The Aura of Spiti Valley

Travelling in Spiti valley is the closest you could get to Shangri-La, on some inspiring tarmac. Spiti will give you that extremely close experience of the divineness of Buddhism. By visiting plenty of monasteries and pristine glaciers. Impressive decorations are the signal of the onset of festivals here. If you have good luck and you are travelling the month of September in Spiti valley then you will be able to witness ‘Chakahr Mela’ which is going to be held every three years that ends with the Chham dance that is the mask by the Lamas. Not just pristine lakes to visit but also the world’s highest inhabited villages are there to visit. Friendly local people and awesome trekking opportunities offer a feeling of unexplored remoteness with untouched tourism. Spiti will take you to a fantastic road trip destination with the bonus of spotting that elusive snow Leopard.

Best Time to Visit Spiti

The best time to visit this extreme terrain is between late June and September. The beautiful villages of Kibber, Langza, and Komic are at their best and the lush green beauty is around at this time.

You can expect regular snowfall intervals by the end of October right through to March. Winters however are quite harsh with most places inaccessible thanks to abundant snow. Spiti valley is not reachable from the Manali side but the road through Kinnaur remains open through most parts of the year. Lake Chandratal becomes is not accessible from both sides as the high passes are snowed under.

Places to visit in Spiti

1. Dhankar Lake

This ancient monastery was built with mud and earth stands which are outlined in clear blue skies. You can have a small visit with llamas at the monastery later, beginning a steep 3-kilometre hike uphill through barren hills with magnificent views of snow-capped peaks to the Dhankar lake. The hike will be filled with loads of loose pebbles on the sandy overlay, a walking stick might make your hike easier. The spectacular views of the Spiti and Pin river confluence make this hike worthwhile and memorable. The crystal clear waters of Dhankar lake amidst the barren mountains mark your destination. The huge Manerang peak at a towering 6700 metres can be seen clearly.

2. Pin Valley Visit

Pin valley is Spiti’s largest green area and it is surrounded by barren landscape and towering unexplored mountains. You can drive through narrow rocky tarmac to Shangri-La in the valley as you are going to enter nature’s impressive contracts of lush green set against the snow-capped mountains and clear blue skies. The quaint little villages dot the scenery here with the meandering Pin river providing picturesque scenic views.

The fascinating Tibetian culture is visible throughout the valley; this area is renowned as home to the last surviving Buchen Lamas from Buddhism’s oldest Nyingmapa sect. If you visit this place while celebrating the festivals then you can witness the “Buchan lama dance” that derives evil out of village homes. You can spend some time at the last village where green fields, glaciers, and waterfalls dominate the landscape. Lasting impressions of stunning landscapes with the myriad hues of fascinating locales. The pin valley will give you everlasting memories.

3. Highest Villages in the world

By going through Kaza it will take you through barren mountains set against bright blue skies with patches of lovely green farmland in summer. Your first stop will be at some of the highest inhabited villages in the world that is Langza. This place is well known for its unbeatable location, Langza offers some of Spiti’s finest views with unclaimed fossils lying around its outskirts. The spectacular views of the Chau Chau Kang Nilda peak at 4400 meters and above mean sea level with the isolated slopes make Lagza a unique place to visit. You will find some more ancient fossils than you think before displacing those because they will be a treasure for you.

Have your next halt at Hikkim for a cuppa with a postmaster of the highest post office in the world. You can send a couple of postcards to your loved ones from here. After Hikkim the next destination is Komic it is the Himalayas highest inhabited village. With a little over a dozen households, you can expect to be greeted with cups of hot tea from charming families. You will be sitting pretty high at 4587 metres above sea level.

4. Visit Dhankar, Tabo, and Gue

The very much old Tabo monastery is now a UNESCO Heritage site and one of the finest marvels of Indo Tibetan art. The temple complexes of sturdy mud walls mark the uniqueness of Tabo monastery complete with impressive murals inside. You can take a short hike to Tabo caves to feel the general aura of peace that surrounds these meditation grounds as well. Later head towards the quaint hamlet of Gue, these fascinating legends are so much part of Spiti’s landscape that you tend to expect one at every turn. The surprising ‘mummy Gue” however is probably the only one you will physically see on your visit here. The 500-year-old mummified body of a Tibetian lama resides in Gue. This will be a fairly gruesome sight, and you can still see the hair on the mummy’s head if you look close enough.

5. Key monastery and Kibber

But not least Kibber village from Kaza is fascinatingly perched on a rugged ridge overlooking the Spiti river. Kye monastery is the biggest monastery in Spiti. The most photographed monastery is home to 300 lamas the monastery dates back to nearly 1000AD. Photography is allowed only at the roof of the monastery so get a few Instagram pictures before you step in.

All in all the aura of Spiti valley is mesmerising and tranquil to experience. Visit this gigantic place with the thought of divinity.