Queen Valley | Best and Cheap Holidays | Luxury Escape
Spiti valley is one of the most beautiful valleys in all of Himalayas and it has many best top
tier places to visit. This is a barren land mountainous valley ranging from 2,950m to 4100m.
This region is sparsely populated, which is one of the reasons why this place still holds its natural landscape beauty. The whole Spiti valley is dotted with many incredible places, lakes
and small hamlets, but if you are looking for a single tour to cover all major tourist
destinations in the area, we have enlisted some of the best spots to put in your check list for
the Spiti valley tour.
One of the top destinations in Spiti is Chandertal Lake, which is near Chandra River on the
Samudra tapu plateau. This lake is at an elevation of 4,300 meters making it one of the
highest residing lakes in the world. The elevation gives the place an incredible view, plus an
incredible view from the place, as you will see breath taking landscapes and mountains
around. The lake is called Chandratal because of its crescent shape. To reach the lake you
will find yourself on the off road settings, which is best for some thrill and excitement. There
are plenty of opportunities for trekking and adventure activities in the area and the place in
an ideal destination for camping and bon fire fun time on the side of blue crescent lake. The
whole lake is around two and a half kilometres in length. The place stays open mostly from
midsummer to early winters; the best time to visit this lake is in June, July or September
months. These times are also ideal for trekking and other adventure activities in the area.
Avoid touring Chandertal Lake during monsoon sessions as there can be landslides and
slippery road issues that can ruin your experience. Now to reach Chandertal lake, first you
have to reach Chandigarh and then from there to Shimla. Mainly there are two routes, first
is Shimla route and the second one is Manali route. Manali route is shorter, but is harder to
drive on, so choose as per your convenience and desire.
The pin valley national park is located in the Lahul and Spiti district of Himachal and one of
the best places to visit in Spiti valley. This is a barren dessert park with quaint and
astonishing landscapes. The whole landscape is surrounded by high altitude mountains
which becomes a sight to behold during winter snow fall. The place has a tranquil and calm
aura to it, which will sooth you and your loved ones to no end. The park is a natural habitat
of some of the rare and endangered species of animals like mountain goats, Siberian fox and
of course snow leopard. Not only that but some of the rarest medical plants also grow on
this high altitude land mass. The park is around 675 square meters in area and also has an
altitude range between 3300mts to 6500mts. The place is ideal for trekking, camping and
other adventure and sport activities and if you are visiting in winters you can definitely
enjoy snow activities like skiing.
However, the best time to visit this national park is around summer session before
monsoon, but one can also visit during September month. During this time weather is
pleasant, calm and clear, so you can take the most out of the place and area.
To reach the area you mainly have two routes, one is summer route from July to October
and second is winter router during the winter sessions. For summer route you can take cab
from Chandigargh or one can also book flight to Shimla after that from Shimla to Kullu and
from there to Kaza through the Manali road.
During winter the summer route gets closed so you will have to take winter route, for which
again you have to reach Shimla first and from there to Tapri. From Tapri you will reach Kaza
and from Kaza you can move to Pin valley National park.
Key monastery is one of the most beautiful monasteries in Himachal Pradesh. The
monastery resides on the sides of river Spiti. This monastery is also known as Kee Gompa.
The monastery is one of the few monasteries that are at the elevation of above 4000
meters. This monastery is the biggest monastery in whole Lahaul and Spiti. The monastery
is surrounded by huge snow covered mountains. The view from the monastery is worth the
trip to the monastery. This monastery is around 1000 years old and one can see the marks
of past time around the structure. The place is known for its calm and tranquil aura that
gives instant peace of mind and joy to its visitors. The whole structure and its design are
based on ancient Chinese architecture style. The paintings all over the monastery showcase
beautiful art style depicting hidden stories and messages.
Some of the key attractions in monastery are Buddha idols, weapons collection, beautiful
wind chimes and instruments. The key monastery is close to Kaza, It takes 14 km of journey
to reach the Monastry from Kaza. To reach Kaza it takes around 12 hours of journey from
the hill station Shimla.
