By now you must be aware that you can travel to Spiti Valley via Manali or you can take the route to Spiti from Kinnaur Valley. In the last article of the series “Comprehensive Travel Guide to Spiti Valley,” we talked about how to plan a journey on the road to Spiti Valley via Kinnaur Valley OR Hindustan – Tibet Highway. In this article, I will talk in detail about the other road to Spiti Valley which goes via Manali.
Traveling to Spiti from Manali to Kaza route is one of a kind of an adventure. And for many people, it can easily become a trip of a lifetime. The nasty water crossings and road conditions from Gramphu to Kunzum Pass route make your heart pound like nothing else. Hence, it becomes important that you understand what to expect on this adventurous route to Spiti.
Let's quickly dive into the details:
Spiti Valley via Manali | A Complete Guide
Unlike the long, treacherous, Hindustan – Tibet Highway, the major part of the journey to Spiti Valley from Manali is covered without any trouble up to Manali which is about 570 odd km from Delhi. Still, you can check, how to plan a trip to Manali travel guide article for further details.
On the other hand, the road to Spiti Valley via Kinnaur, commonly known as Hindustan Tibet Highway, is a destination in itself. The arduous journey that runs to Spiti Valley from Kinnaur – Shimla is also termed as one of the treacherous or deadliest roads of the world. However, now in 2022, it is no longer true. The road from Shimla to Kinnaur to Kaza is mostly in good condition and even a small car can do it. While the road from Manali to Kaza is no less than an extreme adventure and it continues to be as of today as well in 2022.
Now, that you know how to travel to Manali from Delhi, let’s cover in detail in this article about planning the rest of the 200 odd km road trip to Spiti Valley from Manali to Kaza.
How many days does it take to reach Spiti Valley from Manali side?
When traveling to Spiti via Manali, you need at least two days to reach Kaza from Delhi via Manali. On Day 1, you can reach Manali, and the next day you can reach Kaza from Manali. However, if you plan to travel from Delhi over Hindustan Tibet Road to Spiti Valley, then it takes three days to reach Tabo with night stops at Narkanda and Kalpa. Hence, traveling via Manali to Spiti will take fewer days when compared to Shimla – Kalpa – Kaza route.
Generally, most first-time travelers plan a road trip to Spiti Valley as a full circuit. That is, they will enter from one side (mostly Kinnaur) and exit via the other side (mostly Manali). After making the first trip, you can always plan more trips to Spiti from either of the routes to focus on remote places in Spiti Valley.
Is there any problem if I travel to Spiti from the longer route of Kinnaur?
The problems of traveling to Spiti via Kinnaur are far less than the benefits it offers. When you travel to Spiti Valley from Shimla side, the altitude is increased gradually as compared to traveling to Spiti from Manali to Kaza side. Traveling from Shimla side helps a lot in acclimatization and reducing the chances of getting hit with AMS. It is the prime reason I do not recommend traveling to Spiti via Manali whenever it is possible.
Having said that, do not forget that the route from Kinnaur Valley to Spiti has its demerits too like long distance and arduous journey over NH05. Please note in 2022, as I updated this article, the road conditions have improved a lot on this route.
When you make a trip to Spiti via Manali, then you should surely know about its terrain, the route from Manali to Kaza, the places that come on this route, the accommodation, modes of travel, basic amenities on the route, time or season to visit, etc.
This will ensure that you have an unforgettable memory of the trip to Spiti Valley. The journey on the road to Spiti Valley via Manali can easily turn into a nightmare if planned incorrectly and can get you in trouble, stranded in the middle of nowhere. In this article of the series, “Comprehensive Travel Guide to Spiti Valley,” I will try to put down all my knowledge for traveling to this road to Spiti Valley from Manali side.
Do not forget to check the five reasons to travel to Spiti Valley from Manali side.
Best Time to Visit Spiti Valley via Manali
The only time to travel from Manali to Kaza is June to October month period. It is this period when the BRO clears the snow on Gramphu to Batal route, and both Rohtang Pass and Kunzum Pass are open. So, the best time to plan a full circuit of the Spiti Valley trip (Delhi – Kinnaur – Spiti – Manali – Delhi) is from June to September – October period only.
With the opening of the Atal Tunnel, you do not need to wait for Rohtang Pass to open but Kunzum Pass as well as the entire Gramphu to Kunzum Pass road still takes time to open due to heavy snow accumulation.
The road from Shimla to Kaza via Kinnaur remains open all around the year barring days of heavy snowfall. Hence, you can always plan a trip to Spiti from Kinnaur side in any month of the year.
The month of September is one of the best times to visit Spiti Valley from Manali or Shimla’s side. In September, the monsoon is gone from Northern India including the parts of Himachal Pradesh like Kinnaur Valley and Manali to Kaza route. The roads get dry, free from mud, and water crossings are less ferocious too.
The snowfall starts in the month of late September or October on high mountain passes like Rohtang Pass and Kunzum Pass that come on the route to Spiti Valley via Manali side. Hence, traveling on this route starts to become risky as winter starts to arrive. Late October and November are when the Manali to Kaza route seriously hibernates for the next six months, only to open in May end or June.
So, in the winter months from November to May, the road to Spiti Valley from Manali side remains closed and the only way to travel to Spiti is from Shimla – Kinnaur side in winters.
You can check my article for the details about a month-by-month season guide for making a road trip to Spiti Valley and understanding when is the best time to visit Spiti via Manali.
Modes of Travel on Road to Spiti Valley via Manali
You will have plenty of options to plan a road trip to Spiti Valley. The options start from planning the Spiti trip by public transport to renting a private taxi from Manali and covering the entire Spiti Valley. You can always plan to rent a self-drive car from Delhi to Chandigarh and make a trip to Spiti Valley. Similarly, if you are interested in making a bike trip to Spiti Valley, you do not have any restrictions.
But in the end, you should know what is the best mode of travel to make a road trip to Spiti from Manali. In this section, let us look at our options one by one in detail.
Private Vehicles i.e. Cars and Bikes | Self Drive or Bike Ride to Spiti Valley
Self-drive by car or self-ride by bike is one of the most preferred options to travel to Spiti Valley. A drive or bike ride to Spiti, especially from Manali to Kaza, is an extreme adventure in itself. Making such an adventure road trip is an idea to experience the nature challenges in their raw form in the Himalayas.
![How to prepare for long-distance motorcycle ride to Ladakh or Spiti? [6 Things to Know]](https://discoverwithdheeraj.com/yt_vid_thumbs/ladakh/85.png)
Can I take a rented or my bike or car to the Spiti Valley road trip?
Yes, you can take your own or rented, car, or bike to Spiti Valley from Manali side. Unlike Leh Ladakh, where outside Ladakh vehicles are banned for sightseeing in Ladakh, there is no such rule to ban outside Himachal vehicles in Spiti Valley.
Having said that, it is difficult to drive or ride from Manali to Kaza road, especially when you are a first-timer. You should be cautious when driving or riding through the slushy roads, snow, and water crossing, or nallas especially between Gramphu to Kunzum Pass and almost up to Losar village.
Also, it is always handy to learn little maintenance tasks of your vehicle before the start of this arduous journey to Spiti Valley from Manali. Knowing how to repair a puncture and other basic stuff to fix your car or bike will help you a lot in case of an unforeseen situation.
What is the best car for Spiti Valley road trip?
Well, there is nothing as such the best car for the Spiti Valley road trip. It all depends upon the time you are traveling and your driving skills to travel on such rough roads in the Himalayas. Still, it is always better to have a higher ground clearance vehicle, especially from Kaza to Manali road, and a 4×4 will especially help you in the water crossings.
However, I have seen hatchbacks (including Altos and Nano) and sedans traveling to Spiti Valley from Manali side as well. I have taken my sedan on these routes, and with some underbelly scratches, I was able to complete the road trip to Spiti via Manali.
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Tips for a bike ride or self-drive trip from Manali to Kaza
Given below are some of the important tips for a road trip to Spiti Valley via Manali – Lahaul route.
- Whenever you are in doubt, always step out of your car, walk down the path, inspect with your foot and plan the path of exit before crossing a dangerous landslide or water crossing on your vehicle. You can also park aside and see how others are crossing the risky section to plan your route of escape.
- In deep water, crossings try to maintain the momentum without any half clutch measures and complete the entire stretch in one go only.
- Similarly, in slush stretches, do not force the issue rather keep the smooth momentum with the required speed to pass you through, without half clutch measures. Do keep an eye on the direction of the vehicle too.
- If you get stuck in slush then try to back and forth your vehicles to get out of the stuck position and use a wooden plank to get out of it.
- It is always handy to ask your fellow co-travelers to get out of the car and push the vehicle from behind, in case, the car is struggling to pass through the slush or water crossing stretch.
- DO NOT forget to help other fellow travelers in need on the route.
Essential things to carry for a self-drive to Spiti
A basic toolkit, screwdriver set, small hammer, puncture repair kit, iron rod, two or three “2 ltr” empty bottles of Pepsi / Coke / Limca, etc. to carry extra petrol or diesel (jerry cans will leak, cold drink bottles do not leak), funnel, towing rope, a spare tube (must for bikes), Elfy or Fevi quick (2-3 sachets), jump-start cables/wires, car inverter, M-seal to prevent leakage, etc. were among the few things which I carry along on my trip to Ladakh or Spiti Valley.
Also, do not forget to get your vehicle (car/bike) serviced about 2-3 weeks before the start of the trans-Himalayan journey. This will ensure that you have proper time in advance to test your serviced vehicle and get fixed any hitches that may have been introduced in that service.
Do not forget to check a 40 MUST-HAVE list of things to pack for a self-drive trip to Spiti Valley.
Hiring a Private Taxi | Taxi Number or Private Number
You can also hire a taxi from Manali or Delhi to travel on the road to Spiti Valley via Manali. It is always better to hire Xylo or Scorpio, and mostly the charges range from Rs 3800 to 4000 per day from Manali depending upon the season of travel, several days of the trip, and your bargaining skills.
It is always best to confirm from the driver if he has done the route from Manali to Kaza and when was the last time he did go on that route. Many times, drivers from Manali are good but sometimes they are majorly bogged onto local routes in Himachal Pradesh which are in no comparison to the roads of Trans-Himalayas. So, confirm twice before fixing a deal. Hence, it is best to travel to Manali and rent a taxi from a known driver who has been to Spiti Valley routes.
You can always get connected with local taxi drivers in this list of taxi drivers plying on Manali to Spiti Valley.
Further, self-drive cars available in Delhi and Chandigarh are also a great way to travel to Spiti Valley via Manali from Delhi. These self-drive cars can easily be booked from your starting location point and sometimes proves less expensive than hiring taxis.
HRTC Bus Service & Shared Taxis| Economical mode of travel
You can take the overnight Volvo buses to Manali from Delhi which are run by HRTC or HPTDC. Then daily morning HRTC buses ply buses on Kullu – Manali – Atal Tunnel – Kunzum Pass – Kaza route. Two HRTC buses run between Manali and Kaza every morning. These buses start from Manali to Kaza as soon as the road to Spiti Valley via Manali gets open in the season. Mostly in mid-June.
These buses run from Kullu to Kaza via Manali and it reaches Manali around 4.45 AM and leaves at 5.00 AM. Ticket to Kaza will cost you only about INR 300 approximately per person. So, you can easily make a budget trip to Spiti by public transport using these HRTC buses.
In between, you can also buy yourself a seat in a shared taxi that runs between various places within Spiti Valley. For example, you can cover Dhangkar Monastery, Pin Valley, Kibber/Ki, Hikkim/Komik, etc. all in shared taxis available from Tabo OR Kaza. Even shared taxis run between Losar and Kaza too.
If you are tight on budget, then to get some tips on how to save more, please refer to my article on Planning a low-budget trip to Chandratal Lake. The article will give you many ideas to save costs next time you travel from Manali to Kaza.
How to reach Spiti from Manali side?
The road to Spiti Valley from Manali side mainly has an exciting part from Manali to Kaza. Based on my experience, you can opt to plan a journey on the road to Spiti Valley via Manali in one of the following ways –
Two Day Trip to Spiti via Kaza – Manali Road
This option is the most generally followed option by many people traveling to Spiti Valley. But traveling so quickly to the high altitude of Kaza increases the chances of AMS while reaching Spiti Valley. The general breakup is like below:
- Day 1: Delhi – Manali or Solang Valley (better to halt at Solang as it will help in acclimatization which Manali does not do.)
- Day 2: Manali or Solang Valley – Atal Tunnel – Gramphu – Kunzum Pass – Kaza/Tabo (Spiti Valley)
In this case, I generally suggest that you start very early in the morning and try to reach Tabo instead of Kaza on Day 2 from Manali. Though going all the way to Tabo will mean 2 hrs more journey as compared to Kaza, being 45 odd km ahead. However, it will help you acclimatize better and combat AMS as it is 600 odd Mtrs lower than Kaza. Having said all that, if you take necessary precautions, Kaza is generally OK for the majority of people too.
Three Day Journey from Delhi to Manali to Kaza
Sometimes it is better to traverse the road to Spiti Valley over Manali – Atal Tunnel route in three days. Such a plan may help your body gets a bit more acclimatized to the high altitude of Spiti Valley within these three days. Though unlike traveling on the Hindustan Tibet highway, which provides a gradual ascend. Still, breaking the journey at Sissu/Khoksar in Lahaul or if you have more days, then maybe for a couple of days in Keylong after Manali, will be a great option to undertake on your Spiti road trip.
Anyhow, the general breakup of the journey over Manali – Kaza in three days is like below:
![Why avoid traveling on Manali Leh Highway in October for Ladakh trip? [5 Safety Reasons]](https://discoverwithdheeraj.com/yt_vid_thumbs/ladakh/104.png)
- Day 1: Delhi – Manali or Solang Valley (better to halt at Solang as it will help in acclimatization which Manali does not do.)
- Day 2: Manali or Solang Valley – Atal Tunnel – Sissu or Manali – Rohtang Pass – Gramphu – Khoksar / Sissu
- Day 3: Khoksar/Sissu – Gramphu – Kunzum Pass – Kaza (Spiti Valley)
This way, spending a night at Sissu or Khoksar will help you a lot in terms of acclimatization. If you have a couple of days, then go ahead and stay at Jispa for these extra days and explore around Lahaul Valley. Finally, on Day 4 make a dash to Spiti Valley over Kunzum Pass from Jispa itself or maybe end that day sleeping overnight at Chandratal instead of Kaza.
