Spiti Valley
Cold-desert monasteries and moonscapes on the road less travelled
A high-altitude loop through Himachal's trans-Himalayan cold desert — fort monasteries, terraced villages and some of the starkest mountain scenery in the country, far from the Manali crowd.
- Duration
- 7 days
- Estimated cost
- ₹22,000 - ₹38,000
- Best time to visit
- May to October
- Nearest hub
- Shimla
- Good for
- Friends, Solo
When to go: Rohtang and Kunzum passes are shut in winter. The Shimla side stays open year-round but is icy and slow.
MountainsAdventureRoad TripPhotography₹10,000 - ₹25,000₹25,000 - ₹50,000
7-day itinerary for Spiti Valley
Day 1: Shimla to Kalpa
- Drive along the Sutlej valley into Kinnaur
- Sunset over the Kinner Kailash range from Kalpa
Day 2: Kalpa to Nako
- Cross into the cold-desert landscape near Nako
- Walk around Nako Lake and the old monastery
Day 3: Nako to Tabo
- Visit Tabo Monastery, over 1,000 years old
- Evening walk through Tabo village
Day 4: Tabo to Kaza via Dhankar
- Stop at Dhankar Monastery perched on a cliff
- Dhankar Lake short hike
- Continue to Kaza, the valley's main town
Day 5: Key Monastery & Kibber
- Key Monastery, the largest in Spiti
- Drive up to Kibber, one of the world's highest motorable villages
Day 6: Chandratal Lake
- Drive to the high-altitude Chandratal (Moon Lake)
- Camp under a night sky with almost no light pollution
Day 7: Return via Manali
- Cross Kunzum and Rohtang towards Manali
- Onward journey home
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