Spiti Valley
Spiti Valley, Lahaul And Spiti District; A High Altitude Cold Desert · Kaza, Himachal Pradesh
A high cold desert valley in the far northeast of Himachal Pradesh, on the border with Tibet, where the Spiti river runs through bare, eroded mountains at around four thousand metres, and villages and monasteries cling to the slopes. Culturally it is Tibetan Buddhist, and its monasteries are among the oldest in the Himalaya: Tabo, founded in 996 and filled with ancient murals, sometimes called the Ajanta of the Himalaya; Key, a stacked fortress-monastery above the river; and Dhankar, perched on a crumbling ridge. Kaza is the main town. Around it are high villages like Kibber, Langza with its fossils and giant Buddha, and Hikkim, claimed to have one of the highest post offices in the world, and the crescent-shaped Chandratal lake on the route to Manali. There are two ways in: from Shimla through Kinnaur, which is usually open all year, and from Manali over the Kunzum Pass, open only in summer. Roads are rough, altitude is serious, and in winter the valley is snowbound, with specialist trips for snow leopards. It is the quieter, harder alternative to Ladakh.
Kaza, Lahaul and Spiti District, Kaza, Himachal Pradesh, 172114, India
NO OPENING TIME HERE WAS CHECKED. The typical pattern: the valley is reachable through Kinnaur for most of the year, weather permitting, and via Manali over the Kunzum Pass only from about mid-June to October after snow clearance. Monasteries open in daylight, often from early morning prayers until around 5 or 6, with lunchtime closures in some halls. Chandratal camps run roughly June to September. Permit offices keep government hours and close on Sundays and holidays, which can stall a foreign traveller for a day. Confirm road status and timings before travelling.