Spiti Valley Circuit
A high-altitude circuit in Himachal Pradesh from Shimla through Kinnaur into the cold desert of Spiti, over Kunzum Pass to Lahaul and Manali.
The Spiti Valley Circuit is the most classic high-altitude road trip in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It usually starts in Shimla and follows National Highway 5, the old Indo-Tibet road, along the Sutlej River into Kinnaur. Along the route are Narkanda, Rampur, Reckong Peo and the cliffside village of Kalpa, then Nako Lake, near the Indian-Chinese border. The route then follows NH 505 into the cold desert of Spiti. Highlights include the Gue village mummy, the 1,000-year-old Tabo Monastery and the Dhankar Monastery, which clings to a cliff. Spend several days in Kaza, with day trips to Key Monastery, Kibber village, Chicham Bridge, the Langza fossil village and Hikkim, home of the world's highest post office. Heading west, cross Losar and climb to Kunzum Pass at 4,590 metres. A side trip leads to Chandratal, the Moon Lake. The route then passes through Batal, along the notorious rough stretch to Gramphu, and goes through the Atal Tunnel or over Rohtang Pass to Manali before returning to Shimla via Kullu. The circuit covers about 900 to 1,000 km. Allow 8 to 12 days. Going anticlockwise, starting with Kinnaur before Spiti, helps you acclimatise gradually. Most of the route is above 3,000 metres, so watch for altitude sickness. Cliff roads, falling rocks and landslides are common on the Kinnaur side. Near Batal, you must ford streams, so a high-clearance vehicle or a local driver is recommended. Fuel stations are very scarce outside Kaza. Foreigners travelling to the Nako area need an Inner Line Permit (ILP).