Most Common Itinerary for Spiti Valley
In the above section, you learned about how to reach Spiti from Manali side. However, it does not talk about a detailed day-by-day plan to plan such a road trip over Manali to Kaza road. I will recommend that if you are not making a circuit trip, then you can follow my itinerary of a trip to Spiti over Kaza – Manali road only.
Sightseeing on Road to Spiti Valley via Manali
Traveling over this beautiful yet adventurous road to Spiti Valley from Manali is sightseeing in itself. However, while running over it, there are some beautiful places that you can visit alongside this highway to this trans-Himalayan heaven. To name a few,
Manali, Solang Valley (a bit off track, 16 KMs), Atal Tunnel, Rohtang Pass if not going via Atal Tunnel (though I never liked it personally), and then Chandratal (a bit off track just ahead of Batal and it shall always be done while coming back from Spiti Valley).
The whole route from Gramphu to Kunzum Pass to Losar to Kaza is sightseeing in itself. The treacherous it is, the more beautiful it becomes. You will urge to get down every other turn and click pictures on this route.
List of Accommodation or Stay Options on Road to Spiti Valley via Manali
Unlike Hindustan – Tibet Highway, there isn’t much to think about accommodation when traveling to Spiti Valley via Manali. On the first day, you end up at Manali or Solang Valley which has a wide range of hotels and accommodation options.
The next day, you can either stay at Khoksar PWD Rest House or Sissu which has many stay options now. You may even reach directly to Kaza from Manali or Tabo from Manali, which again has many accommodation options available to suit most budget needs. In between, there is a PWD Resthouse at Chota Dhara and a PWD rest house at Batal. The Batal PWD rest house started in July 2013 and is located just before you enter Spiti beyond Kunzum Pass. At Batal, you can also sleep at Chandra dhabha if you are on a budget road trip to Spiti Valley.
You can also go ahead and vouch for these PWD Rest Houses on this route as well as after reaching Spiti Valley. These guest houses are comfortable and economical, but they may not suit the needs of every family. Also, you require bookings for them, and sometimes, in case of some VIP visit, they may try to push you though not in rights. However, in case you are OK with average comfort conditions and cooking/arranging your food, I will suggest staying at these. You can always refer to my article on How to Book HP PWD Rest Houses or FRHs
Acclimatization & its importance on Road to Kaza via Manali
Like Manali – Leh Highway, the journey on the road to Spiti Valley over Rohtang Pass (now Atal Tunnel) and Kunzum Pass is quite challenging, especially beyond Atal Tunnel / Rohtang Pass from Gramphu to Losar. That is why going through Hindustan – Tibet Highway is always preferred for a road trip to Spiti Valley as compared to then going via Manali – Kunzum Pass – Kaza route.
While traveling to Spiti Valley from the route through Kinnaur Valley, you give yourself a chance to properly acclimatize to the high altitudes, thereby decreasing the chances of being hit by AMS. In the return leg, you can come back to Delhi via Kaza – Kunzum Pass – Manali route to complete the entire circuit. This route helps you enjoy the whole or high altitude places of Spiti Valley including Chandratal Lake in a much better way as well.
Having said that if you cannot travel via Kinnaur then on a road trip to Spiti Valley via Manali, it is always good that you take little precautions to minimize the effects of high altitude sickness. Here are some tips which will help to acclimatize the body faster in the first few days of the trip:
- Try to sleep at Solang Valley, not Manali because Solang Valley does help in acclimatization while Manali does not do so.
- Try to reach Kaza with at least 3 night stays or cover Lahaul Valley first if you have time.
- But, if reaching on the second night then better try to reach Tabo to stay over the second night as Tabo is much lower in altitude than Kaza.
- Keep your body properly hydrated.
- Avoid sleeping at high altitudes earlier in the trip.
- Avoid overexertion.
- Avoid tobacco and smoking and alcohol and other depressant drugs.
- Keep your body warm and eat lots of carbohydrates.
- Avoid sleep during the day.
- Sleep in an upright position, if possible.
- Carry preventive medicines for AMS.
- Immediately descend towards Tabo, if symptoms increase.
For more information on Acute Mountain Sickness and all above acclimatization tips, please refer to the following link at least once Acute Mountain Sickness and Importance of Acclimatization
Fuel or Petrol Pumps on Manali – Kaza Road
You will be able to find fuel pumps only at Manali and Kaza. It is crucial not to miss to refuel at Kaza petrol pump. In case you are making a Spiti trip along with Lahaul Valley, you can also fill up petrol at the Tandi petrol pump which falls on Manali Leh Highway just before Keylong.
ATMs
As per my knowledge, there are ATMs available at Manali and Kaza. Although there is an ATM at Kaza as well now, its working condition may be a question at times.
Hence, it is advised that you carry cash from Manali. I guess you should carry enough cash with you on the trans-Himalayan trip because ATMs at these limited places can run out of money or become un-operational at any day or time.
Places on Road to Spiti Valley via Manali
The places that fall on this route along with approximate distances between them go like Manali – Marhi – Atal Tunnel – Rohtang Pass – Gramphu – Chattru – Chota Dhara – Batal – Kunzum Pass – Losar – Kaza. The approximate distances along with the altitude of these places are shown in the chart below. Having the idea of the route will help you judge over the acclimatization schedule too.
Permits for Manali – Rohtang Pass Road
Since 2010, all vehicles going to Rohtang Pass from Manali side need permits which can be obtained free of cost by showing the vehicle’s RC and DL copy. You can use the Kullu Administration official website or you can also use the recently launched mobile app for the Rohtang Pass permit in 2018. You can check the entire process on how to get the Rohtang Pass permit online or using a mobile app.
Please note that all bikes, as well as cars, need to get this Rohtang Pass permit if you travel from Manali to Kaza route via Rohtang Pass.
Do I still need any permit from Atal Tunnel for Spiti Valley?
But now after the opening of the Atal Tunnel in 2020, you do not need a Rohtang Pass Permit to travel from Manali to Kaza or Spiti Valley.
However, if you are traveling from Kaza to Manali or Keylong to Manali direction and want to visit Rohtang Pass, then you should get the Rohtang Pass permit too which was not required before 2021. Hence, not a reason anymore to start your Spiti road trip from Shimla side and end the trip at Manali.
Before 2021, if you are coming from the Keylong side or Kaza side, then you did not require any permit to ply on Manali – Rohtang Pass road even if you have a non-HP registered vehicle. Rohtang Pass Permit used to be only required if you are going from Manali side towards Rohtang Pass before 2021.
However, when Atal Tunnel opened in 2020 and lot of tourists started skipping this permit. There have been news that now the barrier on Khoksar – Gramphu side do not allow the traffic to ply on Rohtang Pass if you do not have a permit.
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Timings of Manali – Rohtang Pass Road
At times, especially at the start of the season when snow is cleared from Manali – Rohtang Pass road, the traffic movement at Rohtang Pass is regulated by timings. Since the ban of tourism at Rohtang Pass around 2015-16, the time regulations are not that common. Rohtang Pass permits are required to visit Manali Rohtang Pass road. In 2020, Atal Tunnel was opened for tourists and now you do not need to travel via Rohtang Pass to Spiti Valley. Hence, Rohtang Pass Permit is not needed anymore.
Don’t have time to read the full article? Check this less than 3-minute video on Discover With Dheeraj YouTube Channel on why you may travel Spiti Valley from Manali side. If you like my video, please do not forget to SUBSCRIBE to my YouTube channel.
Conclusion
Have you ever been to Spiti Valley through Shimla – Kinnaur or via Manali? If yes, please share your viewpoints, suggestions, or inputs as comments below and help other fellow travelers to plan their journey on one of the most challenging roads in India or perhaps the world. This road built on top of river bed like conditions is nothing but quite an adventure especially when you are not used to such road conditions.
Have a travel question?? You can follow me on Instagram and subscribe to my YouTube channel to ask your travel questions in a direct message on Instagram or comment on my YouTube videos.
Are you planning to go to Spiti Valley via Kaza – Manali or Kinnaur Valley? If yes, please feel free to ask any questions or doubts you have regarding your plan either in the comments section OR my Instagram account. I will be happy to reply and discuss them with you.
If you know your friends or family are planning a trip to Spiti Valley via Manali, do share this article with them to help them make a memorable trip.
321 Comments
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Hi Dheeraj,
I have plan for 6 days, where I want to cover Manali, Spiti valley, Keylong and Kasol.
So my plan is like this,
Day 1: Delhi – Solang Valley
Day 2: Solang Valley – Rohtang Pass – Gramphu – Kunzum Pass – Tabo
Day 3 : Tabo – keylong
Day 4 : Keylong – Manali
Day 5 : Manali – kulu – Kasol
Day 6 : Kasol – Delhi
Is the plan ok? I am going with my friends and we all have visited once. This time we want to explore the real beauty of Himachal. Please suggest if I can change any place in my plan
Hey Ashik,
It does not make sense to go through all the trouble of Solan – Tabo, then Tabo – Keylong and then Keylong – Manali. You will be just on road battling the treacherous roads. Better just focus on Spiti Valley only:
Day 1 : Reach Manali by overnight and stay overnight at Solang Valley as preferred for acclimatization
Day 2 : Manali / Solang – Kaza
Day 3 : Kaza – Dhangkar – Tabo – Kaza
Day 4 : Kaza – Ki – Kibber – Langza – Komik – Hikkim – Kaza
Day 5 : Kaza – Chandratal – Manali
Day 6 : Reach Delhi by overnight Volvo from Manali (do adventure sports in day time at Solang Valley)
Hi Dheeraj,
Thanks for the advice. I am going to discard keylong from my plan.
I am ready to add one extra day for Kasol. If I go with this plan, will it be ok?
Day 1 : Reach Manali by overnight and stay overnight at Solang Valley as preferred for acclimatization
Day 2 : Solang – Kaza
Day 3 : Kaza – Dhangkar – Tabo – Kaza
Day 4 : Kaza – Ki – Kibber – Langza – Komik – Hikkim – Kaza
Day 5 : Kaza – Chandratal – Kasol
Day 6 : Stay in Kasol
Day 7 : Reach Delhi From Kasol
Are you suggesting to do adventure sports in day time at Solang Valley on Day 2?
On Day 4, you can travel to Chandratal by evening after covering the above places, if you do not feel to do so then otherwise the above plan is OK. Just that Kaza – Chandratal – Kasol will be long day but doable.
Ok. This is my final plan then,
Day 1 : Reach Manali by overnight and stay overnight at Solang Valley as preferred for acclimatization
Day 2 : Solang – Kaza
Day 3 : Kaza – Dhangkar – Tabo – Kaza
Day 4 : Kaza – Ki – Kibber – Langza – Komik – Hikkim – Chandratal
Day 5 : Chandratal – Kasol
Day 6 : Stay in Kasol
Day 7 : Reach Delhi From Kasol
Is it possible to do adventure sports in day time at Solang Valley on Day 2?
Plan is good now, I believe that you will not find time to enjoy any adventure sports in Solang Valley
Hey , is it possible to reach Kaza during the first week of December with own SUV vehicle ??
Yes Arjun, it is indeed possible. Please check out: How to plan a trip to Spiti Valley in Winters and How to plan a trip to Spiti Valley in Winters
Hi Sir , we have planned Manali-to-Kaza trip on 1ST week of october as below :
1. Day1 – Will reach Manali at morning from delhi . day outing @ manali- night Stay @ Solang Valley
2. Day 2- Leave early morning to Kaza – Stay @ Kaza
3. Day 3 – Spiti outing day time – Stay @ Kaza
4. Day 4 – Leave early morning to Manali
Is this plan Ok ? How much time average it will take for bike journey from Manali-Kaza ? Please advice
Given the days at hand, it seems fine. Manali – Kaza is around 9-12 Hrs depending upon breaks and roadblocks.
Hey Dheeraj,
Thanks for sharing details.I jut wanted you to please confirm like me and my colleagues will be going to Lahaul Spiti Valley from Delhi .we will be leaving Delhi on 11th Aug at 4 pm.We have to return by 15th night back to adelhi..Can you please tell how to plan a trip.we will be going by our own car
Hi Dheeraj,
Thanks for all your tips.
Just wanna ask, we are a group of 5 to 6 and want to plan a trip:
jodhpur/jaipur-Dharamshala-manali-kullu-rohtang-lahaul-spiti valley-jodhpur/jaipur/delhi
please help me out planning this trip of 6-7 days.
We would be starting by 12 of august
Well, Nayan, with just 6-7 days in hand you cannot even do just Spiti Valley trip from Jaipur, leave aside other places you have mentioned in it.
Hello Mr.Dheeraj,
We are a couple and planning to go to spiti valley for 6night 7days around 9th October. Will it be a good time to take the Manali route at this time as we do t have much time in hand. We would also like to know which places in spiti valley are best for night stay? Can we stay at Chandratal for a night? We want to cover the most picturesque locations in our trip. What should be the estimated budget per head? We would prefer home stays.
Your advise would be helpful.
Manali route will be a bit risky and desolate by that time of the year for a trip to Spiti Valley but check for weather updates before going up there. I will not recommend a night stay at Chandratal at all that late in the season.
So what would be the best time to take Manali route post mid September? Because Shimla route would be too lengthy for us as we only plan to stay there for 7days in total. Checking the weather updates and deciding at that time would be risky too. You have also not stated the budget approximately. Can you please let us know?
mid september to first week of October is still fine to make the trip on Manali – Kaza route now a days. Just check the weather when you reach Manali or few days in advance before leaving for the day. You can read: How to calculate cost or budget for Spiti Valley trip?
Hi Dheeraj,
Thank you so much for the wealth of information you dispense on DOW here.
I have planned a Manali-Spiti-Manali trip with my friends (a group of 11) from Aug 31st to Sep 11th. I realise that I am missing out on some very scenic places in Lahaul by doing this, but I would prefer to return again for another trip via Narkanda.
Please can you review the below itinerary and advise if it is safe enough and doable?
