Enormous mountains, Spotless cold dessert valley, Intriguing culture, loving warmth, beauty sprouting from every quarter, experience a journey of a lifetime with a trip to Spiti valley. Spiti is a cold desert mountain valley – the middle land between India and Tibet. A place that was cut off from the outer world for 30 years has got to be special. The breath-taking views and the untouched natural beauty will make your visit lifetime memorable experience. A visit to Spiti valley is like time travel, you travel and shift to a time and a world unknown. It's a place where Tibet and India blend beautifully. This protected civilisation had recently been transformed into one of the most relaxing and peaceful tourist destinations of India.

But why Spiti?

Here's why:

Centres of the Buddhist pilgrimage – Monasteries

Spiti is home to many significant centres of the Buddhist pilgrimage. The fascinating part of Spiti is its Gompas and their unique location. Located high up in the mountains these monasteries are away from the civilisation, thus planting a new level of excitement for the tourists. Apart from the many village monasteries, there are 5 major monasteries in Spiti- Kye Monastery, Tangyud Monastery, Dhankar Monastery, Tabo Monastery and Kungri Monastery.

Tabo Monastery–

Tabo monastery is located in the Tabo village and is at a distance of nearly 46 km south-east from Kaza, Himachal Pradesh. Also called Tabo-Chos-Khor implying 'doctrinal circle' this monastery has 23 'chortens', nine temples, an annexe containing the bedchamber of a nun and a monk's chamber. Alluring wall paintings, similar to those of Ajanta-Ellora paintings and sculptures beautify the interiors of this monastery.

Dhankar Monastery–

An 800-year-old monastery located in Dhankar village, 25 Km East of Kza, Himachal Pradesh. Buddhist scriptures and paintings embellish the walls of this monastery. The presiding deity of this monastery is the 'Dhyaan Buddha' who is also known as 'Vairocana'.

Kye Monastery–

Located at a summit of a hill at height of 4,166 metres, it is a Tibetan Buddhist Monastery. It is the largest monastery of Spiti valley.

TnagyudGompa–

It is located in a Comic village in Spiti valley. This was constructed around the earlier 14th century and belongs to the sect of Sa-Kya-Pa. Tibetan scriptures having 87 volumes called 'Tang-r-Gyud' are available in this Gompa.

Also Read: Tirthan Valley: Himachal Pradesh's Hidden Paradise

Kungri Monastery–

It is the second oldest monastery located in Pin valley and was constructed in the 1300 AD. This monastery has evidence of Tantric effect and it belongs to the 'Nyingma-pa Sect'.

These gompas provide the true essence of Buddhism in their thangkas, murals, scriptures, paintings and prayers of the red-robed lamas.

Send postcards from the Highest post office of the world

Isn't the idea of sending yourself or others postcards from a height of 14,567 Feet fascinating and super-interesting?

The post office is located in Hikkim village, a 15 Km drive from Kaza village. The post office is run by Chinese, where for every postcard a price of 5 Yuan is charged. You can also get Base camp certificates here.

The post office is shut for almost half a year during snow. Monks in the area receive their postcards from this post office while the farmers maintain their savings account there.

You can reach the post office in two ways- first, hiring a taxi. The other is boarding a bus, but this bus runs twice a week, so check the schedule before you go.

Serene Beauties- The lakes of Spiti

Adding embellishments to the crown of Spiti, these high-altitude lakes would provide you with an experience like never before. You have to trek your way to the lakes due to their high altitude. Chandrataal, Suraj Tal and Dhankar are the main lakes of Spiti but Chandratal is the shining star of Spiti.

Camping at Chandrataal under the star-studded sky might turn out to be one of the best experiences of your life. Chandrataal is loved by the tourists. The colours of the lake are best seen when the sun has risen. The valley that leads to the lake is full of flowers and peace. Just one sight at the lake will take away all the tiredness you gathered from the trekking.

The Surajtaallake is also a beautiful lake, not many people know of it. It's the third highest lake in the country. It is a sacred water body and merges with Chandratal down the hill.

