7 Days of awe-inspiring KINNAUR-SPITI by road

 ... and we watched in awe as the great Lama spoke~ of enduring snows, landslips, blocked passes, the remote cliffs where men find sapphires and turquoise, and that wonderful upland road that leads at last into Tibet.

Excerpt from~ Kim by Rudyard Kipling 

The road to Spiti Valley is full of adventure and offers an entirely different landscape with the most breathtaking views ever seen. However, there are primarily 3 challenges to consider~ 

1) the treacherous road conditions 

2) the high altitude of this region, and

3) the climatic conditions  

How to plan your Kinnaur-Spiti valley road trip

Dealing with climatic conditions-

Winters are extreme with heavy snowfall and an average temperature of -18°C. Also there are high chances of road 🛣️ blockades. Hence the preferable months to visit are May-June. Carry a warm jacket and woollen cap even during summer.  

Dealing with altitude- 

a) Spiti valley is a high altitude region of Upper Himachal Pradesh. If this is your first visit, consider a gradual ascent. For this purpose, Shimla is the ideal starting point for your journey. This will give your body enough time for acclimatization. 

b) Carry medications and in case of any pre-existing conditions, do consult a doctor before the journey. Over the counter handy medicines are [Avomine for motion sickness, tabs for headache and acidity and a can of oxygen if necessary]. Please consult to be double sure. 

Dealing with road conditions-

Hindustan–Tibet Road or Road to Spiti Valley starts at Shimla and ends at Shipki La , and possibly even further into Tibet. Kaza in Spiti valley will be my final destination for this tour. 

Yes indeed, the road is treacherous! To our left was a deep ravine with the river Sutlej flowing down below, and to our right are precariously hanging rocks and landslides waiting to happen. Driving slowly and cautiously is the only option. 

If you plan on using public transport, I assure you; HRTC bus service is quite dependable and efficient. A salute to all HRTC bus drivers ~Unsung heroes~ who drive on these treacherous roads. No needless jerks or breaks. They make it look so easy!

Sangla-Chitkul road~ is practically caving in like a mound of earth. Don't forget to the (right) is the mountain rock face and (left) is the deathly deep river ravine 

Personally I opted for the HRTC bus service throughout this trip. But given the slow, steady and cautious driving conditions, it is prudent to factor an additional 3/ 4 hrs over the time shown in Google maps.

My day-wise travel diary~

DAY 01- SHIMLA to RECKONG PEO   

HRTC bus inquiry 📞 01772655765

Buses for RECKONG PEO depart from IGMC (Ie. Indira Gandhi Medical College & Hospital), Ridge-Sanjauli Rd. In order to reach IGMC board a local bus from Rivoli bus stand just below The Ridge.

Every 30 mins, there is a Govt bus to RECKONG PEO. There's a good chance of getting a seat since it's the boarding point. If you fail to find a seat, skip the bus. This in reality, is a 9 hrs bus ride V/z 6½ hours as shown in Google maps. Getting an early start will help you save valuable daylight hours. 

After inquiring around, I reached IGMC at 10.30 am, and boarded an Ordinary bus (₹450/) around 11am. The bus halted for lunch and another short tea break enroute.

The upside of travelling by your own vehicle is the flexibility of stopping by certain places. Watch out for ~

➿ SURU bridge 🌉

➿ GATEWAY OF KINNAUR 

➿ HAPPY WATERFALL 

➿ ROCK TUNNEL, Gateway of KINNAUR 

➿ Public toilet 🚽(loo break)

➿ SUTLEJ RIVER VIEWPOINT 

➿ TRANDA DHANK

➿ NATURE BEAUTY OF KINNAUR

➿ KARCHAM DAMS & BRIDGES

➿ Confluence of BASPA with SATLEJ river

➿ MAA SHEEEWALI TEMPLE 

➿ VIEWPOINT- KAMRU SANGLA ROAD

➿ TUKPA VALLEY GATE

➿ KINNAR KAILASH VIEW

After sitting upright through the 9 hr journey, I finally reached RECKONG PEO at 7.30 p.m. I then checked into a convenient lodge close to the bus stand (₹600/ night). 

