Spiti Valley

A beautiful valley in Himachal Pradesh

Spiti Valley is often termed as the little brother of Ladakh. The name "Spiti" signifies "The Middle Land"- the land among Tibet and India.

True to its big brother, the Valley has the cold and rugged terrain that might remind you of Ladakh. It is a chilling desert mountain valley found 412 km away from Shimla and is a popular tourist attraction because it offers the other side of nature. There is not a speck of greenery around you, and other than the hills around the place, it has some fascinating freshwater lakes.

What’s special about Spiti?

Spiti is a second home to numerous Gaddi sheep and goat herders (nomadic clan of Himachal) who visit the Valley in the summer season from the nearby villages. If you are lucky, you can come across the rare snow leopard found in this part of the country.

A Brief Historical Background:

Life around the Spiti valley is always centering around the monasteries. The hereditary waziers have ruled them, and often, there would be invasions from outside rulers. Later, it became a part of independent India.

Spiti Valley is an essential part of the trans-Himalayan reach where the Tethys Sea used to exist. The animal fossils can still be found in a couple of spaces of the Valley. Fossil engravings on stone are not challenging to track down, and you will find shops selling them when you travel to Spiti Valley.

You can check for spiti valley tours and explore this history yourself

Best Things to do and Major attractions:

There are numerous places to visit in Spiti Valley. Still, one of the prime attractions is the Key and Tabo Monastery. The latter is known to be among the most ancient places here and has spectacular paintings. There are many other monasteries around Spiti Valley, and the prominent ones among them are Lhalung Monastery and Gandhola Monastery.

If you love the beautiful and scenic places, then you must visit Chandratal near the Kunzum Pass. It is a favorite among campers and trekkers and happens to be a photographer's paradise. There are picturesque lakes like Dhankar Lake and Suraj Tal that will make you believe that Spiti Valley is truly heaven on Earth.

Emerging destinations

Another popular part of Spiti Valley Sightseeing is the Pin Valley National Park, home to endangered and rare flora and fauna. Some other places of tourist interest in Spiti Valley are Losar, Kibber Hamlet, and Komak, which is the world's highest village. It is a heaven for those who love trekking.

The dreamlike view of the Valley and the monasteries charms sightseers and adventurers from all over the world. In contrast, the lavish and emerald scene of the Valley, encircled by snow-covered mountains, is ideal for admirers of experience sports like camping and paragliding.

Also Read: Discover The Most Beautiful Valleys In India

People and the Culture:

Due to closeness with Tibet, individuals of Spiti share a ton of Tibetan qualities, language, and customs. Buddhism and Hinduism are two significant religions, and many people follow a blend of the two. The best time to visit spiti valley is when all the cultural places are open to visit.

The people here are very warm and welcoming and lead simple life. The local culture is no different than the neighboring mountainous villages and valleys. For some of the most exemplary instances of local culture, you must visit Darcha, a place with about 300 local dwellers who have preserved their traditions.

Individuals in Lahaul Spiti celebrate various festivals different times than the world, and they vary among the communities. Fagioli is a significant Lahauli celebration observing New Year as per Tibetan New Year among February and March.

Famous Local Food and must-have Shopping Items:

Tibetan dishes are the main highlight of Spiti. Since the weather is freezing, the cuisine is majorly non-vegetarian. You will find lamb, mutton, chicken, and yak meat delicacies. You can find some of the delicacies included in spiti valley tour packages.

You will find some delicious Tibetan cuisine on offers such as Momos and Thukpas. Some of the dishes to try out are Trout curry, Chhaya Gosht, Dhaam, Madra, etc. Butter tea is also a hot beverage that is pretty famous in the Himalayas.

Simplicity in Spiti

If you are looking for simple food and bland food, there is one essential and humble breakfast that you can find in the mountains. It is made of grain and seems as though a thick round naan, usually called Tibetan bread.

When it comes to beautiful artifacts, Spiti Valley is a delightful place for you to shop from. You will find a great wealth of Tibetan handicrafts, woodwork, jewelry, and other such items. People are also known to carry home some of the finest dry fruits from this region. You can also purchase easily for your spiti valley trek.

Best Time to Visit:

The winters here are harsh and bitterly cold, which makes the place lose connectivity and can be, in some ways, dangerous.

So, it is recommended to plan your travel between June and September when the temperatures are comfortable. As of now, the snow starts melting. A few roads are available to be traveled too, like the way from Kaza to Losar.

The pre-winter season from April-June makes Spiti beautiful with rich green trees, orange leaves, clean waters, and white snow, making the Valley a marvel. The mornings and nights are frigid, with temperatures going to 2-3 degrees Celsius while the days are charming. So, this is best time to visit spiti valley.

Availability of Accommodation Type:

From homestay arrangements to hotels, the choices are plenty for the tourists in Spiti Valley. Some popular options are Lara Home Stay, Hotel Spiti Sarai, Miklam Homestay, etc.

Suppose you are looking for some good as well as affordable homestays in Spiti. In that case, you can check out the following – Palkit Homestay, Tara Homestay, and on the camping site, you can check out Moon Lake Camps. You can check out for more spiti valley hotels.

Interesting Facts about Spiti

Before you decide to visit Spiti, these are the things you should think know Spiti Valley. Following will make your trip more straightforward and much more agreeable -

On the chance that you need to stay associated back home, there are landline connections accessible all over. Additionally, just BSNL has an entire organization in Spiti, so if you wish, you can get a SIM card from Shimla, which is the one choice you got.

How bad the weather can get?

Since Spiti is a mountain desert, the climate can get somewhat unpredictable. During the day, the sun radiates brilliantly and sufficiently harsh to give you sunburns, and later it can get cold. The weather unpredictability can also be included in problems in how to reach spiti valley.

World’s highest Town

The world's most elevated town Komic, is located in Spiti. Also, Spiti is home to the world's most elevated post station in the town of Hikkim.

These were the few points to remember while visiting Spiti Valley.

The beautiful Spiti Valley is accessible easily only a few months in a year before it is covered by a cover of snow that regularly makes the streets blocked. The roads can be challenging, and the landscape is spectacular. However, it is associated by road to significant urban towns like Kullu and Shimla.

Making a trip to Spiti Valley in Himachal Pradesh should be possible in 2 ways. You can go to Spiti Valley from Shimla – Kinnaur side, or you can take the more limited course to arrive at Spiti Valley from the Manali side.