Spiti Valley 9N/10D Family Himalayan Explorer

Day-by-day Itinerary

Your journey, unfolded.

1. DAY 1

   Day 1: Delhi → Shimla (Kalka Shatabdi + toy train or car)

   Board Kalka Shatabdi from New Delhi station. Take the heritage Kalka-Shimla toy train (UNESCO heritage railway). Arrive Shimla by afternoon. Check in Shimla hotel. Evening Mall Road walk — kids enjoy the ridge and ice cream. Overnight Shimla.

2. DAY 2

   Day 2: Shimla → Sarahan (170km, ~5hrs)

   Drive through Narkanda (apple country), Rampur and Jeori. Arrive Sarahan (2,165m). Visit Bhimakali Temple — a UNESCO-listed complex of wooden pagoda-style temples. The 'living goddess' rituals fascinate children. Visit an apple orchard for fresh fruit picking (seasonal). Overnight Bhimkali Heritage Resort.

3. DAY 3

   Day 3: Sarahan → Sangla → Chitkul (90km)

   Enter Kinnaur Valley. Follow turquoise Baspa River upstream to Sangla Valley — a bowl of green meadows ringed by 6,000m peaks. Continue to Chitkul (3,450m) — the last village before Tibet. Stone houses, ancient carved wooden temples, and crystal-clear streams. Easy nature walk. Overnight Sangla.

4. DAY 4

   Day 4: Sangla → Kalpa → Nako (150km) — Altitude gain day

   Kalpa sunrise: Children wake early to see Kinner Kailash (6,050m) glow pink then gold — one of the great Himalayan viewpoints. Drive through Nathpa to Nako (3,662m). Nako Lake — sacred, calm, with prayer flags. Easy 30-min lake walk. Early dinner and rest (altitude acclimatization). No strenuous activity.

5. DAY 5

   Day 5: Nako → Tabo (2hrs rest day in monastery town)

   Morning slow start. Drive to Tabo (3,280m). Tabo Monastery (996 AD) — the 'Ajanta of the Himalayas'. The resident monk gives a guided tour of the 9 temples, explaining the 1,000-year-old murals in child-friendly terms. Meditation cave experience. Afternoon free. Overnight Tabo.

6. DAY 6

   Day 6: Tabo → Dhankar → Kaza (70km) — Enter Spiti proper

   Morning stop at Dhankar Gompa on the cliff. Drive through dramatic Pin Valley entry. Arrive Kaza (3,800m) by noon. Important rest afternoon — altitude here is serious. Light lunch, rest, evening short walk. Monitor all family members for AMS symptoms. Overnight Kaza.

7. DAY 7

   Day 7: Kaza Acclimatization & Exploration (Key, Kibber, Chicham)

   Easy start at 9am. Drive Key Monastery (4,166m) — monks happy to interact with children, show prayer drums, butter lamps. Kibber Village walk. Chicham Bridge — kids will want photos looking straight down. Back Kaza by 3pm. Fossil hunting demo in the afternoon with local guide.

8. DAY 8

   Day 8: Hikkim, Langza & Komic — The Fossil Day

   Hikkim post office — children send postcards home stamped with world's highest PO stamp. Langza: Guide shows children where to find ammonite fossils (they can keep small ones). Giant Buddha statue at 4,400m. Komic village — highest in Asia. Back Kaza for bonfire dinner and stargazing session.

9. DAY 9

   Day 9: Kaza → Chandratal Lake — Luxury Camp Night

   Drive via Kunzum Pass (4,551m) — family photos at the pass. Arrive Chandratal (Moon Lake, 4,300m) afternoon. Check in luxury eco-camp — proper beds, heated dining tent. Evening walk around the lake (30 mins, easy, flat). Gourmet bonfire dinner under one of India's darkest skies. Guide explains constellations.

10. DAY 10

    Day 10: Chandratal → Manali (100km, ~4hrs)

    Wake to sunrise on the lake (children remember this forever). Packed breakfast. Drive via Batal and Gramphu. Cross Rohtang Pass. Arrive Manali by 2pm. Trip ends. Onward transfers to Bhuntar airport or overnight in Manali available.

— End of trip —