Since it was well past the daylight hours, I settled for a warm meal and a hot shower to end my day. 

DAY 02- Reckong Peo to KALPA 

“What is your caste? Where is your house? Have you come far?” Kim asked.

“I came by Kulu—from beyond the Kailas—but what know you? From the Hills where”—he sighed—“the air and water are fresh and cool. Aye, child—a hillman from hills thou’lt never see."

The Adventures of Kim by Rudyard Kipling 

A glimpse of Kailas Kinnaur mountains from the courtyard of Narayan Nagini temple, Kalpa

RECKONG PEO lies 2,290 meters (7,513 ft) asl and is a convenient hub on the SANGLA-CHITKUL route, or northwards towards KAZA. Most travellers halt overnight at PEO before heading onwards. The twin peaks of Jorkanden and Kinnaur Kailash glistened under the early rays of the sun. "You can get an undisrupted view of the mountains 🏔️ from Kalpa", said a girl from behind me, as if reading my thoughts. 

Kalpa is 6 kms from Peo and is famous for some of the best views of Kinner Kailash range of Himalayas. Local buses are available from right outside the main bus stand. The whispering girl accompanying me, dropped her luggage at the reception "I'm pushing off to Tabo after this." "Oh that soon?" I inquired, although I wasn't surprised. It seemed a reasonable decision to save time and money.  

Kalpa village is a tapestry of old and new houses

It was a beautiful crisp day, as we leisurely strolled into the sleepy little village of Kalpa. I was at once struck with the odd mix of old and new structures; Whilst the charm of old wooden houses took me back in time, the New concrete structures were a sign of the changing times.

Mera Desh badal Raha hai scenes: the changing landscape of old and new houses at Kalpa village

Along the way was an ancient Buddhist temple that was originally built by Lochawa Rinchen Zangpo (950- 1055 BC). He was a spiritual guru who built 108 monasteries (Gompas) during his lifetime. The old structure was destroyed by fire in Dec 1959. This new monastery was reconstructed with the aid of Kalpa's villagers.  

Ancient atmosphere and architecture of Narayan Nagini temple, Kalpa

According to local folklore, the temple belongs to the Mahabharata period. The view of the snow-clad Kailash Kinnaur mountains is simply breathtaking from the temple courtyard. Temple open/ Aarti timings are mornings and evenings 7 pm.

The temple's intricate and ancient-style of wooden carvings offer a rather mystical feel. The pointed spires are reminiscent of Tibetan Buddhist pagodas

It was almost noon; I suggested we stop for lunch, but the girl made a dash for the bus. So I stopped by a humble pahari place and relished a delicious meal of rice with steaming vegetable curry topped with a morsel of ghee, before hiking downhill to RECKONG PEO.

Downhill road from Kalpa to RECKONG PEO 

 

DAY 03- Reckong Peo to TABO  

Altitude gained- 10,760 ft/ 3,280 metres. 

Anxious to get an early start, I boarded the earliest bus for Tabo.

[Departs Reckong Peo- 05.30 am, reaches Tabo- 12.30 pm ie.7 hrs journey ₹187/]. There is also another bus at 8 am.

The downside of depending on public transport was evident. Even as early as 5am a crowd of commuters was building up rather quickly. As the bus drew in, I was among the few lucky ones who could jump in and get a seat. 

TIPS

💡Travel light. The minimum temperature during summer is -5° C at Kaza. So carry a jacket, woollen cap, closed shoes 👟 and other basic stuff. 

💡Carry plastic/ polythene bags in case of travel sickness. 🤮

💡 Vodafone network is absent in Lahaul & Spiti. I was stumped last night; just running from pillar to post begging for a hotspot. 

