Spiti Valley

Day by day

8-day itinerary

₹14,400–24,000per person on a backpacker budget (estimate), excluding travel to get there

1. 1

   Day 1: Shimla to Sangla or Chitkul

   Drive into Kinnaur along the Sutlej. Stay in Sangla valley or Chitkul, the last village before the Tibet border.

2. 2

   Day 2: Kalpa

   Short drive to Kalpa for the Kinner Kailash view at sunrise. Rest day for altitude.

3. 3

   Day 3: Nako and Tabo

   Nako's lake and village, then Tabo Monastery, founded in 996 and one of the oldest continuously running monasteries in the Himalaya.

4. 4

   Day 4: Dhankar to Kaza

   Dhankar's cliffside monastery and the short hike to Dhankar Lake, then on to Kaza. Stock up on cash here.

5. 5

   Day 5: Key, Kibber and Chicham

   Key Monastery in the morning, Kibber village, and the Chicham bridge over a deep gorge.

6. 6

   Day 6: Langza, Hikkim and Komic

   Fossils and the big Buddha at Langza, a postcard from Hikkim's high-altitude post office, and Komic, one of the highest villages reachable by road.

7. 7

   Day 7: Kaza to Chandratal

   Over Kunzum Pass to Chandratal lake. Stay in the camps near the lake (summer only) and watch the stars.

8. 8

   Day 8: Chandratal to Manali

   The rough Batal–Gramphu stretch, then down through the Atal Tunnel to Manali.