To visit Key monastery and surrounding places it is best to make plans during mid summers,
as during winters roads get blocked, but avoid the monsoon time during august as
landslides, flash floods and rock fallings are common occurrences at this time. September is
also a good time make a trip to the Monastery as weather is less likely to have any mood
swings.
Kunzum pass is situated in Spiti valley and is one of the highest pass in the Himalayas. The
pass is at the elevation of 4,551 meters. The road to the pass is not only challenging but also
thrilling at the same time. And the reward you get after reaching the pass is breath taking to
say the least. Many people travel Kunzum pass just for the thrill of driving through the
difficult road to Kunzum. The Kunzum pass leads to another famous tourist attraction
known as Kaza, so if you are making a trip to Kaza Kunzum pass is a must stop over spot. The
height of Kunzum pass is 4551 meters above sea level and this pass acts as a pass between
Lahaul and Spiti region. The view from pass showcases high mountain range covered with
snow and magnificent landscapes. The place is also known for the temple of Kunzum Devi.
The temple is said to protect travellers from dangers and ill fortune. If you are photography
enthusiastic, this place will be your paradise as there are countless opportunities for
capturing some of the most incredible pictures of your lifetime in this place.
The weather conditions here are can change in short amount of time but the most stable
weather conditions can be found from mid June to mid July and than in September month.
Now to reach Kunzum pass you will need first to reach Manali from Shimla, than from there
the pass is 122km in distance. If you want to take flight, the nearest airport to the pass is in
Bhuntar town which is 170 Km from Kunzum pass. Also the nearest railway station is in
Joginder nagar which is about 50Kms from there.
Kaza is another place in Spiti valley which will make you feel you have left earth and entered
into some another beautiful world and this place can easily take its place in any top tier list
for best places. The place has high altitude snow covered mountains and peaks with elegant
and graceful rivers. The place has plenty of opportunities for camping and trekking. Main
Kaza town is devided into old and new Kaza towns. As far as town goes other than natural
beauty the town displays a King,s palace and other historical spots also gompas,
monasteries and small traditional hamlets are some features of the town. There are also
few mountains ideal for mountaineering. As far as trekking goes the place has many trails
and treks like Parang la, Pin bhaba, Pin parvati and some other local trails. Due to its
reputation as tourist destination, the town has many small hotels, home stays and
restaurants.
Kaza remains open throughout summer and monsoon months, except if there is some
landslide and such issues. For an optimum experience, visit Kaza in midsummer or
September month.
To visit Kaza make a journey to Shimla first, from there Kaza is 418 km, which takes around
11 hours, via NH5 and NH505.
This Lake is one of the highest residing lakes in the world, 21 th highest to be precise. The lake
is close to the Bara Lacha pass in Lahaul Spiti. The mountains around the lake are a sight to
behold. Lake itself gives cool refreshment and rejuvenates travellers’ soul and body. Many
tourists and travellers prefer to take a dip or bath in the lake for the same reason. More
than that the place can also offer trekking opportunities and there are few trails and treks that will provide an incredible trekking experience. Bara lacha pass on the way is another site you need to cherish and enjoy; the view and atmosphere both are going to give you joy and bliss to no end. The side banks of lake are another ideal place for camping and staying over for a while. One can also satisfy their passion for photography here as the Lake and its surrounding seem like a piece of art.
To visit this lake, make your plan between April and May. The pleasant weather here would
surely sooth your soul during this time. To reach Suraj tal you have to take a cab or car from Keylong. From Keylong, Suraj tal is 65
kilometers by road. One can reach Keylong from Manali through NH21. However, during
winters these roads get closed due to heavy snowfall. Also during monsoon there is a
chance of blocked roads as a result of landslides.
