Head Over to Offbeat Himachal: Explore Lahaul and Spiti

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Your Facebook wall is plastered with pictures of friends and relatives vacationing in Himachal. You're on your tenth cup of tea at 11 AM at your desk and craving a little mid-year adventure. You can’t blame them for trying to find some respite from the sweltering heat and humidity even as the lovely green hills look like the rain might get the better of you. You wish to get out and about, yearning for the road less travelled. I may just have the perfect destination for you - take a ride to the lesser known Himachal - Lahaul and Spiti.

Lying north of the Pir Panjal ranges, Lahaul and Spiti are bordered on the north-west by Ladakh and on the east by Tibet. I say ‘are’ because Lahaul and Spiti are two different places and quite different in character to each other. While both valleys receive little rainfall, Lahaul is the greener of the two and very fertile. Lahaul is a high plateau surrounded by uniform mountains and huge glaciers. Spiti valley is a cold desert composed of austere barren mountains and deep gorges formed by the fierce Spiti River. Consequently, Lahaul is much more developed and has a greater number of mountain villages. The lofty mountains of Lahaul and Spiti are beautiful in an awe-inspiring way.

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The Journey to Lahaul & Spiti:

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Lahaul and Spiti are at a remote corner of the world to be accessed by traversing the highest mountain passes in the world. From Manali, one has to cross the Rohtang Pass and the tricky Rani Nala before that. From Shimla, the twin valleys are accessed via Kunzum La Pass. Pin Parbati Pass is another access route to this region. The fun and adventure of travelling to Lahaul and Spiti is that there are no proper roads, no vegetation or civilization for miles and desolation all around. It is a test in endurance and resilience.

The drive from Delhi is a long one. While driving from Delhi to Lahaul and Spiti, one has to stop over at Manali or Shimla. The nearest airport is Bhuntar airport in Kullu. Travellers have to take a bus or hire a cab from there to take them to Lahaul and Spiti. Summers in the region are warm and sunny. It is a good idea to carry woollens and snow gear regardless of what time of the year it is as even summer nights can get chilly. Winter temperatures, needless to say, dip well below freezing point. Rohtang Pass and Kunzum La Pass remain closed for winters due to heavy snowfall.

Bike Rides to Lahaul and Spiti

Lahaul and Spiti have taken over the Ladakh trail in recent years in terms of adventure enthusiasts biking to! Fair warning be given, the route to Spiti is more challenging than the one to Ladakh. A rocky terrain and snaking through rivers, Spiti is a dream destination for a biking and adventure enthusiast. Kinnaur is open all year, whereas the road from Manali to Kaza is open from mid June to mid October.

Monasteries in the Spiti Valley: Ki Monastery, Tabo Gompa and More

The proximity of Lahaul and Spiti to Tibet means that there is more than a fair bit of Buddhist influence in the region. These are known as gompas in the local language. In Lahaul, there is the 800-year-old Guru Ghantal gompa situated at the confluence of rivers Chandra and Bagha. The Sha-Shur monastery derives its name from the blue pines surrounding it and is famous for the large thangka paintings and invaluable wall paintings of all the 84 Buddhist siddhis. Spiti valley is the most important centre of Buddhism in Himachal and the monasteries here are a favourite with the Dalai Lama himself.

Ki Monastery situated next to the Spiti River, could not have been set on a more beautiful location. A thousand year old Tabo gompa is perched on an amazing elevation of 3050 metres and looks like a honeycomb on a hillside. The monasteries of Lahaul and Spiti are rich repositories of ancient murals, thangkas, wood carvings and golden images of Padmasambhava.

Festivals in Lahaul and Spiti

Lahaul and Spiti have plenty of their own colourful festivals. Ladarcha Fair marks the beginning of the summer months, hence a time for joy and entertainment. Traders from Tibet as well as various parts of Himachal converge to buy and sell during the fair. The Tribal Festival is another trade fair celebrated around Independence Day. Various religious occasions like Pauri Fair, Tsheshu Fair, Diwali, Fagli Festival and Gochi Festival are also observed throughout the year.

Temples to Visit in the Spiti Valley

There are some beautiful temples around Lahaul to visit as well. The historic Trilokinath Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva stands framed by spectacular hills and is known to be more than a thousand years old. The gleaming white temple set on the edge of a cliff hosts the annual Pauri Fair celebrated enthusiastically by both Hindus and Buddhists in the month of August. Markula Devi Temple is constructed in the typical Himachali style with timber bonded stone. The walls of the temple are ornamented with Kashmiri artwork depicting scenes from Indian mythologies and sacred texts. The main attraction of the temple is the silver idol within.

 Trekking & Exploring

Trekking in the region is made popular by the fact that this area receives very little rainfall. The unbroken sunshine assists trekkers in exploring the wilderness of the inner Himalayas. While undertaking a high altitude trek, trekkers go beyond the snowline, crossing high passes and snow fields. Some of the popular treks are Parangla Pass, Pin Parvati Pass, Baba Pass, Hampta Pass. Tents, sleeping bags, snow gear, light cooking equipment, sunscreen and sunglasses are required for undertaking any trek in these hills. Apart from trekking, skiing as an adventure sports activity has gained a lot of momentum in this region in the recent years. Little rainfall, plenty of snow and an absence of throngs of tourists makes it ideal for winter sports. While in Spiti valley, do also take a yak ride. It is fun, adventurous and cannot be done anywhere else in the world!

Lakes in the Spiti Valley: Chandratal Lake and Suraj Tal

One of the most beautiful sights on earth, the mesmerizing Chandratal or the moon lake lies on a glacial bowl. The shimmering blue lake is surrounded by snowy hills on all sides and is a must visit to anyone travelling to Lahaul and Spiti. The Chandratal lake is situated at an altitude of 4270 metres and is one of the most beautiful spectacles you’ll ever come across. It is 12 kms off the main road after Kunzum La, and the last 1 kilometer will have to be traversed on foot. Camping at the Chandratal is simply surreal. On a starry night, and if you’re lucky, meteor showers will keep you company. Its one of the best experiences to have without having to go all the way to Ladakh!

Suraj Tal Lake and Dashir Lake are also worth visiting. The Pin Valley National Park is an alpine meadow that shelters rare Himalayan animals like snow leopard and Tibetan gazelle.

Lahaul and Spiti is nature in its wildest most primitive form. Having remained blissfully untouched by mass tourism, the twin valleys are unsurpassed in their mountainous glory. The rugged spectacle of their rocky escapements or the grandeur of their snow-capped peaks, unchanged with time, are memories that will stay with you for the rest of your life.

Travel Tips

The distance from New Delhi to Lahaul & Spiti is approximately 430 km. If you choose to go by road, the entry points into Lahaul and Spiti are Manali and Sumdo, respectively. The nearest airport is Bhutar Airport in Kullu. For those travelling by train, Shimla and Chandigarh have the closest railway stations.

Distance from Delhi:  788 kilometres

​Best Time to Visit Spiti

​Mid June to Mid October is the best time to be in the Spiti Valley. Pack your bags and go off, right now!

(Blog ordered by Neha Sharma)

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