Spiti Valley is aptly referred to as “a world within a world” by Rudyard Kipling. It is distinguished by its stunning beauty and the quaintness of its vastness. The Spiti valley is situated in the Tibetan Plateau, one of the highest elevations of tablelands in the world. It’s at an elevation that is over 3500m.
Spiti valley
Spiti valley is high altitude region that includes valleys of rivers Spiti and the other streams that connect to the river. It is located within Lahaul along with the Spiti districts of Himachal Pradesh. The weather can be extremely harsh because of the elevation. Spiti is home to a variety of stunning destinations for you to enjoy the flavor of the landscape and life in Spiti.
Travelers love to visit and discover the various destinations in Spiti. The roads are closed for around 7-8 months because of the heavy snowfall in the mountain passes. This means that there’s only a short period of time left to visit.
The most essential places to see:
1. Important towns to be aware of
Gue
Gue is home to the fossilized remains of a llama in a glass jar.
Nako
Nako is a tiny village located in Hanging Valley, in Kinnaur. It is home to an ancient monastery known as Nako Monastery. Nako monastery and Nako Lake. Nako Lake.
Dhankar
Dhankar village is home to the ancient Dhankar gompa which is a 1200-year-old monastery that is awe-inspiring with breathtaking views.
2. Hikes and Treks in the Spiti Valley
A) Tabo to Meditation Centre
Duration 1 hour
Difficulty: Easy
B) Dhankar village to Dhankar Tso
Duration: 2 hours
Difficulty: moderate/ easy
C) Lhalung to Kibber
Duration: 2 to 3 days
Difficulty: moderate to difficult
D) Chesham
Chesham is a village located at an altitude that is high and getting there isn’t an easy one. It is characterized by a steep climb and a risky elevation.
e) Pin – Parvati trek
Time 7 days
The difficulty is: difficult
3. Monasteries
a) key monastery
At an elevation of 4112 meters, Key monastery is one of the most prestigious gompas recognized for its magnificent Buddha shrine, old manuscripts and books. It resembles a fort design and draws to draw inspiration from Chinese designs. It is home to an assembly hall as well as a Tengyur room.
b) Lhalung Monastery
It is an old monastery established by the aforementioned Buddhist monk, and is regarded as to be a center of Buddhist instruction. It is known as”the Golden Temple as it is decorated with gold leaf deities.
c) Gondola Monastery
Gondola Monastery is popular for its wooden shrines and idols. It is located near the confluence between Chandra Bhaga and Chandra Bhaga.
d) Tabo monastery
Tabo monastery is comprised of nine temples of Tara as well as Buddha Maitreya covered with intriguing features such as stucco sculptures, wall paintings and many other artifacts.
4. Stunning villages
a) Kibber
Kibber is a charming town inside the Spiti valley with houses that are laid out in a traditional style. The setting is stunning. The village is located on the peaks and is characterized in extreme conditions of weather.
b) Losar
Losar is located at the confluence between Peeno along with Losar streams. It is close to the border between Indo-China. Losar village is filled with tranquility and strange silence.
5. Baralachala pass
Baralachala pass is well-known for its soaring height and serves as a junction for roads that connect Lahaul as well as Ladakh. It is located on the highway Manali-Leh in Zanskar.
6. Lakes
a) Chandratal
Chandratal is a stunning water body that has blue sky reflections that extend to the deepest parts of Tal. The sparkling lakes of Chandratal are covered by lush vegetation.
B) Suraj Tal
Suraj Tal is another beautiful lake located in spiti. Suraj Tal provides an astonishingly tranquil and peaceful view for the enjoyment of those who visit. Nature’s embrace is unlike anything you’ve seen elsewhere.
C) Dhankar Lake
The unique lakes of Dhankar is one to admire and an experience that is worth seeing. It is awe-inspiring, however it’s not as easy as the journey to get there. Dhankar is very strenuous and hazardous.
7. Komik
It’s located just 20km from Kaza. It is a tiny village that is stunning and an absolute delight to visit. The village is located at an elevation of 18000 above sea level, and it feels like a paradise on the planet. It is the perfect spot for those who love to explore and hike to what is possible within their capabilities. The climate in Komik is very rough due to the altitude and the freezing temperatures.
8. Kunzum Pass
Kunzum pass is situated in the Kunzum range and is located at 4590m in altitude. It bridges the gap between the Kullu and Lahaul valleys as well as the Spiti valley.
