Spiti Valley Biking and Backpacking Trip

Details

You will meet your fellow travelers and trek leaders after congregating at the allocated pick up point (RK Ashram or Majnu Ka Tila to be confirmed). After everyone has sat down and bid warm greetings, there will be a briefing by the trek leaders regarding the road trip- Spiti Valley Backpacking and Biking.

There may be some awkwardness or hesitation at the beginning, but as soon as the group starts connecting, this sensation would disappear. Once this little ice-breaker has been done, you are at liberty to kick back and relax the rest of the journey to the unknown.

And at 7:00pm at night, we will leave Delhi and reach Jibhi in the morning all set up to get into the adventure ahead!

Details

On reaching Aut Tunnel, the participants who selected an option of Traveller will proceed directly to Jibhi. On the other hand, riders will be initially taken to Manali to pick up their bikes, and then a little test drive will be made to see that all is fine. Thereafter everybody will reassemble at Jibhi.

Pitied away in the Tirthan valley, Jibhi is a serene offbeat village that is distinguished by crystal clear streams and pine and cedar forest and a tranquillity that is ideal to take part in hikes, fishing and bird catching. After you have settled down during your stay, take some time and absorb the beautiful environment. Take a short walk, in case you have some time at disposal- the beauty of Jibhi is in its silent nooks.

We will go to our warm homestay as the sun starts setting and it gets cold. Take a good dinner after that, and get a rest--a journey of adventure in store, tomorrow.

Details

We started early after breakfast for a long and well worth the trouble trip to the last occupied village near the Indo-Tibetan border called Chitkul about 215 km from Jibhi. The scenic route has curvy mountain roads, thick pine forests and expanses of wild Himalayan beauty.

On reaching there you will be welcomed by the perfect beauty of Chitkul, where before you are vast snow capped mountains, apple orchards, deodars, and the Baspa River, which flows by the village under its clear sky that is perfect in beauty.

You should take time to visit the Mathi Temple which is a local shrine with revered beliefs and have a view of Chitkul Fort that will take you back to the heritage of this place. There is the famous last stop diner before the opening to the Indo-Tibet border, the Hindustan ka Akhiri Dhaba to get a bite at and capture a memory too.

We will then drive back to our homestay after having a good time exploring the mesmerizing Sangla Valley. See the sun set over the valley along the way and then enjoy a hot dinner and a relaxed long stay at night in Chitkul.

Details

We will have a good breakfast, and then proceed on the highway to Kalpa, a calm village located on an elevation of more than 9,700 ft approximately 60 km away from Chitkul. In the process we will make a stopover at Reckong Peo, administrative capital of the district of Kinnaur. A picturesque Himalayan town, the town of the deities, provides fascinating views and shows the rich experience about the lives of local people through the perspective of the Himachali.

And in case the weather is favorable, and we are endowed with clear skies, you will witness a magnificent panorama of the sacred Mount Kinnaur Kailash, which looks majestic with its mystical environment.

On arrival at Kalpa, we will spend rest of the day visiting two most famous locations of this third largest province of India:

1. The peaceful Buddhist temple of Kalpa Monastery with a fantastic mountainous background.
2. Suicide point, the dramatic cliff side view of the Sutlej River valley that provides a magnificent view- ideal destination to adventure-seekers as well as photographers.

We will get together for an evening meal after the snow-capped bag of Kalpa and spend the night to immerse our inner senses in the tranquility and beauty of Kalpa.

Details

We will start a beautiful road journey towards Dhankar on the cliff which is a village deep inside Spiti Valley after having an early morning breakfast. The route takes about seven hours and approximately 200 km to traverse and it is nothing short of glorious as spectacular sceneries come up at every point of the journey.

Along the way we will have two mind boggling stops:

1. Nako Village - located in the midst of a quiet lake, Nako is a picture postcard Himalayan hamlet where time takes a new turn. Make some silence and enjoy the peaceful views and the refreshing air of mountains.
2. Tabo monastery- commonly known as the Ajanta of the Himalayas, Tabo monastery is one of the oldest functional Buddhist enclaves in India; it is 1,000 years old and decorated with ancient paintings and texts.

We will get to Dhankar by late in the evening- a former capital of the Spiti kingdom that is a floating monastery on a cliff.

Our dinner will include a warm meal and stories and discussions at night under the stars after check in. We shall sleep here to-night in this enchanted mountain village.

Details

We will start an eye-pleasing journey to Dhankar, which is a village on the edge of a cliff nestled within the Spiti Valley after an early breakfast. This journey of about 200 km takes approximately seven hours, but there is nothing non-spectacular about it as one can tell of moving landscapes that can only be described as dramatic.

