Spiti Valley: An Picturesque Travel Destination

The name Spiti means “The Middle Land”. The valley was named as Spiti valley because it lies between Tibet and India. Spiti valley is situated in the Himalayas in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. Spiti valley is known as one of the wonders of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. The remote location and picturesque vistas of the valley add to its appeal. The cold desert of the Himalayas called the Spiti Valley is one of the most prominent travel destinations in the country. Due to the geographical placement of the valley, there is a lot of Tibetan influence in the local culture here. The surreal landscapes, snow-capped mountains, serene monasteries, and the grey strip of the Spiti river are the things to watch out for here. The valley of Spiti is open throughout the year. However, the best season to travel to the Spiti Valley is in the summers as all the roads are blocked during the winters due to heavy snowfall. When on a trip to Spiti Valley one can visit the following places:

• Tabo Monastery
• Key Monastery
• Chandratal Lake
• Dhankar Monastery
• Pin Valley National Park
• Baralacha La
• Tabo Monastery

How to Reach Spiti Valley?

The Spiti valley is located in one of the remote corners of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. The valley is not accessible by two of the major modes of transport that are flight and trains as the valley doesn’t have its own airport or railway station. However, the valley of Spiti can be reached via road through major cities such as Shimla, Chandigarh, and Delhi. One needs to start the journey from these cities to commence the trip to Spiti Valley. The ways to reach Spiti Valley are as follows:

By Air – As the valley of Spiti has no airports, there are no direct flights that fly to or from the Spiti Valley. The nearest airport one can fly to reach Spiti valley is Kullu Manali Airport. The Kullu airport is located in the town of Bhuntar which is about 245 km away from Spiti Valley. One can travel through the road from Bhuntar to reach Spiti Valley via the city of Manali. As the Kullu Manali airport is a small airport it receives flights from a few selected cities which are Chandigarh, Shimla, and Delhi.

By Rail – The valley of Spiti doesn’t have its own railway network. The nearest rail network from where one can reach the valley of Spiti is Joginder Nagar railway station and Shimla railway station. Traveling through rail to Joginder Nagar railway station is the least preferred way to reach Spiti valley. The reason being that the Joginder Nagar railway station operates trains to and from only one station in the country that is Pathankot. The other railway station to which one can travel to reach Spiti Valley is the Shimla railway station. Shimla railway station is a small railway junction but it is connected to the major cities. From the Shimla railway station, one can travel on the road to begin their trip to Spiti Valley.

By Road – The road is the most used as well as the most frequented way to reach the Spiti valley. The valley of Spiti is connected to the nearby areas only through the road which makes it one of the most important routes of the Spiti Valley. There are two cities from where the road journey to Spiti valley will commence from, that is Manali and Shimla. One needs to first arrive in Manali or Shimla to begin their trip to Spiti Valley. If you are starting your journey from Delhi or Chandigarh, the other cities from where the trip to Spiti Valley commences from also, you need to pass through Shimla or Manali to reach Spiti Valley. There are regular government as well as private buses that run between Manali to Kaza (one of the destinations of Spiti Valley tour) and from Shimla to Spiti Valley through the Kinnaur district.  

This all about the ways to reach Spiti valley and the places that one can explore when on a tour of the valley. Be a responsible traveler and travel safely.