Any recommendations for guides, stay and drivers who have a tempo traveller/winger would be awesome to have as well.
31st Aug – At 11PM, head out to Solang Valley from Chandigarh Airport.
1st Sep – Solang Valley
2nd Sep – Is Chhatru better or Khoksar from the acclimatisation perspective? I thought Chhatru was at approx 3300mts but I seem to be wrong from your altitude graph above.
3rd Sep – Dhangkar/Mud. Is Dhangkar better or Mud Village from the acclimatisation and distance perspective?
4th Sep – Mud/Dhangkar.
5th Sep – Langza
6th Sep – Kibber
7th Sep – Kibber
8th Sep – Chandratal
9th Sep – Manali/BUFFER
10th Sep – Manali/BUFFER
11th Sep – Reach Chandigarh Airport by evening for a night flight
Thanks again!
Regards
Vinay
Day 01 : Reach Manali and stay overnight at Solang Valley as preferred for acclimatization
Day 02 : Manali / Solang – Kaza
Day 03 : Kaza – Dhangkar – Dhangkar Lake trek – Tabo
Day 04 : Tabo – Lingti Valley (Lallung) – Pin Valley
Day 05 : Village trek/trip – Pin Valley(Mud) – Kaza – Ki – Kibber/Kaza (Stay at Kibber or Kaza at homestay)
Day 06 : Village trek/trip – Kibber/Kaza – Langza – Komic – Hikkim – Demul – Kaza (Stay at Langza at homestay)
Day 07: Village trek/trip – Kaza – Langza – Komic – Hikkim – Demul – Kaza (Stay at Komic at homestay)
Day 08: Village trek/trip – Kaza – Langza – Komic – Hikkim – Demul – Kaza (Stay at Demul at homestay)
Day 09 : Kaza – Chandratal
Day 10 : Chandratal – Manali
Day 11 : Manali – Delhi
Hi Dheeraj,
Thanks a lot for this.
Would it be okay to head directly from Solang to Kaza which would mean an altitude gain of almost 1400mtrs overnight, instead of a halt at Khoksar?
Regards
Vinay
Well, Vinay, even Khoksar may not help much though it may help a bit. Since, you have days you can take a rest day at Khoksar. Otherwise, it is OK to stay at Kaza, rest and next day you are moving to Tabo for overnight sleep. Hence, it will help you.
We are also planning in the same time, hope will meet in the valley bro…!!
Thank you Devil on Wheels for the extentive information.
Thanks a lot.
Tushar
Hey Dheeraj,
I am planning to go to Spiti on bike with my friend. We will be leaving around 8th July.
Is traveling together on bike to Spiti safe? Is July suitable for going to Spiti?
Well, Vaishnavi, traveling with a pillion is mostly OK on almost majority parts of Spiti Valley. At some places of bad roads especially between Manali to Kaza road, you will have to get down and walk so that rider can safely pass through the water crossing or bad road stretch.
Thank you! We will be traveling via Shimla.
Is first week of July suitable? Because I read that one should avoid going in July to Spiti.
The first half of July is still fine to visit Spiti Valley, in fact, Spiti Valley always remain fine because it is rain shadow region. So, because of monsoon hassles in lower hills, it is suggested that in monsoon time you should avoid travel.
Sir mein 3 Aug ko Manali se spiti valley kaise travel karo by public transport
Prateek, you can read: How to make a budget trip to Spiti Valley by public transport
Hi,
we have four days, want to cover Manali and Spiti valley.
Please let me know how to plan and also where to stay..
You cannot do Spiti trip in just 4 days in hand.
May be try just Chandratal using: Chandratal Lake – Most Common Itinerary
Hey Dheeraj great job done 🙂
I am planning to leave Delhi with my brother at night of 15th july and take volvo to manali, then renting a bike and leave to kaza or directly to spiti and then to stay at spiti for 2 nights and return to manali and further back to delhi.
I have travelled before on rented bikes from Chandigarh to Tirthan valley and chandigarh to mandi too this january only.
Plz do guide me and places to explore. We can spare two nights at spiti or kaza where the best you suggest.
Yogi best is to read the article: How to make a trip to Spiti Valley in 6 days?
Hi Dheeraj,
Loved your blog. Pretty useful for first timers like us. Our trip has been scheduled this weekend. Ideally we were supposed to go from Manali – Leh – Srinagar- Dharamshala – Manali. The number of days as planned were 13. Since there is an ongoing issue between manali and leh where they are not allowing bikes to go beyond sarchu to enter leh, We changed our plans to visit spiti valley.
We are a group of 6 and are renting bikes from Manali. Please suggest if this is a good itinerary for 13 (Riding)days.
June 17 – Delhi to Manali by bus.
June 18 – Manali – Narkand. Stay at Narkand
June 19- Narkanda – Sangla / Chitkul (Kinnaur Valley)
June 20 – Sangla – Chitkul – Sangla – Kalpa
June 21 – Kalpa – Nako – Nako Lake – Geyu Mummy – Tabo
June 22 – Tabo – Dhankar – Dhankar Lake – Pin Valley (Mud Village)
June 23 – Pin Valley – Kaza – Ki – Kibber – Gette – Tashigang – Kaza
June 24 – Kaza – Hikkim – Komik – Langza – Kaza / Losar
June 25 – Kaza / Losar – Kunzum Pass – Chandratal / Battal
June 26 – Battal / Chandratal – Kunzum Pass – Rohtang Pass – Manali
June 27 – Manali – Dharamshala
June 28 – Stay at Dharamshala
June 29 – Dharamshala – Manali
June 30 – Buffer day (Bus back to Delhi)
June 01 – Flight from Delhi to Chennai
Biju, your plan seems good to me. You can also either rent bike from Delhi to avoid traveling from Manali to Narkanda and Dharamshala to Manali. This will save you a couple of days of travel which can be spent in Spiti Valley for rest in Kaza or some remote village like Langza and one day more in Dharamshala for Triund trek. Also, fatigue of traveling on these routes will be saved too. After hiring bike in Delhi, you can ride straight to Shimla or Narkanda.
Hi Dheeraj,
First of all, let me congratulate you for doing a fabulous job here.
Now need your suggestions on our below planned trip to Spiti.
9 people, 1 XUV, 1 Ecosport, Dates – 8th to 16th July 2017.
We want to do the complete circuit of Delhi-Manali-Spiti-Shimla-Delhi and below is what we have planned:
8-Jul | Delhi – Manali, Overnight stay in Manali (We are taking the Manali route as we want to be at Chandratal on full moon night which is on 9th July)
9-Jul |Manali – Rohtang – Gramphoo – Chattru – Chotta Dhara – Batal – Chandra tal. Overnight stay in camps at Chandratal. How can we book camps here?. what time we should leave from Manali for Chandratal?
10-Jul| Batal -Kunzum pass -Losar – Kaza. Check in to a hotel in Kaza. Local sightseeing in Kaza. See nearby offbeat places like Hikkim, Komik, Langza. Overnight at Kaza. Any recommendation on hotels here? How much time will it take from Batal to kaza?
11-Jul|Kaza – Tashigang – Kibber – Pin valley. Overnight at Pin valley
12-Jul|Pin valley – Dhankar lake – Tabo. Overnight at Tabo
13-Jul|Tabo – Geyu – Nako lake – Kalpa. Overnight at Kalpa
14-Jul|Kalpa – Chitkul – Sangla. Overnight at Sangla
15-Jul|Sangla – Narkanda – Shimla. Overnight at Shimla
16-Jul|Shimla – Delhi.
Besides the specific questions I have asked, please feel free to give feedback on this itinerary or suggest any modifications. Would you recommend doing advance bookings of accommodations at all these places?
Thanks so much in advance.
Regards
Though the plan looks OK but I will highly recommend that you reverse the plan to start from Shimla / Narkanda side and end at Manali side. It will not only help you with acclimatization but also saves you from the hassles of getting Rohtang Pass permit.
Thanks Dheeraj. The reason we have planned this way is because we want to reach Chandratal lake on 9th July night (full moon). Would this not be doable at all? we are thinking to stay overnight in Solang valley for better acclimatisation. Also would XUV and EcoSport would be able to pull this trip off?
I have tried reaching the number for booking camps at Chandratal through your other blog but those numbers are not working. any other coordinate?
Well, I will say full moon or big moon not sure if it matters that much 😉 … I will prefer being safe with AMS than having trouble with AMS on a full moon night and not enjoying at all. Regarding numbers, sorry just those contacts I have.
Great blog Dheeraj!
We are a group of 5, age around 18-19. We are planning to visit spiti around 20th June. We mainly want to cover chandrataal lake, monasteries. Can you please assist us with an possible itinerary?
Should we take HRTC Bus from Manali or hire a taxi?
Also, what are the taxi charges from Manali to Spiti?
Thankyou.
Hello Harshil,
How many days do you have in hand? In case you have less days, please read: How to make a trip to Spiti Valley in 6 days?. In order to best enjoy the trip, spend some more money on hiring a taxi so that you have liberty of get down anywhere and enjoy the beauty.
You can get connected directly to some drivers in Himachal or Spiti Valley or Kinnaur Valley at the link: List of Taxi Drivers for Spiti Valley & Kinnaur Valley. These drivers can come and pick you up from Manali / Shimla / Delhi / Chandigarh too, of course with a price of the pickup as well.
Otherwise, taxis, in general, are also available on the spot from Shimla or Manali from respective taxi stands. These drivers can help you with finding local stay options too.
Hi Dheeraj , thanks for this fantastic blog, I need your help to plan my trip to spiti.
I’m reaching delhi on 20 may 17. Can you suggest me a route to spiti. Im solo and on a budget. I have planned my return on 28 from delhi.
Thanks
I see you have about 9 days in hand and can follow the plan like below as Manali – Kaza route will not be open:
Day 1 | Delhi – Narkanda
Day 2 | Narkanda- Kalpa
Day 3 | Kalpa – Nako – Tabo
Day 4 | Tabo – Dangkar – Pin Valley – Kaza
Day 5 | Kaza and around (Ki, kibber, gette, hikkim, komik, langza – Choose whatever you possibly can)
Day 6 | Kaza towards Kunzum Pass, if possible Chandratal and back to Kaza OR come back to Tabo for night stay
Day 7 | Kaza/Tabo – Geyu Mummy – Kalpa/Sangla
Day 8 | Kalpa/Sangla – Chitkul – Sarahan
Day 9 | Sarahan – Delhi (long drive but as last day you can rest at home)
You should also read: How to make a budget trip to Spiti Valley by public transport
Can I Travel Along Hyundai i10 Magna to Complete The Circuit ? Ground Clearance Is Just 160 mm only. Has Already Drive till Mana at Uttarakhand. Please Guide
Possible = Yes, Difficult = Yes. For hatchback/sedan taking on Manali – Leh Highway Or Spiti Valley via Manali Or Ladakh, please refer the link: FAQ | Can I do Leh – Ladakh / Spiti / Manali – Leh trip in Hatchback or Sedan? for more details.
Hey Dheeraj, I am doing a trek to indrahar Pass from 27-31st May, after this I am planning for a trip to spiti valley. Can you suggest me an itinerary, which route to take and availability of public transport from Mcleodganj to spiti and spiti to Delhi. I will be doing a solo trip so have many doubts regarding trip to Spiti.
Anmol, I really doubt that Manali – Kaza route will open by the time you are planning to travel to Spiti Valley. Hence, you will have to take the route from Shimla side. I will suggest you take the bus from Dharamshala to Shimla and stay overnight there at Shimla. Then from Shimla, you can refer the article: How to make a budget trip to Spiti Valley by public transport
Hi Dheeraj,
I am planning a trip to Chandratal from May 27 to Jun 3 and came across the below itinerary from one of your replies. Can you please let me know if the below itinerary will hold good for the dates I mentioned (considering road conditions etc)?
Also, if there are any alternative itineraries for the same dates, it will be great to know.
Day 1 : Reach Manali by overnight volvo of and stay overnight at Solang Valley as preferred for acclimatization
Day 2 : Manali / Solang – Kaza
Day 3 : Kaza – Dhangkar – Tabo
Day 4 : Tabo – Pin Valley – Kaza. Do Ki, Kibber in the evening.
Day 5 : Kaza – Langza – Komik – Hikkim – Chandratal
Day 6 : Chandratal – Manali
Day 7 : Reach Delhi by overnight Volvo from Manali
Thanks,
Neeta
Hi Neeta,
I will not recommend planning a trip to Chandratal or over Manali – Kaza that early in the season. The road from Manali – Kaza is expected to open by mid of June and Chandratal road opens after that only.
Though, your plan looks OK to me when the road is opened.
Regards
Dheeraj
Dear Dheeraj I’m planning a trip to Spiti Valley but not sure about the status of route, is it accessible or still closed.
I’m planning to leave Jalandhar and head towards Spiti on 9th of May.
Can I reach there via Manali or is it closed?
Which route would you suggest?
Chetan, you can visit Spiti Valley from Shimla – Kinnaur side but not from Manali side. The road from Manali – Kaza will open around mid June.
Hey there,
I will be in Manali by May 9th and would love to visit Spiti because I have my return booked on 13th, So these 4 nights or 5 days, I want to make it to Spiti. Please let me know how much would the Taxi be from Manali to Spiti to Manali as a round trip. Never been there, hence the question about the taxi fare as I heard that during second week of May, only Taxis will be available but not public transport.
Also, will 4 days be enough to reach Spiti-Khaza and get back to Manali ??
Regards,
Hemanth Phani
Hemanth, the road from Manali to Kaza, Spiti will not open before mid of June. So, you cannot make this trip in May second week.
Dheeraj bhai, definitely the most exhaustive website with regards to travel planning in these remote regions.
You have covered all the minute points. Superb work.
Thank you so much bhai, glad you loved it and feels that ways 🙂
Dheeraj bhai, definitely the most exhaustive website with regards to travel planning in these remote regions.
Fantastic work, as always.
Thank you so much bhai, glad you loved it and feels that ways 🙂
Hello,
We are planning to visit Spiti Valley in last week of May. Can you please guide us with the route through Manali or kasol?
Also, what places should we visit in the valley in given 36 hours and how should we proceed back to chandigarh?
Route from Manali to Kaza, Spiti Valley opens up by mid of June
i want to visit Spiti valley in Mid May this year.Could please guide me how to reach in this region from Manali?
As i am going on solo journey,Is is possible to travel through any public transport?
Hey Kevin,
You have to travel from Shimla – Kinnaur route and follow the same route back from Spiti. Manali – Kaza route will not be open in May. You can do the trip by public transport.
You can read these details in the article: How to make a budget trip to Spiti Valley by public transport
Hiee,
We are planning to visit spiti valley on our way from Leh. Please have a look at the below plan for spiti :
16th June: Leh to Jispa. night stay at jispa
17th June: Jispa to spiti via gramphu, night stay at spiti (200Km)
18th June: spiti to sollang valley, night at solang
19th June: manali to chandigarh
What time we will reach spiti if we leave jispa early morning by 6-7am, (200Km Distance)?
Will the roads open by 17th june on our way to spiti?
Can we set up our own tent at spiti or are there any tents availabe to stay?
Thanks in advance
Hi Pratik,
Jispa to Kaza is a long drive. I will recommend skipping it and at max doing Chandratal as Spiti needs 4-5 days inside it to explore something in it. Also, reach Keylong from Leh then do Keylong to Chandratal next day and then Chandratal to Solang/Manali the next one.
thanks a lot dheeraj…will follow ur route
Best wishes for your trip, feel free to post any further questions you may have.
hi Dheeraj,
Loved your blog.
I am planning to reach Manali with a friend who is coming from overseas just to see the Spiti Valley. We will be arriving to Manali on the 28th Jan from Shimla. We are planning to spend around 4-5 days and cover as much of Spiti Valley. We have a flight back from Delhi on 2nd Feb morning, so between 28th Jan – 1st Feb what can you recommend will be good for us?
As none of us are drivers, we will be hiring a private car. Given the time constraint, what itinerary can you suggest for us?
In just 4-5 days you will reach Spiti and come back with more than 9+ Hrs only on road for the day. Also, it is extremmly harsh and cold now in winters in Spiti Valley and in case it snows the chances of getting stuck are from few days to few weeks. Are you sure you want to take this trip?
Hey Dheeraj. Ananth here from Vellore. I’m a student here at Christian Medical College.
I have been reading your blog for sometime now and I must say it’s wonderfully written and boy, haven’t you traveled quite a bit.
My friends and I are planning a trip to Manali in mid May. May 13-14 to be precise. It’s always been my dream to bike from Manali to Leh. Well my friends didn’t quite agree to that but they did agree to visiting Spiti Valley.
So we planned on reaching Manali and renting bikes there and riding till Chandartal lake camping there for the night. Then riding upto Kaza and langza the next morning and back to Chandartal. And finally leaving for Manali the next day.
I’ve read your blogs on travelling to Spiti from Manali and camping in Spiti too. I was wondering if you could tell me a few things about the journey.
1) Will the road to Spiti be open. If yes, how long will it take to reach Chandartal lake from Manali? Or would you suggest a better place to camp at.
2) Could you please tell me how the renting scene is in Manali. Do you get good bikes? And about the deposits and trusted dealers. Any information will be very helpful.
3) Do you think it’s possible to reach Manali early morning and rent a bike and leave for Spiti Valley? Or would you suggest we go to Solang Valley or somewhere else and ride only the next day.
4) Do you think there are some major flaws with the plan? Could you please tell us the changed to be made to the plan? Or could you please suggest us a better plan.
Thank you,
Ananth.
Thank you Ananth !!
1. The road to Chandratal and Spiti Valley highly likely will not be open during mid of May, it opens around June first week. So, bike ride will not be possible.
2. You can refer How to Hire or Rent a Bike or Motorcycle in Manali
Rest of the questions, you can understand are irrelevant as you wont be able to ride to Spiti Valley from Manali in May.
Hi Dheeraj ji , love your passion. I will be Manali on 27 and 28 May along with family. I have one more week in hand. Can I do Keylong-Kaja -Manali-Delhi circuit ? Will the Rohtang Pass is expected to remain open ?
Thanks in advance
Somnath ji, Rohtang Pass will be open BUT the road to Kunzum Pass might not be open from Manali side to go over to Kaza. If you are really determined to do t, then probably you can have yourself dropped to one end of road closure from where you can walk for about 4-5 KMs through snowy patches and reach the other end of the road closure towards Kaza. At that end you can ask another taxi from Kaza to pick you up and then you can go inside Spiti Valley. Route to Keylong – Baralacha La falls under Lahaul and should be open by that time of the year.
Thanks Dheeraj bhai. I have decided to go through Simla side and return through the same route as well, as I will be having kids with me. My schedule is like this : Delhi-Narkanda-kalpa-nako-dhankar-kaza for 3 nights-rekong peo-simla-Delhi. Any suggestion will be highly appreciated.
Avoid overnight stay at Nako, you may get hit with AMS. After Kalpa, stay at Tabo. Then in Kaza. While return instead of Rekong Peo, go over to Sangla and stay Rakcham. Cover Chitkul and then head back to Shimla – Delhi
Hey !!
I am looking forward to travelling to the spiti valley a group of 3 bikers, this October end what will be the road conditions during this time ? I have done tosh, khir-ganga, Kausani (Trishul), rohtang pass ! one of my friend accompanying this time was born in the hills. What would you recommend ? What would be the condition of Kunzum Pass? river passes? please give me a few details ? i called people up in spiti they say kunzum is open at this time as well as the tibetan highway ? what would you suggest ?
Hello Dheeraj!
We are 7 people planning to complete Spiti Circuit in from 1-6 Nov. 2016. Our Itinerary:
Nov. 1: DELHI TO SHIMLA
Nov. 2: SHIMLA TO SANGLA
Nov. 3: SANGLA TO SUMDO
Nov. 4: SUMDO TO KAZA
Nov. 5: KAZA TO MANALI
Nov. 6: MANALI TO DELHI
Q.1 Its kinda fast tracked trip but we wish to do this in a Scorpio with 2 drivers. Will it be possible?
Q.2 Would it be possible to go to Manali from Kaza on Nov. 5? Will Kunzum Pass be open till then?
Q.3 What temp range can be expected during this time of the year? Do we need to have some anti-freezing gel for fuel in the vehicle?
Q.4 We are planning to stay in rented tents along the way for entire trips. is it doable? Are there any okish sites to camp on?
Its our first time, do not wish to mess up. Please help!
Thanks in Advance.
Hello Shekar,
There is nothing to stay at Sumdo, you will have to reach Tabo. I will not suggest at all to make the trip from Manali – Kaza road at that time of the year. In case of any eventuality, that terrain will do no good to you guys during that time of the year. In case you want to return the same route, add one more day and have this longish tiring journey in 6 days.
HELLO,
We are two people, will be reaching manali by morning 9th oct. We are planning to visit kaza either by bike or through hrtc bus from manali. The problem is we are not sure whether there are sufficient transportation for us in kaza to travel around the town (if we dont choose the bike option) and visit nearby things like the Ki monestary and the prices of accomodation and transportation. And can we rent a bike from kaza itself rather then hiring from manali(which i guess saves some money).
Is it possible for us to visit chandratal lake without personal vehicle.
Note:- we are planning to spend not more than 3-4 days from manali(As our budget is tight)
The day trip taxis are available for about 1500 a day and you can opt to travel in local shared taxis for about 50 bucks per seat one side depending upon the village you will take. For Chandratal, read: Chandratal Lake | Cheapest Ways To Travel There
hi dheeraj , as i joined college this year and never get a opportunity to travel or live alone. And i want to go on lahul spiti trip from chandigrh as i checkd ur blog and thats very informative would you please tell me what would be the total expenses shared by 2 3 guys by local transport. travelling time 1 week.
Hello Aman,
Where do you want to travel? Lahaul or Spiti? Both are far apart and follow different routes. Also, when are you planning the trip?
Hi Dheeraj,
We will arrive Manali on 1st morning, Can you please make an itinerary for us to cover all the must visits around Spiti Valley and Chandrataal Lake in about 6-7 days? And also the best means of transport and their availability between the places.
Thanks a lot.
Nikhil
Nikhil, you may like to do below plan:
Day 1 : Reach Manali by overnight volvo of and stay overnight at Solang Valley as preferred for acclimatization
Day 2 : Manali / Solang – Kaza
Day 3 : Kaza – Dhangkar – Tabo
Day 4 : Tabo – Pin Valley – Kaza. Do Ki, Kibber in the evening.
Day 5 : Kaza – Langza – Komik – Hikkim – Chandratal
Day 6 : Chandratal – Manali
Day 7 : Reach Delhi by overnight Volvo from Manali
Hello Dheeraj,
We are 2 girls planning to go Manali on 1st week of November. We are planning to visit Manali to Spiti valley by Activa. Will it be feasible? Do you have a any contact person which can rent Scooties(in a good condition) from Manali.
Nikita, you cannot to Manali – Spiti Valley in November. Rohtang Pass officially closes by end of October, means no rescue operations are carried out after that date. Have you ever under taken a trip like it? Spiti Valley roads are one of the harshest and treacherous roads in the world. So, without much experience with riding in Himalayas and such terrain, it is not recommmended even in season time to do such a trip.
Dear Dheeraj,
Good Afternoon!
Yesterday to my query on suitability of visit to SPITI valley in month of late June you responded (thanks to quick response).
Well what i am looking for is whether Chandratal lake and it’s blue colours are seen in Late June? or in other words in late june Chandratal lake wouldn’t be covered in snow?
Thanks in advance
Best Regards
Yes Kuntal, Chandratal when possible to visit in summers, emit blue hues colors. So, you will be able to see it in beautiful form. When Chandratal is frozen, it is very very hard to visit the lake.
HI, we are 2 friends planning a trip from Chandigarh – Manali – Spiti – Chandigarh/Delhi. dates are 8th Oct to 13th Oct. can someone plz suggest thebest router and places to visit. we have a budget of around 10-12 k Mam per person. people can joing us if they want. My contact no is 9860956445
Appreciate your Help!
Nikhil, you just have 6 days in hand. Feel free to pick from below routes:
Day 1 : Reach Manali and stay overnight at Solang Valley as preferred for acclimatization
Day 2 : Manali / Solang – Kaza
Day 3 : Kaza – Dhangkar – Tabo – Kaza OR Kaza – Langza – Komik – Hikkim – Kaza
Day 4 : Kaza – Ki – Kibber – Ki – Rangrik – Kunzum Pass – Chandratal/Batal
Day 5 : Chandratal/Batal – Manali
Day 6 : Manali – Delhi
Day 1 : Reach Manali by overnight and stay overnight at Solang Valley as preferred for acclimatization
Day 2 : Manali / Solang – Kaza
Day 3 : Kaza – Dhangkar – Tabo – Kaza
Day 4 : Kaza – Ki – Kibber – Langza – Komik – Hikkim – Kaza
Day 5 : Kaza – Chandratal – Manali
Day 6 : Reach Delhi by overnight Volvo from Manali (do adventure sports in day time at Solang Valley)
Hi Dheeraj ,
I am planning a solo travel to Spiti valley, but I don’t have any vehicle with me. So I am planning to take bus and shared taxis and all. I have 10 days with me. from here i got to know everyday 2 buses are going to Spiti from Kulu … and if I reach at Spiti , can I get any shared taxis or something to visit places ?? how much they will ask for each places.?
and what about the accommodation ?
can u make me an itinerary please ?
Thanks in advance ,
Regards,
Jubeesh
Yes, you will get local shared taxis to nearby places. No worries on that front. It should not be more than 50-100 bucks for the places. You will find plenty of home stays in Spiti, so no issues on that front. I will suggest you below flow, you can do based on availability of transport.
Day 01 : Reach Manali and stay overnight at Solang Valley as preferred for acclimatization
Day 02 : Manali / Solang – Kaza
Day 03 : Kaza – Lingti Valley (Lhalung) – Tabo
Day 04 : Tabo – Dhangkar – Dhangkar Lake – Pin Valley
Day 05 : Pin Valley(Mud) – Kaza – Ki – Kibber – Kaza
— Start a trekking tour in Spiti for its most beautiful villages, it is motorable so you can go up there by car and then start day treks in between these villages. Awesome way to soak in the beauty of trans Himalayas.
Day 06 : Kaza – Langza – Komic – Hikkim – Demul – Kaza | Villages trek (Stay at Langza)
Day 07 : Kaza – Langza – Komic – Hikkim – Demul – Kaza | Villages trek (Stay at Komic)
Day 08 : Kaza – Langza – Komic – Hikkim – Demul – Kaza | Villages trek (Stay at Demul)
— End tour
Day 09 : Kaza – Chandratal
Day 10 : Chandratal – Manali
Day 11 : Manali – Delhi
Hi Dheeraj,
That’s a lot of helpful information! I’m visiting Himachal next week. Spiti and Parvathy Valley are the destinations. The article is kind of making me paranoid with hidden dangers like AMS and fuel management.
Given below is my plan from Manali. I’m slightly concerned about the AMS hitting me and fuel management of the rented bike. Hopefully travelling in September won’t be that harsh. It would be really helpful if you could let me know if this plan has major flaws and if we’d be able to manage.
Day 1 | Manali stay
Day 2 | Travel to Spiti, stay at Kaza, visit Key, Kibber Komic
Day 3 | Tabo
Day 4 | Travel to Kasol, Stay at Kasol
Day 5 | Local Visits around Kasol, Stay at Kasol
Day 6 | Manikaran, Stay at Kasol
Day 7 | Tosh, Stay at Kasol
Day 8 | Travel to Manali and bus back
Manali to Spiti to Kasol to Manali, we’ll be renting out a bike (2 people).
Do you think I should add a day at Spiti and cut short of one at Parvati Valley?
Thanks in advance,
John
Hello John,
You have clubbed too many things in the plan you have above. You should focus either on Spiti Valley or on Parvati Valley. For 8 days trip to Spiti Valley, I will suggest you follow something like below:
Day 1 : Reach Manali by overnight volvo of and stay overnight at Solang Valley as preferred for acclimatization
Day 2 : Manali / Solang – Kaza
Day 3 : Kaza – Dhangkar – Tabo
Day 4 : Tabo – Pin Valley
Day 5 : Pin Valley – Kaza. Do Ki, Kibber in the evening.
