Despite nearly losing one hiking boot to its flow just minutes before, crossing the thigh-high fast currents of the Pare Chu River at Norbu Sumdo felt strangely exciting. After all, there's only so much walking on river bed that one can take. Walking through dry valleys for days after crossing the high pass, even something as dangerous as a fast flowing river seemed like a welcome obstacle. Parang La is a strange trek, long and monotonous often times but it redeems itself with consistent days at high altitudes of above 4000m and mind-blowing views of Tso Moriri towards the end.

Ancient trek routes connecting remote lands always held a great fascination for me. Ever since I heard of one such historic route that connected Spiti to Ladakh across Parang La, I’ve wanted to get on that trail. The nomadic people of Changthang used this route in the earlier days extensively to attend the La Darcha trade fair in Spiti where the Changspa nomads came mainly to barter wool and barley in exchange for salt. Even today, many locals use this foot trail as the fastest and cheapest way to get across between Spiti and Ladakh. I was more than excited to be experiencing a slice of the local way of life in the mountains. Just like the Chadar becomes the highway for the people of Zanskar to reach Leh during winters, this route connects the people of Spiti and Ladakh during summers.

Arriving at Kibber(4200m) with two other hikers, our guide and his support team of five, I stood in front of the ominous notice board warning hikers that the trek can get very dangerous after September 15th. Unprepared as I was and breathless already after barely a minute’s walk on flat ground (that’s high altitude and low oxygen at work!), I nervously made calculations in my mind if we’d be crossing on time. Thankfully, we were almost 3 weeks early before the open season ended.

Settling into my sweet little yellow Black Diamond tent at a clearing called Dumla, a small village beyond Kibber and our first campsite, I was immensely thankful for two things. One - that there were no other hikers around, as is the case with most of the popular treks in Himalayas these days. And two - that it was waxing moon period, meaning bright moonlit nights were going to keep me company as we camped in secluded locations over the next 10 days. Considering I am not fond of absolute darkness and that I will be bunked alone in the tent, I was more than happy with the big bright silver moon that lit up the skies every night. Except for the slight scare from the braying donkeys and barking shepherd dogs at night, I’m pretty pleased with this new development of camping alone in a tent. (Of course my group was camped next to me, but still!)

Over the next two days, we walked along gradual trails where we came across several fossils belonging to the Tethys Sea and enjoyed clear views of stunning Mt.Kanamo towering above the landscape. When the time came to cross the 5500m high pass, we got down to a deep gorge and climbed along a punishing moraine to reach the basecamp where furious winds ripped apart our tents for an hour before subsiding. Crossing the pass turned out to be a decent affair, the insane cold before sunrise and the oxygen deprived high-altitude being the only deterrents but nothing too unmanageable for an experienced hiker.

The descent towards the other side, however, brought a large swathe of snowfield and plenty of glacial streams. Hiking on top of brittle ice formations over water channels crisscrossing beneath our feet turned out to be quite tiring and often times harrowing but the lure of a distant campsite along the riverbed kept us moving. What we didn’t realize was that much like a mirage in the desert, our campsite would never arrive despite seeming like it’s just around the corner. Looking for greenery so the donkeys could graze, we couldn’t stop just anywhere by the river. We walked and walked on the dry riverbed until we found a small patch of green almost after 9 hours since we started hiking that day. Tired, we collapsed into our tents thinking the worst was behind us. Normally, the toughest days on any trek are the summit or pass-crossing days but not on this one. We would be tested mentally over the next 7 days but for now, we reveled in the glory of safely crossing the 18300ft high Parang La pass, a mighty wall between the two legendary regions.

Over the next few days, we walked endlessly along the riverside in the valley between the mountains. The days were monotonous and mentally taxing for there was little change in scenery apart from more brown mountains and pebble-filled riverbed. The only thing that we were looking forward to, was reaching the shores of beautiful Tso Moriri, one of the world’s highest lakes at an altitude of almost 15000ft! When we reached the shore, I couldn’t resist the temptation to camp an extra day by its verdant shores observing the wildlife and soaking in the greenery around.

