Spiti Valley Tour – A Complete Guide 2024

The breathtaking beauty of an isolated valley in Himachal Pradesh is what we name Spiti valley. It is all about rugged mountains, historical monasteries, hidden springs, picturesque hamlets, and many more unexpected beauties! Spiti valley, the cold desert of Himalaya, is a natural beauty in the lap of the Himalayan Mountains.

What you can do here is more than you imagine before visiting Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh. Pradesh. It is a nature’s corner where you experience the joy of exploring the mountains. A frame-worthy sunset and the star-studded night sky is what we remember with the name of Spiti. If you are visiting Spiti, ditch an alarm clock! Because the golden beams of the first sun-rays in the morning will wake you up for sure!

If you are still wondering how to explore the wild beauty of this Valley, take a hand of help from us. The unexplored culture and aesthetics of this place are the main attraction of the Spiti Valley tour.

Where is Spiti valley?

Spiti Valley in Himachal Pradesh, India, is located in the Himalayan range. The name “Spiti” stands for “The Middle Land.” It means that it works as a mediator between India and Tibet. Spiti valley height is pretty high, which is 12,500 feet above from the sea surface. Spiti altitude is quite elevated, which makes it a painful area to access for older and sick people.

• Spiti valley weather

Spiti Valley temperature tends to stay low as it is the high-altitude area. The heat runs from 14 to 15 degrees Celsius in the daytime of summer days. Spiti valley best time to visit is from May to October. The Kunzum pass and Chandratal are also easily accessible during this time.

The Spiti Valley temperature goes down to 8 degrees Celsius during the daytime of the winter season. There are the least sunny days from October to March. The weather seems to be cloudy and extremely chilly during these days.Near Spiti Valley, Kaza is one of the significant places. It is a connecting route to Spiti. The beauty if Kaza looks best from May to October.

• Winter Spiti Valley  (White Spiti Valley)

During the wintertime (October to May), the sheet of snow covers the entire Spiti valley making it looking like a white desert! The deadly snowfall sometimes takes the mercury down to even minus 30 degrees Celsius on some winter nights. But you can still plan a Spiti Valley tour with accessing limited areas with proper precautions and arrangements.

How to reach Spiti Valley?

• From Manali, You will have to pass two passes: Rohtang Pass and Kunzum Pass. And you will come after crossing a distance of 196.1 km.
• You can also come to this Valley via Shimla. The distance is about 440.7 km, which is almost more than two times distance from Manali. And the roads are less steeper than of the roads from Manali to Spiti. The chances of AMS symptoms will be lesser if you choose a Spiti Valley tour from Shimla. From Shimla, you will reach here via Kinnaur.

If you want to reach this Valley via flight, there is no direct flight or airport in this area. You can plan your trip from Manali and reach Kullu from there. From Kullu airport, it is a distance of 245.2km. For a road journey, you can opt for bike rides or car apart from buses.

The rich culture to experience

The Spiti valley location has brought various cultures in the same box. also a hub for the Mahayana sect of Tibetan Buddhists. The ancient monasteries in the mountain areas is a central spot of Buchen Lamas. The goat and sheep herders of nearby villages come to this area for grazing animals.

It has the least importance in trading because of the difficulties in the Spiti valley route for communication all year round. But the cultural aspects remained untouched for such an isolated location. Spiti Valley villages have some Tibetan Buddist people. Barley is the main crop that the villagers grow for a living. They have mostly formed a pastoral culture.

Local cuisine to taste

The staple food available here is mostly Tibetan. We recommend you to eat the delectable dishes from the local kitchen. The people of Spiti Valley villages cook momos, Thukpa, butter tea as a daily menu. So, these are available in local market restaurants and small food stalls. They also serve a locally made beer called Chang. If you are interested in their alcohol, you must taste Arkah, a locally-made whiskey.

Moreover, you may also taste the warm aromatic tea with spices. They use dry fruits, honey, spices, and many more things to brew such beverages like spiced tea. Spiti Valley food is pretty affordable for travelers.

Language in Spiti Valley

The languages are mixed with the culture of people who live in Spiti Valley. These languages are Bodh, Hindi, and Sanskrit. The words that are spoken also include Lahuli, Spiti, Nyamkat, Bhoti Kinnauri, and Thukpa. Bhoti, their local language, has similarities with other Tibetan languages, including Ladakhi. Bhoti and other languages, as mentioned here, are generally Lahuli-Spiti languages. Most of the people in Spiti Valley villages understand and speak Hindi very well. Few local people also easily communicate in English.

Festivals to attend in Spiti Valley

A list of Spiti Valley festivals will help you to make a trip plan in advance. To enlist some festivals, these are the most important ones:

• Dechhang Festival in January
• Losar/Halda, Fagli, and Gothsi/Gochi Festivals in February
• Tsheshu Fair in JuneLadarcha Festival or Fair in August
• Tribal Fair (at Keylong) in August ( 14th to 16th )
• Pori/Pauri Fair in 3rd week of August
• Gataur Mela is 4th week of September
• Chakhar Mela in the final week of September

The must-attend festival for a first-time visitor should include Ladarcha Fair. It is celebrated in Kaza. The Pauri Fair is the second famous festival to attend. It is celebrated with multiple folk songs and dances.

Monasteries in Spiti Valley

The magnificent culture of ancient monasteries in Spiti depicts the aesthetics of the people. The religion prevails here with the prevalent influence of monasteries. The main attraction of the Spiti Valley tour can be these beautifully decorated monasteries. So, these are the must-visit destinations to enlist in your travel plan. Here are the famous names of monasteries in Spiti:

• Dhankar Monastery
• Tabo Monastery
• Key Monastery
• Gandhola Monastery
• Kardang Monastery
• Kungri Monastery (Gompa)
• Shashur Monastery
• Tangyud Monastery (Gompa)
• Tayul Monastery
• Kibber Monastery

Among all of these monasteries, Key Monastery is a must-visit place in Spiti. Key Monastery is the most famous Monastery and hub of Tibetan Buddist Lamas in this area of Himachal Pradesh.

Lakes in Spiti Valley

Spiti Valley in Himachal Pradesh is a nest of scenic lakes. The lakes are the central attractions of tourists from all over the world. The heights of the lakes are pretty steep, which makes these look heavenly. The enchanting beauty of the water-body makes divine scenery.

• Chandratal (Lake)
• Suraj Tal
• Dhankar Lake
• Nako Lake

Among all the lakes and water bodies, Chandratal is the most scenic. The visitors travel from this Valley to Chandratal Lake to capture some beautiful photos. The crescent shape of the lake resembles the Moon. So, it is known as “Chandratal.”

River in Spiti Valley

The rivers are the main water-bodies apart from the lakes. Spiti valley river rafting attracts many travellers and adventure-seekers. The view of the mountains that surround the banks of the rivers emphasizes the panoramic beauty. The Spiti river is famous for its rafting activities. You can also try rafting in the Pin river. The Kullu valley is there in the south of the Spiti river.

The beauty of the Spiti river is worth watching. You will be amazed to see the dynamic waves of the Spiti river. The best time to visit the Spiti river for rafting is from September to November.

Final notes on Spiti Valley :

If you are planning for a great Spiti Valley tour, you must visit during the summer. Otherwise, you will miss the charm of the area. The festival seasons are also a great time to make a tour plan. The scenic beauty and the enriched culture of the local people will make a Spiti Valley tour memorable forever.

Written By,

Ms. Soumi Ghoshal Banerjee