Commuting by HRTC bus. Enroute RECKONG PEO to TABO.

Fortunately, the bus journey was consistently smooth, without any needless jerks and breaks ~🙋‍♀️to the driver. We halted for breakfast and another halt at Hurling for lunch. 

It is all illusion. Ay, maya, illusion.

—but I go to free myself from the Wheel of Things by a broad and open road.”

Kim by Rudyard Kipling

The entrance to Tabo monastery  

The bus drove into Tabo past noon. Everything was going smoothly despite  'no network', yet something was bothering me- a kind of anxiety. The whispering girl mentioned something about the monastery guest house. Tabo is the size of a village and I easily located the guest house; conveniently close to the monastery. 

Tabo monastery hostel at Tabo, Spiti valley is an excellent budget option for backpackers 

TIP

Tabo monastery offers travellers to stay in the guest house run by the monastery. They have a 10-bed dorm with shared bathroom and geyser. ₹200 dormitory & ₹500 for private rooms.

The Altitude Effect 

After settling in, I realised just how weak I felt. My legs were heavy and lethargy had set in, but I managed to get down to the café and ordered a bowl of hot garlic soup as recommended by the staff; "Oh God, please let this awful soup heal me," I prayed silently. But nothing good came out of it~ Within a short while, my slight discomfort grew into a massive headache, and perhaps fever. 

A few more guys had moved in. My hazy mind tried to make sense of a Kaza tour plan underway. One guy, probably thinking I was feeling out of place, made some casual talk which I responded half-heartedly... "My head hurts like hell... I'm feeling very sick.." I stammered. The guy immediately gave me a Zero dol p tablet- for headache + an acidity tablet. "I'm a pharmacist," he said. Take this and get some rest. You will be fine." 'God works in strange ways', I thought and fell asleep.

DAY 04- Another day in TABO  

Climate in Tabo, I was told, can be unpredictable; ranging from cloudy to sunny to snowfall. But today the surroundings presented itself rather desolate, and unlike the typical Indian landscape I was used to. The group of guys and the pharmacist had left while I was sleeping. So after breakfast, I planned on investing the day in exploration. 

💠 Tabo monastery, also known as Chos-Khor monastery- The ancient Tibetan kingdom during the reign of Royal Lama Yeshe-O (996 CE), extended from Ladakh (India) to Mustang (Nepal). The Royal Lama built numerous Gomphas during this period. Tabo monastery is the 2nd oldest among these and the oldest is POTALA PALACE in LHASA, Tibet. The monastery is a perfect place to sit awhile and meditate. The Gompa has ancient scrolls and colorful murals using natural paints. The dim lighting makes it rather difficult to view them clearly. 

💠 Tabo meditation caves- Monks meditated here for months during winters. They are visible from the main Tabo-Kaza road. An uphill climb will lead you to the caves.

Tabo's transformation from an isolated spiritual pursuit to a booming tourist spot

Strolling through the village, I spotted apple orchards beside the Spiti river. A few Spitian houses also dotted the landscape, but overall one can clearly see the signs of times; concrete, sand, cement and iron rods waiting to take shape into a modern house or a hotel perhaps.  

(Above pic) A typical Spiti house of stone walls and flat roof with a storehouse of firewood for bitter winter months. (Below pic) new house structures taking shape here to keep up with the changing times 

DAY 5- TABO to KAZA 

Elevation gained- 3,650 m (11,980 ft)

Kaza is roughly 1½ hour from Tabo. All buses on the Peo-Kaza route halt here at specific timings. The bus frequency can be a hassle though. The drive down Spiti valley passes through such a surreal landscape alongside the Spiti River that makes the journey a delight. The beauty of the Pin valley National park is simply breathtaking. 

WHERE TO STAY AT KAZA

The first place one notices while entering Kaza is Zostel, ie. basically a dormitory-type stay ideal for backpackers. The only difference being, Zostel is far too expensive [₹800/ per bed/ night]. Their draconian 1.30 pm check-in time was rather inconvenient and caused me to lose a whole day. After looking around later, I found a better place for ₹500/ and it was brilliant.  