Day 6 : Kaza – Langza – Komik – Hikkim – Kaza / Losar
Day 7 : Kaza / Losar – Chandratal – Manali
Day 8 : Reach Delhi by overnight Volvo from Manali
Hi Dear,
Thanks a lot for sufficient information which I was looking for.
I need suggestion if you can help that will be great…
Planning for spiti valley in second week of October via Manali . I think that’s not at all bad time to visit the place. Is it possible to complete the trip in 6-7 days???from Delhi n then coming back home. Maximum 7 days I have.
For camping I will use the link you have shared. I am more interested watching the neutral beauty instead of that expensive travel or stay, there will be 3-4 guys. Please suggest for this free of cost query 🙁
Thanks in Advance
Its not bad but its not even a good time too in case it snows heavily during those days. Chances are less but there are always chances in October. Given below is a plan you can follow for 7 day Spiti Valley trip.
Regarding camping, make sure you have very good camps and sleeping bags of at least sub zero as in night the winds will be too cold in October
Day 1 : Reach Manali by overnight volvo of 28 and stay overnight at Solang Valley as preferred for acclimatization
Day 2 : Manali / Solang – Kaza
Day 3 : Kaza – Dhangkar – Tabo – Kaza OR Kaza – Langza – Komik – Hikkim – Kaza
Day 4 : Kaza – Ki – Kibber – Chandratal
Day 5 : Chandratal – Manali
Day 6 : Chill around Manali and take evening Volvo
Day 7 : Reach Delhi by overnight Volvo from Manali
Thanks a lot .
You Superman 😉
Hi Dheeraj,
How are you Doing???
One query 🙁 please provide the best way to reach Chandratal from kibber and the after a night stay at Chandratal how we can get back to manali from Chandratal .
And what are the possible options of spending night at Chandratal.
Thanks in Advance.I know you can provide the best possible options.I am totally confused on this as everyone is posting via Batal or Losar but nowhere it’s mentioned a straight answer as how to reach from kibber,and then get back to manali from Chandratal.
Nazim, from Kibber you can get down to Rangrik first and from there continue on road to Losar – Kunzum Pass – Chandratal. From Chandratal you can come back towards the diversion point and go down to Battal – Gramphu – Rohtang Pass – Manali route. You should read: Delhi to Chandratal Lake Spiti Valley – Travel Guide
From Kibber to Rangrik and then heading towards Chandrabhal via Losar as suggested below.
Will I have to trek it or any transport facility is available for it from Kibber. Because we will not be on a bike, and the diversion which you telling, for that signs are there to direct(just to avoid any trouble at this lonely planet). You have been to this place so you must be knowing more.
Please clear this part and it will be a Big Help.
Thanks in Advance.
There should be shared local taxis running between Kibber and Kaza. Once, you reach Kaza, get a taxi to Chandratal. Yes, there is a sign board at the diversion but keep in mind that only one diversion on right will come while getting down from Kunzum Pass to Batal. Only 1 diversion, about 2-3 KMs before Batal. Rest there is no diversion on the right.
Hi, thanks for this wonderful blog.. i’m travelling today and this blog has really helped me in answering some of the queries that i had and i was not sure who to ask for. Thanks again. I’m planning a short 4 days trip from Manali – chandratal – kibber- Manali on bike starting tuesday.
Awesome, have a great trip Anand.
We are planning to go spiti valley in this Oct or Nov..Can we cover distance from Delhi to Spiti Valley in 4 days or less, if yes, then please help me in good itinerary so that i can cover that distance as early as possible.
Thanks in advance
Shubham, road from Manali – Kaza will not be recommended to travel that late in the season. Are you trying to make a 4 days trip for complete Spiti tour? It takes three days to reach Spiti Valley from Kinnaur side.
Hello Dheeraj
Is it possible to camb in spiti? I’m taking my tent with me for the ride. Can you suggest any camping point pls.
Yes Amith, very much possible. Please check: Top 10 Tips for Camping in Ladakh & Spiti Valley
Thank you so much Dheeraj for the tips.
Pleasure, best wishes for your trip 🙂
hello, Dheeraj
first of all lemme tell u that the blog is soo useful and amaizing. u hav included all the things in it and its great job.
me and my friend is planning a trip to himachal. as per the plan we are heading to kheer ganga first and after tat heading to manali and to spiti using bikes. is it a good plan or i should change it?
can i take rohtang pass on aug last week?
is there any issue in using the other way to come back from spiti? (i need to explore more places)
Thank you Unaiz. Yes, it is a good plan. However in august it rains, so if it is raining then Kheerganga trek will be slippery and risky, take caution and wise decision in case it is. You can do the entire circuit but you need days in hand and buffer days in case it rains.
Hey,
I just wanted to ask whether it’s possible to rent bicycles in Kaza and if I can take a cycle on rent from Manali in a HRTC bus?
Thanks a ton!
Hi Tarun, You can get in touch with Tsering at 09418208987, he is more than a friend to me and knows us very very well. He will be able to provide bikes on rent to you guys. In general he provide bikes for his hotel guests but you can surely check.
Hi Dheeraj,
I am planning to visit Spiti valley from delhi. I will take my own car and will start at 5 AM from delhi in August first week. I read your blog and found that travelling via manali will be a good option. I have total 6-7 days. Please suggest what all places I can cover in these days. What would be the perfect itinerary for the trip.
Hi Harsh,
You can plan something like below:
Day 1 : Reach Manali and get the Rohtang Pass permits
Day 2 : Manali / Solang – Kaza
Day 3 : Kaza – Dhangkar – Tabo
Day 4 : Tabo – Pin Valley – Kaza. Do Ki, Kibber in the evening.
Day 5 : Kaza – Langza – Komik – Hikkim – Kaza / Losar / Chandratal
Day 6 : Kaza / Losar / Chandratal – Manali
Day 7 : Reach Delhi by overnight Volvo from Manali
Hi Dheeraj,
Thank you for the reply. But one thing I want to discuss as I heard that at this particular time road condition via Manali to Spiti are not preferred if you are taking your sedan for the journey. So I thought to change the plan and go via Shimla route.
Please provide you suggestions over this and also what all things I can cover in that.
Hi Harsh,
Well, mountains in Kinnaur are more fragile than the roads of going through Manali to Kaza. Monsoons is not a good time to be in Kinnaur. The road from Manali to Kaza is never recommended for a sedan unless you want to test your driving skills in such region and do not love your car much. There are under bellies hit expected on that route for sure and in case you get careless, you may damage the chamber itself.
Hello dheeraj Is it safe to travel manali-kaza-manali amid kashmir protests now? And pls tell me about the timing of bus from manali to kaza .i want to know if there is any bus after the 5am one ..or even after 8..9 am
Well, Manali – Kaza Manali is in Himachal not in J&K and does not affect by any means from what goes on in Kashmir
Hi Dheeraj,
Can I complete the Delhi-Manali (Via Spiti)- Leh-Jammu in 14 days (23rd July to August 5th 2016)?
If Yes, please suggest an itineray for the same. Thanks in Advance
You can check a very balanced and most common itinerary for Spiti Valley followed by many travellers including me at the link here for 10-11 days: Most Common Itinerary for Spiti Valley.
PS: If possible, do pay a visit to our DoW Spiti Library in Kaza. Who knows you short walk there may help it remain active for the kids up there for much longer time 🙂 :)…
Hi Venkat
Please share the itinerary of your trip as we are also planning for a similar trip.
Can you kindly share the details at mdirfanqurishi@gmail.com
Hi Dheeraj,
We are planning to cover Manalim Kasol, Spiti, Kheerganga starting from Delhi on the 7th of July earling morning 5 am. We are traveling by our own car(Maruti Ertiga). We want to return back by 14th (making it a 7 days trip). Are we trying to cover a lot of things? What should be our detailed itinerary? Also, I want to add that we dont have any prior experience of driving on difficult terrains. Also, is it possible to hire a driver from Manali to Spiti (in our car) and what are the cab rates for Innova/Ertiga/or any 6-seater car from Manali to Spiti?
Looking forward to your reply!
Thanks!
Hi Rahul,
I will suggest following for a 7 days trip:
Day 1 : Reach Manali and stay overnight at Solang Valley as preferred for acclimatization
Day 2 : Manali / Solang – Kaza
Day 3 : Kaza – Dhangkar – Tabo
Day 4 : Tabo – Pin Valley – Kaza. Do Ki, Kibber in the evening.
Day 5 : Kaza – Langza – Komik – Hikkim – Kaza / Losar / Chandratal
Day 6 : Kaza / Losar / Chandratal – Manali
Day 7 : Start for Delhi
Hi,
I am leaving for spiti on 1at July and return on 10th from Delhi, entering from Shimla leaving from Manali. I need to inquire about the staying and accommodation through the route. Also we are two friends going on our own Enfield what are the most important things that needs to be taken care of apart from the basics. We have already done most of our preparations.
Request you to please advise on this.
Thanks
You can refer: Good Hotels or Accommodation options in Spiti Valley & Kinnaur Valley
Hi DOW,
As per your first recommended option of 3 days from Manali to Kaza, lodging is required at Solang valley, Khoksar and Kaza. Please correct me if I am wrong. I am going from 2nd Jul to 10th Jul and still to book hotels. I have following questions for lodging :
Q.1 I am planning to get advance booking for Solang Valley. But if I do not get it, are there enough good options available in this valley where we can stay without having advance bookings? We are a double couple coming from Gurgaon to Manali by Ecosport.
Q.2 For Khoksar & kaza also if we don’t book in advance, what are the chances that we can get good accommodation?
Hi Varun,
With 9 days in hand, I will suggest following itinerary:
Day 1 : Reach Manali by overnight volvo of and stay overnight at Solang Valley as preferred for acclimatization
Day 2 : Manali / Solang – Chandratal – Kaza/Losar
Day 3 : Kaza/Losar – Key – Kibber – Kaza
Day 4 : Kaza – Langza – Komik – Hikkim – Kaza
Day 5 : Kaza – Pin Valley – Dhangkar – Tabo
Day 6 : Tabo – Geyu Mummy – Nako – Kalpa
Day 7 : Kalpa – Sangla / Chitkul
Day 8 : Sangla / Chitkul – Sarahan – Narkanda
Day 9 : Narkanda – Delhi
It will be much better if you do below:
Day 1 | Delhi – Narkanda
Day 2 | Narkanda – Kalpa
Day 3 | Kalpa – Nako – Nako Lake – Geyu Mummy – Tabo
Day 4 | Tabo – Dhankar – Dhankar Lake – Pin Valley (Mudh Village) – Kaza
Day 5 | Kaza Local Sightseeing
— Ki, Kibber, Gette, Tashigang in the second half of the day
Day 6 | Kaza Local Sightseeing (Hikkim, Koumik)
— Hikkim, Komik, Langza circuit
Day 7 | Kaza – Kunzum Pass – Chandratal
Day 8 | Chandratal – Manali
Day 9 | Manali – Delhi
Thanks,, for this detailed itinerary
As I replied on your another post “Best Season to Travel on Road to Spiti Valley”. There are slightest change of plans for this year but definitely my target is to complete this circuit by next year,,,,
Really impressed with the way you express Himalayas,,,
Also, I am planning a trip by my ecosport and not volvo as you mentioned in your comment,,, I guess it is ok if I travel with my car to complete this circuit,,,
Yes, it is OK to travel by your car
Thank you Varun
Is it possible to reach kaza from manali in a single day on bike… my friends and I have 6 days in hand and want to stay atleast 3 days at kye monastery .. we will reach manali at around 5 am in morning on the 27th june…but want to be back in delhi by 3rd july as one of my friends has exam on 6th in nagpur..how do we go about things if we want to stay at kye for 3 days?
HI Dheeraj
i would like to know entire tour cost of per person for lahaul spiti. Also i would like to explore entire valley, so can u recommend best no of days to plan my tour along with accommodation details and best time to visit the valley.
Hi Urvi,
You can check a very balanced and most common itinerary for Spiti Valley followed by many travellers including me at the link here for 10-11 days: Most Common Itinerary for Spiti Valley.
PS: Do pay a visit to our DoW Spiti Library in Kaza. Who knows you short walk there may help it remain active for the kids up there for much longer time 🙂 :)…
You can get connected directly to some drivers in Spiti Valley or Kinnaur Valley at the link: List of Taxi Drivers for Spiti Valley & Kinnaur Valley. These drivers can come and pick you up from Manali / Shimla / Delhi / Chandigarh too, of course with a price of pickup as well.
The rates of the taxis are about Rs 3000-3500 per day depending upon the number of days you plan to travel, more the days, less the price.
Otherwise, taxis in general are also available on the spot from Shimla or Manali from respective taxi stands
For stay options in Kinnaur and Spiti, check the link: Some Good Options of Stays in Spiti Valley / Kinnaur Valley. You can keep an average of 900-1200 per person per day for food and stay on the tour to Spiti Valley.
I will request that you please refer the following articles for planning a trip to Spiti Valley: Spiti Valley via Manali | How to Plan Your Journey AND Spiti Valley via Kinnaur | How to Plan Your Journey
They have all the details. Feel free to let me know in case of any doubts
Hi Dheeraj,
Can you please guide us in planning our itinerary for Spiti Valley trip from 19th to 25th June. As of now, we have planned as per the below schedule. We have our parents along with us, so considering their age (around 55 yrs), can you please suggest amendments to this itinerary.
19th June- Morning: Reach Kullu from Chandigarh by Volvo & book a cab for Spiti journey.
20th June- 4 a.m : Start towards Batal, via Rohtang, reach Chandratal parking by 12-1 pm, trek to lake, start return journey towards Batal. Stay overnight at Dorje’s dhaba.
21st June- Morning: Go towards Kaza. Explore the area. Stay at Kaza/Tabo.
22nd June: Explore the vicinity.
23rd June: Morning: Start return journey from Tabo. Stay at Kalpa on the way overnight.
24th June: Travel from kalpa to Chandigarh.
1. Which place shall we prefer for staying overnight- Batal or Tabo, since Tabo is at a much lower altitude. But for reaching Tabo same day, what time do we need to start from Kullu to cover Chandratal on the way coz I assume travelling in dark is not advisable?
