Spiti Valley Tour – 8 Days Complete Circuit

  • Duration: 8 Days
  • Transport: Private Taxi
  • Accommodation: Hotels/Resorts
  • Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

About The Tour

Spiti Valley is a part of Lahaul & Spiti Valley district which is the largest district in Himachal Pradesh. Also called the “Middle Land of India”, it is a cold desert valley situated in the north-eastern part of the state and is known for its remoteness and the views. Having Kaza as its headquarters, the valley is home to a plethora of attractions including remote villages, high altitude lakes, high passes, towering snow peaks, ancient monasteries, and of course the unique culture.Read More

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival at Shimla

One needs to reach Shimla to begin the Spiti Valley tour. After reaching Shimla either by morning or evening, check-in in the hotel and spend your entire day by exploring Shimla. Shimla is one of the famous hill stations in North India which attracts tourists all around the year. Visit Chadwick falls, Jakhoo Temple, the ridge, and spend your evenings by strolling at the Mall road. Roam on the vibrant streets and explore the cafes situated there. Keep your bags ready as you need to move the next day early in the morning.
Dinner and overnight stay in a hotel.

Day 2: Shimla to Chitkul (250 km, 10 hours drive)

Today, we begin our journey towards a tiny hamlet called Chitkul, which is famous for being the last Indian village on the Indo-Tibet border. Chitkul is around 250 km from Shimla and it takes around 10 hours to reach there. We have our breakfast at the hotel and then commence our journey. We take the road towards Narkanda which passes through Theog, Kufri, and Fagu. The road up to Narkanda is scenic as it is encircled by dense deodar forest and apple orchards. It takes around 3 hours to reach Narkanda. We take a halt there as it is an ideal location to have lunch. After the halt, we resume our journey and move towards Rampur. Soon, we enter a valley and start driving along the Sutlej River. Rampur is situated at the midpoint on the route of Chitkul.

After passing Rampur, we enter the beautiful and lesser-explored Kinnaur Valley. One can easily notice a change in the landscape as mountain turns huge having sharp cliffs and roads become narrow. The further drive is way too scenic and you get a feeling of driving on one of the treacherous roads in India. There comes a few places where you pass through natural rock caves. Once we reach Kharcham, we take a right turn and continue our drive towards Sangla Valley. Chitkul is another 40 km from Kharcham and is a journey of around 3 hours. We reach Chitkul by evening. Relax inside the hotel/camps. Enjoy bonfire followed by dinner and overnight stay.

Day 3: Chitkul to Kalpa (61 km, 4 hours drive)

Wake up to a beautiful morning at Chitkul and admire a view of snowcapped mountains and Baspa Valley from your balcony. We have our breakfast and start exploring the village. We begin with the ITBP check post which is a 3 km walk from the main village and is officially the last point where one can go. One requires permission to go beyond that point. Get a picture with the ITBP signboard and get back near the village to stroll near the Baspa River. Then we explore the village and after having lunch, we proceed towards Kalpa. Kalpa is around 60 km from Chitkul and it takes around 3-4 hours to reach there. Usually, we directly visit Roghi, the suicide point, which is a vertical cliff and offers great views. Later, we come back to Kalpa and check-in into the hotel and enjoy the sunset over the lofty mountains of Kinnaur. Dinner and overnight stay in a hotel.

Day 4: Kalpa to Dhankar via Nako & Tabo (195 km, 10 hours journey)

Wake up early and enjoy the mesmerizing sunset that takes place over the mountain ranges of Kinnaur Kailash. It is one of the best things to experience at Kalpa and it really makes one’s day. Have breakfast and get ready to leave for Spiti Valley. Today, we proceed towards Dhankar, a small village situated at an altitude of 3894 m and is known for its unique shaped rocky mountains and Dhankar lake. The journey distance is around 180 km and amidst it, we also visit the villages of Nako and Tabo. After crossing Reckong Peo, we drive through Spello, Pooh, and Khab. Khab is the place where you can see the confluence of Spiti and Sutlej rivers. One can easily notice a change in the landscape as the green mountains turn into rocky and barren ones.

We take our first halt at Nako village, where we visit the Nako monastery and the lake and have our lunch there. Then we resume our drive and move towards Tabo village, which is around 65 km from Nako. Nako is the last place in Kinnaur district and after that, we enter the Lahaul and Spiti Valley District. The valley transforms into a huge one and we drive along the Spiti river. We reach Tabo by late noon and explore the caves and the monastery there. Tabo monastery is considered one of the oldest monasteries, built-in 996 CE. After exploring Tabo, we proceed towards Dhankar and it takes an hour to reach there. Dinner and overnight stay in a homestay.

Day 5: Dhankar to Kaza via Pin Valley (100 km, 6-7 hours journey)

One has to wake up quite early in the morning to visit the Dhankar lake. The lake is on a mountain and can be reached by doing a hike of 4 km. The sunrise looks breathtaking from the lake and one can get an entire view of Dhankar and the valley.

