Spiti Vally In to the Heart of the Himalayas

We leave Manali early in the morning and drive up slowly towards Spiti – perhaps the most well-known pass and most easily accessible of the high passes in the Himalayas. The drive to the pass is a steep climb and offers views of some of the most dramatic vistas of rocky cliffs and green slopes.

Driving in the mountains and crossing the tunnel, we are suddenly led into no man’s land as we enter into the valley of Lahaul. Civilization and the hustle and bustle of the everyday world are left behind and completely forgotten in its silence. There are no houses, no people, no vehicles to give way to or anything to remind of the world we have left behind. A narrow road that splits the mountains reminds that we are still connected with the world, and also gives us access to the terrain that almost feels uncharted. Spiti is a desert region in the higher ranges of the Indian Himalayas, where nothing more than tiny grass a few inches tall grows. Stark mountain slopes stretch as far as the eyes can see, and the peaks keep growing taller and taller as we look ahead.

We drive along the valley of Chandra River, passing through the heart of the Himalayas and stopping frequently to gawk at unbelievable views and capture images that would keep you excited about the upcoming journey.

We will drive via unpeopled Lahaul region’s dramatic landscapes and over the high Kunzum Pass before entering the sparsely populated Spiti Valley. Kunzum Pass is nearly 15,000 feet high, and needless to say, offers amazing views on the way up and down. Tiny yellow flowers grow along this landscape surrounded by 20,000 feet high peaks, often turning the ground into a carpet full of colours. Descending from Kunzum, we will leave Lahaul Region and enter Spiti. Lahaul is stark, rugged, uninhabited and has its own beauty, while in Spiti, you will suddenly see patches of greenery, plateaued lands and some human habitation. In some time, you will arrive at Losar, the first village in Spiti. Now, the road will course along Spiti River, with some interesting formations on the slopes along the way and beautiful views of highlands. In Spiti, besides the breathtaking landscapes under a clear sky, we will also visit ancient monasteries and photograph beautiful people of the valley. Tonight’s stay will be at Kaza.

We are at an altitude over ten thousand feet today. Our body takes time to adjust to the rarefied air, and requires acclimatization. We rest it out for much of the day indoors, during which we will have discussions related to photography.

Later, in the second half of the day, we will visit the 800 year old Ki Monastery, where we witness the monastic Buddhist culture of Spiti. A friendly monk from the monastery will show us around the monastery and explain the significance of everything we see inside. The centuries old interiors of the monastery are greatly photogenic. The windows of the monastery offer brilliant views of Spiti River, the valley below and the high mountains with snow-peaks.

We will allow for a relaxed morning today, let you cling to the bed and feel the luxury of waking up late again. But before the sun is very high, we will be ready to explore the jewels of Spiti Valley.

In about an hour, we are at Langza Village, a place as picturesque and green as it can get anywhere in such high altitudes. You will be surprised how beautiful Langza is. This is a small hamlet of a few dozen houses surrounded by barley and green pea fields, boasting incredible views of 20,000 feet high Chau Chau Kang Nilda Peak. Yet, it is so close that it feels like you can almost touch it by extending your arms! In the evening, we have time to walk the fields, admire the tall statue of Buddha on a ridge, speak to villagers and play with kids, all the while making photographs that you will remember fondly, assisted ably by our photography lead. It is such a simple village filled with happy, welcoming people, that Langza will remain a place not just as a visual treasure in your head, but will permanently take up a part of your heart as well. Your stay in Langza makes you feel as though you are a part of life in Spiti Valley.

In the night, we will have a go at photographing the star studded sky, with the snow peak of Chau Chau Kang Nilda glittering in our frame. This will be an experience you will never forget. Take our word for it!

We get to spend part of the morning wandering in the Langza. Later in the day, before lunch, we spend time driving in the high-altitude villages near Langza – Komic and Hikkim. You will not fail to wonder how a civilization has survived in such high altitudes for several centuries. And the grand setting of high-altitude mountains will follow you wherever you go! These are not just some of the highest villages in Spiti Valley, but are among the highest villages anywhere in the world!

We will start early in the morning and make a slow drive to Chandratal, enjoying the views along the way. We will camp in the evening at a walking distance near the calm blue waters of Chandratal Lake. Please note that visiting and camping near Chandratal are subject to road being open, as the conditions of the road to Chandratal are unpredictable and changes frequently. The road normally remains open at this time of the year.

We spend a long evening walking along the banks of a blue Chandratal Lake surrounded by mountains on all sides, save for an outlet. This place is perhaps the finest creation of nature that our photographers have ever witnessed. We let the words take backseat now, and let the pictures tell you how beautiful Chandratal is.

If your heart is not quenched by an evening in Chandratal, you have the option to brave the morning’s cold weather and make another visit to the lake. It is incredible how the light conditions make the lake appear very different from previous evening.

Later, after a good breakfast, we head back to Manali, stopping occasionally for some river-side photography and also to photograph Bada Shigri, the largest glacier in all of Himachal.

By now the group would have bonded so well, if our experiences in the past trips are to go by, we would already be making next travel plans. We spend the morning hours sharing our experiences and pouring over an awesome collection of images over breakfast. We will spend the morning hours together seeing images and happily reminiscing the days in Spiti Valley before checking out in the afternoon.