Himachal Kinnaur - Spiti: Jeep Safari

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Introduction

Trek Grade: Easy

Starting the jeep safari through the beautiful and lush green valleys of Simla and then the Kinnaur Valleys inhabited by Hindus with their ornately carved wooden temples dotting the countryside under the shadows of the Mount Kinner Kailash, we then transit into the lunar landscape of Spiti, which is part of the Tibetan Plateau. Kinnauri folks are known for their beautiful traditional dresses and ornate, traditional, silver jewellery. The drive through gushing river valleys is both exciting and a wonderful adventure staying in lovely little lodges and camps. 

The Valley of Spiti is one of the remotest parts of the world with the highest inhabited village of Kibber located close to the capital township of Kaza. The Tabo monastery is a protected monument, because the statues inside this monastery are one of the most beautiful there is anywhere across the entire Himalayan regions. The towering structure of the white Kyi Monastery is a photographers delight as it is set on the top of hill with the conical structure flowing down the hillside against a stark lunar background making it a truly spectacular sight. Crossing first the Kunzum La and then the Rohtang Pass, enter the lush green Kullu Valley with the gushing and many times, turbulent Beas River tumbling through beautiful pine forests

Tour Highlights

  • 13 days mountain safari starting with the lush green Kinnaur climb onto the Spiti Valley which is part of the Tibetan Plateau
  • Kinnaur is inhabited by Hindus with their beautifully carved wooden temples
  • The lunar landscape of Spiti is inhabited by Buddhists with their spectacular monasteries located on hill tops
  • Cross the Khardung La pass from Spiti to Lahaul and the Rohtang Pass from Lahaul to the lush green Manali
  • Visit the Old and New Delhi as gateway cities
  • Prices on request
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Destinations Covered

Delhi

Delhi

The City of Glory

Delhi is said to be one of the oldest existing cities in the world, along with Jerusalem and Varanasi. It is the Capital Territory of India and a modern-day citadel that's dotted with ancient monuments.

History and Culture

Legend estimates it to be over 5,000 years old. Over the millennia, Delhi is said to have been built and destroyed 11 times. The oldest alleged incarnation of the city shows up in the Indian mythological epic Mahabharata as Indraprastha. 

Thanedar

Thanedar is a village in Himachal Pradesh in India. At 8,000 feet (2,400 m), it is 445 km from Delhi and is about three-hour drive from Shimla. It is slightly higher than Shimla (7,400 feet) and the road linking the two runs almost near the crest of the mountain with a gradual ascent. One is constantly treated to a bird's-eye view of different valleys as the road twists and turns from one spur to another.

Sangla Valley

One of the most charming valleys in the whole Kinnaur District, Sangla Valley is a perfect getaway from the hustle bustle of the swarming cities. It is named after a beautiful village by the same name.

The Sangla Valley is a deeply carved cleft between burly mountain slopes, where evergreen forests rise to alpine meadows crowned by snowy summits. Village cores here feature temples built in traditional Kinnauri style of timber and stone with heavy slate roofs.

Nako Village by Sumita Roy Dutta / CC BY

Nako

Located at the height of 3,600 metres above the sea level, Nako is a mesmerising and picturesque village that is full of eye capturing surroundings and is the most significant village situated in Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh.

Culturally closer to Buddhist Spiti than Kinnaur, Nako's village centre retains an area of stone and mud-brick houses that has an almost medieval feel.

Tabo

Tabo is a small town in Lahaul and Spiti district on the banks of the Spiti River in Himachal Pradesh, India.The town surrounds a Buddhist monastery which, according to legend, is said to be over a thousand years old. The Dalai Lama has expressed his desire to retire to Tabo, since he maintains that the Tabo Monastery is one of the holiest.

Kaza-26-Unterstadt by Gerd Eichmann / CC BY

Kaza

The capital of Spiti, Kaza is a helpfully compact launch pad for trips to spectacular Ki Gompa and fascinating high-altitude villages including Kibber, Langza and Komic.Lapped by majestic mountains covered in snow, meandering and bubbling rivers and streams and picturesque barren landscape with scattered patches of green, Kaza is a dream destination.

