Spiti Valley

Kotgarh to Baga Sarahan (80 km, 4 hrs drive time)

• On day 2, we take a connecting road that will take us down to Bithal on National Highway 5. From Bithal, we head towards Rampur Bushahr. At Duttnagar (a place on NH5), we take a left turn and take Duttnagar-Nirmand connecting road. 
• This road will take us to the mountain meadows of Baga Sarahan.  Baga Sarahan is around a 45km drive away from Duttnagar.  
• Baga Sarahan is a beautiful plain grassland spreading up to miles. Baga Sarahan is about 160 km from Shimla. The open meadow reveals itself to travelers as they traverse through small bridges and narrow, vista roads uphill to finally discover this beautiful gem of nature.
• Baga Sarahan is still a hidden Himalayan gem yet to be explored by nature lovers. The place is surrounded by mountains and water streams on all sides. A small village and apple orchards in the periphery of the pasture add another dimension to the beauty of this place. The place receives heavy snow during winters that paint everything from meadows to tall deodar trees to the ancient temple built in traditional white architecture.
• Mother nature reveals its first marvel as soon as we reach Taranda to see a deep gorge on the left-hand side of the road. The road roofed by multiple rock tunnels ushers you into Kinnaur Valley. Rakcham is a beautiful village at an altitude of 3050 m. This place has a charm of its own. The green forested mountain beautifies the landscape on either side of the glacial waters of the Baspa River.
• Dinner and overnight stay at a camp/cottage in Baga Sarahan.

Baga Sarahan to Sangla; Sangla to Rakcham (155 km, 6 Hrs drivetime)

• On day 3 of the Spiti valley road trip expedition, we take the same serpentine road to reach National Highway 5. As we reach the Baga Sarahan connecting road-NH5 road junction, we take a left turn and head towards Rampur Bushahr.
• At Rampur Bushahr, we may take a halt to visit Padam palace.
• The standout of the day’s drive will be traversing the Tranda Dhank (cliff) road span. This tunnel-shaped road stretch is a part of the old Hindustan-Tibet road that was constructed in Viceroy Dalhausie’s time (in the 1850s). You will remember the drive by the huge gorge on the river-side will be remembered by you for each meter driven.
• From Tranda, we will continue the drive on NH5 till Karcham. Karcham bridge is the gateway to the Baspa (or Sangla valley). An 18km long connecting road will take us to the town of Sangla.
• Dinner and overnight stay at a hotel in Rakcham.

Rakcham to Chitkul; Return to Sangla & Drive to Kalpa (70 km, 4 hrs)

• After breakfast, we will drive to the last village of India on the Indo-Tibetan border – Chitkul. The village is at an elevation of 3450m from mean sea level. Don’t be surprised if you see big snowflakes falling from the sky even in the month of May. This place is the starting point for some popular treks like Borasu, Nalgan valley, and Lamkhaga Pass.
• We spend the morning hiking along the river and enjoying a blissful day in solitude by the river banks of Baspa.
• After Lunch drive towards the village of Kalpa. Kalpa is more famous for the views it offers of the snow-covered Kinner Kailash Ranges. This is the place for an overnight stay in a hotel.

Kalpa to Nako; Drive to Tabo Monastery (150 km, 6 hrs drive time)

• Finally, on day 5 of the road trip, we would be driving on lunar terrains of Spiti valley.  In the first leg of the trip, we drive along the Sutlej river until we reach a place called Khab. 
• Khab is the place where Sutlej and Spiti River meet. From here the road ascends till you reach an elevation of 12000 ft to a place called Nako. 
• Nako is a picturesque village with amazing views of snow-covered Manerang Ranges. There is also a lake located on the valley side of the village. This place is the base camp for climbing Reo Purgyil – the highest peak in Himachal Pradesh. Then we proceed further to reach Tabo village by evening for an overnight stay in a homestay/guest house.

Tabo to Dhankar Monastery to Pin Valley; Drive to Kaza  (110 km, 6-7 hrs drive time)

• Our first destination on day 5 will be the Dhankar (sometimes spelled as Dankhar or Dhangkar) monastery. It is a 900-year-old monastery built on a valley spur. The word literally translates to Fort (Kar) built on a mountain (Dhang). 
• A 23km long drive on NH505 will take us to a point from where we take a right turn and continue the drive on a serpentine road connecting road (Sichling-Dhankhar Gompa). 
• The Dhankar monastery offers vantage views of the valley and the confluence of the Pin and Spiti Rivers. After spending some time at the monastery, we descend down to reach NH505, take a left turn, and continue driving on the highway. 
• At Attargo, we drive over the Attargo bridge and start our road journey into the Pin valley. 
• Instagrammable places in Pin valley :  

• • Kungri monastery
  • Sagnam village
  • Mud village (the last village of the Pin valley). 
  • Pin river terraces. 
• By the evening, we head back to Attargo and reach Kaza — the administrative center of Spiti valley. 
• Dinner and overnight stay at a hotel in Kaza.

Kaza – Langza – Hikkim – Komic – Key – Kibber – Kaza (30 km, 4-5 hrs drive time)

• Today we drive to the 4400 m high Langza village. After Langza, we head further to the village of Komic, following the route that offers a mesmerizing view of a handful of peaks (all above 6000 m). 
• Situated at an elevation of 4513m, Komic is one of the highest villages in Asia and literally means the eye of a snowcock.
• From Komic, we’ll make a return trip to Kaza and drive to Key Monastery. After visiting the monastery we head to Kibber village. 
• In the evening, we would drive back to Kaza for dinner and an overnight stay.

Kaza to Kunzum Pass to Chandra Taal Lake (90 km, 4-5 hrs)

• We start the day early as the weather at the 4550 m (15,060 feet) high Kunzum Pass can turn from bright sunshine into snow showers in a minute. 
• Kunzum Pass acts as a crossover between Spiti Valley and Lahaul Valley. When in Lahaul, you might notice that this valley is a lot greener than Spiti.
• Kunzum Pass offers amazing views of the Chandrabhaga Ranges. It has a Hindu temple and a Buddhist Chorten dedicated to the eponymous Goddess Kunzum Mata.
• After a short descent from the pass, we take a detour on a narrow road to Chandratal Lake. Chandra Taal – the name that translates to moon lake – is a beautiful lake at an altitude of 14,100 feet. 
• Nestled between the mountain ranges of Chandra Bhaga and Kunzum top, Chandra Taal is acclaimed and admired by travelers as one of the most beautiful lakes in the entire Himalayan region.
• After enjoying beautiful views, we will settle for a lakeside overnight stay in camps at Chandra Taal.

Chandra Taal to Atal Tunnel to Manali (134 km, 6 hrs)

• After savoring the pristine views of Chandra Taal Lake and surrounding mountain ranges, we would head for Manali. After a short halt at Batal, we drive along the Chandra River to a place called Gramphu.
• From Gramphu we can take one of the two routes to Manali:
  • Gramphu – Rohtang pass – Kothi – Palchan – Manali
  • Gramhpu – Koksar – Chandra Bridge – Atal Tunnel – Solang Valley – Manali
    
    
• We’ll reach Manali by evening. Overnight stay at a hotel.

Manali to Chandigarh/Delhi (8-9 hrs)

• Time to bid farewell. Drive through Chandigarh to Delhi