A cosy guesthouse at Kaza, Spiti valley 

DAY 6- Exploring Spiti from Kaza  

Spiti has some of the highest inhabited villages in the world, such as- KIBBER, KOMIC & LANGJA, all at a height of 14,000 ft. where winters are extremely harsh. In this frugal land are the Gompas (monasteries) that sustains ones spiritual need. 

Hire a cab/ shared cab from the taxi stand a day earlier. A reasonable tour will take 6/7 hours if you start around 8.30 / 9 am. The rate can range from ₹3.5k to ₹5k depending on the type of car and roughly ₹1k per person.

Lahaul & Spiti's jaw dropping landscapes

The drive not only throws open canvas upon canvas of exotic landscapes, but gives a sense of being closer to the heavens...

💠 LANGZA 

Maitrey Buddha statue at LANGZA, SPITI

💠 Komic village

KOMIC is the World's Highest Village at 4275m asl (15,500 ft). A board outside a tiny café announces 'The World's Highest Restaurant'. But the most impressive building here is the Tanggyud monastery. A board outside the monastery states- Women are Not Allowed during prayers.  

(Top pic) Maitrey Buddha statue at LANGZA, (lower left) Komic village, (middle) Tanggyud monastery, Komic

💠 Hikkim 

Hikkim boasts of the world's highest post office

💠 Viewpoint of Kaza valley 

💠 Chicham bridge

💠 Kibber village

💠 KEY MONASTERY in KEY village 14kms from Kaza was our final stop for the day. It looks like a fortress and is one of the most revered Buddhist monasteries in the Himalayan region. 

💡 In case you require the Kaza taxi stand 📞, please comment below. 

DAY 07- return Kaza to RECKONG PEO  

If you prefer to Not break the journey at RECKONG PEO, and instead drive onwards to SHIMLA~ be prepared for a 16/ 17 hrs 'seater' bus ride. 

DAY 08- RECKONG PEO-SANGLA- CHITKUL & onward to SHIMLA  

Alternately, most folks break their journey at Sangla-Chitkul. I boarded the 9.30 am bus from R/PEO (₹ 73). The bus halted enroute at Sangla, and onwards to Chitkul. 

The narrow road hugging the mountain rockface was far more scary than I imagined. Despite that, hoards of families with little kids, pro-bikers and busloads of tourists throng this deathly looking road during weekends adding to traffic congestion. I held my breath each time the bus swerved slightly back and forth to pass by another vehicle. "What's the craze- why do so many people head to Chitkul," inquired the bus driver at a traffic jam. "It is the last village," replied the conductor, and they both had a hearty laugh together. 

💡 Sangla-Chitkul road is closed during winters. 

The phenomenon of boulders sliding down on Sangla-Chitkul road 

A large mass of boulders sliding down the hills on Sangla-Chitkul road 

During winters the snow-covered mountains expand as a result of ice seepage/ percolation. And when summer draws near and the ice melts, the mountains start contracting, creating pressure and chipping away of the rock surface. The resultant is boulders like these that roll down.

The tiny village of CHITKUL leads onwards to the Indo-Tibet border. I was actually expecting to see the border at Chitkul itself. "that's a misconception, the road leads even further to the border..." said a café owner.

Chitkul, India's last village. The road from here leads to the Indo-Tibet border. Tibet is beyond these mountains.

After lunch and a hot cup of tea ☕, I felt there wasn't much to do, so I decided to board the 4 pm bus to Shimla. 

Should you feel the need to stay back for the night, there are numerous budget guest houses and cafés. 

Hope you enjoyed reading this blog. If you believe it could be of use to others, don't hesitate to share 🙏. Bye for now!

Next blog post~ A rejuvenating weekend to the hills of Kasauli