Tabo monastery resides in the Tabo valley, on a barren and rocky dessert landscape. The
landscape is vast wide spread deserted area with lots of rock formations. Tabo monastery is
at the elevation of 3,050 meters above sea level. The monastery is different and unique
from other monasteries in the region as it is at the bottom plane of the valley. The
monastery has a pleasant and blissful environment. The whole place gives a cosy sensation
to its visitors due to its placement and surroundings. The monastery has a historical
significance as it is said to be constructed during the rule of emperor Yeshe O’d in the 996
A.D. The monastery is also known as “Ajanta of Himalayas” because of its beautiful
sculptures and painting art style. The monastery also has eye catching murals and statues to
add to its mesmerising craft and design art. The monastery is also entitled as “National
Historic treasure” by the Archaeological survey of India.
Location of the monastery is in Tabo which is around 150 kilometres from Reckong peo the
nearest small town. From Tabo the monastery is a little farther which you can cover by walk.
The routes are available from both Manali and Shimla which are 277 and 377 kilometers
respectively. Also the nearest airport and railway station are in Bhunter and Shimla.
The months of winter and April can prove a futile attempt if you are travelling to the
monastery. The roads can be blocked during this period. Hence other than monsoon rest of
the year is ideal for a visit to this magical holy place.
Dhankar Lake
Spiti valley is dotted with natural wonders, and hence it’s no surprise it has some of the
most beautiful and best lakes in Himachal Pradesh. Dhanker Lake is another beautiful lake in
the line of natural wonders in Spiti but with the blend of its own uniqueness. Dhankar Lake
water is light blue in appearance, which gives the lake a mesmerizing appearance. Time flies
away fast in this place as you won’t even realise that you have spent hours here enjoying
and cherishing the bliss coming from the place and its surroundings. The place has many
mythological lores attached to it and is considered a holy place by Hindus, however,
whether you believe in mythology or not this place is going to rejuvenate your being by its
calm and serene nature and aura. The place has this cool and soothing charm to it that is
hard to explain in words, one has to experience by themselves. There is also a monastery
nearby known as Dhankar monastery, which is at the elevation of 3,870 meters. From this
monastery entire spiti valley is visible due to its placement at the edge of a cliff. There is a
trekking trek available for Dhanker Lake, but the trek is considered a difficult one as the trail
is narrow and tiresome.
Core summer time is the best time to come here, mainly from mid April to June, avoid rainy
season for your own convenience, it is always better to check for weather alerts before
making a trip to the lake.
To visit Dhankar Lake first you have to reach Kaza and from there you can continue your
journey to the lake which is 33 kilometres from there. Nearest railway station is in Joginder
nagar which is 400 km away. The nearest airport is in Kullu which is 285 kms from the
Dhankar.
Kibber village is a small hamlet in Spiti valley and is one of the most beautiful villages in
Himachal. This village is bestowed upon by the incredible beauty of nature and alluring
cultural settings. The village has a small population of around 350 people. Houses in the
region are constructed in old wooden and mud style configuration. The elevation of the
village is 4,270 meters above sea level. The place is known for its trekking and
mountaineering treks, however, treks here are not easy and low oxygen levels doesn’t help
either. The village displays great Himalayan range at its full eminence. The surrounding
valley is known for its camping spots. There is a monastery known as Kibber monastery
here, which attracts many tourists and travellers every year. Other than all that the place
also hosts a Wild life sanctuary known as Kibber wildlife sanctuary. The sanctuary has many
rare and endangered species which roam freely in the designated area. Mainly snow
leopard, Himalyan griffon and golden eagle are few of the prime attractions for visitors. One
unique bridge known as Chicham Bridge and ropeway is near the Kibber village which
connects it to Chichum village, is a platform plus ropeway oriented bridge for transportation
of people and goods. This bridge also holds the record of being the highest man made
bridge in Asia.
Now visit Kibber after April month in summers and before August. The roads keep blocked
or at least not fit for travelling, for a good measure of four to five months.
Again Kibber can be reached from Manali and Shimla. To reach KIbber, first you have to
travel to Kaza and from there continue to Kibber. It is always better to hire a cab or taxi
from Kaza as roads can prove little tedious and dangerous at the same time.
There are many other places you can include in the list of best places in Spiti as Spiti valley
has many incredible places other than these, so plan your trip to this valley as soon as
possible because you won’t even know what you are missing until you visit these places and
more.