Spiti Valley: Explore The Magical Beauty Of The Himalayas!

Spiti Valley is charmed and secretive. Better known as ‘the middle land’ between India and Tibet, the landscape is truly remarkable.  All the places to visit in Spiti Valley appear as wonderful as the others, constructing a magical charm.

Feel the paradise of prayer flags flapping in the breeze coupled with a soothing chant of mantras at monasteries. The wonderful surroundings of ancient villages have a feeling of calmness beyond words. While the scenery contains jagged mountains, mountain passes, pristine lakes, and blue skies above, they have a sensation of timelessness.

A holiday in Spiti Valley leaves you with valuable memories. Whether it’s a visit to the small villages, where life flows at an unencumbered pace, or the antique monasteries which are treasure-houses of Buddhist teachings, every experience is exclusive. Below we have listed a few best places to visit in Spiti Valley.

Cut away from innovativeness while rejoicing in effortlessness, it is definitely a haven you must spend time in. Through this blog, we tell you about captivating places to visit in Spiti Valley for an enchanted holiday.

Chandratal

Indeed, the most tempting lake in the lap of the Himalayas! It is a tranquil location where you can hear the overflowing of turquoise-blue water and a cool breeze. The primeval surroundings and delightful landscape make it an idyllic spot for camping. Love trekking? If yes, Chandratal Lake proposes this opportunity as well.

One can trek through the glaciers between Rohtang pass and Kunzum pass on your way to the lake. Isn’t that exhilarating?

Chandra Tal lake in Lahaul-Spiti is a crescent-shaped lake encircled on all sides by the massive mountains. It is approx 6 km from Kunzum Pass.#chandratal #lahaulspiti #keylong #DekhoApnaDesh #unforgettablehimachal #himachaltourismofficial #choosemountains #incredibleindia pic.twitter.com/5woIFDlJBO

— Himachal Tourism (@hp_tourism) July 4, 2021

Key Monastery

The Key Monastery is a well-known Tibetan Buddhist monastery in the Lahaul and Spiti District of India. Situated at an altitude of 4,166 meters above sea level, the monastery is very nearby to the Spiti River in the Spiti Valley of Himachal Pradesh in India.

Also better known as the Kye Monastery and Ki Monastery, it is supposed to have been founded by Dromton, who was a student of the popular teacher Atisha during the 11th century. It cherishes Buddha idols in the Dhyana position and has an assortment of ancient books and murals.

The spectacular Key Monastery is over a thousand years old and is also the major monastery to be found in the complete Spiti Valley. 

Tabo Monastery

Better known for its grand paintings, Tabo Monastery is one of the antique places to visit in Spiti valley. It has 9 temples of Tara and Buddha Maitreya and different Stupas that are the foremost attractions of the monastery.

Other things worth seeing are dissimilar stucco sculptures of Bodhisattvas, marvelous wall paintings, and operates of Buddha. Photography is not enabled inside the Gompa sites.

Suraj Tal

Suraj Tal also better known as Surya Taal, is a divine lake enclosed by breathtaking valleys and impressive mountains. It lies beneath the Bara-lacha-la pass in Lahaul Spiti valley and is better known to invent from the Bhaga tributary of the Chandrabhaga River.

This wonderful lake has been permitted as the 21st highest lake around the world and the third highest lake in India. It is also admired as the lake of the Sun God, and it is supposed that you can rinse yourself from all your sins by taking a dip in this sacred lake.

Throughout winters the beauty of this lake completely improves as the mountains neighboring it gets covered by layers of snow, and it seems no less than a wonderful abode. 

The regions surrounding it are mostly unpopulated as the climatic conditions predominant here are akin to those in the Polar region. This lake is not only a picturesque paradise for nature lovers and a wonderful treat for the heavenly souls, but it is also a hotspot for trekking and motorcycling fanatics.

The most protruding reason why this lake has attained enormous popularity is that this lake comes en route to the Manali-Leh path, which is tremendously renowned for bike trips and trekking.

Lhalung Monastery

A slight temple complex in the Lhalung village, this monastery was once home to a number of nuns and monks, but now sits unrestricted excluding occasional travelers and enquiring cats.

But that is all the more reason to discover all the hidden mysteries snuggled in the complex, involving but not restricted to the black stone statues, the century-old willow tree, and Buddhist idols. The myth says that the Tangmar mountain beyond the village vagaries colors according to the mood of the divinity that resides in the monastery.

Udaipur Spiti Valley

Famed for Marikula Mata Temple, Udaipur is one of the most attractive places in Spiti. It is a prevalent pilgrimage center for Hindus and Buddhists and is equally prevalent among backpackers and trekkers.

This place is also spot on – right by the Chandrabhaga River bank. But what wholly bowls you over is the spectacular scenery – you can never have enough of its vibrance.

Dhankar Lake

Dhankar Lake is situated in Spiti Valley, in the state of Himachal Pradesh, India. This lake is a wonderful and breathtaking retreat. If you want to invigorate your soul and mind — away from the hustle and bustle of city life, this is the place to be.

It is a location where you can sit for hours and just immerse yourself in the natural beauty. The cold wind gives you goosebumps and the glistening blue water shimmers the bright sun — what else can you ask for.

This region is sanctified by nature and has remarkable and winsome landscapes in the Lahaul region. In the distance, you can see snow-shielded mountains while there are cattle skimming in the lush valley. The landscape of this region proposes diversity with a touch of ancient history, thanks to the attractive temples and monasteries.

