Kinnaur Spiti Lahaul

• Chandigarh Arrival – Thanedhar (205 km – 7 hrs.)

  Arrive at the Chandigarh airport by 11 am. We will soon get on the Himalayan Expressway on our way to the mountains. Lunch will be enroute in Kasauli, as we ascent from the plains. Our stay for the night is located at 6250 ft above sea level amongst apple orchards and overlooking the Sutlej River valley. We will leave the highway at Narkanda 50 kms after Shimla and drive on a countryside road amidst deodar and pine forest. Dinner and overnight stay at Thanedhar.

• Thanedhar (40 km – 6 hrs.)

  Wake up to enjoy a home cooked breakfast. The day is at leisure to understand the Apple growing culture of Kinnaur and to take in some local sights like the Tanni Jubbar Lake.

• Thanedhar – Sarahan – Sangla – Batseri (150 km – 8 hrs.)

  Our drive will decent first into the Sutlej Valley and we will stay parallel to the river until we go up the mountains again to visit the Bhima Kali Temple at Sarahan. A town known for its ancient traditional style Kinnauri houses with slate stone roofs. After lunch in Sarahan we will drive to where the River Baspa merges into the Sutlej and venture further into the Bispa valley gaining some altitude. Our night stay will be in the village of Batseri, by the Baspa River in the distance and at a height of around 9000 ft above sea level.

• Batseri – Chitkul – Raksham – Batseri (40 km – 6 hrs.)

  Breakfast will be enjoyed with the distant sound of the gushing river and birds in the apple orchards. We will enjoy breakfast amongst nature and then drive to the ‘Last Village’ of India in the norther region as Chitkul is called. We will gain altitude and will reach a height of 13500 ft above sea level. Lunch will be overlooking the mighty Himalayas in the background. On our way back to Batseri we will enjoy a village walk in the Raksham village. In Sangla we will make a shopping stop to check on the Kinnauri caps and woolen jackets.

• Batseri – Nako – Gui – Tabo (140 km – 8 hrs.)

  Today we will leave both the Sutlej and Kinnaur behind and enter into the vast wilderness of the Spiti valley and the district of Lahaul and Spiti. Our lunch stop will be at an altitude of 13000 ft in the village of Nako. We will experience a complete change in scenery as the greenery turns into a desert like surrounding. The occasional patches of green are where peas and apples are grown with the glacial water of river Spiti. The next stop of the Nako would be the village of Gui where the mummy of a monk is preserved, and is also just 10 kms away from the China border. Our Stay in Tabo will be at 11000 ft. The steady gain in altitude will help us sleep better and not feel the sickness usually associated with higher altitudes.

• Tabo – Dhankar Monastary – Pin Valley National Park – Kaza (100 km – 8 hrs.)

  The drive continues to get dramatic as we view the Spiti River valley from the Dhankar Monastery, one of the five important monasteries of the region. The next de tour would be to the Pin Valley National park, where the Pin Parvati trek starts, which eventually ends into the Kullu Valley. Some of the best views would be enjoyed today. This is also home to the Snow Leopard and mountain fox of Spiti. Our night stay would be in the admistrative capital of Spiti in Kaza at 12500 ft above sea level.

• Kaza – Langza – Hikkim – Komic Villages – Kaza (50 km. – 6 hrs.)

  This morning we will leave at leisure for a trip of the surrounding villages. The ascent is quiet dramatic as we take the village road up the mountains to first stop at the village of Langza at 14000 ft anove sea level, the Langza Buddha statue is its famous landmark. Later we’ll drive to Hikkam and Komic villages the entire spiti valley with its tall mountains was submerged under the Tethy’s Ocean 50 million years ago and marine fossils can still be found in its soil. We will then be our way down to Kaza for a late lunch. Evening is free in the Kaza market. The nightsky is like a theatre of stars and a perfect place for star gazing is just from the terrace of our hotel.

• Kaza – Key Monastery – Kibbar -Chicham bridge – Spiti River bank (60 km – 3 hrs.)

  Enjoy a leisurely breakfast after which we will visit the mountain perched Key Monastery, the most important place of Tibetan worship in Spiti. Spend time with a local lama sipping the Tibetan tea in a cave room of the monastery. Drive to the remote village of Kibber to enjoy the views of the surrounding, and then make a stop at the Chicham Bridge, over a canyon. Return back to Kaza for lunch. In the evening (weather permitting) we will sit by the Spiti river and sip tea looking at the views for one last evening.

• Kaza - Chandratal – Atal Tunnel – Manali (190 km – 6 hrs.)

  An early morning departure would help us get the best views of Chandertal and reach Manali in time. The road today would be challenging in most parts. We will stop at Losar, the last village in Spiti for a warm breakfast. The next stop before Chandertal would be at the Kunzam Pass at 14500 Feet. The walk to Chandertal from the parking is around 30 minutes and it is a leisurely one. The turquoise waters of this holy lake would cast a spell on you. Drive the mountainous road from Chandertal to Manali via Batal where there would be lunch at a Dhaba. The facilities on this road are minimalistic. We would cross the Atal tunnel in the evening to arrive in Manali for Dinner.

• Manali

  This day will be a relaxed. After lunch proceed to Hadimba Temple followed by shopping in Manali market (Opt.) or enjoy the surroundings. Dinner & overnight stay at hotel.

• Manali – Chandigarh (300 km – 11 hrs)

  We will depart early for the journey to Chandigarh as we follow the Beas River valley ascending into the plains and finally making it to Chandigarh, for our night stay before we board the flight back home.

• Chandigarh – Mumbai

  The airport drop is arranged at 11:00am. Please make sure to book your flight at least 2 hours after this. Alternatively, you could take a separate transfer to the airport.

HOTELS

Thanedhar – Grandma Stokes Homestay or similar
Batseri – Apple Orchard Farm & Camping or similar
Tabo – Mentok Dumra Hotel or similar
Kaza – Hotel Deyzor or similar
Manali – Hotel Highland or similar
Chandigarh – Hotel Rajshree or similar

Tour cost will be updated soon

Tour dates: