Spiti valley

Your trip to Spiti is only possible by road. The Spiti valley is accessible via either Shimla or Manali. Have a look at the Spiti map in the next section. The way via Shimla is longer but open through the year and it is also better for your acclimatization as you climb gradually, in at least two days. The way from Manali will be an option only when the high passes will be open, Rohtang and Kunzum passes. Kunzum pass will be the most restrictive as it is the highest (4550 m). It will be open depending on the snow conditions, in average from mid-june to end of September.

So you can reach Spiti either with a private car, on a motorcycle (Royal Enfield), by bicycle (you need to be quite fit) or even with local buses (not comfortable). Be aware that the road can be quite dangerous at some points, due to the bad conditions, possibilities of landslides, and even mountain streams crossing the road. The most difficult part streches from Batal to Chhatru in Lahaul. You can't go through this part of the road with any normal car as you need a very high ground clearance.

All our tours to Spiti are a loop that start in Shimla and end in Manali. It is a much better experience to do it that way. The entire loop will take at least 5 to 6 days if you want to visit the most imprtant places. But you should plan at least 8 days if you really want to enjoy your trip to Spiti.

Spiti is situated at the edge of the Tibetan plateau, at an altitude ranging from 3200 m to about 6500 m.
Hence, Spiti has a continental climate, the winters are extremely cold whereas the summertime can be rather hot at the bottom of the valley.

As the Spiti valley is not affected by the monsoon, it is really nice to escape the rains by travelling to Spiti during the rainy season which is also the most pleasant time of the year.
So the best time to visit would be from mid-June to the end of September. During that time, you can do the entire Spiti loop from Shimla to Manali as the Rohtang and Kunzum passes will be open.
Indeed you can visit Spiti throughout the year, but outside the best time to go, you won’t be able to do the complete loop because the road from Manali closes as soon as the passes are blocked by snow. So, you will have to go and also come back via the road from Shimla and Reckong-Peo that stays open all around the year.

The amount of precipitation received every year in Spiti makes it a high altitude desert. The mountains are dry and barren. Only irrigated fields or even planted forests near the villages appear like green oasis in the middle of arid mountains. That’s what makes Spiti so special.
They are good chances that you will have a dry weather during your trip to Spiti, but you should still be ready for a shower anytime. During summer, this may come in the form of a thunderstorm, and in winter it would rather be a sudden snowfall.
Be aware, unfavourable weather conditions may add days to your pre-planned itinerary. It is advisable to have buffer days in your hand to face occasional delays.

Do let us know when do you want to experience your dream destination to Spiti Valley? Send us an inquiry today!

Let us organize your tour to Spiti. This will definitely optimize your experience and it save your holiday time from all the stress of arriving in such a secluded area.
Not only we will arrange your vehicle with a driver, all your night stay and meals but we will also provide a local guide who will be your door to discovering all the unique and misterious aspects of Spiti. Although we offer a couple of ready made tours, we can customize your entire trip to match your requirement in terms of duration and experience.

Have a look at our proposed tours to have a fair idea of what can be done in a given time. And also you could have a look at this page where we give you an exhaustive list of what you can do during your trip to Spiti.
All our tours are designed for the best season in Spiti, and they all start from Shimla to end at Manali. But yoou may prefer to visit Spiti in winter or to start from Manali.

Send us en enquiry with your specific requirement and you will get shortly in your mail box a tour itinerary that is excatly what you want.

Where to stay when travelling to the Spiti valley ?
Should you stay in a hotel, a cheaper guesthouse, in homestay or even in a monastery ?
That only depends on the kind of experience you are looking for.

If sightseeing in Spiti in a comfortable way is what you are looking for, hotels would be probably the best option for you.
Or perhaps, what you like as a traveller is to meet other people and get yourself easily into discussions with unknow people from across India or the world. In this case, a good guesthouse will be the best choice.
Other travellers would prefer to meet the local people of Spiti at their home ! Homestays are the perfect choice for a real experience of the hospitality, the food and local lifestyle.

If you are not which one of the three options is for you, it probably means that you may like to have a mixed experience with a focus on comfort for some of the nights and life as a local for other nights !
Enquire with us and we will make it best for you !