Kaza is a small town situated at an altitude of 3,800 meters above sea level. On the first day, you can relax and acclimatize yourself to the high altitude. Explore the town and visit the 15th-century Key Monastery, the largest monastery in Spiti Valley. You can also visit the Sakya Tangyud Monastery, the ancient village of Lari, and the Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary.
Chandratal Lake, also known as Moon Lake, is a high altitude lake situated at an altitude of 4,300 meters above sea level. The hike to the lake is an incredible journey through the barren mountain landscapes of Spiti. The lake is surrounded by mountains and offers spectacular views of the Himalayas.
Pin Valley National Park is a beautiful national park situated in the Pin Valley of Spiti. The park is home to several high altitude animals like snow leopards, Siberian ibex, and Himalayan woolly hare. Trek through the park to witness its unique mountain beauty.
Explore the ancient Dhankar Monastery and Tabo Monastery, both with more than 1000 years of history. The entire village of Dhankar is perched on a cliff overlooking the confluence of Spiti and Pin rivers. Tabo Monastery is one of the oldest continually functioning Buddhist monasteries in India and boasts intricate and well-preserved frescoes and stucco paintings depicting the life of the Buddha.
End the trip back at Shimla, and reminisce about the beautiful experiences.
Spiti Valley is only accessible from Shimla by road. Private cars are available for hire from Shimla. You can also choose to take a local bus to Kaza, which takes around 12 hours. Transportation costs may vary depending on the mode of transportation.
If you have more time, extend your stay in Spiti Valley to explore other beautiful places like Langza village, Hikkim village, and Komik village. If you have less time, shorten your trip by skipping Pin Valley National Park or the hike to Chandratal Lake.
The nearest airport to Spiti Valley is the Kullu-Manali Airport (KUU), located in Bhuntar, which is about 250 km away from Kaza. However, Kullu-Manali Airport is not connected to most of the major cities in India. The Shimla Airport (SLV) is the nearest airport that connects to some of the major cities in India but is still 450 km away from Kaza.