The best part of this trek was definitely hiking in the incredibly scenic Changthang region of Ladakh, one of the very few regions in Ladakh with greenery and abundant wildlife. The Bar Headed Geese that fly higher than Mount Everest roosted right next to our campsite and Kiangs, the endemic Tibetan Wild Asses of high Himalayas, strayed close examining the outsiders in their territory. I also enjoyed stalking the curious and very cute Marmots, which are not used to human presence at all in this region. I woke up to gorgeous sunrise views at farthest end of Tso Moriri and warmed myself around a bonfire at moonrise watching the many glacial streams light up even as the milkyway showed bright in the night sky.

On the last day I hiked almost 20kms along the shores of Tso Moriri to reach the village of Korzok on the other end. With this, I had explored the entire length of the two most gorgeous lakes of Ladakh; I had driven 40kms all across the length of Pangong Tso in India and walked across the length of Tso Moriri from one end to the other!

Now having walked, flown and driven to Ladakh on different trips, the only other means of transportation left to reach the roof of the world was cycling. Perhaps, it will be the next adventure that’ll see me arrive in Ladakh for the 7th time! But for that time, I was more than happy to treat my eyes to some greenery after almost 2 weeks of barren landscapes of Spiti and Ladakh. Between the lush greens, however, flashes of those empty landscapes shining bright on moonlit nights will surface every so often and I’ll go running back to the very same strange place that feels like home!

I was invited to join this trek with Great Indian Outdoors (GIO) which happens to be one of the very few companies offering this trek in India at a reasonable price. The equipment provided was excellent and I would even say this was a luxurious trek in terms of facilities and comforts provided when compared to many other treks I have been on in the past.

Two reasons I can highly recommend GIO for your next Himalayan adventure are one - they strongly believe in small group adventures (which means no 30 member teams!) and two - they have plenty of fixed departures which solo hikers and small groups can join to avoid sky high costs.

P.S - There’s a contest coming up next week where two Himalayan treks with GIO will be up for grabs! Watch this space. :)

Struggling toward hope at 16000ft – A trek in remote Himachal Pradesh where we crossed from lush green Chamba into barren brown Lahaul through Kugti Wildlife Sanctuary over the 5000m high Kugti Pass

You have seen Ladakh in shades of grey. Now see Spiti in all its surrealism and monochromes.

Somewhere close to the Indo Tibetan border, lies a spectacular valley about which many haven’t heard of.  The largest and unquestionably remotest, hence striking district of Himachal Pradesh is known by the name of Lahaul & Spiti and those who have been fortunate enough to be charmed by this Himalayan Desert valley swear by its splendor. 

Glimpses of Spiti - A Timelapse Video
More photos from Spiti

Situated in the rain shadow of the Himalayan Mountains, this valley with its pretty hamlets, patchwork fields, golden hues of barren landscapes and colorful monasteries perched on impossible climbs make Spiti an enchanting exploration. Spiti makes for an ideal destination for people with any preference, be it adventure, culture or just gaping with mouth wide open at the surreal landscapes. And if that is not interesting enough, there is this whole interesting history of Spiti which states that this area was under Tethys sea millions of years ago. Remnants of this past can be realized in the unique landscapes, sedimentary rock formations caused by the tectonic forces and fossils found here and there. And even if that doesn’t interest you, one could always indulge in a wildlife exploration to spot some of the rare, endemic and endangered species such as the elusive Snow Leopard or the age old Tibetan wolf among many. 

Before I start with the very detailed posts, here is a ready reckoner to plan a trip to Spiti.

Where the hell is Spiti anyway?

Spiti is part of the combined districts of Lahaul and Spiti located in northern most part of Himachal Pradesh sharing the Indo – Tibetan Border. To the north of Lahaul & Spiti lies Ladakh, to the west lies Chamba and Kulu districts and to the south lies Kinnaur. 

