Often referred to as "Little Tibet," Spiti Valley is a stunning, chilly high altitude desert mountain valley tucked away high in the Himalayas. Its untamed beauty, historic monasteries, and rocky landscapes make for a singular and remarkable journey. Spiti Valley ought to be on your list of places to visit if you're looking for adventure, peace, and a taste of a rich cultural past.

What to do in Spiti Valley

Discover Historic Monasteries: Spiti is home to numerous Buddhist monasteries that date back hundreds of years. In addition to the Tabo Monastery, one of the oldest continuously operating monasteries in the Himalayas with amazing murals and scriptures, don't miss the famous Key Monastery, which is perched dramatically on a hilltop. See the Dhankar Monastery, which is perilously perched on a cliff and offers breathtaking views of the confluence of the Spiti and Pin rivers.

Discover the beauty of Chandratal Lake: The crescent-shaped high-altitude lake, also called "Moon Lake," offers breathtaking views of lovely mountains, snow-capped peaks, and rough terrain. One of the best parts of the trip, was camping at the foot of Chandratal Lake, with the blanket of a million stars above us!

Send a Postcard from the World's Highest Post Office: Visit Hikkim village and send a postcard to your family from the world's highest post office, which is located a crazy height of 14,567 feet. This post office has been active since 1983 and still used by locals and tourists.

Discover Fossil in Langza Village: This village is known as the "Fossil Village" due to the abundance of marine fossils found here. Explore the village on foot and who knows you may land your first fossil. Don't miss takign a night shot of the mikly way at the towering Buddha statue overlooking the valley.

Picture credit: Rajarshi Mitra

Discover High-Altitude Villages: Visit Komic, recognized as one of the highest inhabited village in the world with access via a motorable road. Observe the unique lifestyle and architecture of villages such as Kibber and Langza.

Experience Nature at Pin Valley National Park: This national park offers all that nature lovers are looking for in their experience. Look out for endangered species such as snow leopard, ibex and red fox as you traverse through magnificent landscapes.

Visit the Mummy of Gue Village: In the small village of Gue, you will discover the naturally preserved mummy of a Buddhist monk; a truly fascinating and slightly creepy experience.

Trekking to Lakes: Take a number of short trekking adventures to beautiful high-altitude lakes, such as Dhankar Lake, to see stunning panoramic views, or undertake the challenging trek to Suraj Tal, or Lake of the Sun God.

Yak Safari in Kibber: Discover the high-altitude land via yak safari in and around Kibber village; a truly unique form of exploration.

Star Gazing in Dhankar Village: Dhankar is the perfect location for star gazing; with its clear, pollution free skies for spectacular viewings of cosmic wonderment.

Best Time to Visit Spiti Valley:

The best time to visit Spiti Valley is during the summer months, between March to June. The weather is pleasant during this time and cool at times, with a temperature range of about 3°C and 25°C, ideal for various outdoor activities and sightseeing. The Manali route to Spiti Valley usually opens up roads around June; this will provide you with another access route to the area, in addition to the Shimla route which stays open for much of the year.

Getting to Spiti Valley:

Spiti Valley can be accessed by road from either Shimla or Manali. This travel may be long, but beautiful views may be found along the way. The challenging driving equation will most likely require acclimatizing to the mountain areas to avoid altitude sickness.

Also read,

Motorcycle ride to Spiti Valley

Short 6 Days Itinerary to Spiti Valley

Getting to Chandra Taal from the camp