Spiti Valley
Spiti Valley is a Himalayan desert mountain valley situated at an average height of 13,000 feet in the north-eastern part of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. The rugged scenery is extraordinary: high above the tree line, with barren slopes surrounded by high mountain peaks and isolated settlements, like little green oases with some cultivated farmlands.
Often regarded as a chunk of Tibet marooned in India, Spiti Valley is enigmatic and is interspersed with tiny hamlets and serene monasteries sitting precariously on mountain crags spread across its notched moonscape. The scattered villages comprise of whitewashed mud-brick homes amid rugged mountains and barley fields.
Spiti valley is home to some of the highest motorable villages in Asia (Langza and Komic), highest post office in the world (Komic), Chandratal lake, beautiful and vast landscape, ancient and intact culture and simple people. The valley has a distinctive Buddhist culture similar to that found in Tibet and the Ladakh region in India.
The Tibetan influence and the rich Buddhist heritage can be seen all across the valley with numerous Gompas that dominate the area. Perched high up in the mountain ridges, these enchanting medieval monasteries, surrounded by fluttering prayer flags, are still places of active worship and hold treasure troves of artifacts, images and ancient frescoes.
Whatever you do here you can be sure of an extremely unforgettable unbeatable experience in one of the most remote and fascinating places on earth.
Trip Highlights
- Ride across the high mountains and passes.
- Visit the famous monasteries of Key, Tabo and Dhankar.
- Go across the Chicham bridge, one of the highest suspension bridges in the world.
- Take the lesser explored high mountain road to Langza-Komic-Demul.
- The remote villages of Spiti, among the highest settlements in the world.
- Stay at a camp near Chandratal Lake.
Daywise Itinerary
Days on Trip
Total Distance Traveled
Maximum Altitude
(Elevation: 2,050m/6,726ft)
Our trip starts in Manali, with all the participants expected to arrive and be ready by or before noon.
Manali is a spectacular hill town with an unbeatable location. The river Beas meandering through, surrounded by deodar and pine trees, fields, orchards, grassy meadows carpeted with wildflowers and stunning views of snow-capped peaks.
We spend the day familiarizing ourselves with riding together as a group, an important part of the days activity is to ensure all riders are comfortable on the bikes, any last minute adjustments or fine tuning.
Overnight at Hotel. Meal Inclusions: Dinner
(Distance: 51km/76km/75km – 202km; Travel Time: 8-10 hrs
Elevation: Rohtang – 3,978m / 13,051ft, Kunzum – 4,590 m / 15,059 ft, Kaza - 3,800 m / 12,500 ft)
The toughest part of the journey, the long ride from Manali to Kaza. The highway is open only between June and mid-September when snow is cleared from the road by the Border Roads Organisation. Though the distance is not much, many patches of broken roads and overflowing streams make for a challenging and adventurous day of riding.
By the evening we arrive at Kaza, the largest town in Spiti Valley which will be our base for most of the trip.
Overnight at Hotel. Meal Inclusions: Breakfast and Dinner
(Distance: 48km / 31km / 33km – 112km , Travel Time: 6-7hrs
Elevation: Tabo – ?3,280 m / 10,760 ft, Dhankar – 3,894 metres / 12,774 ft)
A relaxed morning after the ride across the high mountains from Manali. We spend some time post breakfast checking the bikes for any damages or repairs. In the day we ride further into Spiti to Tabo, with a 1000 year-old Monastery famous for its ancient paintings that depict the life of The Buddha. Then we visit Dhankar, perched high above the confluence of the Spiti and Pin River, in a hidden bowl, a 1200-year-old Gompa.
Overnight at Camp. Meal Inclusions: Breakfast and Dinner
(Distance: 16km / 12km / 26km / 32km – 86km; Travel Time: 6-7hrs
Elevation: Langza – 4,420m / 14,500ft, Komic – 4,587m / 15,050ft, Demul – 4,320m / 14,174ft)
In terms of breathtaking beautiful views and a great riding adventure, today will be a highlight of the trip. As we head out from Kaza, we start to see the famous Chow Chow Kang Nilda mountain face and the ranges around, which dominate the view for most of the day. We start an uphill route up to Langza village. This little village has a total population of 137 in 33 households. We visit the ancient Lang (Temple) estimated to be around 1000 years old. At Langza, walk back to the prehistoric era when Spiti was submerged by the Tethys Sea, as you explore a land very rich with fossils of Marine animals and plants which were here millions of years ago.
Known to be among the highest villages in the world, Komik – literally translates to ‘eye of a snow cock’. This farm-village has a population of 84 people, living in utter isolation, cut-off from the rest of the world for most parts of the year. This little hamlet brings you thousands of miles away from your familiar settings to a place of soft brown pastures and snow-white mountain peaks.
En route, we also stop at Hikkim, home to one of the highest post offices in the world. Some of the wildlife spotted in the region – the Tibetan wolf, blue sheep, red fox, hare, snow cock, Himalayan griffin, rock pigeon and snow leopards.
Overnight at Camp. Meal Inclusions: Breakfast and Dinner
(Distance: 19km / 6km / 67km – 92km, Travel Time: 7-8 hrs
Elevation: Kibber – 4270 m / 14,200 ft, Chicham – 4,124m / 13,530ft, Chandratal – 4,250 mts/13,944 ft)
An early departure for a long day of riding. We ride by Key monastery and onward to Kibber, another of the high altitude village in Spiti. From here we go over the Chicham bridge, known to be among the highest bridges in the world with a 120m vertical drop. After Chicham, we ride across one of the newer routes in Spiti back on to the Manali highway toward Kunzum pass. After the pass, turn on the dirt track to Chandratal, a hard ride to the most pristine and beautiful of locations in these ranges.
Overnight at Camp. Meal Inclusions: Breakfast and Dinner
(Distance: 110km, Travel Time: 5-6 hrs)
After experiencing the golden hours around the lake and admiring the still morning mirrorlike waters, we start the ride back to Manali over the Rohtang pass . Arrival at the hotel to end the ride.
Overnight at a camp by the lake. Meal Inclusions: Breakfast and Dinner
A morning to relax back in the lush green Himalayan valleys around Manali. Based on return flight timings, we plan our departure from Manali back to Chandigarh/Delhi.
End of Trip
Pricing and Inclusions
| with 4 participants | with 8 participants | with 12 participants | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solo Rider Plan | INR 40,900 | INR 34,300 | INR 31,900 |
| SUV Plan | INR 27,700 | INR 24,700 | INR 23,700 |
Inclusions:
- All accommodation on twin/triple sharing basis in comfortable guest houses, hotels or camps.
- Meal inclusions as specified in the plan.
- One Royal Enfield 500 cc per rider.
- A pickup jeep as backup vehicle for entire duration of the trip.
- Fuel for bikes.
- A dedicated trip leader with a bike for the entire duration of the trip.
- Mechanic included for the trip along with spare parts backup.
- Dedicated SUV for all non-rider participants.
- Wireless communication support and backup oxygen with the crew.
- All Inner line permits and road permits as required.
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