2. Since we will be taking cab from Kullu, is any permit required to travel through Rohtang?
3. From Chandratal parking, how far is the lake and will it be a diffcult trek for parents? Also, how much time does it take to trek to lake from parking?
4. Since 20th June being a full-moon night, I would have preferred watching the lake at night. Is it fine to stay overnight at the camping sites at Chandratal with parents?
5. Would you suggest that we return from Tabo via Rohtang or take the Kalpa/Shimla route?
6. Do you think it would be wiser to visit Chandratal while returning from Kaza via Rohtang, since we would be acclimatised?
7. Also, do you think it is a good option to take a guide alongwith us who is familiar with the area. If yes, where can I find one?
8. As a backup option, we were thinking of going to Keylong or Manikaran after visiting Chandratal, if any of us gets affected by AMS. What would you advise on this?
Thanks!
Hello Kirti,
1. It will be very difficult to reach there by that time. Battal shall be OK though you might feel AMS.
2. Yes, he should have permit to cross Rohtang Pass
3. It will take about 15 minutes.
4. It will be risky of AMS at Battal itself, the higher will go the higher the risk will be. The camps are not besides lake they are at the parking lot
5. Better come back from Manali side only as Kalpa route is long and tiring on body and you do not have days in hand to do that at ease
6. Yes, very much.
7. No, you can do it without any guide.
8. If you are open to below plan it shall be fine
19th June- Morning: Reach Manali from Chandigarh by Volvo & book a cab for Spiti journey.
20th June- 6 a.m : Start towards Kaza and reach there by evening
21st June- Morning: Kaza – Pin Valley – Tabo
22nd June: Tabo – Kaza, Ki, Kibber and Langza, Komik
23rd June: Morning: Kaza – Chandratal – Manali, start by 5 AM from Kaza
24th June: Travel from Manali to Chandigarh.
Thank you sooooo much Dheeraj for taking out time to answer all of my queries. 🙂 Much appreciated!
Best wishes for the trip 🙂
Thanks! 🙂
I am also interested in Spiti velley.. But I am a single person.. can I join you or share a cab with you..?? Plz revert.
Dinesh
9555557340
I also want to roam in Spiti valley. But me a single person. Can I share a cab with you.
Plz revert.
Dinesh
9555557340
Hey ! Just curious about the buses. You mentioned there are two daily buses but the timing listed is only for one (the 5:00am one). Any chance you know about the second bus? Getting in to Manali from Delhi so will definitely be missing the 5:00am one!
Cheers!
Beni due to rush of people, they use to run two buses same time, 10-15 minutes apart at times.
Thanks Dheeraj !
I would be going to spiti via manali on 1st june. Would the road be open by june?
Secondly i would be driving Toyota fortuner automatic. I have heard that one should not prefer an automatic car in these reasons. Is that so?
My second car is maruti ciaz. Which car should i take.
Is there any permit required to reach solang valley from manali. As i would be reaching manali in the evening.
Chances of Manali – Kaza being open during that time is 50:50 only, and I doubt it. Better take the fortuner only.
Yes Manali will need a permit to Rohtang Pass to pass through it from SDM office in Manali
Hello,
We are planning a trip to spiti valley in July 2016.We have 4-5 days to spend around spiti valley.Can someone suggest an itinerary for us to visit the best places around spiti valley in 4 days from manali-spiti valley-manali.It may be possible for us to extend it for another day .
Thank you!
You should do this
Day 1 | Delhi – Manali and stay overnight at Solang Valley
Day 2 | Solang – Khoksar/Sissu/Chatru/Batal
Day 3 | Khoksar/Sissu/Chatru/Batal – Chandratal
Day 4 | Chandratal – Manali
Day 5 | Manali – Delhi
Hi I am planning a road trip from manali to spiti with 4-5 friends from 14th to 20th august. Can you help me prepare a detailed itinerary. Also please help me figure out if we can do a short trek from suraj tal to chandra tal. And can we visit pin valley national park.
With just 7 days in hand, Day 1 : Reach Manali by overnight volvo of and stay overnight at Solang Valley as preferred for acclimatization
Day 2 : Manali / Solang – Kaza
Day 3 : Kaza – Dhangkar – Tabo
Day 4 : Tabo – Pin Valley – Kaza. Do Ki, Kibber in the evening.
Day 5 : Kaza – Langza – Komik – Hikkim – Kaza / Losar / Chandratal
Day 6 : Kaza / Losar / Chandratal – Manali
Day 7 : Reach Delhi by overnight Volvo from Manali
Thank u so much…this would really help.
Hi,
I am planning to travel spiti valley in 2nd wk of june.
Can U give me idea about how the weather would be, will there be snow or not?
Where to stay?
Hello Soniya,
Weather in Spiti Valley will be pleasant during that time of the year. Do carry light woolens and one heavy jacket for sure to beat the unprecedented cold which may be the case in case it becomes overcast. For stay options in Kinnaur and Spiti, check the link: Some Good Options of Stays in Spiti Valley / Kinnaur Valley
Hi,
Even I am planning a trip to Spiti Valley from New Delhi in the 2nd week of June. Can you suggest an itinerary ?
How many days you have in hand?
4-5 days…
With just 5 days,
Day 1 | Delhi – Manali and stay overnight at Solang Valley
Day 2 | Solang – Khoksar/Sissu/Chatru/Batal
Day 3 | Khoksar/Sissu/Chatru/Batal – Chandratal
Day 4 | Chandratal – Manali
Day 5 | Manali – Delhi
Hi Dheeraj, thanks for the reply. Can you also tell me the best way to commute after I reach Manali ?
Also, which are some good accommodations that I can take at these places?
You can get connected directly to some drivers in Spiti Valley or Kinnaur Valley at the link: List of Taxi Drivers for Spiti Valley & Kinnaur Valley. These drivers can come and pick you up from Manali / Shimla / Delhi / Chandigarh too, of course with a price of pickup as well.
The rates of the taxis are about Rs 3000-3500 per day depending upon the number of days you plan to travel, more the days, less the price.
Otherwise, taxis in general are also available on the spot from Shimla or Manali from respective taxi stands
For stay options in Kinnaur and Spiti, check the link: Some Good Options of Stays in Spiti Valley / Kinnaur Valley
Hi Dheeraj, i am planning a bike trip from manali to spiti valley on 21-25 oct. is it the right time?
Ashish, not at all the right and safe time to travel Manali – Kaza road during that time of the year. It is too late in the season.
As per article (manali to spiti ): Best Season to Travel on Road to Spiti Valley is sept – oct. I want to go their from 23-28 oct. Is it that bad so that we cannot go by bike. Lot of confusion created by travel agencies. can you help?
Praveen, October is good. However, not from the road of Manali – Kaza. If you are OK to travel from Shimla – Kinnaur side, then it is fine. Also, note that it will be quite cold up there in Spiti during that time. The article also clearly warns which I think you did not read “Regarding making the complete circuit, especially in October, yes you can come from Kinnaur side and go via Manali side BUT do check the weather updates for few days before making the trip across Kunzum Pass when you are at Kaza or Losar. Kunzum Pass starts getting snowfall by September and it can be very tricky crossing over it. Hence, you need to be sure of weather especially in October, when making a move from Kaza or Losar beyond Kunzum Pass.
“
@Praveen
No need to be confused.
Shimla-Kaza route is good as per your schedule. Please try to avoid Manali-Kaza route. I was there on 21 Sep 2015 and snowfall was started at Kunzum. Fresh and micro-detailed travelogue is being published here:: mainyayavar.blogspot.in
hi Ashish,
are you still planning to travel to spiti on 21st Oct?? If yes, please get in touch with me at gunjita.batta@gmail.com
Hi Dheeraj !!! First thanks a lot for all hardwork and adventurous writing …
I am planning to visit spiti valley from delhi by bike with my wife via shimla ….
1) 27th September What about the weather condition
2) How hard to travel 1500 Km with piling in 8-9 Days ? Is it fissible ?
3) Any other feedback as per your experience ….:)
Waiting for response sir !!!Thanks in advance
Also please let me know about the road condition with weather
Hi Dheeraj !
Can You advice me spiti valley trip on august 24 to 26
regarding the weather forecast
and i want to rent a bike from manali
on an average how much it should cost rent per day
In just three days you cannot make a trip to Spiti Valley Shubham. It takes three days to reach up there.
Hey DOW!
You have been an all time companion on all my rides.. I would like to this opportunity to thank you firstly!!
Now, the query. I have about 4 days in shelf and planning a ride to Spiti. I am well aware that this is impossible, so I would like to know what best I can do. Will be riding from Delhi and taking the Manali route, starting this Monday.
Please let me know.
Also, can we tent in this circuit individually?
Yes, you can surely camp your way on this route.
Subhajyoti, well, not sure what eaxctly you will be able to do in 4 days with a one to one challenge to AMS as well. You can go over to Manali, Manali to Kaza, Kaza to Manali and Manali to Delhi
hi dheeraj.. is it feasible to go to chandrataal this time as we r planning on 1st or 2nd august… . what sort of weather conditions we have to face…
Arunesh, it is all monsoon now in the hills and you should expect some hassles for sure in the form of landslides, slush, bad roads, swollen water crossings.
Hi Dheeraj,
Awesome blog, three/four of us are planning to travel to Spiti valley around 26th July via manali.
I know it is not the best time but is it doable?
We have around 10 days, and we have our own XUV, plus we are planning to hire a driver and another bike in Manali.
Please suggest if biking will be possible
Ambar, you can bike in case you have experience of biking in hills. Also, you have a backup vehicle as car so you can give it a try. Are you planning from Manali to Manali or Shimla to Manali?
HI ,
I am planing a road trip on bike on august 9-15 from manali – spiti
please help me plan my trip
thanks in advance
what about rain and landslide ?
is it a good time to visit spiti ?
Manish, in lower hills you will have to face the monsoon hassles for sure. Once in Spiti, you will mostly be in rain shadow region.
hi dheeraj.. good to see ur blog. u a doin a fab job bro,
can u help me making a tour of 4 days from chandigarh to chandrataal
shud we go to sissu or solang valley for acclimatiztion on first day..??
can we include kaza or will it be hectic as we r 2
couples and its a short trip ..?
which catageory of conveyance cab would u suggest..??
or what according to u, shud be our itenerary of trip?
Arunesh, in just 4 days I will suggest that you take the chance and do like:
Day 1 | Chandigarh – manali – Solang Valley
Day 2 | Solang Valley – Gramphu – Chandratal
Day 3 | Chandratal – Manali . Mandi
Day 4 | Return
thanx for rply dheeraj…what abt the taxi..??which one should we prefer…???
Arunesh, you can opt for either Xylo or Innova.
sorry to bother u again dheeraj… can u recommend any cab provider number. n what will be d approx fares for this trip
You can get connected directly to some drivers in Spiti Valley or Kinnaur Valley at the link: List of Taxi Drivers for Spiti Valley & Kinnaur Valley. These drivers can come and pick you up from Manali / Shimla / Delhi / Chandigarh too, of course with a price of pickup as well.
The rates of the taxis are about Rs 3000-3500 per day depending upon the number of days you plan to travel, more the days, less the price.
Otherwise, taxis in general are also available on the spot from Shimla or Manali from respective taxi stands
Hi Dheeraj,
Planning a trip to Spiti via Manali since Kinnaur side isn’t advised by you around third week of July. Please let me know what place do you recommend to stay in Solang. There is a lot of information on stay options further into Spiti so that shouldn’t be a problem I guess.
Thanks a ton and great work!
Survesh, you can stay at Solang. Most of the hotels will be empty and available on the spot. I prefer hotel iceland though when I stay up there.
Thanks a lot for your reply dheeraj the only problem which I am facing is the means of transport .
What will be the expected fare of the taxi for manali to chandratal ?
Manali – Chandratal, shall be around 13-14K now for the trip.
It’s been a long time since I posted here. And now that I’ve come across this lovely post, can’t resist posting a question sir.
Dheeraj Sir. I have 5 days at hand, and I want to explore Spiti. Please suggest and guide me the best way 🙂
Saurabh bhai, its your home and you know it best 🙂 🙂
If you will ask me, in 5 days, just for you, you can traverse the route:
Day 1 | Delhi – Puh/Ribba/Kalpa, of course require night driving
Day 2 | Reach Tabo next day and rest there
Day 3 | Tabo – Dhangkar – Pin Valley – Kaza
Day 4 | Kaza – Kunzum Pass – Manali
Day 5 | Manali – Delhi
hi deeraj…I’m planning to visit spiti on 15 july..plz tell me is it right time to visit spiti vai manali.
Sonia, by mid july, it is fine to travel Spiti Valley before the rains hit the region
Dheeraj
I returned yesterday from Chandrataal. Roads are now open and I am glad to say that we were the first guys who reached Chandrataal in car. Thanks to Dorjee Uncle’s son Tashi and his 4*4 Bolero campor. We cleared all the stones on the way along with Bishan Uncle of Parsol camps. Thanks to you for providing all the contacts on your blog.
Awesome ashish, thank you for the update. It will help many people traveling there to Chandratal
Dheeraj bhai
Pls tell me the status of kunzum pass.road is open for Manali to kaza?
Sanjeev, road to Chandratal as well as Manali to Kaza are open
Dheeraj bhai
I m also from himachal but I have a non h.p registered car.want to go Manali to kaza . I have to take the permit or not .if yes then from where I got it.except SDM office.is there any place to stay for a night between rohtang jot to kunzum jot.pls tell about the road condition for light motor vehicles.
Pls help
Sanjeev, yes you need to take the permit and entire process for taking the permit to cross Rohtang Pass has been enlisted under article: Rohtang Pass Rules & Restriction of Vehicles – Demystified
Great Ashish,
Hello I just want to know is it okay to travel in spiti valley for two new young guns of age 19?
We want to explore spiti valley at least channdratal lake and we have 5 days is it doable ?
last and most important thing how much it will cost for whole trip from manali to chandratal lake by taxi hired from manali? thanks a lot..
Kuldeep a lot of people do it, what challenge do you see with age here?
In just 5 days only chandratal is possible.