We will stop over twice, along the way, making two unbelievable stops:

1. Nako Village – A serene lake surrounds this picture-perfect village in the Himalayas: Nako is a charming place where time passes slowly. After a peaceful moment of looking at the beauty of the surroundings and inhaling fresh mountain air, move along.
2. Tabo Monastery: Traditionally called the Ajanta of the Himalayas, it is one of the oldest active Buddhist enclaves in India, having medicinal murals and sacred texts painted on its walls, but dating back to the 1000 years.

By the end of the evening, the trip Dhankar to Kaza is not only a road journey but a journey filled with inner peace and the beauty that makes you understand that there is more than life left to be experienced. The biggest township of the Lahaul and Spiti Valley is Kaza which towers above barren rocky mountains, glittering rivers and centuries old monasteries. The scenery is painterly-like here every bend is revealed in combinations of ochre, grey and gold.

In the course of the works we shall have some soul-stirring halts:

1. Kungri Monastery It is one of the oldest monasteries in the Pin Valley and a quiet place of old age and peace.
2. Pin Valley National Park- A mountainous sanctuary to wildflora and wildlife. With Superstar luck, we might spot a Himalayan fox or even the shy snow leopard, on this pictorial landscape.
3. Mud Village- Is a silent but scenically beautiful small village to get an idea of how simple and strong the lives of the people of Spiti are. It is a pure touch of Himalaya culture with mud houses and smiling faces.

We are going to reach Kaza as the sun is setting behind the mighty peaks. Just enjoy the introverted beauty of this hilltop town. We will retire to sleep, having had a warm dinner, into a sky, studded with stars.

Details

The first point of our day is the visit to the Key Monastery, located upon a hill and dramatic spot, it is an exquisite Tibetan Buddhist gompa constructed in the 11th century. Labyrinth halls, old relics and winding corridors make it more than the spiritual retreat, it is a glimpse of monastic life in Spiti.

The next stop will be the suspension bridge of Chicham which is the highest bridge of Asia. The views here, being 13,500 feet above ground are simply unreal- this is where all those windswept and sky-high photo-op shots are taken.

Then we will go to Hikkim- where there is a post office of the highest post office in the World. Leave a postcard, give a token, it will come long distances.

Our next destination is Komic which is also one of the highest motorable villages in the world at an altitude of 4,600m. In this place life is so elemental, so tranquil, so very whitewashed, so festooned with prayer flags, so carved upon the air as told by stories.

Lastly we shall be visiting Langza, the so-called Fossil Village. Billed under the envious gaze of the Buddha statue and enclosed by fossil-enriched landscape, it is undoubtedly one of the photogenic and calm places to be in Spiti.

In the evening we will come back to Kaza, because this night should be the last night of celebration-dinner, music, dance, laughter and the last chance to share the stories before we depart and the sky full of stars.

Details

Head start the day with an energetic breakfast. Move to Chandratal or Batal, midway stop at Kunzum Pass. The whole distance is 100 km. Later, we will serve dinner that will follow an overnight stay.

Details

With an early breakfast, we start our journey back to Manali and while traveling there we cross paths with areas that have a distance of around 250 km and take us a span of around 8 hours. The scenery itself is very scenic\ the road is very twisty, mountainous, and very exotic.

A major spot along the path is the famous Rohtang Pass, a high-altitude mountain pass with a breath-taking landscape and our new entry into the green part of Himachal. Be prepared to pull over and take photos and also enjoy this chilly breeze one more time as we go down into the valley.

The afternoon will take us to Manali, a busy mountain resort which is charming and full of life. Use your free hours by wandering around and shopping the lively Mall road and into quaint cafes or rather, own one of the many spots to enjoy the pine air.

We will have a healthy dinner in the evening as the night sets and then we can either take a leisurely walk around the town or play games and chat the night away at the homestay, whichever takes the group fancy.

Details

The group will be left at their discretion. You can engage in activities that you love doing the most – shopping, cafe hopping, sightseeing, talking to locals, or just taking a break from everything and meditating in a nearby temple. 

Then later in the evening, we will start our journey to Delhi.

Details

The next destination will be Delhi and we will arrive there in the early morning which will then end our memorable trip in the powerful Spiti Valley. 

Just remember, you will live to tell the story with your new buddies to show off what a trip it has been and with hundreds of photographs that you have on your camera roll. We at PTU consider that all trips are the beginning of the next best journey.

We wish your Backpacking and Biking Trip to Spiti Valley was as amazing as we got in putting together. Now you are a member of the PTU family, which is why we would be glad to see you on more trips across the most beautiful landscapes of India.

Till that keep on travelling, keep dreaming and keep inspiring.