Spiti valley
Spiti valley info
Practical info about travels and treks to Spiti. What you need to know before going.
Things to do in Spiti
What you can see and what you can do during your trip with us to the Spiti valley.
Spiti valley tour packages
A detailed description of our customized tours to the Spiti valley.
A Guide to Spiti Valley
Spiti Valley is a great destinations for gigantic mountains and Buddhist culture enthusiasts.
It is a unique combination of the two, with wondrous set of scattered villages and Buddhist monasteries situated in a high altitude cold desert.
Lahaul Spiti is a district located in the state of Himachal Pradesh, India. With its sparse population and astonishing trekking opportunities, this place is still unaffected by mass tourism.
Each and every village has its own magical experience. It will leave a permanent imprint in your mind as a traveller in search of genuine experience.
The picturesque is breathtaking, even the lowest part of valley is above 3200 metres. There are many monasteries where tibetan buddhism is practiced and taught to young monks. You can get an opportunity to interact with them and share a bit of their life.
Travelling to Spiti leads us progressively from the ‘Green Himalayas‘ to the ‘Himalayas of high altitude deserts‘. This is true that you might have limited local resources and so you really need to plan it properly.
We, at Himalayan Ecotourism, help you plan the Spiti itinerary and take care of all your necessities so you don’t have to face any inconvenience. We also offer budget travel for you, all you need to do is to send us an inquiry right away!
How to reach Spiti ?
Spiti Valley can be reached only by road from either Shimla or Manali. Spiti Valley distance from Shimla is around 410km, around 12 hours. Though the distance from Shimla is longer, the road is open throughout the year and the slow climb is better for acclimatization. Spiti Valley from Manali is only 177km, around 5 hours, but this Spiti Valley route can be accessed only when the high passes are open and is dependent on weather conditions and snowfall.
You can reach Spiti by private car, local buses, or motorbikes. However, the road conditions are not always safe as the route is susceptible to landslides and mountain streams that cut through the roads. The most difficult stretch is from Batal to Chhatru in Lahaul. You can’t go through this part of the road with any normal car as you need a very high ground clearance.
On our tours, we start in Shimla and end in Manali, a loop which takes around five to six days.
ON THE WAY TO SPITI VALLEY
Some of the road stretches are quite impressive with incredibly steep gorges.
Spiti valley map
Map of the Spiti Valley and how to reach
You can see the entire loop from Shimla to Manali. Don’t try to reach Spiti from Shimla in one day. Have at least a night break at Kalpa / Reckong Peo where foreigners will have to make their permit.
Spiti Inner Line Permit
While Indian nationals do not require any special permits to travel to Spiti, foreign nationals require the permit. This is because Spiti shares a border with China. The Spiti inner line permit is issued by the Indian government at the DC office of Reckong Peo or the one in Manali. A copy of your passport and visa are required to procure the permit. The permits are not issued on Sundays and government holidays.
When you travel with Himalayan Ecotourism, we will arrange for the inner line permits.
Spiti Valley Weather – Best Time to Visit
TYPICAL WEATHER IN SPITI
This is the kind of weather you have in July and August.
Located at the edge of the Tibetan plateau, the elevation of Spiti ranges from 3200m to 6500m. The weather in Spiti Valley is similar to Ladakh and is known to be unpredictable. It is warm and sunny in summer, but it can also be cold and freezing during the day. Thunderstorms can be expected. Winters are extremely cold and sudden snowfall is common. The weather conditions determine the routes. You can reach Spiti through Reckong Peo most of the time whereas Kunzum Pass only opens end of June to October.
If you are wondering which month is best for Spiti Valley, we recommend that you plan your trip to Spiti Valley between July and October when the weather is pleasant and sunny and to also include a few buffer days keeping in mind the unpredictable weather conditions. Since both Rohtang and Kunzum passes are open at this time, you can cover the entire loop from Shimla to Manali during this period.
JAN
VERY COLD
Avoid
FEB
VERY COLD
Avoid
MAR
VERY COLD
Avoid
APR
COLD
You may go
MAY
TEMPERATE
Good to go
JUN
PLEASANT
Best time to go
JUL
PLEASANT
Best time to go
AUG
PLEASANT
Best time to go
SEP
PLEASANT
Best time to go
OCT
PLEASANT
You may go
NOV
COLD
Avoid
DEC
VERY COLD
Avoid
Spiti valley Packages
On our Spiti Valley tour, we will follow the loop from the southeast, reaching Spiti first and then Lahaul. The loop starts at Shimla and ends in Manali and takes five to six days. We recommend at least eight days to make the most of the Spiti Valley experience.
The travel options include a private jeep/minibus or motorbikes such as Royal Enfield accompanied by a jeep. Our team, which includes a driver and a local guide, will accompany you throughout the tour. We will arrange your stay and meals. We have tours with fixed itineraries but the tour can be customised based on your needs.
The Spiti Valley itinerary will cover the green Himalayas and the high-altitude cold desert Himalayas. You will discover forested mountains, the Spiti river, Buddhist monasteries, Chandra Tal (lake), among other places. Hikes and treks too can be organised on the tours since the terrain is suitable for it.
Contact us for more details about places to visit in Spiti Valley, on planning your Spiti Valley itinerary, and about Spiti Valley packages.
SPITI TOURS
Explore our selection of tours in Spiti.
Spiti valley stay
HOMESTAY IN SPITI
Less comfortable than a hotel but such a good experience.
When travelling in Spiti, you have the option of staying at a Spiti Valley homestay for a more local and rustic experience or at Spiti Valley hotels if you need something more comfortable. You can also stay at some monasteries.
We can arrange the accommodation that you prefer while travelling with us.
Spiti valley photos
Enjoying Spiti
You are a family with kids ? No worries, you are welcome !
Buddhist monastery
The entire valley is scattered with beautiful buddhist monasteries.
Traditional village
Here the village of Dhankar just above the Spiti river.
In a homestay
Your guide will help communicating with your host family.
Spiti river
The Spiti river before reaching Tabo, the first village of Spiti.
Village oasis
All the villages of Spiti appears like oasis in the middle of arid mountains.
Spiti valley video
SPITI VALLEY
Video about Spiti valley in French 🙂
Enable subtitles for English !