How to reach Spiti?

You can reach Spiti only through roadways or on foot, trekking. One route joins Manali with Spiti and the same route extends down via Kinnaur to Shimla.  So you can either reach Manali and head to Spiti or reach Shimla and head upwards to Spiti.

Manali – Kaza - Shimla route 

This is rugged routes starts at Manali. After approximately 60-70 kilometers, after crossing Rohtang, you will find a diversion at Gramphoo.  The road heading straight leads you to Leh while the u turn would take you below to Spiti Valley. The total distance from Manali to Kaza is 200kms and can be done in a day if you start early.

The roads are just about okay until you reach Chattru, from here the roads take a positively rugged turn. Spiti river flows wildly just by the road side and things cannot get prettier than this. Slowly as you descend into the valley, the greenery from Kulu gives way to barren desert landscapes and clear blue skies. 

The same route extends from Kaza to Tabo to Sumdo and enters Kinnaur district.  This road ends at Shimla. If you have time, it would make for a good round trip to start from Manali, visit Spiti, enter Kinnaur and end at Shimla. And if time is a constraint, you can always start at Manali and traverse the same route back to get out.

What are the places of Interest?

The case with Spiti is as with most mountain places, the journey is better than the destination.  Yes, it does have lot of monasteries , pretty hamlets, crystal clear lakes, amazing culture and history.  But the journey itself a pleasure passing through some remote lands and scenes. 

I shall try to put down the important places though in the order of their appearance.

1. Kunzum La – Gateway to Spiti, after Batal, the road climbs by the Chandra river side to reach Kunzum top at an altitude of 4551meters.  As with any pass in India, you’d be sure to be find a small temple on the top of the pass. The views are excellent from this vantage point.  Shigri Parbat rising right in front of this peak offers splendid opportunities for photography.

2. Chandratal – The moon lake, the elusive moon lake which can be only reached on foot. Not for long, but for now it can be only by trekking either from Batal or Kunzum top. There seem to be few expensive resorts by the lake side or your best bet for accommodation would be few of the camps runs by the shepherds. Better yet if you have your own camping equipment.  The trek from Batal is apparently long but rewarding and the trek from Kunzum top to Chandratal is for the lazy bones.

3. Ki Monastery – Ki/Key is a  hilltop monastery located 12kms before Kaza at an altitude of 4,166 meters. The setting is wondrous with the sweeping valley views and the Spiti river flowing down below. Ki is one the biggest monasteries of Spiti and a must visit.

4. Kibber – Kibber was the erstwhile highest inhabited village at an altitude of 4200meters but the now the honors have been taken by some other village. The road from Key winds up alongside a narrow valley gorge while Kibber sits pretty atop the climb. There is another village on the other side of the valley and that looks pretty as well. As I said earlier, the journey takes away the cake while there is nothing touristy about this village other than the pretty colored houses.  If you are interested in more rugged terrain, you might proceed towards Gette and Tashigang. It is located 16kms before Kaza.

5. Kaza – Kaza is the largest township of Spiti valley and makes for a good base for your travels in Spiti. It is located at an altitude of 3800meters by the river side. Kaza houses the colorful Monastery. It is the only place in Spiti which has one SBI ATM and a dispensary.

6. Pin Valley National Park – The road from Kaza diverges at Attargu, one heading to Tabo and the right diversion across the river is your entry to Pin Valley NP.  Pin river flows gently and wildly cutting through the mountains and that paves the way to reach the interiors of this remote land. You will pass by villages where the population can be as low as 50. The road is bad and goes all the way till Mudh, the last village in the National Park. Mudh is a small hamlet with few houses and fewer shops.  A pleasant place to stay to escape the crowd. Kungri monastery, which is one among the oldest can also be visited.  Do not expect a full fledged safari to be taking place, none exists here.

