This road trip to Spiti via Shimla is an excellent way to explore
Spiti in one week. It covers most major attractions of the region in
relative comfort and in less time. For this tour, we enter Spiti via
Shimla Dhankar route which is more reliable and accessible compared to
Manali Gramphu route. The average duration of this tour is 7 days which
can be adjusted according to needs of the guests,
Day 1: Shimla – Sarahan – Reckong Peo
The journey will begin from Shimla as we driver towards Kinnaur after
breakfast. Pickup can also be done from CHandigarh is needed, but it
should happen early morning. Depending upon road conditions and traffic,
we’ll reach Reckong Peo by early evening and stretch our legs by taking
a walk in the local village and surrounding areas.
Day 2: Reckong Peo – Nako – Tabo
Foreigner tourists need to get a permit from Reckong Peo to proceed
further which takes just a few minutes. After this we’ll stop at Nako
village for lunch and vtrek to the lake for sightseeing and rest. After
this we’ll get back in our car and drive towards Tabo where we’ll enjoy
the sights before calling it a day.
Day 3: Tabo – Dhankar
First half of the day will be dedicated to visiting Tabo monastery
and nearby caves which were and still are used for deep meditation by
Buddhist monks. These caves are being used for this purpose for
centuries and have a very peaceful and spiritual aura about them. After
an early lunch, w’ll drive towards Dhankar which was the capital of
ancient kings of Spiti. We’ll see remnants of the ancient fort and
Dhankar monastery. If there’s enough time, we’ll drive to Lalung to
see it’s famous “Three Cornered Buddha” statue. The monastery has a lot
of history and legends associated with it and is one of the major holy
places of residents of the Spiti.
Day 4: Dhankar – Ki – Kibber
The day will begin with a walk to picturesque Dhankar lake and bird
spotting in the vicinity. Depending upon weather conditions and luck,
one can see numerous rare migratory and local birds and wild animals.
Later, we’ll drive towards Kibber via Ki village to visit the famous Ki
monastery situated on mountain top. Later we’ll drive to Kibber, the
largest village in the region. The nearby wilderness is a great place
for spotting rare wildlife of Spiti.
Day 5: Kibber – Kaza
Next morning we’ll drive to Kaza after breakfast , the largest town
of district and spend the day enjoying the sights of the town via urban
exploration. As one moves along the Kaza mounatin side, spectacular
views of the silvery waters of Spiti river on valley floor. The route
leads to high altitude Shilla valley where local herders graze their
livestock. There is an option of spending some time volunteering with
locals.
Day 6: Kaza – Kalpa
We’ll leave Kaza next morning to reach Kalpa village which is famous
for it’s apple orchards. The orchards, vegetable fields and grazing
grounds form a very picturesque setting for a picnic lunch and
photography. You can observe or help the local villagers with their
daily day to day tasks in the fields if you wish. We’ll enjoy a local
Spitian dinner there.
Day 7: Kalpa – Sarahan – Shimla
This will be the day to end the tour as we drive back to Shimla via
Sarhan. At Sarhan we’ll stop for a while to enjoy the famous dumplings
(momos) and savour the views and memories of Spiti valley that we just
left behind. We’ll reach Shimla by evening .
TOUR DETAILS:
- TRANSPORT : In a private car or SUV with driver.
- ACCOMMODATION: In hotels, guest houses and campsites.
- ACTIVITIES: Camping, Trekking, Bird watching, Jungle safari, Cultural activities,
- PHYSICAL LEVEL: Any one. Almost anyone can do it without any problem
- DURATION: 11 Days
- FOOD: Breakfast on all days.
- COST: INR 36000 ( US $ 600 ) onward 1 US $ = INR 60
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