MONASTERIES, MONKS, MEDICINES & MEDITATION (Spiti Himalaya)

Package Itinerary

• Day 1Arrive Delhi, on arrival we will receive you and take you to your hotel.

  Himachal Pradesh

• Day 2Delhi to Kalka by train and drive to Shimla

  Morning train to Kalka which takes about 4 hours to reach. Kalka is an old British time town established in the foothills of Shivalik range and gateway to Shimla. From Kalka, we drive to Shimla taking another 4 hours including a stoppage for lunch at Barog.
  

• Day 3Shimla heritage walk with a writer & historian

  Half days heritage walk on Shimla with a local writer. Shimla is one of those places in India that provides everything that includes history, architecture, nature, wildlife, culture in one platter. If your companion is a local writer and a published author who keeps the knowledge about these topics on hand and like to share with you everything about his town, your holiday becomes a memorable holiday forever. So we plan your half day with Sumit Raj Vashisht, a famous writer, tourist guide and historian.
  Rest of the day is advised to walk on Mall Road of Shimla and relax a beautiful evening before you are set to move towards less explored valley of Spiti.
  

• Day 4Shimla to Sangla drive (224 Kms)

  This morning we leave Shimla a drive up towards Narkanda Hills which is 72 Kms from the town and a popular ski station. From there we drive down to the banks of River Sutlej and stop at Rampur for Lunch which is further 60 Kms from Narkanda. From Rampur the remaining drive of 92 Kms is exciting as we move into a tribal settlement of Kinnaur. Sangla Valley is a sight to behold, known for its rich cultivations of apples, pears, walnuts, apricots or potatoes.
  

• Day 5Sangla to Chitkul and then to Kalpa (90 Kms)

  With the first rays of Sun we drive towards Chitkul, the last village on Indo Tibetan boarder. Sangla – Chitkul drive is short but stunning which you would certainly enjoy. After spending enough time in Chitkul village, we drive back to head to Kalpa where the hotel windows face mighty Kinner Kailash peaks.
  

• Day 6Kalpa to Nako – Giu and then to Tabo (159 Kms)

  The drive continues on Hindustan Tibet road where at few places you will see boards mentioning it “most treacherous road of the world”. Road goes along the river Sutlej and more you move ahead, more is the isolation, peace and silence. On the way, we reach Khab, a place where Spiti River meets with Sutlej River and from here on a smooth road we climb up to an ancient Buddhist village named Nako which has an old monastery of Padmasambhava, a beautiful lake and few houses in extreme barren landscape. Nako to Tabo is about 60 Kms and once we start getting down to the level of River Spiti, we reach Sumdo, another confluence point and the actual gateway of Spiti valley. Just after few kilometers of Sumdo (again a point on Indo- Tibetan border), we take right turn to 8 Kms and reach Giu Village which has an age old mummy preserved in a monastery. It explains the ancient knowledge and tradition of mummifying monks in Buddhism. We leave Giu and drive to Tabo for overnight stay.
  

• Day 7Tabo – Dhankar – Dhankar Lake Trek – Lhalung Village (42 Kms)

  This morning we visit 1021 years old Tabo Monastery which was founded by Lotsava Rinchen Zangpo in 996 CE. How fortunate are the people of Spiti that they have been living with reincarnations of famous translator Lotsava Rinchen Zangpo. The 19th reincarnation of this great master lives in Kee Monastery of Spiti where he receives guests and followers from every corner of the world. We will be humbly treated by the monastery and you can make special prayers to the protecting deity of this monastery. Later we drive to another ancient monastery and fort of Dhankar which will be followed by trek to Dhankar Lake where our team will be ready to serve hot lunch to you. Dhankar, the former capital of the Spiti Valley, offers panoramic views of Spiti Valley. Dhankar stands perched above the confluence of the Spiti and Pin River. Walk down to the monastery and drive to third oldest monastery of Spiti, named Lhalung.
  Lhalung means “Land of God”, Lhalung is located at the foot of the Tangmar Mountains. The locals believe their God lives in these mountains and the mountain changes its colors through wide arrays of reds, yellows, browns depending on the mood of their God. We stay this day in home stays in this village to understand their life, food and culture.
  
  

• Day 8Lhalung to Pin valley and drive to Kaza (45 Kms)

  Morning after breakfast we leave Lhalung village and get down to the main road and move to Pin Valley to see another old monastery of Kungri and Buchen Oracle performance. Pin is a wide green valley with beautiful landscape further opening doors to Kullu on foot over Pin- Parvati pass. We will be watching Buchen Monk performances here and later after lunch visit last village of Mud and then drive to Kaza. Kaza is the headquarter of Spiti which has hotels, restaurant, shops and off course a beautiful monastery.
  

• Day 9Kaza – Langza – Hikkim – Komik – Ki Monastery – Kaza (45 Kms)

  This is an easy sightseeing day of visiting high altitude monasteries, meeting 19th incarnation of Lotsava Rinchen Zangpo (if he is in Spiti on the day of your arrival there) and exploring the breathtaking mountains. The highest village in Asia, Komik, which literally translates to ‘eye of a snow cock’, is situated at a height of 4513 meters. The villagers are living in utter isolation, cut-off from the rest of the world for most parts of the year. Later, we drive to Hikkim where we visit the world’s highest post office in the world; it would be interesting to know what the postmaster has to say here. Langza village is situated at an altitude of 4400 meters and belongs to the Sakyapa sect of Tibetan Buddhism. At Langza, you can simply walk back to the prehistoric era when Spiti was submerged by the Tethys Sea, as you explore a land very rich with fossils of Marine animals and plants which were here millions of years ago. We have our hot lunch here served by the villagers and then drive down to Kee Monastery. If His Eminence Rinpoche is available, we will have the pleasure of seeking his blessings and talking to him.
  Later we drive back to Kaza and in the evening, we take you to AMCHI, the physicians in Tibetan Medical Science. Amchi will check your pulse and tell about your health, he/ she can prescribe you the medicines too and you can understand about the various herbs they collect in Spiti to make these medicines.
  
  

• Day 10Kaza to Chander Tal Lake over Kunzam Pass with Kibber and Gette (80 Kms)

  We move to Kibber Village and then further up to Gette to observe the most stunning aerial views of Kaza as Gette is the highest point to drive up. From Kibber we take the newly constructed bridge on Chichim and touch Kaza- Manali road near Hal Village. The road has opened in 2017 and the views are amazing. We reach Losar, the last village and start climbing up slightly to mighty Kunzam Pass. The pass offers us huge mountain ranges of CB Mountains and after few kilometers is the wet land Chander Tal Lake- an amazingly beautiful high altitude Himalayan Lake. We stay at lake side (off course at harmless distance to the fragile biodiversity) in a fixed camp for the night.
  

• Day 11Chander Tal Lake to Manali over Rohtang Pass (135 Kms)

  We leave Chander Tal region in the morning after breakfast and the first temporary settlement is Batal on the base of Kunzam Pass other side. The road is rough and then we reach Chatru after 36 Kms from Batal which has another temporary settlement offering tea/ coffee and food. We select this place as our lunch spot and after relaxing sometime, we move further to Manali crossing Rohtang Pass. Crossing Rohtang Pass means entering into a different world, which is modern and contemporary.
  

• Day 12Full day in Manali to see places like Naggar Castle, old Hindu Temples and walking on Mall road.

• Day 13Kullu- Delhi morning flight and departure transfer

  We drive to Kullu airport in the morning for a flight to Delhi, where you check into your hotel. Later half day sightseeing of Delhi and evening after farewell dinner, we drop you to international airport for your journey back home.