7. Dhankar – As you come out of Pin valley at Attargu, you might notice a monastery dangerously perched on a rickety hill top. That, is Dhankar Gompa. Dhankar can be reached by taking a diversion uphill between Kaza and Tabo. 5 kms from Dhankar lies the Dhankar Lake which can be accessed only on foot.

8. Tabo – 46kms from Kaza lies the ancient village of Tabo at an altitude of 3050meters. Tabo houses one of the oldest monasteries dating back to 996AD. The monastery sure enough looks nothing like what you have seen before. The chortens are made of mud and most of the structure seems to be made of mud. It has lot of history for those inclined and the interesting thing is, the main temple has a statue of Lord Ganesha inside, go figure! Apart from this, Tabo is also famous for its apples.

9. Gyu – I write this in good spirit hoping the sanctity the place is still maintained. 2kms before Sumdo, a road goes high above to your left. 9kms from here lies the small hamlet of Gyu which houses a 500 year old mummy perfectly preserved till date.

Gyu was where my trip ended last year but if you wish to continue further down, after Sumdo, you reach Nako and then you enter Kinnaur district at Reckong Peo.  From here the route is not as remote as Spiti but there are few places worthy of a visit such as Kalpa,  Chitkul, Sangla, Sarahan, Narkanda, Kufri. The road will end at Shimla. 

Do we need permits?
While Indians do not need inner line permits, I believe foreigners will have to take one at Reckong Peo.

What are the options for transportation/ accommodation?

Transport is best arranged by any of the SUVs or personal vehicles. Public transport is also available between the villages. 

Accommodation options are limited. While you can find quite a few tented luxury camps here and there, your best bet would be homestays, local tents and small lodges.  

Chattru and Batal – tents run by locals. Bedding and a blanket is all you will get here.

Losar – Has small lodges with dingy rooms.

Kaza – Decent accommodation can be found at many homestays/ lodges here

Mudh – Very few options. Decent and just about manageable. By the time I was there, few were under construction.

Tabo – The Tabo monastery itself has stay options in the dormitory.

Demul, Komic, Langza – If you’d like to experience typical Spiti homestay, accommodation can be arranged here through travel agents. These are small hamlets situated off the main destinations.

What is the average altitude? 

The average altitude of Spiti valley is around 3800meters or so which makes it high altitude. Acclimatization is necessary before you embark on any adventures. Makes sense to climb from Shimla to get used to the altitude slowly. 

What will be the temperatures?
Quite similar to Ladakh, the sun will be hot while the winds can be cool. Nights do get very cold.

What is the best season?

Sources all over internet say June to September is a good time.

Although the locals say June and August is the best time with awesome weather.

The road from Rohtang and Kunzum is open only for a short duration(June - September) of time due to snowfall. The valley stays cutoff from Manali side rest of the time while the road from Shimla is open all through the year since it does not cross any pass.

What to look out for?

Buddhist Monasteries, awesome lunar landscapes, Chandratal, Pin Valley National Park, Kunzum top, Glaciers – Chota Shigri and Bada Shigri

What are the lakes in Spiti?

Chandratal and Dhankar Lake are the lakes that I know of.

Suggested itinerary?

Day 1 – Manali – Rohtang – Chhattru – Batal – Kunzum –Losar - Kaza  (or )

Day 1 – Manali – Rohtang – Chhattru – Batal – Kunzum – Chandratal(if you are heading out of Shimla)

Day 2 – Kaza – Ki – Kibber - Komic/Langza/Tashigang/Demul - Kaza

Day 3 – Kaza – Pin Valley NP – Mudh

Day 4 – Mudh – Dhankar – Tabo – Gyu - Tabo

Day 5 – Tabo – Sumdo - Nako --> proceed towards Shimla or retrace the same route back.

How many days are required for a comfortable visit?

To do the whole trip from Manali to Shimla, 10 days would be comfortable else only Spiti can be done in 5-6 days Manali – Manali.

While I have tried to give information to the best of my knowledge, correct me if I am wrong and let me know if you need more information.
Happy tripping! :)


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