Then have your breakfast and explore the village of Dhankar. The word Dhankar means “Fort on a cliff”. Explore the Dhankar monastery and the fort. The fort gives an excellent view of the confluence of Spiti and Pin rivers. After exploring, we move towards a village called Mudh, situated in Pin Valley. We have our lunch there at one of the restaurants. Mudh village is a small village and is known for its greenery. The village is also the terminating point of some treks like Pin Parvati Pass, Pin Bhabha Pass, etc. Later, we proceed towards Kaza, headquarters of Spiti Valley and also the largest town. We reach Kaza by evening. Hotel check-in and relax.

Day 6: Visit Key Monastery, Kibber, Komic, Hikkim, Langza & Chicham villages (full day sightseeing tour)

This day is reserved for the nearby villages sightseeing. Experience the Morning Prayer at Kaza monastery and then proceed for the villages. Each village has its own features and should not be missed.

Key Monastery- Key Monastery is the biggest monastery in the Spiti Valley and offers amazing views of the surroundings.

Komic- Situated at an altitude of 4587 m, Komic is considered as the highest inhabited village in the world.

Hikkim- Hikkim has the world’s highest Post office and Polling station, situated at around 4400 m.

Langza- Also called the Fossil village as fossils are found here. Langza is also famous for the Buddha statue.

Kibber- Kibber village comes under the region of Kibber wildlife sanctuary and is an ideal location to spot Snow leopards in winters.

Visit all these villages along with the incredible Chicham Bridge and get back to Kaza. Explore the vibrant cafes of Kaza. Dinner and overnight stay in a hotel.

Day 7: Kaza to Chandratal via Kunzum Pass (100 km, 5-6 hours journey)

Today, we proceed towards the most beautiful lake in Himachal Pradesh, Chandratal, a.k.a the Moon Lake. Chandratal is one of the main attractions in this Spiti Valley tour. We try to depart early in the morning so that we get sufficient time to explore the lake. We drive through Losar, cross the mighty Kunzum la (4600 m) which connects Spiti Valley to Lahaul Valley, and then finally reach the lake. The road is quite bad after Losar and is an unmetalled road for the last 15-20 km stretch. The lake is situated at a walk of around 1.5 km from the parking. Explore this gorgeous lake and admire the beauty of surrounding snow-capped mountains. Later, we move towards our campsite. It may be the coldest night on the trip. Dinner and overnight stay in camps.

Note: Due to restrictions imposed by Govt, we might not be able to camp near Chandratal. In this case, we camp at Batal.

 

Day 8: Chandratal to Manali via Rohtang Pass (140 km, 7-8 hours drive)

This is the last day of the Spiti Valley tour and finally, we get to experience one of the most treacherous roads. We depart in the early morning by around 5 am so that the water level in the glacial streams remains low. We proceed towards Batal where one can find the famous Chacha-Chachi Dhaba and then cross the Chota and Bada Darra (glacial streams). The road is quite tricky as it is full of boulders. After crossing the streams, we reach Chattru (terminating point of Hampta Pass Trek) and have tea and snacks there. Then we proceed towards Rohtang Pass and finally reach Manali by noon.
Spiti Valley tour ends here.

What’s Included

  • AC Volvo Bus from Delhi to Shimla
  • 9 Nights Accommodation in selected 3 Star Hotels/resorts
  • Breakfast at all the hotels
  • Daily car rental, all parking, toll charges, fuel charges, driver allowances, state permits, etc.
  • All sightseeing and internal transportation by comfortable private taxi. (Sedan/SUV/Tempo Traveller depending on the group size)
  • All sightseeing as per the itinerary

 


What’s Not Included

  • Any Air Fare / Train Fare
  • Lunch or any other meal not mentioned in inclusions
  • Any Personal Expenses
  • Anything not mentioned in Inclusions
  • Any activity or entry fees
  • Any additional expenses due to unforeseen circumstances like cancellation/roadblocks/landslides/strike or any other natural causes
  • Any Kind of Expense for Loss / Misplaced / Theft of personal belongings.

 


Additional Information

  • Phone signals are available at all the places.
  • ATM’s are available at all the places.
  • Don’t forget to carry your ID proof.
  • Carry all the woollen clothes according to the weather. Our travel consultant will help you out.
  • Carry a maximum of 2 bags/backpacks including the main bag (rucksack or trolley bag) and a day pack.
  • Do not use any kind of drug or chemicals during the tour.
  • Do not litter.
  • Avoid plastic items as much as possible.

