Himachal Cities

Lahaul and Spiti valleys, together form a district in Himachal Pradesh. The Lahaul valley is nourished by the Chandra and Bhaga rivers and the Spiti is linked to it by the Kunzam-la pass. Their height ranges from 9,800 feet to 15,700 feet. Lahaul is glacier country and the Bara Shigri, Chota Sigri, Samundari and Sonapani glaciers are some of the glaciers which are found here.

Spiti which means ‘middle country’ is a vast highland basin for swift flowing glacial streams that have cut deep gorges into the mountain terrain. Pin and Lingti are the two main streams that feed the Spiti River. The narrow Spiti Valley is carved out by the swift flowing Spiti River and rise from the slopes of the Kunzam-la Pass. This valley is formed by the gorges and dramatic mountain scapes. In summer, there is greenery all over the Spiti valley, and all the meadows are covered with flowers. Spiti Valley is barely three kilometers wide and most of the villages are located along its wider banks. The terraced fields, trees of juniper and flat roofed houses are set against the background of rocky mountain sides that seem painted in shades of purple and pink.

The people of Lahaul & Spiti are charming, friendly, hospitable and unique. These people have a unique and distinct culture of their own, mainly Buddhist. It is also called the Litle Tibet in the Himalayas. Their songs and dances are pure as the snow around them and their “Gompas” are the collection of Buddhist treasures.

Both, the Lahaul & Spiti valley remains cut off from the rest of India for most of the part of the year. The Rohtang Pass is opened only from May to October and so during this time the visitors can visit the Lahaul & Spiti valley to enjoy its beauty and charm.

The main tourist attraction in Lahaul & Spiti are the monasteries. The Dhankar Monastery, Tabo Monastery, Ki Monastery, Khardong and Shashur Monastery are some of the famous monasteries which are found in Lahaul & Spiti. Tabo monastery, the 1000 year old monastery is the Spiti’s most sacred monastery. This monastery is a treasure house of art and was built at the initiative of the great teacher Rinchen Tsang Po in 996, the Tibetan Year of the Fire Ape. Khardong is the largest monastery in Lahaul and located across the valley from Shashur. It is known for its huge barrel sized prayer drums, musical instruments, ancient weapons and large life sized images of the Buddha.

Manali in the Kullu Valley serves as base for supplies and equipment for treks in the Lahaul Spiti area and many exciting treks that originate in Kullu Valley terminate in Lahaul and Spiti. A favourite trek in this area is the 4 stage moderate trek that start from Batal in Southern Lahaul at the base of the Kunzam la, to the beautiful lake of Chandratal and ends at the Baralacha-la pass. Over a part of the way this route overlooks the magnificent Bara Shigri glacier. Taking 8 strenuous stages another trails starts from Udaipur in Upper Lahaul to Padum in Zanskar over the Kang-la pass.

The Lahaul region can be visited only by road from Manali via the Manali – Leh Highway. The Manali – Leh highway, one of the highest mountain road in the world, is open for 3 months in the year from early June to September. It traverses the subdivision of Lahaul and crosses the Great Himalayan Range into Ladakh. Manali, in the Kullu district is the ideal base to visit this fascinating region in the country. Manali is linked by road and air to Chandigarh, Shimla and Delhi. To enter the Spiti Valley, one has to cross the Kunzam Pass, at a height of 14,800 feet. The longer but popular route into the valley is along the old Hindustan – Tibet road from Shimla across the scenic district of Kinnaur.