Land of Lamas, Land of Mysteries, Land of Adventure
Spiti valley is a hidden gem of Himachal’s Lahaul Spiti district, which is a must visit place for all the adventure seekers out there. Spiti is an offbeat destination for someone who loves solitude, road trips, off-roading, photography, adventure, and meditation. It is without a doubt, one of the remote tourist destinations in India with unadulterated environment and breathtaking beauty.
With rough terrains, decent roads, waterfalls, rivers, monasteries, hamlets and non polar glacier,
It is a mountainous cold dessert with hardly any rainfall there. You would just love driving around and exploring these spectacular terrains. The night sky illuminates with millions of stars twinkling endlessly with its crystal clear views of the starry nights, you can also spot Milky Way from here. and if you get lucky, you might also spot some shooting stars.
The local people in Spiti follow Buddhism, Its culture is similar to its neighbours Ladakh & Tibet. Kaza is also known for its colourful festivals and the Sakya tangyud Monastery. The name Spiti is derived from Piti, which means “the middle land” as the valley is surrounded on all the sides by mountain ranges that separate it from rest of the world. Rudyard Kilping an English Novelist described Lahaul Spiti as “a world within a world”
It is also believed that Spiti was once submerged under the Tethys sea and this is the reason for the abundance of these marine fossils in Langza village. From a past few years Spiti tourism has seen a tremendous rise. Every year thousands of tourists visit this mystic land and the number just. keeps increasing with each passing year. Spiti valley is an emerging destination for trekking, mountaineering and adventure sports Specially winter and ice sports. Some popular treks are - Kanamo Peak, Parang la trek to Ladakh , Bhabha Pin Trek , Pin Parvati pass trek.
Best time to visit :
The best season to visit Kaza is summer. The best months are May, June, July,Aug and Oct. The temperature remains pleasant in summers and are comfortable and apt for sightseeing.
Places to Visit :
1. Kibber - Famous for its wildlife sanctuary and Monastery. Kibber is also the base for climbing the nearby 5998m kanamo peak. Trek is rates as an easy ridge walk with scree on the lower slopes. The trek to Ladakh also starts from here. kibber is also famous for spotting snow leopards during winters.
2. Key Monastery- It is the largest monastery of Spiti valley and a religious training centre for lamas. The walls are covered with ancient murals and paintings. The monastery is known for its Thankas, rare manuscripts, stucco Images and ancient books. Every visitor Is greeted with tea here.
3.Tabo - Tabo is noted for being the oldest monastery, founded in 996 CE.
4. Dhankhar Monastery & Lake - 1000 year old monastery hidden in the spitian mountain rocks. Dhankar Lake is at about an hour’s worth of trek from Dhankar monastery. This lake’s pristine waters and surreal location will leave you awe-struck. According to myths and stories , Lord shiva stayed at this lake for some time in search for Vishnu. While shiva was wandering in search of Vishnu, Nandi drank some water from this place and as a reward shiva blessed this area with plenty of water.
5. Hikkim - World’s highest post office. A major tourist attraction to post their postcards.
6. Chichim Bridge - Located at a height of around 4500 meters above sea level in the Himalayan mountain ranges, the Chicham Bridge is said to be the Asia's highest suspension bridge and is one of the most spectacular bridges of the world. The bridge is situated across a deep gorge around 1000 feet in height.
7. Komic - Having its fame as the Highest village in the world connected with a motorable road, Komic is quite a destination for most people traveling to Spiti. The famous Sakya Tangyud Monastery, one of the famed attractions of Spiti is also here.
8. Chandertal Lake - The moon lake. According to Hindu mythology, Chandratal is the place where Indra, the King of Gods, came down on his chariot to transport Yudhishthira, eldest of the five Pandavas, in his mortal form to Swarga (heaven)
9. Kunzum Pass - Kunzum Pass, is a high mountain pass in the eastern Kunzum Range of the Himalayas. It connects Lahaul valley and Spiti valley. Roads remains closed from oct- may.
10. Langza Village -Langza is known for production of vessels of all shapes and sizes and crafts such as shawls, carpets, etc. Village is guarded by a serene golden large Buddha statue. It is believed to be 1000 years old. Langza village is famous for huge quantities of fossils found here. Because of this the village is also known as the “Fossil Village”
11. Pin Valley National Park & Mud Village -Pin Valley is one such verdant green patch in Spiti Valley and Mud, the last village in Pin Valley is a charming hamlet. Mud village gained popularity among travelers for being a trekking base to Pin Parvati Pass, trek to Bhabha Pass, and of course, the entrance to Pin Valley National park.
12. Suraj Taal -Surya Tal, is an 800 m long lake that lies just below the 4,890 m high Bara-lacha-la pass in Lahaul and Spiti district of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It is the third highest lake in India. the protected region of Pin Valley national park is home to more than 20 animal species while quite a few flora species as well.
13. Gue Monastery -Gue is famous for the Mummy of Lama Sangha Tenzin who was a Buddhist monk. He is thought to have died in the 1500s. His remains are preserved as a mummy, which was discovered in 1975 in Gue, It was found in a sitting position, with his skin and hair intact.
How to get here :
This trans- Himalayan region of India is at an elevation of 3800m above sea level. It is accessible from Manali & Shimla. The road from Shimla(via Reckong peo) is open In all seasons, while the Manali Road via Rohtang and Kunzum pass are open only during summers.
By Air. Kullu Airport at Kullu is the nearest airport. One can board a taxi from the airport to reach the destination. (232 km )
By Train. Shimla is the nearest railway station. ( Shimla to Sangla – 241km , sangla to kaza -236 km)
By Road. As there is no access to airport and railway in Spiti, it can only be reached by the means of roads. There is a circuit which can be completed in 6 + days, you can either start from Shimla or Bhuntar .
Permissions:
Until 1992 every civilian needed permit to enter Spiti valley due to its close proximity with the border. Tourism in Spiti valley was not allowed. All the foreign nationals still requires a permit to visit the Spiti valley. There is no need to get a permit for traveling up to Reckong Peo. Anywhere beyond that and you will need to obtain a permit for places. This permit can be obtained from the DM office in Shimla and Reckong Peo. If coming from Manali, you can get the permits from the DC office at Keylong.
Things to keep in mind :
Spiti is not just some place where you can pack your bags and go, you need to consider the harsh climatic conditions, challenging roads, difficult living conditions, rugged terrain and extreme weather. Therefore It is advisable that you come prepared and must adhere to the precautionary measures to ensure a safe, hassle free and memorable trip.
- cold never ends here, even in summers the nights gets cold .The temperature In winter goes in minus.
- breathing can be an issue here due to altitude, so give your body enough time to get acclimatize. Many people face Acute Mountain Sickness, Don’t Ignore and get help.
-The oxygen is indeed very thin in Spiti Valley but if you remember to keep yourself hydrated with small sips of water, it should not bother you.
- People suffering from respiratory or heart conditions are not advisable to visit.
- Networks are bad inmost of the places here. BSNL & Jio has some reception in certain areas.
- There is water scarcity In Spiti from past few years due to less snowfall and hardly any rainfall in this region. Therefore use. Water wisely while you are In Spiti..
- Check the weather before you plan your trip.
MAY YOUR TRIP TO SPITI BE A MEMORABLE ONE !!