Best places to visit in Kaza 2024 – 2025
Best places to visit in Kaza
Fellow wanderers, if you are looking for a place to visit, then your search is over! Kaza is the perfect place to get your wanderlust satiated. Where in Kaza, you ask? Don’t worry, as we’ve come up with a list of best places to visit in Kaza.
Kaza consists of not only places like desert-like terrains to visit, but also snowy mountains. From a bird’s-eye perspective and prayers in Dhankar Monastery to witnessing sunrise and the changing color of the river at Chandratal Lake, all of Kaza’s attractions will keep you occupied with their magnificence.
Wildlife enthusiasts will find calm at the Kibber wildlife sanctuary, while photographers will be enthralled by the grandeur of Kunzum La. There are numerous monasteries in Kaza for Lord Buddha followers. Sakya Tangyud Monastery, Dhankar Monastery, Key Monastery, and Tabo Monastery are among the monasteries on the list. These monasteries attract people seeking peace of mind in their lives. Kaza has a number of locations.
So, here is the list of best places to visit in Kaza:
- Kibber Village
- Key Monastery
- Tabo
- Dhankar Monastery
- Kunzum Pass
- Chandra Tal Lake
- Pin Valley National Park
- Sakya Tangyud Monastery
- Langza Village
- Hikkim
- Kibber Village
Kibber is breathtakingly gorgeous, with its desert landscape, rocky mountains, and meadows bursting with colourful wildflowers, all set in a pollution-free environment. Stargazers and photographers alike go to Kibber to take in the breathtaking view of the Milky Way. Visit the neighbouring Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary to see Himachal’s incredible biodiversity, including ibex, blue sheep, red fox, snow leopards, and wolves.
- Key Monastery
The Key Monastery is one of Himachal Pradesh’s must-see attractions and hence had to be one of the best places to visit in Kaza, located near India’s eye-catching Spiti river in the Spiti Valley. The beautiful Tibetan Buddhist Monastery, also known as the Kye Gompa or Key Monastery, is situated on a picturesque mountaintop at an elevation of 4,166 metres above sea level.
- Tabo
Tabo is a small town in Himachal Pradesh’s Lahaul and Spiti region, located on the banks of the Spiti River. At an elevation of 10,760 feet, the freezing desert town is flanked by Himalayan scree slopes and snow-capped peaks. Tabo, known for its quiet and tranquil beauty, is a must-see destination for anyone seeking an out-of-the-ordinary trip.
- Dhankar Monastery
This monastery, also known as Dankhar, Drangkhar, and Dhangkar Gompa, is located at a staggering height of 12,774 feet. Dhankar Monastery is perched 1000 feet above the earth on a cliff edge, offering a panoramic view of the entire Spiti valley. It houses a Dhyan Buddha statue as well as a museum. Dhangkar Gompa is one of the top 100 most endangered monuments on the planet.
It’s a 40-kilometer bus ride from Kaza, or you may take the more adventurous route and drop down in between for a 10-kilometer trek to the monastery. It is also 40 kilometres away from the Spiti Valley.
- Kunzum Pass
Our list of the best places to visit in Kaza must include Kunzum Pass, which is a stunning mountain pass in the Himalayan Kunzum Range. The Kunzum Pass is a spectacular sight to witness, located at an elevation of 15,060 feet above sea level in the picturesque state of Himachal Pradesh. The fifteen hairpin curves along the way are one of the pass’s most exhilarating aspects.
Though these curves provide a spectacular view of the highways, they also make the Pass a test of the travellers’ driving abilities. Visitors to the Pass include adventure drivers and bikers who are looking for a thrill.
The Kunzum Pass is one of India’s highest motorable passes, serving as a connecting link between the Lahaul and Spiti valleys. It is 122 kilometres from Manali town and leads to Kaza town. Kunzum Pass is a photographer’s paradise! Glaciers, snow-capped peaks, and the valley beyond provide stunning photographic opportunities.
It is also one of the most popular mountain passes, with bikers and adventure seekers flocking to experience the thrill of the turns. A shrine dedicated to Goddess Kunzum Devi, the divinity who guards the route and protects travellers from bad forces, is also located in the pass. Visitors to Kunzum Pass stop by the temple to seek blessings for their journey.