Chandratal by Christopher L Walker / CC BY

Chandra Taal

Chandra Taal (meaning the Lake of the Moon), or Chandra Tal is a lake in the Spiti part of Lahaul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh. This gloriously calm glacial lake presents mirror-perfect reflections of the surrounding white-top peaks and geological colour-swirls. The name "Chandra Taal" (Lake of the Moon) comes from its crescent shape. This lake is also one of two high-altitude wetlands of India that have been designated as Ramsar sites.

Manali, himachal by Aniket431 / CC BY

Manali

Himachal Pradesh covers the north front of the country, offering the tourists with some of the most wonderful hill stations in the world and Manali is undoubtedly one of the most visited one. The main credit goes to its snow-covered peaks, alluring ambience, gorgeous valleys and lush greenery. It is a charming slope station located at the reservoir of the River Beas. The tourists from all parts of the world, look for the best tour packages for Manali, every year, as it is the most appreciated getaway in India.

Detailed Itinerary

  1. Day 1 Arrive Delhi

    Delhi

    You will be arriving at the Delhi International Airport. After clearing Customs and Immigration, step into the receiving area, where our representative will meet you and escort you to your hotel.

    Arrive and check-in to the hotel.

    Overnight at hotel (no meals)

  2. Day 2 Delhi – Chandigarh by train & drive to Thanedar (123 Miles / 196 Kms / 6 hours drives)

    Thanedar

    Early morning check-out from the hotel, step into the hotel lobby area, where our representative will meet you and escort you to New Delhi Railway station to board the train for Chandigarh.

    On arrive Chandigarh Railway station drive to Thanedar (123 Miles / 196 Kms / 6 hours drives).

    Arrive and check-in to the hotel.

    Overnight at hotel (B, L, D

  3. Day 3 Thanedar – Sangla (98 Miles / 156 Kms / 6–7 hours drives)

    Sangla Valley

    After breakfast drive to Sangla, Every year, the Himalayan valleys of Kinnaur and Spiti emerge from a thick cloak of snow to reveal a different, secret world to man. Our discovery of the lesser-known Himalayas can begin at the Banjara Camp in the Sangla Valley. At a height of 2,700 Mts the Banjara Camp is surrounded by towering mountains on all sides and is set on the banks of the Baspa River that surges through the valley.

    Long walks to discover the amazing fauna and fora of the valley, treks to view snow covered Himalayan peaks, angling for trout, experiencing some of the local culture are some of the delights that are on offer.

    Arrive and check-in to the Camp.

    Overnight stay at Camp (B, L, D)

  4. Day 4 Sangla – Chitkul – Sangla (19 Miles / 30 Kms / 2 hours drives – One way)

    Sangla Valley

    After breakfast proceed for same day excursion to Chitkul and hike up to Nagasthi, the last village on the old Indo-Tibetan trade route.

    Return to the Camp.

    Overnight stay at Camp (B, L, D)

  5. Day 5 Sangla – Nako (91 Miles / 145 Kms / 5 hours drives)

    Nako

    After breakfast drive to Nako.

    We visit the Nako Monastery located in the village as well as several other Buddhist temples.

    Arrive and check-in to the Camp.

    Overnight stay at Camp (B, L, D)

  6. Day 6 Nako – Tabo (46 Miles / 73 Kms / 2 hours drives)

    Tabo

    After breakfast, drive to the village of Tabo in Spiti valley. En-route, we shall visit Nako village, famous for its serene Nako Lake. Later, we shall reach Sumdo which is the last village in the Kinnaur District and the entry point to the Spiti Valley. The last point of the Hindustan-Tibet road, Kaurik, is only 19 km from Sumdo.

    We can take a detour here to Giu village famous for its naturally preserved mummy that is almost 500 years old. The mummy is said to be of a Tibetan Buddhist Lama and is in a sitting posture.

    We shall continue our drive and arrive at Tabo.

    Arrive and check-in to the hotel.

