Route to Spiti Valley
Travelling to Spiti means travelling to Kaza. The route is rough, long and thrilling. Travelling on these adventurous roads is a unique experience in itself.
Spiti valley is well connected to Shimla as well as Manali. While travelling across the valley one can enter from one side and exit from other. During this journey, one visits all major tourist destinations of Lahual and Spiti region. It is commonly known as ‘ Spiti Circle’.
The journey actually starts from Chandigarh. It is a beautiful city located next to the Shivalik mountains. It is also known as city beautiful. If you are travelling from Delhi, NH-44 is the best route. Chandigarh is not located on the highway and you have to turn from Ambala towards Chandigarh. Chandigarh is about 250 kms from Delhi. It is a four-lane highway and connects almost all the major cities of north India.
Chandigarh- Shimla- Rekong peo- Kaza Route
Once you pass Chandigarh and turn towards Himachal and follow NH-5 while travelling a lot o beautiful villages and towns appears next to the highway. Once Parwanoo passes elevation on Shivalik range starts. The first major city that comes on the way is Solan. It is a beautiful city spread over many hills. The same highway leads to Shimla. It is the state capital and busiest city of the region.
Once you cross Shimla, the change in climate can be easily observed. The next major spot on the route is Narkanda. It is a village located at an altitude of about 8600 feet. It is the highest point in the region. Hatu Peak next to Narkanda has some magnificent views. Then comes Rampur Bushahr. It is a beautiful city located next to satluj river.
From Rampur, a narrow mountain road leads to Rekong Peo. The road runs next to the river satluj at a high altitude. Some sections of the road have been obtained by carving the mountains. Many small and beautiful mountain village appear on the way.
On the way to Rekong Peo, at a distance of about 75 kms from Rampur, the Karcham dam is located. It is located next to the highway. It is the gateway to Sangla valley and Chitkul. It is a beautiful valley surrounded by snow-covered peaks throughout the year. River Baspa flows through the valley. The last point of this valley is Chitkul village. The complete details about the region are mentioned in The mesmerizing beauty on the way to Chitkul, the last village of India.
Rekong Peo is not located on the highway but is about 4 km away from the highway at a higher altitude. Rekong Peo is the district head quater of Kinnaur district. It is surrounded by mountains and shows magnificent views of Kinner Kailash range. It is a perfect tourist destination in itself. Kalpa is a magnificent Kinnaur village located at a distance of about 9 km from Rekong Peo on the top of the mountain. It is a perfect place to spend a night during the journey.
As you travel towards Kaza, the road becomes more and more curvy, narrow, and the mountains surrounding it become more and more extensive. Pooh is the next main town, but just like Rekong Peo it is not located on the highway. Once Pooh is crossed actual elevation starts, the next major village is Nako. It is the most important village of the region. It appears on the highway and has many dhabas that offers tea, food and place to relax. It has many homestays and guest houses to spend night during the journey. There is a small lake in the village. It is the last main village of Kinnaur.
The road next to Nako is not in good condition. Milling nullah located next to Nako sometimes causes mud all over the road. The next village on the way is Sumdo. It is the entry point of Spiti valley. There is a barricade of SSB maintaining the record of the visitors. The next major village on the route is Tabo. It is another small beautiful village surrounded by mountains. It has one of the oldest Buddhist monasteries. Then comes Shichling and Samling, just before these villages a road elevates towards Dhankar. It is about 9 km from the main road. Then comes the final destination, The Kaza.
Kaza- Manali- Chandigarh
While travelling from Kaza to Manali many beautiful landscapes appear next to the road. Many small villages appear on the way. First comes Hal then comes Jugmothang and later comes Hansa, finally comes Losar. It is a major point on this journey. The road is risky and the route is long. Hence, the ride is a bit difficult. The road finally lead to Leh Manali highway. Leh Manali Highway is well-maintianed road. A newly constructed Atal tunnel has optimised the route in the finest way. The tunnel lies between Bagche and Burwa, that further leads to Manali. The next major point on the way is Kullu, it is a beautiful town located in the heart of the valley. The road between Kullu and Manali runs parallel to the river Satluj. Many hotels and resorts are located on the riverside. It is also a perfect place to enjoy river rafting. The next main cities are Mandi and Sundernagar. The same road leads to Ropar. Once you enter Ropar it means you are already in Punjab. Then comes the final destination of our journey, Chandigarh.
Chandigarh – shimla- Rekong Peo- Kaza
| Route | Distance (in Kms) |
| Chandigarh to Solan | 70 |
| Solan to Shimla | 45 |
| Shimla to Narkanda | 60 |
| Narkanda to Rampur Bushahr | 60 |
| Rampur Bushahr to Rekong Peo | 100 |
| Rekong Peo to Pooh | 70 |
| Pooh to Nako | 40 |
| Nako to Sumdo | 40 |
| Sumdo to Tabo | 30 |
| Tabo to Samling | 25 |
| Samling to Kaza | 20 |
Kaza- Manali- Chandigarh
| Route | Distance (in KMs) |
| Kaza to Hal | 20 |
| Hal to Jagmothang | 10 |
| Jagmothang to Hansa | 18 |
| Hansa to Losar | 12 |
| Losar to Gramphu (Leh- Manali highway) | 80 |
| Gramphu to Manali | 50 |
| Manali to Kullu | 40 |
| Kullu to Mandi | 65 |
| Mandi to sundarnagar | 23 |
| Sundarnagar to Ropar | 125 |
| Ropar to Chandigarh | 45 |
Spiti valley is well connected to Shimla as well as Manali. While travelling across the valley one can enter from one side and exit from the other. During this journey, one visit all major tourist destinations of Lahaul and Spiti region. It is commonly known as ‘ Spiti Circle’.
Shimla is about 420 Kms form Kaza. It is the life line of the region. It is an all weather road and remains open almost around the year. The road from Shimla to Kaza is almost in good condition and the credit for this goes to BRO. Some patches/ strech are in bad condition, it is due to heavy landslides in the area. About 95% route is in good condition.
On the other side, Manali is about 185 kms from Kaza. The recently started Atal Tunnel bypasses Rohtang Pass. Gramphu to Kaza is about 135 kms and the road is not in good condition. The route remains close during winters. It is perfect for an adventurous bike ride.