Spiti Valley: the complete guide

Spiti in brief

We are the family that runs Spiti Villa in Key village, below Key Monastery, and this is the guide we give our own friends. Every fact that changes, such as road status, comes with a date and a source.

Getting there

There is no airport or railway in Spiti. Two roads lead in:

• From Shimla, through Kinnaur: about 420 km to Kaza, past Rampur, Reckong Peo, Nako and Tabo. Open most of the year, best split over two or three days, which also helps with the altitude.
• From Manali, over Kunzum Pass: about 200 km through the Atal Tunnel, past Batal and over Kunzum Pass at about 4,551 m, then down through Losar. One long day of 8 to 10 hours, open only from about June to mid-October.

Most people do a loop in summer: in through Kinnaur, out over Kunzum. See distances to Kaza, the routes from Delhi, Chandigarh, Shimla and Manali, and whether the roads are open right now.

When to go

June to September is easiest: both roads are open and Chandratal is reachable. October is clear and quiet until the first heavy snow closes Kunzum. From November to May the only way in is through Kinnaur, and from December to February nights in Kaza average −16 °C to −18 °C. Read the best time to visit, the weather, or a month:

January · February · March · April · May · June · July · August · September · October · November · December

What to see

Around Key and Kibber. Key Monastery, the largest gompa in Spiti, at about 4,166 m; Kibber, at 4,270 m, the base for the snow leopard sanctuary; and Chicham Bridge over its gorge. All three fit into one morning.

The high villages above Kaza. Langza with its fossils and Buddha statue, Hikkim and its post office, and Komic with Tangyud Monastery: a half-day loop at 4,400–4,520 m.

Down the valley. Dhankar on its cliff above the meeting of the Spiti and Pin rivers, Pin Valley and its national park, Tabo, founded in 996 CE, and Nako just over the line in Kinnaur.

Up the valley. Losar, Kunzum Pass and Chandratal, in summer only.

All 14 places, with altitudes and distances.

Where to stay

Most travellers sleep in Kaza, which is lower and has everything on hand. Key village, about 12 km up the road, is quieter, closer to Key, Kibber and Chicham, and darker at night. Spiti Villa is our cottage hotel there, open all year. Tabo and Nako make good first nights on the way in from Kinnaur. Read Key or Kaza?

How long to stay

About a week from Shimla or Manali: two or three days to drive in and four or five in the valley. From Delhi or Chandigarh, eight to ten days. See the 5-day, 7-day and 9-day itineraries.

Altitude, safety and permits

Most of Spiti is between 3,000 and 4,500 m. Come in slowly, rest on your first day, and know the warning signs: our safety guide covers altitude, roads and the cold. Indian citizens need no permit; foreign nationals need a Protected Area Permit for the border stretch, explained in the family’s permits guide.

Money, signal and cost

Kaza has the valley’s only petrol pump and its ATMs, which can be empty or offline: carry cash. Phone signal is good in Kaza and patchy in the villages. A trip costs about ₹10,000–18,000 per person by bus and homestay, more by taxi; see Spiti trip cost.