Things to do in Spiti Valley

Things to do in Spiti Valley

Places to Visit in Spiti Valley

Kaza, or Kaze, is a bustling town in Lahaul Spiti. It is considered the headquarters and commercial centre in this region. Kaza sits by the Spiti river at an elevation of 3650m. Here, you can discover the local cuisine and go shopping at its marketplace where you can find carpets, pure woollen garments, merino wool clothes, Chinese ceramic utensils, stone gems, and local jewellery. Local festivals such as Faguli, Gochi, and other harvest-oriented festivals are celebrated here. 

Our Spiti Valley tour covers many rustic and remote villages. One such village is Dhankar, which is found on a hill between Kaza and Tabo. The Spiti and Pin rivers meet here and it is surrounded by barren mountains. 

Dhankar, populated by only 300 people, means “fort on a cliff.” This is because there used to be a fortress here and you can still find the ruins. The fortress included a gompa and it is considered one of the endangered sites in the world. The royal family used to live here. If you are game for a short hike, you can hike up to the Dhankar lake. You will spot yaks, which are a common sight around this region.

We will also cover Langza, known for its old and tall Buddha statue and soil rich in fossils. Hikkim, at 4000m, is known for the highest post office in the world and you can mail a postcard from here. Komic is another village, with less than 15 households, which is known to be one of the highest inhabited villages connected by a motorable road. It also boasts of an ancient monastery, still occupied by monks, known for its paintings and murals.

One Spiti Valley monastery that you will find fascinating is the Tabo monastery. This monastery, which was founded in 996 AD and built over 6300sqm, is still functioning. Known as the Ajanta of Himalayas, the monastery is replete with Buddhist wall paintings, thangkas, murals, and frescoes as well as stucco sculptures of Bodhisattvas. 

The 1000-year-old monastery suffered some damage in an earthquake and a new assembly hall was constructed in 1975 adding to its nine temples, stupas, cave shrines, and residential quarters for nuns and monks. Photography is not allowed inside the monastery. 

Another monastery that is a must on the Spiti Valley travel itinerary is the Kye Monastery or the Key Monastery. This stark and majestic monastery is perched on a rocky peak at 3890m, which offers splendid views of the valley. It is known to be the largest teaching centre for Tibetan Buddhism in India. The monastery includes residential quarters for monks and the young students. Like the Tabo Gompa, Key too dates back to the 11th century. You can enjoy the old murals and paintings and interact with some of the monks through the local guide who will accompany you on our tour.

Spiti Valley’s stark grandeur heightens every experience, from sunsets and sunrises to moon watching and stargazing. 

Chandratal is a lake that cannot be accessed by road and lies between Spiti and Lahaul valleys. It is an easy trail to the lake and we will hike there on our Classic Tour. This is one of our favourites because it is set against the Mulkila mountain and the Chandra river. There are smaller lakes around this rare wetland at 4300m known for its wild flowers. We love this serene and magical spot so much that you will get to camp here for the night!

Another one of the natural landscapes that we want you to experience on our tour is the Pin Valley, which is a beautiful stretch of green peppered with waterfalls in the otherwise sparse cold desert. The Pin river, which originates in the Pin Parvati pass, flows in the northern part of the Spiti Valley. Its unique ecosystem has resulted in the creation of the Pin Valley National Park. Pin Valley is also a great place to spot the snow leopard or the ibex. 

To reach this protected area, we will cross a bridge across Spiti river and to a village called Mud, where you can stay at one of the guesthouses. This is where the Pin Parvati trek ends and trekkers are a common sight here. 

Adventure Activities in Spiti Valley

For a heightened sense of adventure and wonder, you can opt to tour Spiti Valley on motorbikes. 

On our Bike Tour, you can ride the legendary Royal Enfield Classic 500 cc or the Royal Enfield Himalayan 410 cc. The group will be accompanied by a back-up jeep with a mechanic. As these roads are remote, any issues will be taken care of so that you can enjoy your journey the fullest. 

As we are a responsible tourism operator, we have included the carbon emission offset in our tour package.

Since some of the places will be away from the roads, you will get to do a few short hikes on easy trails on our tours. Additionally, we also offer multi-day treks for those of you who would like to take on the outdoors. 

One Spiti Valley trek we recommend and organise is the Pin Parvati trek, which starts in Kullu and ends in Spiti. It is a nine-day trek. Another trek you can try is the one that connects Tso Moriri and Spiti.

Unique Things to do in Spiti Valley

Himalayan Ecotourism is a social enterprise and we contribute resources to social and environmental actions in the region. We work with various researchers, interns, and volunteers who share our passion. 

You can experience Spiti Valley and the local way of life while contributing towards its development. Contact us for volunteer opportunities in Spiti Valley.

Spiti Valley is known for its monasteries and is called the land of the lamas. Tibetan Buddhism is widely practiced here and has been for centuries. You can learn about the philosophy, concepts, and spiritual aspects of Tibetan Buddhism while here. 

We can arrange for you to get an introduction to Tibetan Buddhism when you join our tour.

Have you been wondering about the Spitian culture and their lifestyle?
The best way to explore and understand the local traditions is by staying with the locals and sharing a bit of their life. In their homestay, you can enjoy delightful home-cooked meals, and become like a real family member.

Our guides will be with you to help you overcome the language barrier. Usually, the bonds we create while travelling with locals and encountering the village folks in faraway lands give us memories for a lifetime.

Not only you can spend a night in homestay, if you are interested we can arrange your multi-day stay in a village so that you can participate in the village life.

You also participate in one of our social and environmental projects in Spiti as a volunteer.

If you would like to have such experience, do let us know 🙂