TRIP ITINERARY
DAY 1: Â Shimla-Kufri-Narkanda-Hatu- Sarahan Overnight stay in a hotel. -Drive from Shimla to Sarahan via Kufri, Theog, Fagu, Narkanda, Rampur. Enroute visit Hatu Peak (11154 ft.) one of the highest peak in Shimla. Sarahan commands a view of Srikhand Mahadev Peak & is famous for its 800 years old Bhimakali Temple, one of the 51 Shaktipeeths and visit a Bird sanctuary over there.
DAY 2: Sarahan-Sangla-Karcham-Chitkul Overnight stay in a hotel. -Participate in the Morning Aarti at Bhimakali Temple. Your journey from here will take you to another spectacular destination in the central Himalayas which is also known as the Baspa valley – the prettiest valley in Himachal. Follow the course of the Sutlej River to Karcham where it is joined by the Baspa (Sangla) river flowing from the east. From Karcham, Sangla valley is 18 km and the road winds its way uphill through some more amazing cliffs. From Sangla village to Chitkul it’s a beautiful ride, sometimes along the river and sometimes through mountain trails. Chitkul is a last inhabited village near the Indo-Tibet border. Chitkul and Sangla, both being adorned with beautiful snow-clad mountains are often called as the Swiss Alps of India.
DAY 3: Chitkul – Reckong Peo – Kalpa Overnight stay in a hotel. -Explore the vicinity around including an ancient Kamru Fort & Temple dedicated to the Goddess Kamakhya Devi which was brought from Assam. Hereafter, drive to Kalpa and on reaching there, visit the apple orchards and beautiful streams, within the vicinity. Kalpa is one of the biggest and most beautiful village of Kinnaur district. It is very famous for the production of high quality of apples, and pinus gerardiana i.e. chilghoza, There are spectacular sights early in the morning as the rising sun touches the snowy peak with crimson and golden light.
DAY 4: Kalpa-Nako-Giu-Tabo Overnight stay in a hotel. - Explore Kalpa and Reckong Peo to enjoy the stunning views of the Kinnaur – Kailash mountains, visit the sacred temples, monasteries and get an insight of the local life. Depart for Nako crossing the treacherous Malling stream. Also visit Nako lake (Kinnaur's most picturesque hamlets), Buddhist temples (a foot like impressions ascribed to the saint Padmasambhava) also the Nako monastery. The monasteries contain a large number of scriptures & pieces of art, wall paintings & stucco. Now you enter Spiti crossing the check post at Sumdo, proceed towards village Giu, 17 km from Sumdo. Giu village is famous about the mummy since 1975. Visit the temple where the 500 years old mummy is still preserved. Then explore the oldest monasteries in the world that is Tabo Monastery, the favorite of the Dalai Lama.
DAY 5: Tabo-Dhankar- Kaza Overnight stay in a hotel. -Almost 27 km away from Tabo you reach Dhankar, visit Dhankar Gompa, the traditional Capital of Spiti which sits pretty on a hilltop. The hill-top Fort that overlooks the Spiti Valley also used to serve a Jail in old days. A stiff climb of less than an hour brings you to Dhankar Lake which seems tiny despite a 2 km circumference amidst the vast undulating pastures surrounding it. Spent amazing moments beside the lake and proceed towards Kaza for an overnight stay.
DAY 6: Kaza-Langza-Hikkim-Komic-Kibber-Ki-Kaza Overnight stay in a hotel. This day we will explore some highest inhabited regions of the world. We will depart to the Fossil Village- Langza situated at an altitude of 4400 m. Once you are here you can walk around and visit ancient Lang (1000 years old temple). Then we will drive to Hikkim which is one of the highest village in Asia and visit the highest Post Office in the world. Post this we will move to the village Komic – which literally translates to ‘eye of a snow cock’. Further comes the Kibber, another village at a high altitude of 14200 ft. This is a perfect site for the sky gazers also the breathtaking view of Kanamo Peak (19600 ft.) waits for you. Then excursion to Ki Monastery, situated at the foot of steep ridges, which is the biggest Monastery in Spiti and has a training centre for the Lamas also. It’s hilltop position points to a post 13th Century construction. Looking down on the main valley from any spot of this upland country is a great sight. We will now drive back to Kaza after these meanderings. Â
DAY 7: Kaza-Losar-Kunzum Pass-Chandratal Overnight stay in Camps. Today we drive to one of the most photogenic places in Spiti Valley- the Chandratal Lake. Before this, the scenic drive from Kaza takes you to the least populated part of Spiti Valley- Village Losar. Then we drive to the highest pass which connects Kullu and Lahaul to Spiti valley- Kunzum-La (15000 ft). From there, we head towards Chandratal Lake- the lake of the moon. The most surprising thing about this lake is that there is no visible source of this lake but there is a visible outlet of this lake which means that water to this lake comes from underground. Overnight we stay in camp and you spend your evening gazing at millions of stars on a clear night.
DAY 8: Chandratal - Chhatru - Rohtang Pass -  Manali Overnight stay in a hotel. Today would be your last day in Spiti Valley as this day you will enter Kullu valley.  We depart from the campsite to Batal. From there we continue our journey on Kaza – Manali Highway. We will take a halt at Chhatru for lunch. Then along the side the of the Chandra river we drive past Gramphoo just below the Rohtang pass. Ascend to the Rohtang pass & then descend towards Manali. Rohtang Pass is a high mountain pass on the eastern Pir Panjal Range of the Himalayas, it connects the Kullu Valley with the Lahaul and Spiti Valleys of Himachal Pradesh. Around 51 km of spectacular journey crossing Rohtang Pass, you reach Manali.
DAY 9: Manali -This is the last day of you Spiti tour. Spend the daytime Explore Manali bazar, visit Vashishta & Solang. Interesting ones can also exercise Paragliding at Solang (depends on weather conditions), can also visit old Manali by the day time. At Manali, Â we part ways to meet soon for another adventure.