Day 1 | Delhi – Manali and stay overnight at Solang Valley
Day 2 | Solang – Khoksar/Sissu
Day 3 | Khoksar/Sissu – Chandratal
Day 4 | Chandratal – Manali
Day 5 | Manali – Delhi
Thanks very much Dheeraj for ur reply. I intend to reach rohtang by 22 june , wats the best way to find out if the roads will open by 22?? If 2 days r less to go to tabon com bak i vl limit myself till kaza because i hav plans of going till srinagar n finish my ride by 2nd july.suggest…
Yes, you wil be doing like below:
Manali – Kaza
Kaza – Tabo – Kaza
Kaza – Manali.
Stay tuned at the thread: https://discoverwithdheeraj.com/india/road-status-conditions-f32/manali-kunzum-pass-spiti-valley-road-status-2013-t36.html
Hey Dheeeaj ,
i am starting from manali on 21 june …intend to go til tabo n com bak tof a point in order to further proceed to ladakh.is it possible to cover tabo via rohtang gramphu kunzum losar kaza n b bak on way to ladakh in 2 days ?? If yes , vch plac i shall get bak to , to head to ladakh .??
Pranshu, Manali – Kaza road might not be open by that time. It is expected to open in by 25th June. Also, just 2 days for a trip to Tabo from Manali is quite less.
Sir, i want to go spiti valley via manali, In first week of july is that possible or road will remain be close at that time. Please guide me otherwise my full crew will be in trouble.
Ashish, road to Spiti Valley from Manali will open by that time of the year.
Thank u paji, hope i and my team will enjoy there.
Hi dheeraj ….I am planning to go on a trip to spiti on 20 June and plan to do the full circuit.we have 15 days in hand and plan to start from Delhi to shimla ….can you please guide me on how to plan my trip and please mention if there are any adventure sports
Hi Dimple,
You can check a very balanced and most common itinerary for Spiti Valley followed by many travellers including me at the link here for 10-11 days: Most Common Itinerary for Spiti Valley.
You can add days in between wherever you want to take it easy especially you can spend couple of days in Kinnaur valley especially Sangla and Chitkul. Then you can move to Kalpa and from there to Tabo in the above plan. One day you can spend in Chandratal.
Regards
Dheeraj
Hi dheeraj
U doing a gr8 job here..!
I and my friends (4 ppl together) wish to go to spiti valley from 15th to 20th june..we will be reaching manali/ solang on 15th…( we start from dharamshala on 15th morning)
1. Is it possible to go to spiti/kaza and reach back delhi by 21st june or max 22nd june…
2. we are hiring a taxi from delhi -dharamshala-manali…should we continue with the same taxi or hire a different one from manali..(permits and experience issue). ..Plz help…thanks 🙂
Also, can you suggest what time should we start from dharamshala on 15th to reach solang on time??
Hi Parul,
1. It appears very much not possible as Manali – Kaza road is expected to open by 25th of June, read the update here: https://discoverwithdheeraj.com/india/road-status-conditions-f32/manali-kunzum-pass-spiti-valley-road-status-2013-t36-90.html#p21263
2. Crossing Rohtang Pass will have an impact due to new rule of congestion charges and vehicle limit of 100 only with 400 diesel and 600 petrol. Out of 1000 only 275 are allowed outside Himachal with same percentage division. So, less chances of getting permit especially in the month of June when tourist rush is at peak and there are loads of hassles people are going through at prsesent.
Regards
Dheeraj
hi dheeraj,
I’m planning a bike trip from 6-16th june. Im planning to do entire circuit. Hope this is the right time to do ? So far what I have planned is delhi – narkanda – sarahan – sangla- tabo- kaza – chandratal – manali – delhi . Assist me with the best plan and stay.
thanks
Kartik, You can check a very balanced and most common itinerary for Spiti Valley followed by many travellers including me at the link here for 10-11 days: Most Common Itinerary for Spiti Valley.
However, the time you are planning, Kaze to Manali road will not be open.
Hi sir,I forgot to mention the date.i plan leave on 22 June.
Thank you
Dhruv
Hi sir,
I’m planning a trip via manali we plan to go for 10 days …we also plan to do a 3 journey .please help me plan the trip.also,I have maruti swift car …is it possible to use it?and please suggest some adventure sports out there
Thank you
Dhruv Gangwani
Dhruv, I am confused by what you mean 3 journey.
I meant a 3 people journey
Hi Dheeraj,
Really appreciate the way you explain things and interact with people. Its very helpful. I and a group of friends are thinking of travelling to Spiti via Manali (reaching Manali on 23th August and we have 5 days in hand. Can you please help in advising the probable itinerary along with accommodation options? Also, can we expect rains in the last week of August? We are planning to have a rented car along with us from Manali.
Thanks,
Punit
Punit, bare minimum you can follow the plan below in case you want to see Spiti Valley:
Day 1 : Reach Manali by overnight and stay overnight at Solang Valley as preferred for acclimatization
Day 2 : Manali / Solang – Kaza
Day 3 : Kaza – Dhangkar – Tabo – Kaza
Day 4 : Kaza – Ki – Kibber – Langza – Komik – Hikkim – Kaza
Day 5 : Kaza / Losar – Chandratal – Manali
Day 6 : Reach Delhi by overnight Volvo from Manali (do adventure sports in day time at Solang Valley)
Hi Dheeraj,
Thanks for your response. Just a follow-up query, how probable is it that we will receive rainfall during last week of August? Should we also consider landslides and roadblocks into our itinerary (if its a common phenomenon at that time)?
It is monsoon time in general up there in North and at some parts of Manali – Leh Highway (like before Baralacha La) and Srinagar – Leh Highway (like before Kargil) you might need to face monsoon hassles but once you get closer to Ladakh, then Ladakh being rain shadow region is least affected by monsoon rains, though rains does reach Ladakh now but to minimum and mostly it might remains overcast conditions. There is no thumb rule of certainty about weather conditions but above is generally common pictures seen over last few years except ugly 2010 …
Hi dheeraj
First of all this is an exceptional site.
I along with my college friends are planning to visit spiti valley around 7 july. We are planning to take manali route( heard shimla route is quite dangerous during rainy season).we have around 10-12 days in hand.please suggest a itinerary plus some accommodation ideas and we will be taking public transportation(hope thats not a problem out there).
Thanks
Jayeet, you can refer the below plan:
Day 01 : Proceed to Manali – Stay
Day 02 : Reach Manali and stay overnight at Solang Valley as preferred for acclimatization
Day 03 : Manali / Solang – Kaza
Day 04 : Kaza – Dhangkar – Tabo
Day 05 : Tabo – Lingti Valley (Lallung) – Pin Valley
Day 06 : Pin Valley(Mud) – Kaza – Ki – Kibber – Kaza
Day 07 : Kaza – Langza – Komic – Hikkim – Demul – Kaza (Stay at Komic or Langza or Demul)
Day 08 : Kaza – Langza – Komic – Hikkim – Demul – Kaza (Stay at Komic or Langza or Demul)
Day 09 : Kaza – Chandratal
Day 10 : Chandratal – Manali
Day 11 : Manali – Delhi
Day 12 : Buffer day
I also wanted to know about the kind of transportation we can avail their ( like after reaching kaza).
You can get taxis in Kaza.
Dear Dheeraj Sir,
planning a bike trip to spiti valley in June’15, but have only 9 days in hand, could you please do me a favour by preparing a itinerary from Gurgaon to Gurgaon, including places where night stays to be made & what all sightseeing can be done, availability of petrol pumps, accommodation facility etc.
Rajeev, by what date of June are you planning the trip to Spiti Valley?
On 6th June’15 early morning. I will be ready to leave for Shimla or any other location as per your instruction.
Rajeev, since you planning for 9 days and early june, you cannot do the entire circuit. So, you need to travel from Shimla – Kinnaur route and bacm by same route.
Day 1 | Chandigarh – Narkanda – Sarahan
Day 2 | Sarahan – Rakcham/Sangla/Chitkul
Day 3 | Rakcham/Sangla/Chitkul – Nako – Geyu Mummy – Tabo
Day 4 | Tabo – Dhangkar – Dhangkar Lake – Pin Valley – Kaza
— For stay check Sakya Abode or snow lion are two good options at Kaza apart from PWD Guest houses. Get in touch with Tsering, the guy who runs it. He is a very good friend of mine and you can refer my name or DoW to him. Read more about Sakya Abode at: Sakya Abode Kaza – An Enriching Experience in Spiti Valley
Day 5 | Kaza Rest and Local Sightseeing
— Ki, Kibber, Gette, Tashigang
Day 6 | Kaza – Hikkim, Komik, Langza circuit – Kaza, may be in the second half go towards Kunzum Pass or till where the road is open towards it.
Day 7 | Kaza – Tabo – Nako – Kalpa
Day 8 | Kalpa – Narkanda
Day 9 | Narkanda – Chandigarh/Delhi
Hi Rajeev,
We group of 3 frnds also leaving for same route on 06th June early morning from Delhi with 9 days in hand. Would try to get in touch with you for trip
dear rajeev,
im planning a bike trip too form delhi 6 – 15th. I have a ready plan, we can tag, if you want.
I have already been to leh Ladakh last year…… I m only planning for spiti and lahual valley….. Is 7 days enough for the tour via Manali road in July…. If extra days required then do mention it… Can u give me a nice plan about how to make my trip planned….
Rabi, for 7 days in Spiti Valley, you can refer:
Day 1 : Reach Manali by overnight volvo of and stay overnight at Solang Valley as preferred for acclimatization
Day 2 : Manali / Solang – Kaza
Day 3 : Kaza – Dhangkar – Tabo
Day 4 : Tabo – Pin Valley – Kaza. Do Ki, Kibber in the evening.
Day 5 : Kaza – Langza – Komik – Hikkim – Kaza / Losar / Chandratal
Day 6 : Kaza / Losar / Chandratal – Manali
Day 7 : Reach Delhi by overnight Volvo from Manali
Hi Dheeraj,
Firstly have to admit you have done a brilliant job with this blog. Kudos for that.
I am planning a trip : Delhi by bus to Manali then by road so either bus or car to Spiti again bus or car to Leh fly back to Delhi 1st Sept-15th Sept & hoping to see the foll :Rohtang Pass, Kibber, Chandratal Lake, Tso Moriri, Pangong Lake, Nubra Valley & everything else in between that you suggest I should def cover. Request for an entire itinerary to be chalked out as this is my first visit to this area & yes I know I am asking to cover a lot in a few days but will highly appreciate it if you could make the best suggestions & give me any info you would have & also info about buses that ply on these routes.
Look forward to hearing from you soon.
Thanks a ton!!
Thanks Monali. You planning to cover all these places by bus? If yes, it will be quite doubtful in just 15 days. Anyways, where are you planning to return? Manali?
Hi Dheeraj,
I can do car journey from Manali to Leh covering all the places I mentioned & all that you will suggest. It will be good if you can share some car hire details for Manali onwards. We will be 3 of us in total so we can definetly share the cost.
I am planning to fly out of Leh to Delhi only to save time as I got only 15days in hand.
Thanks & Regards,
In that case you can follow the plan as below:
Day 1 | Manali – Kaza
Day 2 | Rest day at Kaza
Day 3 | Kaza – Ki – Kibber – Chandratal
Day 4 | Chandratal – Jispa
Day 5 | Jispa – Sarchu – Pang – Leh
Day 6 | Leh Rest Day
Day 7 | Leh – Nubra Valley (Hunder / Deskit)
Day 8 | Day trip to Turtuk
Day 9 | Nubra Valley – Leh
Day 10 | Leh – Pangong Tso cover Shey Palace
Day 11 | Pangong Tso Leh covering Hemis & Thicksey
Day 12 | Sham Valley Tour covering Alchi, Likir, basgo
Day 13 | Leh – Tso Moriri
Day 14 | Tso Moriri – Tso Kar – Leh
Day 15 | Leh Rest Day
To get directly connected to taxi drivers on this route, you can refer: List of Taxi Drivers for Ladakh – Srinagar – Leh – Manali
Hi.Dheeraj,
we r planning to do the complete circuit of kinnaur spiti manali. Would like to know whether to stay at Sangla in kinner camps or stay at Rackcham’at kailash view camps.We want to stay on the river bank of Baspa.
First we shd go to Pin valley ‘stay overmight and then go to Kaza,Or the other way round.
Most imp.,we want to go to chandratal lake .Hope it will not be close at the end of June 2015.
Better stay at Rackcham. Secondly, you should go to Pin Valley and then to Kaza. Chandratal with some hike shall be accessible by June end.
Hi Dheeraj,
I am planning all alone to spiti or kalpa, as i have leaves from 11th April to 18th April 2015.
Will you please suggest me some groups with whom i might join, because as i didn’t want to miss the opportunity to use my leaves by visiting any of the places.
Please suggest on urgent basis. as i am admant to cover any of the above places this time for sure.
Regards
Abhishek Tyagi
Abhishek, you can check the DoW Travel Calendar for finding suitable travel partners according to your needs. You can submit your entry too up there so that other looking for similar groups or people can connect with you.
Hi,
We are planning to visit Manali & Spiti from Oct 2..5 people.
Oct 2: 5:00 AM -Delhi to Manali- Night stay at Solang
Oct 3: Adventure sports at Solang Valley- Night stay at Solang
Oct 4: 5:00 AM- Solang to Kaza via Rohtang Pass/ Nako lake/ Ki Monaestry/ Kunzum Pass- Night Stay at Kaza
Oct 5: Pin Valley/ Chandrataal- Night stay at Kaza
Oct 6: Kaza to Manali- Night stay at Manali
Oct 7: Manali to Delhi
Please help advise if this can fit in well.
Oct 4: looks like a bit too much travelling.. IS it? Is there a place before Kaza to spend a night at? Something alongside a river or anything else with more fun?
Would look fwd to your advise.
Also, any special areas to take care of..?
Chinky, best you can do with just 6 days in hand is below:
Day 1 : Reach Manali by overnight and stay overnight at Solang Valley as preferred for acclimatization
Day 2 : Manali / Solang – Kaza
Day 3 : Kaza – Dhangkar – Tabo – Kaza
Day 4 : Kaza – Ki – Kibber – Langza – Komik – Hikkim – Kaza
Day 5 : Kaza / Losar – Chandratal – Manali
Day 6 : Reach Delhi by overnight Volvo from Manali (do adventure sports in day time at Solang Valley)
Hi Dheeraj,
We’re planning to go to Lahaul Spiti in mid of May,2015 Pls suggest in terms of:-
1)Route, whether to go via manali or shimla or a mix of two.i.e taking manali route while going and shimla while returning or vice versa.
