Lahul-Spiti-Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh

Lahul and Spiti lies north of the Himalayan axis in a rain shadow area. The area gets little rain and the region is dry and, for the most part, barren. Kinnaur is a transition zone between the forested valleys of west and dry Tibetan region of east. Upper Lahul comprises the Bhaga and Chandra valleys, Lower Lahul is the region below the confluence of Chenab river. Keylong is the main town in the Lahul and Spiti region.

Climate: The air is sharp and clear and the warm summer days are followed by cold, crisp nights. The temperatures are extreme both in summer and winter. The annual rainfall is very low.

Best time to visit: Any time before and after September to May as the pass is closed due to heavy snowfall.

How to reach there: The whole region can be approached by road from three directions:

From Shimla via the Spiti Valley, along the road which runs up to the Tibetan border through Kinnaur.

From Manali over the Rohtang Pass into Upper Lahul.

From Zanskar and Ladakh over the Shingo La and Baralacha La passes. The Shingo Lo gives access to Lahul from Zanskar while the Baralacha La is on the Leh-Manali road and provides access to Lahul from Ladakh

What to see:

In Kinnaur, the old Kharding Monastery: Formerly capital of Lahul, overlooks Keylong, and is only 3.5 km away. Other Monastery include Shashur (3 km), Tayal (6 km) and Guru Ghantal (11 km). For accommodation Himachal Pradesh Tourist Development Corporation (HPTDC) Tourist Bungalow and PWD Rest House are available besides several other basic places to stay. Between Manali and Keylong there are buses at an interval of one hour during summer.

In Spiti Valley

Kee Gompa: A picturesque collection of Tibetan style buildings set on a small hill, is the largest in Spiti. Along the road, it is 14 km from Kaza, but the best way to get here is on foot, a 10 km hike along the path.

Kibar: 15 km north-west of Kaza is Kibar (or Kyipur), which at 4,205 m is reputed to be the highest village in the world. There's a Rest House and, in the old part of the town, several cheap lodges caters to travelers. It is 200 km from Manali, and there's a bus to Kaza via Keylong. The bus trip from Keylong takes 8 hours.

In Spiti The 4,500 m Kunzam Pass connects the Lahul and Spiti valleys. Although the pass may be open by mid-May a safer date is mid-June. Outside the brief summer season, Spiti is closed to the outside world. A road now runs from Kaza, the principal Spiti village, south-east through Samdoh to meet the Hindustan-Tibet road in Kinnaur. There are few settlements in this barren, high region.

In Kinnaur Region Lying on an ancient route to Tibet that follows the valley of river Sutlej, much of his rder area is now open to foreigners. There are some fascinating treks in the Kinnaur region but travellers need to be self sufficient since there are few places to stay.

Rekong Peo: is district headquarters of Kinnaur, 3 km above the main road. Inner Line Permits are available here and one can hire porters and buy trekking supplies here. It has Rest House and a few cheap hotels. There are buses to and from Shimla and the journey takes upto 10 hours.

Kalpa: It can be walked up from Rekong Peo in about an hour. Kalpa was formerly known as Chini, when it was the main town in Kinnaur. It is located close to the foot of 6,050 m high Kinnaur Kailash. This is legendary winter home for Shiva. In the month of January-February the gods of Kinnaur supposedly meet here for an annual conference with Shiva. Kalpa has a rest house and it is possible to stay with villagers.

Sangla Valley: It is 18 km from Karcham on the Hindustan-Tibet Road, and can be reached by jeep or on foot. It's a good base for trekking and there's a comfortable Rest House.

Around the city:

Around Kinnaur

Gondhla: a short distance before Keylong on the Manali-Keylong road is this 8 storey castle of the Thakur of Gondhla. It also has an historically significant gompa.

Tandi: Between Gondhla and Keylong is Tandi, where Chandrabagha or Chenab river meets the road.