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Spiti Valley Travel Essentials

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Ideal duration: 4-6 days

Best Time: Mid May to Mid Oct Read More

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Also Refered As:

Spiti

Top places within Spiti Valley

"Trekking mecca and a virgin paradise"

Spiti Valley Tourism

Long winding roads and valleys that present unforgettable glimpses of cold desert and snow-crowned mountains welcome you when you set foot into Spiti Valley. Bordered on all sides by the Himalayas, Spiti Valley, located in Himachal Pradesh, has an altitude of 12,500 feet above sea level, and gets just around 250 days of sunshine in the year, making it one of the coldest places in the country. 

The term Spiti means 'The Middle Land', as Spiti Valley separates India from Tibet. True to its name, Spiti is home to several monasteries. Notably the stunning Key Monastery that is over a thousand years old and is also the largest monastery to be found in the entire Spiti Valley.

Scantily populated, Spiti is an adventure lover’s paradise, with a number of trekking trails and mountain passes that tourists can choose from. Kunzum La offers an incredible 360-degree view of Bara- Shigri Glacier (the second longest glacier in the world). All of these treks start from Kaza (Spiti’s capital from where you make your base camp) to various peaks from where you can get panoramic views of the Himalayan mountains. 

An easy 1.5-kilometre trek along the Spiti River from Dhankar Monastery to Dhankar Lake promises gorgeous views of the villages below. The Dhankar Lake itself is a place where you can sit back and relax amidst the cool mountain air. Another mytical site to visit is the Chandratal lake, where the water keeps changing from reddish to orange to blue to emerald green as the day ends. With the thick Himalayan snow cutting Spiti off from the rest of the country for around 6 months a year, the summer months are the only time Spiti is directly accessible via motorway.

Must Know Before You Travel to Spiti Valley

  • Driving from Manali to Kaza can be quite risky, so avoid the self-drive at all costs. It is recommended to ride in a bus to reach your destination.
  • There are only one or two ATMs in Kaza, which might run out of money. Therefore, make sure that you carry enough cash.
  • Chandratal Lake was earlier a popular camping site but camping is now forbidden within 3km of the lake.
  • The Kunzum Pass is ordinarily open from June to September. During the rest of the year, it is frozen.
  • The Kunzum Pass has no eateries, so it is recommended to stock up on food supplies before the journey.
  • It is essential to have many copies of the permit as they may have to be submitted at different checkpoints along the way to Sarchu.
  • It is to be noted that the camps at Sarchu will be shut down during winters owing to the heavy snowfall.
  • Photography inside the monasteries and temples is strictly prohibited.

Top Hotels In Spiti Valley

More on Spiti Valley Travel

The Middle Land

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.

What Makes Spiti An Amazing Tourist Destination

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.

Culture and Traditions of Spiti

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.

Restaurants and Local Food in Spiti Valley

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

Suggested Itinerary for 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

Best Time to Visit Spiti Valley

Spiti Valley Photos

Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh
Trilokinath Temple
Chandratal Lake
Tangyud Monastery (Sakya Kaza Monastery)

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photos

FAQs on Spiti Valley

What are the places near Spiti?

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

What are the things to do in Spiti?

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

How much does a package cost for Spiti?

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

What is the best way to reach Spiti?

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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What is the local food in Spiti?

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.
Read More

What is the best time to visit Spiti?

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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Who should visit Spiti?

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.

What is not so good about Spiti?

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

What is famous about Spiti?

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

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Popular Questions And Answers on Spiti Valley

Q. What is the average expenditure?

Aditya Vijay

5 years ago
If you plan your trip yourself it will cost you around 14k per person including everything for 6 person
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Q. What is the preferred route to reach spiti if we are traveling by car/bike ?

Bikashjyoti Pathak

5 years ago
If yoi are an Ace Driver with decent driving experience in Mountainous terrains, take The Hindustan Tibet Highway from Shimla. Under no circumstances though, try to cover the distance from Shimla to (Read More)Spiti in a day(practically impossible) as you have to acclimatize your body with the changing altitude. Regular route should be:- Shimla-Kalpa/Reckong Peo (Day 1) Reckong Peo to Tabo (Day 2) Tabo to Kaza (Day 3. Dhankar Lake & Monastery can be done enroute) Kaza(2/3 days) Kaza to Chandratal Lake/Manali
Add Your Answer

Q. Can I go there from Manali..??if possible then tell me the cab fear from there

Shreyas Kapoor

5 years ago
I went to manali in august and I was offered a ride to chandratal lake for about 6000 for a small car. I didn't have the time travel to spiti so never inquired much but I think that would have been f (Read More)or to and fro ride.

Spiti Valley Reviews

Your rating

Kumar Kislay

5 years ago
- The highways are a bit dangerous as most buses run at above normal speeds. Driving here should be done very carefully. Also during trekking one must ensure that the guide is well-informed of the te (Read More)rrain there and the food and water should be sufficient in quantity.

david John

5 years ago
Nice Info. Thanks for sharing with all of us. Keep sharing more like this. I also want to share some information about an amazing tourist destination "Manali" in Himachal Pradesh which has various sp (Read More)ectacular adventurous places and activities to enjoy and make your trip more pleasant and extraordinary. "Link Hidden"

Surbhi Parashar

5 years ago
Popularly known as the cold desert mountain, "Middle Land" or "Little Tibet", Spiti Valley can be more aptly called as 'Trekking mecca and a virgin paradise'. Nestled in the Himalayan range in Himach (Read More)al Pradesh, this desert terrain is sure to spellbind you. Further inward, ancient monasteries, quaint little habitations, snow-capped mountains, verdure forests, crystal clear rivers and magnificent glaciers make this picture perfect valley all the more enthralling and surreal. The breath-taking views and the untouched natural beauty will make your visit a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
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