Spiti Valley 8N/9D Group Circuit — Shimla to Manali

Day-by-day Itinerary

Your journey, unfolded.

1. DAY 1

   Day 1: Shimla → Narkanda → Rampur → Sarahan (170km, ~5hrs)

   Depart Shimla early. Drive through Narkanda apple belt and Rampur bazaar. Arrive Sarahan (2,165m), home of the magnificent Bhimakali Temple — a fusion of Himalayan and Buddhist architecture. Evening temple aarti. Overnight Sarahan.

2. DAY 2

   Day 2: Sarahan → Sangla → Chitkul (90km, ~4hrs)

   Enter the stunning Kinnaur Valley through Karcham and follow the turquoise Baspa River upstream to Sangla. Continue to Chitkul (3,450m) — the last inhabited village before the Indo-Tibetan border. Stone houses, ancient wooden temples, and views of 6,000m peaks. Overnight Sangla/Chitkul.

3. DAY 3

   Day 3: Chitkul → Kalpa → Nako (150km, ~5hrs)

   Return to Karcham and ascend to Kalpa (2,960m) for jaw-dropping sunrise views of Kinner Kailash (6,050m). Drive through Hangrang Valley. Arrive Nako (3,662m) — a tiny village clustered around a sacred lake, surrounded by poplar trees and Tibetan-style gompas.

4. DAY 4

   Day 4: Nako → Tabo → Dhankar (80km, ~3hrs)

   Cross into Spiti at Sumdo. Visit Tabo Monastery (996 AD) — a UNESCO Heritage candidate called the 'Ajanta of the Himalayas' for its 1,000-year-old murals and stucco sculptures. Continue to Dhankar Gompa, dramatically perched on a cliff 300m above the river confluence. Optional 2-hour trek to Dhankar Lake.

5. DAY 5

   Day 5: Dhankar → Pin Valley → Kaza (70km, ~3hrs)

   Drive through Pin Valley National Park — last refuge of the snow leopard and Siberian ibex. Mud village, the valley's main settlement, offers a window into life at 3,900m. Arrive Kaza (3,800m), the administrative capital of Spiti. Evening walk in the small market.

6. DAY 6

   Day 6: Kaza — Key, Kibber, Chicham, Gete (60km loop)

   Visit Key (Ki) Monastery (4,166m), the valley's largest gompa with 300 monks and sweeping valley views. Drive to Kibber (4,270m), one of the highest motor-road-accessible villages in the world. Cross Chicham Bridge — Asia's highest motor bridge (4,450m) spanning a 150m deep gorge. Gete village for mountain views.

7. DAY 7

   Day 7: Kaza — Hikkim, Langza, Komic (40km loop)

   Hikkim (4,440m): Send a postcard from the world's highest post office (PIN: 172114). Langza (4,400m): Search the hillsides for 50-million-year-old ammonite fossils and photograph the giant Maitreya Buddha statue. Komic (4,513m): Asia's highest motor-accessible village with Tangyud Gompa. Back to Kaza for farewell bonfire dinner.

8. DAY 8

   Day 8: Kaza → Kunzum Pass → Chandratal Lake (90km, ~4hrs)

   Early departure. Ascend to Kunzum Pass (4,551m) — gateway between Spiti and Lahaul — for panoramic Himalayan views. Drive to Batal, then trek or drive 6km to Chandratal (Moon Lake, 4,300m). Set up camp on the lake's edge. The water changes colour from blue to green to orange as the sun sets. Stargazing bonfire. One of India's finest stargazing spots.

9. DAY 9

   Day 9: Chandratal → Manali (100km, ~4hrs)

   Wake at dawn for Chandratal's golden hour — the lake mirrors the snow peaks above. Pack camp and drive through Batal and Gramphu. Cross Rohtang Pass (3,978m) into the lush Kullu Valley. Arrive Manali by afternoon. Trip ends here — flights from Bhuntar or onward travel to Delhi.

— End of trip —