2)Being a group of 6-7 people would be a innova be manageable or not?
3)Vehicle should be hired from delhi or at manali(if so we have to follow same route both sides).
4)Will the Rohtang pass would be passable by innova, since in may only it starts and heaps of snow would be there at many places and also the receding snow will make the roads into river beds(though at some places only 😉 )
5)And what will be the appox cost incurred?
Hi Avijeet,
1. In May, the route from Manali will not be open and hence you need to take the route from Shimla – Kinnaur side only.
2. 5 is comfortable, 6 is tight and 7 is tightest. Make your choice 🙂
3. You need to follow the route from Shimla, so hire the vehicle from Shimla only. You can get connected directly to some drivers in Spiti Valley or Kinnaur Valley at the link: List of Taxi Drivers for Spiti Valley & Kinnaur Valley. These drivers can come and pick you up from Manali & Shimla too.
4. As said, Manali route including Rohtang Pass will not be accessible in May
5. Taxi cost range from 3200-3500 per day, then, take 1000-1200 per day for food and stay
Regards
dheeraj sharma
I am looking for a trip in the 1st/2nd week of June.I shall be leaving Kolkata on 5th June and will try to some back on 15th/16th June.We are in all 6 people(3 couples) all of 30-35 age group.Please suggest me a tourplan with budget rates.
Artira, to where you will be reaching from Kolkata. Delhi OR Jammu? Also are you looking for info. or travel packages? Are you planning a trip to Spiti Valley?
I shall be reaching to Manali/Shimla as you suggest via Delhi.We are 6,you can give me info on best spots and how to plan my journey.Yes I am planning for a trip in Spliti valley
You can follow a plan like below:
Day 1 – Delhi – Narkanda
Day 2 – Narkanda – Kalpa
Day 3 – Kalpa – Nako – Geyu Mummy – Tabo
Day 4 | Tabo – Dhangkar – Dhangkar Lake – Pin Valley
Day 5 | Pin Valley – Kaza Local Sightseeing
— For stay check Sakya Abode or snow lion are two good options at Kaza apart from PWD Guest houses. Get in touch with Tsering, the guy who runs it. He is a very good friend of mine and you can refer my name.
Day 6 | Kaza Local Sightseeing
— Ki, Kibber, Gette, Tashigang
Day 7 | Kaza Local Sightseeing and go back to Tabo
— Hikkim, Komik, Langza circuit
Day 8 | Kaza – Rakcham/Sangla
Day 9 & 10 – Rakcham – Sangla – Chitkul
Day 11 | Chitkul – Sarahan/Narkanda/Daranghati
Day 12 | Sarahan/Narkanda/Daranghati – Delhi
You can remove the days as you like, example Day 10 to make it 11 day plan as per your need. You can start from Chandigarh as well.
Hi Dheeraj, I am planning to travel to the spiti valley via Manali from 8th of September to the other 16thand wanted to know about the road conditions as I am driving a ford figo. Also is the time mentioned above enough to cover the entire lahaul, spiti and kinnaur areas as I plan to return via Shimla.
Thanks in advance
Sorry Rahul, I got late in replying. You must be on the trip to Spiti Valley and mine starts tomorrow 🙂
Hey Dheeraj.
What awesome posts..love the details..
I am planning to travel to Manali from the 3rd to the 9th of Sep.
I plan to stay in Vashisht. Can you help me plan the What to do And Where to do it!!
Since I only have about 6 days, will Spiti a Valley be possible to do? I at least want to get to Chandratal. Can that be done?
Also where else can I go? Can you suggest a good guest house in Vashisht with a fab view!! Be a sight for your Bombay sore eyes 😉
Can we stay close to the Chandratal?
Hope to hear from you soon. Let me know if you ever need to plan a Mumbai to Goa trip!! 😉
Hello Smarika,
Well, you can follow an itinerary as below:
Day 1 | Reach Vashishth / Manali and stay there. Releax
Day 2 | Vashishth / Manali – Khoksar / Sissu, on the way you can stay for sometime at Solang Valley and do paragliding if required.
Day 3 | Khoksar / Sissu – Chandratal
Day 4 | Chandratal – Manali
Day 5 | Manali, go over to Naggar or Kasol.
Day 6 | Return
Thanks Dheeraj.
This seems like a good plan. I hoped to do Spiti but I guess that’s another trip.
Thanks again.
Hi Dheeraj,
Can you also suggest some place to stay in Khoksar or Sissu?
Also, since on Day 4, we will travel directly from Chandratal to vashisht, wanted to know how long a journey that is by taxi? Distance and time wise ..
Khoksar only has a PWD Rest House, and at Sissu I stay at: Hotel Triveni – Sissu at Manali – Leh Highway
Chandratal to Vashishth will take around 8 Hrs.
I also saw your post on the taxi guys, is there anyone from Manali who you can recommend?
Check this: https://discoverwithdheeraj.com/india/ladakh-zanskar-travel-guides/listof-taxi-drivers-for-ladakh-srinagar-leh-manali-t353.html
Yes, Spiti should be your other trip only 🙂
Thanks Dheeraj,
Also wanted to have an idea about the distance from Manali to Sissu .. And from Sissu to Chandratal.
Will plan my timings accordingly.
This is the breakup till Batal: Manali – Marhi (37 KMs) – Rohtang Pass (51 KMs) – Gramphu (66 KMs) – Chattru (81 KMs) – Chota Dhara (98 KMs) – Batal (113 KMs)
Gramphu to Khoksar: 5 KMs and then Khoksar to Sissu: 14 KMs
Dear Dheeraj bhai
i m from Mathura and me and some friends r planning to kunjum pass, losar, chandra tal lake, kie monastery . can u suggest us about camping in chandra tal . how can we book it ?
Paritosh, there are no signal at Chandratal, so you cannot really do the bookings. Best is to land up there and book or make pre-arrangements which might be costly.
Hi,
Your blogs make people plan a trip even if it was not on their mid. 🙂
After reading your blogs,we are planning for a trip to Spiti via Manali from 14th August onwards.We will be travelling from Delhi and we have just 5 days for the tour. Would this be a safe time interms of Landslides/Rain?
Any specific suggestions that you have?
With just 5 days in hand, I do not think Spiti Valley is an ideal place to go. May be you can try Chandratal just.
Delhi Manali, Manali – Rohtang Pass – Khoksar/Sissu, Khoksar/Sissu – Chandratal, Chandratal – Manali, Manali – Delhi.
Okay, we have booked a Volvo from delhi which will drop us at manali on Aug 15th morning 7:00 AM. Could you help us planning further trip? Where can we stay in Khoksar/Sissu/Chandratal? What’s the best way to commute?
I have already shared the plan with you:
Delhi Manali,
Manali – Rohtang Pass – Khoksar/Sissu,
Khoksar/Sissu – Chandratal,
Chandratal – Manali,
Manali – Delhi.
At Khoksar, you can stay at PWD Rest House and eat at Dhabhas outside. At Sissu, best place to stay is at Hotel Triveni, cheap and very comfortable rooms.
16th August
Manali – Rohtang Pass 55 kms / 3 hours
Rohtang – Kokshar – Tandi – Keeylong 70 kms / 6 hours
Stay at Keeylong
***
17th August
Keylong/Jispa – Darcha – Sarchu
Sarchu – Pang 80 kms
Stay at Pang
***
18th August
Pang – Upshi riding through Moore Plains
Upshi – Leh
Night Stay at Leh
***
19th August
Local Sight Seeing at Leh
Night Stay at Leh
***
20th August
Leh – Kargill 220 kms
Night Stay at Kargil
***
21st August
Kargil – Drass – Sonmarg – Srinagar
Night Stay at Srinagar
***
22nd August
Srinagar – Pathankot
***
23rd August
Pathankot – Chandigarh
***
24th
Fly Back to Hyderabad
***
Please Suggest me if this is good and your suggestions are certainly Valuable. I have an Extra Day if needs to be fit into this
Regards,
Ashish Bajaj
Hi Dheeraj,
I have become a big Fan of yours after reading this blog you have created # this is the best blog i have ever seen. and many thanks to your excellent work,
As for first timers like me this is an wikipedia !!!!
But i think i would still need your help to plan the trip the best,
i with 3 of my friends are planning a trip to Manali to Leh Needed your inputs to plan the same.
We are starting from Hyderabad and will reach Chandigarh on 15th August to 25th August
Thank you very much Ashish !! 🙂 🙂 I replied it here: https://discoverwithdheeraj.com/spiti-valley-via-manali-how-to-plan-your-journey/#comment-82527
Ashish, you are not covering anything in Ladakh just the highways. Even in this plan if you can reverse the itinerary it will make more sense. Else it is better to avoid stay at Pang or Sarchu while going from Manali to Leh because as you will not be acclimatized by that time. USe this day for either day trip to Khardung La OR day trip to Pangong Tso if you feeling good.
Hi. Dheerj. We plaaned to leh by mnalli from punjab on 23 july in mahindra thar. Can we include the trip to spiti valley in this as we have 12 to 15 days. Needs yur suggestion about this. If possible than plz give us a route plan
Gagan, it will be very difficult to include Spiti in 12-15 days with entire circuit of Ladakh covering all three major tourist places in Ladakh. You will have to skip one or the other. However, if you come back from Manali side only then you can at least cover Chandratal Lake of Spiti Valley.
Bro. If we come bck again from leh mnali route . Then it will be posible or not. Plz give us route plan with days of spiti valley and leh. Then we ll decide. Doesnt mattr if days go to 15 up. Plz suggest
Guess I answered this to your other reply.
Is this is a right time or not. As moonsoon strts or not
Gagan, if you come back from Leh – Manali route then only including Chandratal is possible. Once you reach the lower hills then you will face hassles of rains. You can extend the itinerary mentioned in the article: Most Common Itinerary for Leh – Ladakh
While coming from Tso Moriri, instead of reach Sarchu, extend the day and try to reach Jispa. Then next day do Jispa to Chandratal and then Chandratal to Manali and back home in the itinerary of article linked above. If you do not want to extend that day then from Sarchu go over and stay at either Keylong or Sissu and next day go to Chandratal and go over to Manali from there.
Hey can you suggest a good driver cum guide for our trip to spiti via manali?
You can get connected directly to some drivers in Spiti Valley or Kinnaur Valley at the link: List of Taxi Drivers for Spiti Valley & Kinnaur Valley
The rates of the taxis are about Rs 3000-3500 per day depending upon the number of days you plan to travel, more the days, less the price.
Hey Bro…….Going Lahol Spiti July12-18….Please share list of Prtrol pumpms on thae way from Manali to lahol and to Spiti…..
Thanks
Ankur you will be able to find fuel at Manali, then Tandi in Lahaul and Kaza in Spiti.
Dear Dheeraj,
I am planning a weeks trip to Spiti via Manali on 15th June onwards. Do you think by then, the road to Spiti will be opened?
Thanks for your quick reply.
Regards
Amrit
Amrit, road to Spiti Valley from Kinnaur side is open at present. Regarding Manali to Kaza or Spiti, that might open by that time but chances are 50:50. I expect about 20 June be good bet.
Dude, awesome work…(y) 🙂
I will bother you soon for guidelines… 😀
I hope U will help us out..:)
yes…He is a nice guy…he will definitely help you out.. 🙂
Thanks alot Chetan 🙂
Praveen, feel free to shoot any queries you have for planning a trip to Spiti Valley. You can start a thread at below link for your itinerary advice and complete planning of Lahaul, Spiti or Kinnaur trip in more structured way 🙂 as well as more people will get benefit from the replies by reading existing thread? Here is the link: Lahaul & Spiti Valley Itinerary Advice
Hi Dheeraj, I have stumbled upon your blog many times, sometimes through Indi and many a times through Google. Your work is top-notch and it feels great to be reading/connected with a quality blogger.
Hello Saru,
It is such a delight and pleasure to receive such wonderful comments from another quality blogger such as you. Just trying my best to spread all the info. I have as a traveler. Thanks alot 🙂
Regards
Dheeraj Sharma
Hello,
I’ll be reaching manali on 15th morning around 9-10am & i need info about the best possible n also economical way to reach kaza. I’ll prefer a taxi. What are their timings and where do i board one from? Need help in planning out!
Hi Priya,
You can check some hints for making cheapest possible travel to Kaza in the article linked: Chandratal Lake | Cheapest Ways To Travel There
Though it is for Chandratal but connected to Spiti Valley, Kaza only 🙂
Regards
Dheeraj
I m planning to go to lahul n spiti on 14aug…what is the current road n weather condition in that area..
Nagendra, you can go ahead from Manali and there too you have to face some hassles upto Rohtang Pass and beyod toward Kunzum. Once in Spiti, it will be light rains or no rains. However, with changing patterns of weather, no one can predict it accurately. Kinnaur roads have still not recovered completely, so better avoid that route.
I have heard so much about this place and seen so many pics, I will go crazy if I don’t see it in real at least once. Thanks for the info.
Thanks alot Indrani, yeah, Spiti Valley is a great place to be at… Do let me know in case you need any inputs for your trip 🙂
Useful article written in detail – will help many those who look for this information
Thanks alot Una, glad you found the information present on the blog useful enough.
very useful info bhai any plan of u of writing a book on leh ? sure it will be a best seller .
Thanks alot Samaresh bhai!! Lol, I hope your words are true for me one day!! Hope to write it one day if someone can sponsor or any publication feels interested 😀 … Not sure if any will be 🙂
Very useful. We did Manali kaza and everyone was ok. The key I think is to keep hydrated. I was drinking about 2 litres a day min.
Thanks alot Mayank!! Yeah, some people does suffer and some gets away, the more dry season you go, higher will be the chances. And yes, key is the adequately hydrated body.
nice piece of information, very useful for traveling community. keep donating to others from your bank of knowledge.
Thanks alot, just trying my best whatever possible 🙂