Kinnaur Spiti Valley

Kinnaur surrounded by the Tibet to the east, in the northeast corner of Himachal Pradesh, about 235 km from Shimla is a tremendously beautiful district having the three high mountains ranges i.e. Zanskar, Greater Himalayas and Dhauladhar, enclosing valleys of Sutlej, Spiti, Baspa and their tributaries. All the valleys are strikingly beautiful. The slopes are covered with thick wood, orchards, fields and picturesque hamlets. This part wass opened to the outsiders only in 1989.

The Spiti Valley is a desert mountain valley located high in the Himalaya mountains in the north-eastern part of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. Spiti translates as 'middle country', a name that probably comes as a result of ties with Tibet and India. Characterized by stark beauty,narrow valleys and high mountains with freckles of green , Spiti is a cold desert which isn't graced by the monsoon rains. Rudyard Kipling described Spiti as 'A world within a world' and 'A place where Gods live'- something which holds true even now.

Although the spectacular scenery is undoubtedly the highlight of any trip through Kinnaur and Spiti, there are also marvelous monuments, including some of the world's most intriguing Buddhist complexes (such as the World Heritage Site of Tabo Monastery in Spiti), as well as high-altitude villages that seem to cling to the sides of mountains or balance on the edges of sharp cliffs.

Travel Itinerary

Day 1	Mumbai - Delhi - Shimla
	We arrive in Delhi by evening and after having dinner we head to Shimla by comfortable AC volvo buses(overnight journey).
Day 2	Shimla
	We arrive in Shimla in the morning and the day is to be spent at leisure exploring the town of Shimla. Local Sight seeing and visit to the mall are on the agenda.
Day 3	Shimla to Sarahan
	The day starts early as we have our breakfast and depart for Sarahan, a small town in the state of HImachal Pradesh located at an altitude of 2165 m. En route we visit the old castle of Rampur; Rampur was the erstwhile capital of the princely state of Bushahr. We spend the night in Sarahan where we also visit the famous Bhimkali temple. On a clear day one can have a paranoiac view of Shrikhand Mahadev, said to be one of the abodes of Lord Shiva. We spend the night in Sarahan. The Bhimakali Temple is dedicated to Goddess Bihmakali, the presiding deity of the rulers of the erstwhile rulers of Bushahr. It is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas. This historical temple is a multistoried structured building, a fusion of Hindu and Buddhist architecture. The tall tower like structure and unusual roof of the temple dominate the complex. The centuries old temple is now locked and in the newly built temple, the goddess Bhimakali is portrayed as a maiden and as a woman. This temple complex includes other temples such as Narsingh shrine of Bhairon and Lord Raghunath.
Day 4	Saharan to Sangla
	We depart for Sangla after having breakfast, a mere 92 kms away. Sangla is a picturesque hill town in the Baspa valley, popularly also known as Sangla valley. It was nominated as one of the five most beautiful valleys in the world by a reputed travel magazine. It is located in Kinnaur district of the Indian state ,Himachal Pradesh,very near to the Tibetan border. Its location in the greater Himalayan range gives it a climate which is a boon to the heat-weary people. Sangla has managed to retain its pristine nature and is famous for pine nut orchards, Royal red apples and cherry trees, unspoilt glacial streams and quaint little villages.We spend the night in Sangla. In and around: - Kamru fort is one of the oldest fort in Himachal Pradesh, located at an height of 2600 mts- it is a quiet sentinel. The nature shows off its existence and the splendor of this land. Along its sides rise snow clad mountains, thick forests of deodar trees complimented by richly fruited orchards. An exotic image of Lord Buddha at the Fort's main gate and an image of Kamkhya Devi are the unique features of this fort. - The trout fish farm is one of the initiatives taken upon by the HPTDC to promote tourism in the Sangla valley. If time permits we'll visit the farm where one can see golden trout.
Day 5	Sangla to Chitkul and back to Sangla
	At a distance of 44 ams from Sangla lies the last inhabited village near the Indo-Tibetian border, Chitkul. This picture perfect village lies on the banks of Baspa river. . During winters the place remains covered with the snow mostly & these people move to the lower areas of Himachal. Potatoes grown at Chitkul(3405 mt.) are one of the best in the world and are very costly. The snow clad mountains surrounding the village add to the slate or wooden roofed houses of the region- a particular feature of the region. We spend the night in Sangla.
