the road from Manali. We pass through the popular adventure-haven Rohtang Pass. Then we drive into the desolate and stunning brown-badland landscape and approach Chattru and Batal. At 14,931 feet, we catch our first chill at the august Kunzum Pass and then descend into Losar Village, the first in Spiti valley.
Having warmed up with cup of chai (tea), we continue driving through the stunning landscapes and reach Kaza where we spend the night at a comfortable hotel.
Day 4: Kaza – Langza – Hikkim – KI Monastery – Kaza – 14806 Feet
On the second day of the Spiti Valley Tour, we drive to some of the highest inhabited regions of the world.
we drive to Hikkim where we visit the world’s highest post office in the world. If possible, you may even meet the post-master and hear his stories.
After sending out a postcard, we drive to Langza. Langza village is situated at an altitude of 4,400 meters and belongs to the Sakyapa sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Langza houses a population of 137 in 33 households. Once you are here, you can walk into the village and visit the ancient Lang (Temple) which is estimated to be around 1000 years old. At Langza, walk back to the prehistoric era when Spiti was submerged by the Tethys Sea, as you explore a land very rich with fossils of Marine animals and plants which were here millions of years ago.
We drive back down to Kaza for lunch. After that, we visit the world famous Ki Monastery. The car will first stop at the base of the monastery hill for the ultimate photo opportunity of this remarkable structure. With over 1000 years’ worth stories to tell, the Ki Monastery situated at a height of 13,668 feet was founded by a disciple of the famous Atisha, in the 11th century CE. Belonging to the Yellow Hat or Gelugpa sect of Tibetan Buddhism, this monastery is famous as a prominent center of learning as well as a refuge for Tibetans. Being remotely located atop a hill overlooking endless plains, the Ki Monastery is an obvious choice for those seeking peace and calm
We drive back to Kaza in the evening and spend the night in a comfortable and warm Kaza hotel.
Day 5: Kaza – Pin Valley – Kaza – 12450 Feet
On the third day of our Spiti Valley tour, we drive towards the beautiful Pin Valley.
Imagine a national park with an abundance of animals and birds, with some rare plant varieties, a river that gushes when it isn’t frozen and trekking opportunities for the adventure-seekers. The Pin Valley promises all this and more.
We first visit the Kungri Monastery and then the beautiful hamlet of Mudh – the last motorable village of the Pin Valley.
Declared a national park in 1987, Pin Valley has altitudes ranging from 11,000 to 20,000 feet and is home to at least 12 endangered snow leopards. In addition, other animals indigenous to the region and park are the Siberian ibex, bharal, weasel, red fox, and marten. Birds such as the pika, griffon, golden eagle, bearded vulture, Chukor and Raven paint the skies a pretty picture.
We drive back to Kaza in the evening and spend the night in a comfortable and warm Kaza hotel.
Day 6: Kaza - Tabo – Dhankar – Lhalung. Overnight in a Lhalung Homestay -12774 Feet
After a delicious breakfast, we continue our Spiti Valley tour and drive towards the only other town of Spiti Valley – Tabo. Also known as the ‘Ajanta of the Himalayas’, Tabo houses the 1020 year-old Tabo Monastery – which is a UNESCO world heritage site and is famous for its ancient paintings that depict the life of The Buddha, and intricate portraits of gods and demons along with life-size statues of bodhisattvas, in a fusion of western Tibetan, Indian and Kashmiri styles.
After spending a couple of hours at Tabo, we drive towards Dhankar. Perched high above the confluence of the Spiti and Pin River, in a hidden bowl, is the tiny hamlet of Dhankar. The former capital of the Royals of Spiti Valley, also known as the Nono, who ruled the dust-coloured badlands of Spiti Valley. Go back in time as you explore the 1200-year-old Dhankar Gompa which perches precariously between eroded rocky pinnacles on the edge of a cliff. If time permits, do take an hour’s climb above the village to visit the stunning turquoise Dhankar Tso or Dhankar Lake which offers views over the valley and towards the twin peaks of Mane Rang (6593 meters).
Later, we take a short drive to Lhalung – another beautiful high altitude Spiti valley village. The word Lhalung means ‘land of god’ and the village of Lhalung is located at the foot of the Tangmar Mountains which supposedly transforms in colour depending on the mood of the deities. Red denotes anger while yellow signifies happiness. Apart from being home to hospitable local families, the village of Lhalung is also home to one of the oldest gompas in Spiti valley. The Lhalung Monastery – also known as Sarkhang and golden Temple – is situated at a height of 3658 meters.
We spend the night at an authentic local homestay with a local family, listening to life tales at above 12,000 feet.
Day 07: Drive from Lhalung to Losar – Kunzum La – Chandratal Lake. Overnight in Camps near Chandratal Lake. – 14000 Feet
This day, we commence our journey back home and trace our steps back on the Kaza – Manali road. However, we take one last stop at another Spitian wonder – Chandratal Lake. The mystical and beautiful Chandratal Lake, which translates to Moon Lake, is located at a height of 14,100 feet. The Chandra Bhaga mountain range forms a striking backdrop for the lake, which changes appearance according to the pictures painted in the sky.
After capturing the colours of the beautiful Chandratal Lake, we drive to our camping site where a hot supper under the gaze of a million stars and the Milky Way awaits us.
Our camps at Chandratal Lake are equipped with camping equipment including tents, high altitude sleeping bags / blankets and a comfortable mattress.
Day 08: Drive from Chandratal Lake to Rohtang Pass – Manali – 6800 Feet
With visuals of the stunning Chandratal Lake captured in minds and cameras, we continue tracing our steps back, driving on the Kaza – Manali road and after a few hours of driving and some more stunning landscape, we pass through the famous Rohtang Pass and reach Manali where we bid goodbye to our drivers.
You can choose to explore Manali’s markets in the evening if you are up for it or you can rest in the comforts of your Manali hotel.
Day 09: Check Out of Manali
Check out from Manali at 12 noon / Take an overnight bus to New Delhi. We wake up to some hot chai, a sumptuous breakfast and some brilliant views of the Himalayas from the hotel in Manali. You'll be free to explore Manali on foot this day. You can choose to take an overnight bus to New Delhi / we can help you arrange a private taxi from Manali to Chandigarh / New Delhi
