10 Beautiful Places to Visit in Spiti Valley

India is a land of saints, magnificent temples, vast stretches of desert, and beautiful hill stations, and what-not! Yes, my incredible India! The world’s most unique nation is blessed with its unity in diversity with 28 states and nine union territories, having 14 official languages. Every state has its distinct cuisine, dance form, and folk tales to boast of. India showcases its history dating back to Panini’s grammar, Patanjali’s Yoga, the invention of zero, and masters of Surgery Charaka and Sushrut. Yoga/meditation is India’s largest in the world to lead a stress-free life.

What makes Spiti Valley so special?

Let’s take a journey with me to Spiti valley. Spiti is a small village, a cold desert area in the upper region of Himachal Pradesh. Height above sea level is 3800 m, known for its beautiful and serene monasteries, pollution-free with clear sky having worlds’ highest polling station.

Despite being a remote place, Spiti is well connected. There are petrol pumps, medical shops, ATM’s all along the way, but sometimes these ATM’s are not functional.

Finding Hotels and Restaurants is not a problem in Spiti. One can stay as a paying guest also with the locals. Camping along the river is another adventurous idea. It takes one or two days to acclimatize to the high altitudes of Spiti. The best way to rejuvenate is to take long walks and rest as much as possible to avoid falling sick.

A visit to Spiti is incomplete without being tasted the Tibetan food. Momos, Thukpa, and Lauphing are amongst the most popular dishes.

You should plan at least 5 to 10 days long days trip, as it needs five days in total to reach Spiti via Kinnaur and come back from Manali. During the rest of the three days, one can explore the tourist attractions. Here dwell the colorful monasteries, and the flavor of Tibetan culture can be experienced by sipping the salty buttery tea.

These are the 10 Best Places to Visit in Spiti:

1. Key Monastery

A key Monastery is a must-visit place in Himachal Pradesh known as Kye Gompa or ki or kee Monastery. It is at an altitude of 4166 above sea level. Devotees and tourists from all over the world come here to seek inner peace. The architecture of this monastery comes from Chinese culture. It is 14 km from Kaza that is the nearest bus station to the monastery.

2. Chandra Taal Lake

This lake is in the range of 4200 m above sea level in the Himalayas. It is one of the popular among adventurous minds. The lake is crescent-shaped, and that is how it got its name.

3. Pin Valley National Park

India’s highest cold valley National Park, constructed to preserve the flora, and fauna of Himachal Pradesh, got its name from the gorgeous Pin River. It is home to the snow leopard.

4. Suraj Tal

It is also known as Surya Tal, the third highest lake in India and 21st highest in the world amid the mountains is a divine lake. Thousands of visitors visit this site and explore the natural beauty. This lake has also adventurous activities such as boating. It is must visit place if you are in Spiti.

5. Tabo Monastery

It is also known as Ajanta of the Himalayas, 3280 m above sea level, and is situated at the bottom of the valley, in the rocky desert of Tabo valley. You can discover the priceless paintings, statues, and murals on the walls of the Monastery. The Archaeological Survey of India declared it the ‘National Historic Treasure’ of India.

6. Kunzum Pass

Another beautiful mountain passes in the Kunzum Range of the Himalayas. Situated at an altitude of 15,060 feet above sea level, it provides a breathtaking sight; it entices adventurous drivers and bikers to experience the thrills of the turns.

7. Kaza

Kaza is also known for its serene environs magnificent mountains, picturesque beauty, truly a paradise on Earth. The Winter season forces the locals to stay indoors to exhibit their talent that takes the form of beautiful handicraft items. Kaza is a perfect blend of ancient culture and modernity.

Check more about the Things to do in Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh

8. Dhankar Lake

Want to rejuvenate your soul and mind? – this is the place where you can sit for hours to soak yourself in the natural beauty. During snowfall mountains covered with white ice, one can see cattle grazing in the valley.

The myth says that Lord Shiva had visited and stayed at this lake during his quest for Lord Vishnu. While Lord Shiva was busy, his favorite Nandi bull drank some water from the lake. As a reward for quenching the thirst of Nandi, Lord Shiva blessed the lake that it will always be full of water.

9. Kibber

It is at a range of 4270 m above sea level, houses approximately 366 residents. A favorite place for trekkers and mountaineers is also a preferred camping destination during summers. Amazing! The barter system still prevails here. All the houses in this village are made of stones and look identical. Kibber is blessed with all those facilities which a town enjoys like, a hospital, school, post office, telegraph office, etc.

10. Tabo

Tabo is at a range of 10,760 feet on the banks of the Spiti River, Tabo is a tiny town in Spiti, known for its serene and tranquil beauty. The most famous attraction in Tabo is a 100 years old Monastery that is considered one of the holiest by the Dalai Lama himself. The town is famous for its tasty and yummy apples.

Best itinerary from Delhi to Spiti Valley:

Spiti Valley Itinerary via Manali:

Day 1 :Delhi to Manali
Day 2 :Manali Sightseeing
Day 3 :Manali – Kaza
Day 4 :Key Monastery – Pin Valley
Day 5 :Komic – Langza – Hikkim
Day 6 :Kaza – Chicham Bridge – Chandrataal
Day 7 :Rohtang Pass – Manali – Delhi

For a detailed itinerary click here 7 days itinerary via Manali from Delhi

Spiti Valley Itinerary via Shimla:

Day 1 – Shimla to Sangla – Overnight at Sangla
Day 2 – Sanlga to Chitkul to Kalpa – Overnight at Kalpa
Day 3 – Kalpa to Nako to Gue to Tabo – Overnight at Tabo
Day 4 – Tabo to Dhankar to Lhalung – Overnight at Lhalung
Day 5 – Lhalung to Mudh to Kaza – Overnight at Kaza
Day 6 – Kaza to Hikkim, Komic to Langza – Overnight at Langza
Day 7 – Langza to Chandratal – Overnight at Chandratal
Day 8 – Chandratal to Delhi

For free travel quotes or more travel information, contact us

When is the best time to visit Spiti Valley?

The best time to visit Spiti valley is from March to October. The following is the Spiti Valley temperature information for each month:

March to June (14°c to 20°c)
July to September (13°c to 27°c)
October to February (-4°c to 20°c)

In between June and September, you can go to Spiti Valley without having to worry about heavy snow and avalanches.

How to Reach Spiti Valley?

By Road: It’s better to go to Spiti through Shimla as the height increases steadily and gradually. Moreover, tourist places are more on this road. One can hire private taxes from Shimla to Spiti.

Note: An important point to be kept in mind while visiting Spiti is that no ATM facility exists there. It is only available in Kazaso; one should carry enough cash to avoid any inconvenience.

By Rail: If one plans to go by train then, the closest railway station is Shimla, and the distance between Shimla and Spiti is 450 km.

By Air: The nearest airport is at Kullu is 250 km from Spiti.

Routemap to Reach Spiti:

Via Shimla: From Shimla, the Spiti Valley is about 235 km away.

Route Map: Delhi – Shimla or Narkanda – Reckong Peo or Kalpa or Sangla – Nako – Tabo (Spiti)

Via Manali: From Manali, the Spiti Valley is about 196 km away.

Route Map: Delhi –Solang Valley or Manali – Rohtang Pass – Gramphu – Kunzum Pass – Kaza/Tabo (Spiti Valley)

Travel Permit:

If you’re an Indian citizen, you don’t need a permit to travel from Shimla to Spiti. The foreigners will, however, need a permit called the Inner Line Permit before traveling beyond Reckong Peo.

10 Beautiful Places to Visit in Spiti Valley

What makes Spiti Valley so special?