Day 6	Sangla to Kalpa
	Kalpa at 2758m, 60 kms from Sangla, offers the best panoramic view of the 6,000m high Kinner Kailash range and Shiva Ling peaks. Kalpa is also famous for its apple and chilgoza plantations. It is the main village of Kinnaur region and has recently been declared a heritage village. There are spectacular sights early in the morning as the rising sun touches the snowy peaks with crimson and golden light. We spend the night in Kalpa.
Day 7	Kalpa to Nako
	A village in the Hangrang valley located at an altitude of 3662m. Its claim to fame is the Nako Lake, a high altitude lake. Near this place there is a footlike impression ascribed to the Guru Padmasambhava; it is said that he first stepped down here on his way back from tibet. There is a waterfall nearby which has snow water falling like a river of milk. Legend says that it is a heavenly realm of fairies.In one of the cave you can still able to see the live footprints of these fairies or other demigods. It is a sacred place for the people of these valley. There are four Buddhist monasteries around this place which also attracts visitors. We spend the night in Nako.
Day 8	Nako to Tabo
	Located at 3050m above sea level in the Lahaul Spiti district of HImachal Pradesh, Tabo is situated on the left bank of river Spiti. Flanked on either side by hills, it is one of the most important Buddhist monasteries regarded by many as only next to the Tholing Gompa in Tibet. It is also known as the Ajanta of the Himalayas. Tabo is the largest monastic complex of Spiti which has since been declared a protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India. It is said to be more than 1000 yrs. old. The morning prayers held at Tabo are an interesting affair to watch.
Day 9	Tabo to Kaza via Dhankar ,Lalung and Pin Valley
	The day starts early as we head for Kaza. Kaza, situated at an altitude of 3600m above sea level, by the banks of Spiti river lies the headquarters of Spiti sub division. En route and within we come across several enthralling places : - Dhankar(3890m) or Dhangkar or Drangkhar Gompa is built on a 300m high spur overlooking the confluence of Spiti and Pin river. Dhang mean cliff and Kar or Khar means fort, hence Dhankar means fort on a cliff. In 2006, the Worlds Monuments Fund selected Dhankar Gompa as one of the 100 most endangered sites in the world. - Lalung is another interesting monastery of Spiti that we will visit en route.It lies in the Lingti valley. - Pin Valley lies below Kungri glacier and is home to several beautiful and important monasteries. The Pin Valley national park is home to snow leopards and ibex among others.
Day 10	Kaza and Around- Kibber and Rangrik
	We head to the village of Kibber which at 4205m is the highest inhabited village, connected by a motorable road. It is also the highest inhabited village with its own polling booth during elections. Kibber lies in a narrow valley on the summit of a limestone rock.The houses is the Village are unique, , given that they are made of stone instead of mud or adobe brick used extensively elsewhere in the Spiti valley. Rangrik is another village close to Kaza.
Day 11	Kaza to Manali via Kunzum Pass and Chandertal Lake
	We head early after our breakfast for Manali via the famous Rohtang pass. We spend the night in Manali. En route we come across several attraction which no one dares to miss. - Kunzum Pass - At 4551m it is one of the highest motorable pass and is said to be by the local deity Goddess Kunzum. It serves as the connection between Lahaul and Spiti separated by the great Kunzom range. The panoramic view on offer from this pass is breathtaking; the mighty Shigri Parbat can be seen in all its grandeur. - Chandratal Lake - Translated as the moon lake, at 4270m this is one of most beautiful high altitudes lake in this area. The name of the lake originates from its crescent shape.Mountains of scree overlook the lake on one side, and a magnificent cirque presents a view on the other. A clear stream of water flows out of the lake. During the day, the lake appears prussian blue in color, and a greenish tinge appears towards the evening.
Day 12	Manali - Delhi
	Kaza to Manali via Kunzum Pass and Chandertal Lake
Day 13	Fly to Mumbai
	We arrive in Delhi and head for the airport from where we depart to Mumbai with memories for a lifetime.
	Tour Dates
	03 - 15 August, 2010 07 - 19 September, 2010 05 - 17 October, 2010
	Tour Cost :
	Rs. 24,500/- per person + Air/Rail Fare
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