Who doesn’t love to travel? Most people love to explore new things. Today, we will take you on a virtual tour of a beautiful district. SPITI VALLEY– it is a district in Himachal Pradesh. Spiti Valley is popularly known for its scenic beauty, including snow-covered mountains. The roads of Spiti Valley are very thrilling, adventurous, and risky. Also, they remain covered with snow for many months of the year. Sometimes, roads up to several kilometers get blocked due to land sliding. There are many famous rivers in Spiti Valley. You will also love to explore such a beautiful place.
This guide delves into:
- How to reach Spiti Valley?
- What is the circuit route to reach Spiti Valley?
- What is the distance from Delhi to Spiti Valley?
- What is the best time to travel to Spiti Valley?
- Where to stay at Spiti Valley?
- Some tourist spots to visit in Spiti Valley.
- Famous food in Spiti Valley.
- What should be an ideal budget to travel to Spiti Valley?
Now the question arises–
- How do we reach Spiti Valley?
- What is an ideal way to travel?
HOW TO REACH SPITI VALLEY: A GUIDE.
What is the shortest place to reach Spiti Valley? How long will it take to reach? These are some common questions that tourists consider while travelling. So, today, we will provide you with an ideal route to travel to Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh. There are mainly two routes available to reach Spiti Valley.
- The first route reaches Spiti Valley from Manali via Rohtang Pass, Kunjum Pass, and Chandratal Lake. The distance from Manali to Spiti Valley through this route is 178 kilometers. This route remains closed for about 6 months due to heavy snowfall. That is why it is the least preferable route for tourists.
- The second route from Shimla reaches Spiti Valley via Narkanda, Reckong Peo, Nako, and Tabo. Through this route, the distance between Shimla and Spiti Valley is around 420 kilometers. This route remains open for almost a year except for some winter months. However, the distance is nearly double that of the first route, but this is the most chosen way by the visitors.
Other than this, you can also complete this journey through a circuit route. Below is the circuit route you can follow to explore Spiti Valley (if your starting point is DELHI):
IN THIS, YOU CAN START FROM SHIMLA AND RETURN VIA MANALI OR START FROM MANALI AND RETURN VIA SHIMLA.
DELHI — SHIMLA — NARKANDA — KAZA — MANALI — DELHI
Both ways are safe and secure to travel. You can choose any of the two ways according to you. The best thing is that, while traveling through any of the ways, you can explore many tourist places during the journey.
HOW TO TRAVEL?
Let us consider the circuit route: DELHI — SHIMLA — NARKANDA — KAZA — MANALI — DELHI.
There are many ways to travel, including HRTC Buses, Train, Flight, and Private Taxi. You can choose any of the ways according to your convenience. Below is the guide on how to travel to Spiti Valley:
Delhi to Manali:
You can travel to Manali by bus, train, flight, or private taxi. There are several buses available from Delhi to Manali. These include AC buses, non-AC buses, seaters, and sleepers. You can book an online bus ticket from here. The ticket cost would be around ₹800-₹850 per person. And it will take around 12 to 14 hours. Pre-booking buses is advisable for a convenient ride.. One ticket costs around ₹700-₹800 per person. However, there are some discounts available on the app.
Manali to Kaza:
You can take a day’s stay at Manali. Afterwards, you can head towards Kaza. It will cost you between ₹10,000 to ₹20,000. You can book an Xylo, Ertiga, Innova Crysta, or similar. However, the journey will take around 5 to 6 hours. If you are a good driver, you can also opt for a private car.
Kaza to Narkanda:
The distance between Kaza and Narkanda is approximately 352 km. If you of for a cab, it would take around 9 hours to reach Narkanda. Also, you can complete this journey by your car. The person should keep in mind that the roads are rocky. Make sure to drive safely.
Through this circuit route, you can complete your journey to Spiti Valley. In between the circuit route, you can explore multiple tourist spots. Further, we will discuss the tourist spots in between the journeys.
DISTANCE FROM DELHI:
Spiti Valley is approximately 680 kilometers away from Delhi. It means it will take around 15 hours to travel by car.