- Chandratal Lake
Chandratal Lake, also known as the trekker’s paradise, is considered to be the most charismatic lake in the Himalayas and undoubtedly deserves to be one of the best places to visit in Kaza. This alluring lake is situated on the Samudra Tapu plateau, which is near to the Chandra river. Chandratal, at an elevation of 4300 metres, provides the best views of the Spiti region.
The lake’s name comes from the fact that it is crescent-shaped. If you’re seeking the ideal combination of excitement and relaxation, Chandratal is the place to start. The path to Chandratal Lake passes via Batal’s hazardous trails, which will have your heart racing.
- Pin Valley National Park
This quaint and picturesque national park is a cold desert, abounding with a variety of natural landscape features, and is located in the quiet and serene Lahaul and Spiti regions of Himachal Pradesh. If you appreciate the serenity and tranquilly of nature and are drawn to natural beauty, this heavenly spot is a must-see destination for you.
The dramatic array of landscape elements seen in this national park is enough to pique any tourist’s interest. The valley is surrounded by the Kullu district’s gorgeous and green valley, as well as naked and brown mountains that turn into a sight to behold during the snowy season.
The rolling fields, which provide an expansive view of the valley and expand out to a vastness that appears surreal to the eye, add to the valley’s allure. The neighbourhood was founded on January 9th, 1987, and is mostly influenced by traditional Buddhist Tibetan culture.
The park’s high elevation and near-extreme temperatures result in little vegetation, which provides a natural habitat for many endangered creatures such as the snow leopard and Siberian fox. Along with a diverse array of flora and animals, the region also has a number of medicinal plants, some of which have been designated as endangered. This site is a spectacle of pure beauty, spanning 675 square metres and sitting at a height of 3300 – 6632 metres.
- Sakya Tangyud Monastery
Tangyud, one of the most magnificent monasteries on the boundaries of the Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary, is one of the things to see in Kaza. It is precisely in the Spiti Valley’s Komic Village.
This is one among India’s highest gompas, rising up to 4520 metres above sea level. The monastery was built in the style of a castle on the rim of a deep canyon. It is one of the Sakya sect’s only two remaining monasteries in the Spiti valley.
How to get to Tangyud Monastery: Tangyud Monastery is located 4 kilometres from Kaza and is easily accessible.
Monastery Hours: Opens at 6 a.m. and closes at 6 p.m. on all days of the week.
- Langza Village
Langza Village is the last stop on your list of places to see in Kaza. This community is situated at a height of 4400 metres. Langza Yogma (lower) and Langza Gongma (upper) are the two sections (upper).
The main feature is a statue of Lord Buddha, as well as a stunning valley view, a historic monastery, and mud dwellings. It’s a fossil-fuel-rich country. Geologists and anthropologists come here because of the abundant supply of fossil fuels. This settlement, one of the nicest in the Spiti valley, features snow-capped mountains and bleak vistas that will make you go “Wow.”
Langza Village is 16 kilometres from Kaza, and you must take a private or shared taxi to get there.
- Hikkim
On this special list of places to visit in Kaza, Hikkim takes the last position. The tiny hamlet of Hikkim, located about 6 kilometres south of Langza on the way to Komic, is noteworthy for housing the world’s highest post office, which is located at an altitude of 4440 metres (14567 feet) above sea level (listed in the Limca Book of Records also). Hikkim appears to be a continuation of Langza or Komic at first glance, as the village is bowl-shaped and equally serene.
This magnificent spot absolutely mesmerizes you with its beauty as you approach the settlement. Take a leisurely stroll here and take up the tranquility. Houses in Hikkim, Spiti Valley, are composed of stones and mud, with white walls. The dwellings are clustered and close together, right below the road. The road leading to these houses is a severe 65-degree incline. The prevalence of Buddhism in the village is indicated by the presence of prayer flags floating near the houses.
The monastery in the settlement, which is located at the further end, looks out over the area. Hikkim, like Komic and Langza, is rich in fossils from the Indian Ocean before the massive Himalayas formed. You might even spot a few if you look closely