Kunzum Pass

Kunzum Pass or Kunzum La, as it is named by locals, is one of the uppermost motorable mountain passes of India, situated at an altitude of 4,551m above mean sea level. It attends as a gateway to the attractive Spiti valley Via Kullu and Lahaul.

Its deceits on the eastern Kunzum Range of the Himalayas and is at a distance of 122 km from Manali. Kunzum La proposes an implausible 360-degree view of Bara- Shigri Glacier (the second lengthiest glacier around the world), a jaw-dropping vista of Chandrabhaga Range, and a remarkable view of the Spiti valley. This engrossing view makes Kunzum Pass a photographer’s dream.

There is a 15km trek to the well-known Chandratal Lake (moon lake) from Kunzum Pass. It is supposed that the visitors have to stop at the temple of Goddess Kunzum Devi, on their way to the pass, to pay their respect and pursue the blessing to travel safely through the craggy terrain safely. The tradition is to take a comprehensive circle of the temple in your vehicle.

Komik

Yes, Komik is the world’s uppermost village with a road. Unevenly 20 km from Kaza, it is a small, attractive village situated at 18,000 feet above sea level.

Nothing less than heaven, Komik is a trekker and camper’s dream. But remember, there is nothing extravagant about it. The weather situations are harsh and the terrains are tough to tread.

Baralacha Pass

The Baralacha La, also better known as the Baralacha Pass, is a high mountain pass that is situated at a height of 16,040 feet above sea level and is located in the Zanskar range. This 8-kilometer-long pass links the Lahaul district in Himachal Pradesh to Ladakh and is situated along the Leh-Manali highway.

Just a few kilometers away from this pass, one can also find the Bhaga River, which is a tributary of the Chenab River that invents from the Surya Taal Lake. The Baralacha Pass is thus, enclosed by different beautiful sights, which leave the onlooker spellbound and longing for more.

The well-known Baralacha Pass also finds indication in Rudyard Kipling’s renowned novel ‘Kim’, wherein the source of the Suraj Tal is utilized by the novel’s character Lama to enter India from Tibet.

Individuals who visit this pass also love to celebrate the trek from the Baralacha up to the Chandratal, which is located on the banks of the Chandra River in the Spiti Valley. 

Pin Valley National Park

This Spiti Valley traveler guide would have been incomplete without stating the Pin Valley National Park. The list of lures here goes here. This high-altitude park with thrilling temperatures is home to a rich biodiversity of rare flora and fauna.

Scatter over an area of 675 square meters, it is a natural habitat for snow leopards, snowcocks, and Siberian ibex, among others. What are you coming up for then? Get up close to the wilderness amid wonderful surroundings in this picturesque national park.

Tayul Monastery

A Buddhist Monastery situated in the Bhaga Valley of Spiti, the Tayul Monastery houses the major statue of Padma Sambhava. The statue is 12 ft. tall, in his two appearances as Singhmukha and Vajravarahi.

Situated across 6 km from Keylong, the Tayul Gompa also has a hundred million mani wheels, which are imaginary to open the minds of visitors to the empathy of the Lord and are said to turn themselves on promising occasions.

Nako Lake

Nako Lake is the best-known artwork of nature that is situated in the Nako village of Kinnaur district, Himachal Pradesh. This Nako Lake is seated on the slants of the Reo Purgyil Mountain of the Srikhand range which is situated in the Himalayas of northern India. 

Nako Lake has been a prevalent hotspot that has been appealing to its tourists with the beauty it resides. The view of this lake gets more improved by the array of poplar and willow trees along its borderline whose shadow in the waters adds to the appeal of the lake. One can also sight a great flock of birds nearby the lake in the evening.

The lake is enclosed by four Tibetan temples. It is a natural gem situated in the attractive surroundings of the Himalayas. A waterfall is also situated near this grand lake which is said to be the abode of fairies as per the legends and the locals.

The waterfall is hard to discover because of the absenteeism of any marked trails. There are different other places like dissimilar nako monasteries, chitkul, and different others that are worth a visit.

Throughout the summer months, Nako Lake gets prevalent for boating in it while in the winter it gets frozen and thus apt for ice blading. One requires to seek special permission to visit Nako Lake because of its locality to the Tibetan border. 

Best Time To Visit Spiti Valley

March to June, is the best time to visit Spiti. The ones who are into a calming vacation should visit Spiti throughout this season when the temperature varies from 0 – 15 degrees Celcius, which begins in March and lasts until June. Winters in Spiti Valley are for the daring.

The road connectivity is untrustworthy during the winters with the Manali-Kaza thoroughfare being cut off. The snow leopard excursion is one activity that takes the cake throughout this season.

It is best to circumvent planning a trip to Spiti throughout the monsoon months (July- September), since the unceasing heavy rainfall, followed by landslides and slippery roads, might spoil your holiday mood to an inordinate extent.

How To Reach Spiti Valley? 

BY AIR: Kullu Airport at Kullu is the closest airport. One can board a taxi or rickshaw from the airport to arrive at the destination.

BY TRAIN: Shimla is the closest railway station. One can rent cabs and Jeeps to arrive Spiti. Buses are also accessible to the destination from the station.

BY ROAD: As there is no admittance to the airport and railway in Spiti, it can only be stretched by the means of roads. The roads in Spiti are almost open during the year. In any case, one can check the journey as some of the roads are shut for 6 months.

Conclusion 

Spiti is popular among backpackers and trekkers. It is a safe place for solo backpacking and also the wide beauty of this valley makes it the most soul-searching experience. There are different places to explore in Spiti. Spiti never fails to wander as a traveler! So, get your backpack ready and board on a trip of a lifetime experience. 

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