SPITI VALLEY: BEST TIME TO VISIT
Spiti Valley is a place covered with beautiful snow mountains and rocky paths. The snow remains for almost more than half a year.
Tourists from all over the world prefer the months of June and July to visit this beautiful place. Because the way from Shimla and Manali is open in these months.
However, people who love snow and winter prefer to visit this place in December, January, and February. However, the least number of tourists visit this place during the monsoon months.
So, we can say there is no specific month to visit Spiti Valley. But, March to November is the preferred period by visitors.
Spiti Valley Temperature:
In Spiti Valley, the winter season is between October to February. In winter, the temperature reaches – 2 degrees Celsius to minus 19 degrees Celsius. Most of the roads remain blocked during the winter season.
However, in summer, the temperature ranges from 15 to 25 degrees Celsius. In the summer season, snow-covered mountains melt and turn into green Valley, which is also a mesmerizing view in Spiti valley.
July and August are months of the monsoon in Spiti Valley. The temperature ranges from 10 to 20 degrees Celsius. Some people love to visit this place in the rainy season, but this may cause road blockage, and spoil your journey.
In winter the temperature reaches to —- in summer this and in monsoon this
Where to stay at Spiti Valley?
KAZA is the preferable and nearer place to stay at Spiti Valley.
You can easily find many restaurants in Kaza to stay at. According to your needs and requirements, you can choose any restaurant or hotel.
The average price for a day and a night stay has been ₹800 and ₹2000. Homestays are also available in Kaza.
The best thing is that you can cover almost all the tourist spots of Spiti Valley while staying in Kaza.
SPITI VALLEY: TOURIST PLACES TO VISIT
Here comes the most awaited part. There are many beautiful tourist spots while travelling to Spiti Valley. Let us discuss them one by one:
1. KEE MONASTERY
After spending some time in Kaza, you can explore Kee Monastery. It is a famous Monastery and one of the most popular tourist spots. Kee Monastery is the largest monastery in Spiti Valley. The monastery is 12 km north of Kaza and 210 km from Manali by road. The walls of the Key monastery are covered with beautiful paintings. There are multiple ancient books and Buddha books available in Kee Monastery.
- Distance from Kaza: 14.3 km.
- Famous: The Kee Monastery is famous for ancient Buddha books, paintings, and weapons.
- Restaurants near Kee Monastery: There are several restaurants where you can eat your favorite snacks. These include the Himalayan Cafe (9.7 km from Kee Monastery), Sol Cafe(10 km from Kee Monastery), and Hotel Deyzor (9.5 km from Kee Monastery).
2. HIKKIM
HIKKIM is a famous village in Lahaul and Spiti. It is popular for its world’s highest post office. You can visit this village. You can also post your close relatives and friends. You can travel to Hikkim by car.
- Distance from Kaza: 15 km.
- Restaurants near Hikkim: There are many restaurants near Hikkim. Some of them are the Himalayan Cafe (3.5 km from Hikkim), Sol Cafe (3.6 km from Hikkim), and Hotel Deyzor (3.7 km from Hikkim).
3. KIBBER VILLAGE
The KIBBER VILLAGE is famous for its Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary and the Kibber Monastery. You can see a lot of animals in the Wildlife Sanctuary, including snow leopards, Himalayan Wolves, and ibex. It is also a good place to spend time with friends and family. Homestays are also available in Kibber Village. You can stay for a day here.
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- Distance from Kaza: 18 km.
- Places to stay in Kibber Village: Many hotels available in Kibbar Village. Some of them are the Deshek Homestay, Zostel Homes, and Social Courtyard Spiti. The cost of staying for one day in these hotels can be approximately from ₹1500 to ₹3000.
Amazing fact about Kibber Village:
- The Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary is the only cold desert Wildlife Sanctuary in India.
- The area of Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary is approximately 2220 sq km.
- Snow leopards found in Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary are one of the endangered species.