    Overnight stay at Retreat (B, L, D)

  7. Day 7 Tabo – Dhankar Monastery – Kaza (44 Miles / 70 Kms / 2 hours drives)

    Kaza

    After breakfast, visit the Tabo Gompa, reputed to be the oldest (an inscription on a wall here indicates, it was founded in AD 996) continuously functioning Buddhist monastery in India and the Himalayas, with its original decoration and iconographic program intact.

    We then move on to see Dhankar monastery. Dhankar, the traditional capital of Spiti, sits pretty on a hilltop. The fort here overlooks the Spiti valley and it was used as a jail in olden days. Today, more than 160 lamas reside here. A statue of Dhyan Budha is the main attraction of this more than seven-century old monastery.

    About an hour's walk (about 3 kms) from here on a slightly uphill track is a small lake that sits languidly like a bowl. The size of the lake in the summer varies every year depending on how much snow the catchment area had in the previous winter.

    On arrival, check in to the retreat and rest of the time is at leisure.

    Overnight stay at Retreat (B, L, D)

  8. Day 8 Kaza

    Kaza

    After breakfast, visit the Ki monastery and Kibber village. Ki gompa is a Gelugpa sect monastery. Its hilltop position points to a post-thirteenth century construction. The three storied structure consists largely of storage rooms at the bottom level, while the middle floor houses the Dukhang- the assembly hall- and the uppermost floor has another temple and the head Lama's quarters, on one side of an open terrace.

    From here a scenic drive takes us into the pasture country of Kibber. The pastures are spread over hundreds of square kilometers. Kibber is a small village and is the take off point for the popular trek to Tso Moriri in Ladakh. Further up six kilometers from Kibber, we drive up to a charming village of Gete. Consisting of just six houses, it boasts of being the highest village in Asia connected by road. Drive back to the retreat for lunch and spend rest of the day at leisure - preferably resting.

    Overnight stay at Retreat (B, L, D)

  9. Day 9 Kaza – Chandratal (60 Miles / 96 Kms / 5 hours drives)

    Chandra Taal

    After breakfast, we shall leave Kaza and drive towards the beautiful ChandraTaal Lake (Lake of the Moon), located at an altitude of 14,100 ft . En-route, we shall drive via the famous Kunzum Pass (altitude 14,931 ft), the entrance pass to the Spiti Valley from Lahaul. Check into your fixed camps near the lake. Depending on the road conditions, we shall drive towards the lake till the permissible jeepable point and then trek for 15 minutes to reach the lake. This lake is one of the most beautiful lakes in the country.

    Arrive and check-in to the Camp.

    Overnight stay at Camp (B, L, D)

  10. Day 10 Chandratal – Manali (88 Miles / 140 Kms / 8–9 hours drives)

    Manali

    Today we have a long drive to Manali.

    Arrive and check-in to the hotel.

    Rest of the day is at leisure.

    Overnight at the hotel (B, L, D)

  11. Day 11 Manali

    Manali

    Today, after breakfast we spend part of the day visiting the Hadimba Temple, Old Manali and Vashisht.

    Return to the hotel.

    Afternoon day is at leisure.

    Overnight at the hotel (B, L, D)

  12. Day 12 Fly Manali – Delhi

    Delhi

    An early breakfast at your hotel (or carry packed breakfast).

    Transfer to Kullu (Bhuntar Airport) airport for your flight to Delhi.

    You will be received on arrival in Delhi Airport and transferred to the hotel where room is booked.

    After check-in the day begins with the half day sightseeing of Old Delhi which includes a drive past the Red Fort on the way to the Jama Masjid, India’s largest mosque.

    A tour is conducted through the bazaars of Chandni Chowk (Silver Street) in cycle rickshaws, once the imperial avenue, is today bustling with shops, stalls and silversmiths' ateliers.

    You shall see the historical monuments of the capital as you drive past the India Gate, the Rashtrapati Bhawan, and the Parliament House.

    Overnight at the hotel (B)

  13. Day 13 Delhi

    Delhi

    After leisurely breakfast at the hotel, explore the city & markets on own or relax to take late night flight. Later at night check-out from the hotel, step into the hotel lobby area, where our representative will meet you and escort you to Delhi International Airport to board the flight (Early morning of Day 15) for your onwards journey.

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