 


Cancellation Policy

  • 5% of the total package cost will be charged as a cancellation fee if the cancellation is done 90+ days prior to the departure date.
  • 25% of the total package cost will be charged as a cancellation fee if the cancellation is done between 31 to 90 days prior to the departure date.
  • 50% of the total package cost will be charged as a cancellation fee if the cancellation is done between 16 to 30 days prior to the departure date.
  • 100% of the total package cost will be charged as a cancellation fee if the cancellation is done between 0 to 15 days prior to the departure date.
  • If a trek/tour is canceled at the last moment due to any government orders, harsh weather conditions, protests, landslides, or any other unforeseen circumstances, we work out the best possible alternate plans on tours/treks. At times even certain activities are canceled, the organization provides the best alternative but no refund would be provided.
  • If a trek/tour cannot be completed due to natural calamity/unforeseen circumstances (like rain, snowfall, earthquake, landslides, strike, bandh, etc.). No refund would be provided.
  • Any extra expense incurred due to any natural calamity/unforeseen circumstances (like rain, snowfall, earthquake, landslides, strike, bandh, etc.), Will be borne by the customer. The company will not be liable.
  • Cancellations policy may differ during the peak season and popular places

 

Frequently Asked Questions
  • Yes, all the destinations included in the itinerary are ideal for a family trip. The itinerary is planned in such a way that almost every kind of traveler enjoys the tour and can have a great experience, be it youngsters, a couple, or a family.

  • One can shop at Shimla, Kaza, Reckong Peo, and Manali. All the places have good and vibrant markets.

  • If you are entering through the Shimla side then permit is not needed and if you are entering through the Manali side then a permit for Rohtang Pass will be required. If you have booked with us, you don’t need to worry about that. We will take care of it.

  • One can do camping, and hiking while in Spiti Valley. One can also rent a mountain bike/cycle or a motorcycle to explore the Spiti Valley.

  • Some of the famous and best restaurants and cafes include Shimla – Café Simla Times, Café Sol Narkanda – Himalayan Negi Dhaba Jeori - Sharma Ji Bhojanalaya Suru - Little Chef Highway Dhaba Badhal Sangla - Tibet Kitchen, Sangla Cafe  Kaza - Sol Café, Himalayan Café, Café Zomsa Manali – Café 1947, Drifters Cafe

  • Around INR 5000 is enough for the complete tour as you will be having lunch and buying souvenirs. You can find ATMs at Shimla, Narkanda, Rampur, Sangla, Kaza, Manali

  • The distance from Manali to Kaza is around 200 km and it takes around 7-8 hours to travel.

  • Yes. We offer fully customized tour packages as per the traveler’s requirements and feasibility. You name it and we will do it.

  • Yes, we cross Rohtang Pass on this tour. Except in the Spiti Valley Winter Tour, we cover Rohtang Pass in all the Spiti Valley packages.

  • The best time to visit Spiti Valley is from May to September. Almost all the roads and places are accessible and the weather remains stable most of the time. If one wants to experience white Spiti, that is full of snow then one can plan to visit in winters. February to April is ideal to experience snow in Spiti Valley.

  • Some of the best foods include Momos, Thukpa, Local bread at Dhankar, pizza at Tabo.

  • If you are opting for a group tour then there will be a maximum of 12 people in one group including the tour leader.

  • An experienced driver along with a tour leader (group tours) accompany throughout the tour. On special demands, we can also arrange a photographer or a videographer.

  • Yes, it is totally safe. In our group tours, our tour leader accompanies the group throughout the journey. All our staff including drivers and hotel vendors are reliable. Sometimes, we also send a woman tour leader in some of the tours.

  • We use Toyota Innova, Mahindra Xylo, Tempo Traveller, and 4x4 SUV, depending upon the group requirements and size.

  • The accommodation is a mixture of hotels, homestay, and camps. Chitkul – Hotel or Swiss Camps Kalpa – Hotel or Homestay Dhankar - Homestay Kaza – Hotel Chandratal – Swiss Camps Manali - Hotel

  • One can fill the inquiry form given on the right side of the page and send us all the details. Our travel consultant will reach out to you as soon as possible and plan the best itinerary as per your requirements. One can also call or WhatsApp us at +91-7428710595 or email us at contact@happygotrips.com.

  • Food will be veg on the tour. Jain food can also be available. On request, we can also arrange non-veg food at certain places.

  • We provide mineral water bottles in the vehicle throughout the journey. All the places will have shops so one can easily buy mineral water bottles. We also recommend people carry a 1-liter water bottle with themselves so that if needed one can use it again and again by refilling it.

  • We don’t recommend Diamox for this tour if you are traveling through the Shimla side as the altitude gain is quite gradual. In case, you are traveling through the Manali side then we might suggest you to take one tablet of Diamox to prevent the chances of getting AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness). The altitude on this route increases rapidly. Also, make sure you are not on any other medication or there shouldn’t be any hormonal problem because Diamox is not advisable to people having these problems.

  • Yes, you can take your child if he/she is above 6 years.

  • As you are traveling in a car, rain is not an issue. Yes, some regions/patches are prone to landslides but the administration remains quite alert during the season. If any landslide happens, they try to clear it in the shortest time. It usually takes 2-3 hours to open the road again.

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