4. CHICHAM BRIDGE
If you are a photoholic, then you should not miss this place. The Chicham Bridge is the highest bridge in Asia where you can stay and take some good photos. The Chicham Bridge is the highest bridge which connects two villages, namely Chicham and Kibber. The height of the Chicham Bridge is around 13596 feets above sea level.
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- Distance from Kaza: 19 km.
Amazing facts about the Chicham Bridge:
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- The average time to build the Chicham Bridge was around 14 years.
- The cost of building the Chicham Bridge was around 48 crores, about $6.5 million.
5. KOMIC VILLAGE
People visit this Komic Village for the highest restaurants. You can enjoy your favorite food here. The village houses a small monastery called the Tangyud Monastery, the oldest monastery in Spiti Valley. The Komic Village is surrounded by snow-capped peaks. The Komic Village has a population of about 114 people who live in a very simple way.
Distance from Kaza: 23.1 km.
6. PIN VALLEY NATIONAL PARK
If you love to explore different animals, then this National park is the best choice for you. Pin Valley National Park is famous for snow leopards, snow-covered mountains, and many other beautiful things. It is a part of a cold desert. This National park, established in 1987, covers an area of around 675 square kilometers. The Pin Valley National Park is mostly famous for protecting the endangered animal, the snow leopard.
Distance from Kaza: 30 km.
7. DHANKHAR MONASTERY
Dhankhar was the traditional capital of the Spiti Valley Kingdom during the 17th century. Dhankhar Monastery is one of the oldest monasteries of Spiti Valley. You can also spend some time near Dhankhar Lake.
Distance from Kaza: 33.8 km.
8. CHANDRATAL LAKE
Chandratal Lake is the other tourist spot in Spiti Valley. You can have a peaceful time near the Lake. However, some locals say that fairies visit this Lake at night. No one knows whether it is true or not.
Distance from Kaza: 96 km.
SPITI VALLEY: FAMOUS FOOD
Momos, Aloo Paratha, Maggi, and Rajma Rice are famous street foods in Spiti Valley. During your journey, you can find these food items in many places. You can also enjoy local Spiti foods of Spiti, including madra, mokthuk, and, thukpa etc.
SPITI VALLEY: BUDGET
What is the budget to visit Spiti Valley?
How much will it cost?
How much would be the food?
The answer to all these questions depends on you. It matters from where you are starting this journey.
Suppose your journey starts from Delhi.
Delhi to Manali:
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- Distance: 250 km approximately.
- How to travel: Flight is the cheapest and most convenient way to reach Shimla. It will take around 1.5 hours. It will cost you around ₹3000 INR per person.
- Travelling by bus: Buses are also one of the ways to travel to Shimla. It will take around 8 to 9 hours. The ticket will cost around ₹600 to ₹700 INR per person. Pre-booking buses is advisable.
Manali to Kaza:
- Distance: 183 km approx.
- How to travel: Public buses are available to travel from Manali to Kaza. You will easily get a bus from the Manali bus stop. The ticket costs around ₹350 to ₹400 INR per person.
Journey to Spiti Valley:
Your budget after reaching Kaza depends on you. It will depend on how many tourist spots you will visit, what food items you will have during your trip, and at which hotel or restaurant you are staying.
You can plan your budget according to your trip. Considering every fact, you should have a budget of ₹10,000 to ₹15,000.
CONCLUSION:
As you can see from the article, Spiti Valley is a wonderful place to explore. You can enjoy it with your friends and with your family. As you can see, there are many places to explore. You will surely have a peaceful time there. This adventurous trip to Spiti Valley remains in people’s memory for a long time.
FAQs:
How many days should I plan my trip to Spiti Valley?
On average, you can plan a 6 to 7-day trip to Spiti Valley. In 6 to 7 days, you can explore almost every tourist spot there.
Is Spiti Valley safe in July?
July is the month of monsoon in Spiti Valley. The temperature is from -1°C to 12°C. Some tourists say you should not plan a trip in July because of the heavy monsoon. The roads in Spiti Valley may block your way. Also, the roads are slippery, which is quite risky.