Spiti Valley

CHD-SHIMAL-KINNOUR-SPITI-KULLU-MANALI-CHANDIGARH

Day 01: Chandigarh – Shimla (125 kilometres in approximately 4 hours)
After arrival at Chandigarh Railway Station or Airport, drive to Shimla (2180 metres above the sea level). Check in at the hotel and spend the rest of the day at leisure. Enjoy a warm dinner and spend the night comfortably in your room.

Day 02: : Shimla – Sarahan (165 kilometres in approximately 7 hours)
Drive from Shimla to Sarahan (2165 metres above sea level). On your way, visit Kufri, Theog, Fagu, Narkanda and Rampur. After arrival at Sarahan, checkin to the hotel.Overnight at Sarahan.
One can catch the breathtaking panoramic view of the Srikhan Mahadev Peak from Sarahan. Sarahan is also famous for its 800 year old Bhimkali Temple, one of the best examples of hill architecture. Attend the evening aarti at the Bhimkali temple, which is also one of the 51 Shaktipeeths.

Day 03: Sarahan – Sangla (90 kilometres in approximately 5 hours)
Join the morning aarti at Bhimkali Temple. Check out of the hotel and advance for Sangla via Karcham. Visit another destination known as Baspa valley, the prettiest valley in Himachal. After arrival at Sangla (2744 metres above sea level), check in to the hotel. Rest in the hotel and spend the day at your own leisure. Overnight at Sangla.

Day 04: Sangla – Chitkul – Sangla (40 kilometres in approximately 3 hours)
Visit the ancient Kamru Fort and Temple dedicated to Goddess Kamakhya Devi, which was brought from Assam. Also, explore other sightseeing places around the area.Set out for an excursion to Chitkul, which is the last village on the old Indo – Tibetan trade route. Enjoy the scenic beauty of the green orchards and the view of the brilliant stream that passes by. Later, return to your hotel in Sangla and an overnight stay.

Day 05: Check-out from hotel and drive to Kalpa.
2670 metres above the sea level, Kalpa is the district headquarter of Kinnaur and was once the favorite getaway of Lord Dalhousie. On reaching Kalpa, check in to the hotel. Once known as Chini, little has changed in Kalpa in the last 500 years. Legend has it that when Lord Dalhousie wanted to take a break from his hectic schedule in Shimla, he would come here on his Horseback. By the side of Kalpa is a 79 feet high rock formation that resembles a Shivlinga that changes its colour as the day passes.
Rest in hotel for a while. In the evening, visit the Buddhist Gompa, Hu Bu Lan Kar. Return to the hotel for a comfortable overnight stay at Kalpa.

Day 06 : Kalpa to Tabo (179 kilometres in approximately 7 hours)
Early in the morning, witness the beautiful sunrise over the Kinnaur Kailash Peaks. After that drive to Tabo. On your way, visit Kinnaur’s most picturesque hamlet and the Nako Lake. Nako is a heritage village built around a small lake and has an important Buddhist Gompa and a small temple. A footprint like impression on a rock is ascribed to the saint Guru Padmasambhava. Explore the scenic Spiti Valley that has few signs of vegetation. The beauty of Spiti lies in its unspoiled, untainted raw landscape. Rudyard Kipling describes Spiti in ‘Kim’ in these words: “At last they entered a world within a world – a valley of leagues where the high hills were fashioned of the mere rubble and refuse from off the knees of the mountains…surely the Gods live here.”
On arrival at Tabo, check in to the hotel. The ancient village of Tabo is situated on the left bank of the river Spiti. It is the land of one of the most famous Buddhist monasteries, regarded next to the Tholong Gompa in Tibet. It is also known as the ‘Ajanta of Himalayas’.

Day 07: Tabo – Kaza (47 kilometres in approximately 3 hours)
Join the morning prayers at the Tabo Monastery which was constructed in 996 AD. It is a complex that consists of 9 Temples, 23 Chortens, a monk’s chamber and an extension that houses the nun’s chamber. Above the enclave is a series of caves which are used by the monks. The monastery contains large number of scriptures and pieces of art including wall paintings and stucco. There is also a modern Gompa and a painting school founded by the Dalai Lama.
Check out of the hotel in Tabo and head to Kaza (3870 metres above sea level). On your way to Kaza (the capital of Spiti Valley), visit Dhankar Gompa, the traditional capital of Spiti. This hilltop fort that overlooks the Spiti Valley used to be a jail earlier. Today, more than 160 lamas reside here. Notable sights at Dhankar Gompa include a statue of Vairochana (Dhayan Buddha) consisting of 4 figures seated back to back in addition to various crumbling Thangkas.
On arrival at Kaza, check in to the hotel & a comfortable overnight stay at the Kaza.

Day 08 : Kaza
Take a trip to Ki Monastery. Ki Monastery, situated at the foot of steep ridges and on the left bank of river Spiti, is the biggest Gelupa Sect Monastery in Spiti. A post 13th century construction, the three-storey structure consists largely of storage rooms at the bottom level while the middle floor houses Dukhang – the Assembly Hall, and the uppermost floor has another temple on one side and Lama’s quarters on the other side of an open terrace. The greatest wealth of Ki Gompa lies in its collection of ‘Thangkas’ rescued from the devastating 19th century raids of the Dogars and the Sikhs. The monastery is famous for its ancient murals and books; and hundreds of lamas receive their religious training here.
Afterwards, take a scenic drive to the pasture country of Kibber. From Kibber, the pastures are spread over hundreds of square kilometres. Overnight stay at Kaza

Day 09 : Kaza – Kumzum La Pass– Manali (188 kilometres in approximately 8 hours)
Check out of the hotel and drive to Manali via Kunzumla Pass which is 4590 metres above sea level. The highest pass on Spiti is Lahaul Road. On arrival in Manali (3340 metres above sea level), check in to the hotel and enjoy a comfortable overnight stay at MANALI.

Day 10 : Manali-Local sightseeing- Manali
Check out of the hotel and drive to Manali via Kunzumla Pass which is 4590 metres above sea level. The highest pass on Spiti is Lahaul Road. On arrival in Manali (3340 metres above sea level), check in to the hotel and enjoy a comfortable overnight stay at MANALI.
Day 11 : Manali – Rohtang Pass – Manali (51 Kms.)
Proceed for full day excursion visiting Kothi, Gulaba Fall, Marhi, Rohtang Pass/snow point(subject to weather conditions). Overnight stay at Manali hotel.

Day 12 : Manali – Chandigarh