Spiti Valley

Spiti literally means 'the Middle Land', situated between the region of India and the adjoining borders of the Tibet region of China, in the eastern part of the state of Himachal Pradesh. Strictly for trekkers and hikers, this is an adventurer's paradise. The terrain of this place is quite high and difficult. The Lahaul and Spiti district comprises of both the valleys which are separated by Kunzum pass.

The name "Spiti" means the middle land. Therefore, Spiti Valley is the middle land between India and Tibet. It has mixed culture and traditions of both the nations. It is a research centre for Buddhist due to its innumerable monasteries and temples. Tabo Monastery is the favourite of Dalai Lama and one of the oldest Buddhist monasteries in the world. It is home to the few surviving Buchen Lamas of the Nyingmapa sect of Buddhism. The life at Spiti often leads to monastic forms of living for most of its inhabitants. People of Spiti are superstitious- they talk of healing trees, spirits and monks possessing magical powers. People celebrate the local festivals and fairs. Tribal fair Keylong coincides with the Indian Independence day, falling between 14th to 16th of August; in which cultural troupes are invited to perform the state arts from Chandigarh, Dharamshala etc. There is also Ladarcha fair held annually in July. Traders from Ladakh, Rampur Busher and Spiti, meet to barter their produce.

You don’t have to be a strict nature lover or a bird-watcher to find the little village of Langzha endearing. All you have to do is simply sit on the isolated slopes of this village and look up at the sky in order to get thrilling glimpses of eagles, hawks and even vultures. There are a few other places in Spiti that allow you to catch a glimpse of these elusive birds, but the scenic landscape of Langhza heightens that thrill by quite a few notches.

Spiti Valley is known for housing some of the oldest monasteries in the country, such as the Key Monastery, which has a fort-like structure resembling traditional Chinese architecture and has a stunning Buddha Shrine on display. Other monasteries you can visit include the Tabo Monastery, the Lhalung Monastery, and the Gandhola Monastery.

Spiti has its fair share of lakes too, the most famous ones being Chandratal Lake and Suraj Tal Lake. Chandratal Lake derives its name from its crescent moon-like shape and is a photographer’s paradise. Suraj Tal lake is another famous lake in Spiti, and it is the third highest lake in all of India, making it an idyllic spot for camping.

High up in Spiti, roads are almost non-existent, so the idea of street food does not exist in Spiti. Thukpa is the standard fare of this little town, and it is a delicious respite from the bone-numbing chill which is perpetually present in the air.

Spiti's cuisine has an interesting mix of delicacies which one must indulge in. Though the Tibetan food dominates the platters here, one finds satisfying North-Indian food as well as a dash of Israeli food. The village sways with barley fields which is the biggest source of food. The grain is used to produce arrack (barley whisky), chang (barley beer); and roasted flour is made into laddoos or breakfast cereal called thungpa. The local food items that one should not miss include Momos, Thukpa, Butter tea, Chang (a locally made beer), Arkah (a locally made whiskey) and more. Other than these, flavoured and aromatic teas such as those with garnishes of lemon, mint, ginger, honey are quite popular.
View Top Restaurants in Spiti Valley

There are two ways to reach Spiti Valley, one way is via Shimlanand the other way is via Atal Tunnel from Manali. This is the itinerary that can be followed and reversed as per the preference of the traveller:

Day 1: Chandigarh to Manali
Day 2: Manali to Chandratal via Atal Tunnel
Day 3: Chandratal-Kibber-Ki-Kaza
Day 4: Kaza and nearby sightseeing
Day 5: Pin Valley-Dhankar-Tabo
Day 6: Kabo-Geyu-Nako-Kalpa
Day 7: Chitkul, Kalpa, Sangla, Sarahan
Day 8: Sarahan to Shimla
Day 9: Shimla to Chandigarh

Paradise for adventurers. Mesmerising view of the mountains with fresh air.

Risky highways. Hostile in late monsoons and winters. Become deserted during the winters.

Ideal for all sorts of adventurers, whether trekking, or camping, or even hiking. Also suitable for backpackers from nearby sites like New Delhi, Shimla, Manali, etc.

The best time to visit Spiti is from March to June. The ones who are into a relaxing vacation should visit Spiti during this season when the temperature ranges from 0 - 15-degree Celcius, which starts from March and lasts until June. Winters in Spiti are for the daring. The road connectivity is unreliable during the winters with Manali-Kaza highway being cut-off. The snow leopard expedition is one activity that takes the cake during this season. It is best to avoid planning a trip to Spiti during the monsoon months (July- September), since the continuous heavy rainfall, followed by landslides and slippery roads, may spoil your holiday mood to a great extent.
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Spiti's cuisine has an interesting mix of delicacies which one must indulge in. Though the Tibetan food dominates the platters here, one finds satisfying North-Indian food as well as a dash of Israeli food. The village sways with barley fields which is the biggest source of food. The grain is used to produce arrack (barley whisky), chang (barley beer); and roasted flour is made into laddoos or breakfast cereal called thungpa. The local food items that one should not miss include Momos, Thukpa, Butter tea, Chang (a locally made beer), Arkah (a locally made whiskey) and more. Other than these, flavoured and aromatic teas such as those with garnishes of lemon, mint, ginger, honey are quite popular.
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Lahaul and Spiti are separated from Kullu by the Rohtang pass and Kunzum pass and it lies on the Manali-Leh highway. This route is fine to reach Spiti valley during the summers but is inaccessible for most parts of the year due to heavy snowfall. However, Spiti valley is accessible throughout the year though from Shimla via Kinnaur (except for occasional disturbances due to landslides or heavy snowfall).

Route 1: Via Kinnaur through Hindustan - Tibet Highway

Reach Shimla via Delhi or Chandigarh in an overnight bus. There are many public and private buses running between Shimla and Kinnaur from 5 AM to 8 PM. Beyond the specified time, there are around 2-3 overnight buses to Reckong Peo (Headquarters of Kinnaur district). You can get these buses from the New Bus Stand as well as from the Old Bus Stand in Shimla.

In addition to this, you can also hire a shared taxi or even a private one (Xylo or Scorpio). The charges range from INR 2500 - 3500 per day from Shimla depending on the season and your bargaining skills.

Some people also prefer to drive down on their own. A drive in an SUV is safe enough but a sedan or hatchbacks are not preferred due to major landslides and rough terrains.

Although self-driving is more enjoyable and gives you the convenience of stopping and taking in the scenic beauty at your own pleasure, however, a journey in the state/private bus is less time-taking.

Route 2: Via Manali

The other option is to take a private/public bus from Manali and reach Kaza through Rohtang Pass and Kunzum Pass. There are buses leaving from Manali at around 5 am in the morning to Kaza.

You can hire a shared taxi or even a private one (Xylo or Scorpio). The charges range from INR 2800-3500 per day from Manali depending on the season and your bargaining skills.

You can also take a private vehicle and drive down on your own as the route is without any trouble (slushy roads etc.), unlike the Hindustan- Tibet highway.


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The packages for Spiti start at INR 8000 which can be further customized based on number of people, days, hotel category, vehicle type and customizations. You can have a look at all packages here

The top things to do in Spiti are Chandratal Lake, Key Monastery, Kunzum Pass, Pin Valley National Park, Suraj Tal, Dhankar Monastery. You can see all the places to visit in Spiti here

The top places near to Spiti are Manali which is 79 km from Spiti, Kaza which is located 3 km from Spiti, Kasol which is located 72 km from Spiti, Ladakh which is located 195 km from Spiti, Shimla which is located 150 km from Spiti