Travelogue of our trip to Spiti valley and Chandrataal

About the trip

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Trip to SpitiDelhi - Shimla - Chitkul - Nako - Kaza - Chandratal - ManaliTotal No of days - 7Dated - Sept 2015

Home - Travelogues - Trip to Spiti

Behind the wheel & Contributor

Anoop Kumar...know more about me

Travelogue Route map Photologue

Trip to Spiti

Day 1 (Delhi-Shimla 360kms)

Delhi - Shimla - 360 kms. Took the overnight taxi. Started around 9pm and reached by 5am. Checked in hotel and took to site seeing of Shimla city during day.
Must try at Mall road- Chole bature from Sita Ram, Hotel Combermere for confectionary, Goofa on the ridge for lunch.
Around Shimla sightseeing - Prospect Hill(7kms)visit to Kamna devi temple and sunset and moonrise can be viewed from here. Himalayan Bird Park near Viceregal Lodge for bird lovers. Kotkhai Palace for Tibetan architecture. Christ church for its South Asia's biggest Pipe Organ, beauty of the stained glasses and the clock.

Day 2 (Shimla- Chitkul 250 kms)

Shimla to Chitkul journey we started at 7am in the morning and reached by 7pm. Its a 10 hr journey although its only 250kms. Overnight stayed at Chitkul. The road condition in average. To see & do - The temple of Goddess Mathi,view constellations during night.

more from Shimla to Chitkul drive pics.......

Chitkul

Chitkul is the highest and last village in the Sangla valley located on the right of Baspa river.

26 kms from Sangla, Chitkul has a small population of people who were very friendly and the other attraction to mention is the temple of Goddess Mathi.

Day 3 (Chitkul - Nako 100 kms)

Chitkul to Nako is 100 kms. We started at 10.30am and reached Nako by 7pm. The roads are good. What to see - Around 6 temples and Nako monastery and lake, view of snowpeaks from village.

From Chitkul one can go to Recong peo and Kalpa and then to Nako which brings to around 180kms. From these places we can get the permit to Kinnar Kailash which involves a 13 km trek. Nako is located in the Hangrang valley, is a fairly large village.

Day-4 (Nako to Kaza - 112kms)

Nako to Kaza is 112 kms. We started at 9am and stopped at Gur village and Tabo monastery enroute. Reached Kaza by 8pm. The 10th century Tabo monastery is the largest in Spiti. There are nearly 100 lamas here, large number of scriptures, art and wall paintings. There are several caves to the northern side where the monks used to meditate. Kaza is again a small village on the left bank of Spiti, Ki monastery is visible from here. Kaza has the old and new part where the local inhabit and the newer one with tin roofed houses have the govt buildings. There are many treks from here... What to see & do - Ki Monastery, world's highest petrol pump, World's highest inhabited village and amazing the amazing snow peak views, Must taste the apples and potatoes in summer.

The 10th century Tabo monastery is the largest in Spiti. There are nearly 100 lamas here, large number of scriptures, art and wall paintings. There are several caves to the northern side where the monks used to meditate. Kaza is again a small village on the left bank of Spiti, Ki monastery is visible from here. Kaza has the old and new part where the local inhabit and the newer one with tin roofed houses have the govt buildings. There are many treks from here...

Day 5 (Kaza - Chandratal)

Kaza to Chandratal via the Key monastery, 11am to 8.30pm. through the Kunzum la pass. Until Key monastery the roads are good. Stayed in Kaza and visited Key and Khibber monastery. From Key to Chandratal the roads are very bad.

Ki monastery is on a hill top between Kaza and Kibber, 13 kms from Kaza. The monastery has some beautiful thankas and musical instruments. The mask dance is famous here.

Khibber village is 19 kms from Kaza and has a Buddhist gompa called yaktin chuling.

Chandratal or moon lake is a natural lake has crystal blue waters, in a grassy plain. It lies nestled in the Kunzum range of mountains. From Kaza a trek of 9 kms brings you here. The route is open from June to October. What to do - Trek the Samudra tapu plateau, relax by the chandra river.