Drown in the culture with the Homestays in Spiti

Some Spitian families in the higher and remote villages like Komic, Langza, Kibber, Demul, Lhalung, Dhankar and Hikkim open up their hearts and homes to the travellers.

One can get to know so much about their culture just by living with a Spitian family. Homestays also let you understand the basic aspects of the life of a Spitian like the living conditions in a remote area, what do they eat, what do they do during the house arrest they have to face during the harsh winters. The houses are roomy and spacious with the balconies providing the view of the mighty Himalayas.

The people of Spiti believe in not wasting anything which is visible in their dry composting toilets. They generate their manure for the fields through this. But if you'd prefer cosy hotel rooms then yatra coupons would do you justice and get discount upto 40% on booking the hotels.

The fascinating mummy of Sangha Tenzin

Sounds scary? Well, it isn't. In 1975, an earthquake in the Northern region opened a tomb containing the mummified body of a monk named Sangha Tenzin. The mummy was found inside a tomb at Ghuen village in the cold and remote Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh.

Though the mummy is 500 years old, it is well preserved with skin and the hair on the head intact. The surprising part is that the mummification of the monk's body is completely natural and no chemicals were used He died with a rope tied around his neck and his legs, which is an esoteric practice recorded in a few Buddhist documentaries. It's due to the rope that he was in the same position even after his death.

The mummy is on display in temple Gue, which is about 20 miles from where he was excavated, in the stae of Himachal Pradesh in India, bordering Tibet. The mummy rests in a concrete box, unlike the artificial mummification where several layers of glass are used to preserve the mummy. This is a natural wonder which everyone would love to see.

Along with these, Spiti valley provides you with a chance for the journey to the highest motorable village-Komic at 15,027 feet. Moreover, the trip would also provide you peace at the quaint villages of Spiti. They are refreshing and a lot more peaceful as compared to the noise and pollution we have to face in the cities. The view and location of each village is a sight to behold.

How to reach the Spiti valley?

• There are two ways to reach this beautiful place, one via the Shimla route and the other via Manali route having two passes Kumuzum La and Rohtang.
• Manali route is preferred more by the tourists as for starters, The Manali route is shorter (201 km) as compared to the Shimla route (450 Km).
• Moreover, Spiti is more accessible from the Manali route as there are daily buses while from the Shimla route the buses run not so frequently and buying passes can be hectic as well.
• If you are fascinated by travelling through high passes then the Manali route is the one for you. But the altitude escalates quickly in the Manali route and thus, you'd have less time to get settled and can suffer from AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness). The Shimla route gains altitude gradually giving you time to acclimatize.

Also Read: 9 Must-Know Facts About Indus Valley Civilization

However, both the routes are equally tiring as there are unpaved roads and roadblocks ahead.

For the Manali route:

• it is advisable to take a break at Kullu, spend a day
• then follow the road ahead.
• As it is very difficult to get a seat on the bus to from Manali, it is advisable to board a shared cab to Kaza, though expensive but comfortable.

For the Shimla route,

• it is advisable to board a bus from ReckongPeo to Kaza.
• An early morning bus should be preferred. Make sure you stand in line early in the morning to avoid the hustle in the evening.

Spiti valley is more about the journey, it's truly exciting.

Some tips for your visit to be hassle free

1. There is no network connectivity in the Spiti valley, only BSNL postpaid cards work here. Sometimes Airtel too. It's beneficial to download the map of Spiti valley beforehand.
2. As Kaza is the headquarters of Spiti, it's the only place that has fuel stations, cyber café and mobile networks. And it's the only place you'll find ATM. It is advisable to carry enough cash from Manali and keep this ATM as the last option. Also, the fuel station is only open till 5 PM.
3. Foreign tourists need to register with ITBP prior to their visit.

Best time to visit Spiti valley

The best time to visit is during June-September when there are no frozen paths and it's all beautiful and lovely.

Spiti is harsh during winters as the temperature drops to -30-degree Celcius. The roads start clearing up during May-June and according to the residents there, July-August is the best time to visit the beauty.

"A world within a world" is how Rudyard Kipling quoted Spiti valley.

It's unlike all the travel destinations. Spiti is about happiness, beauty and peace. It's about that retreat away from technology that you read in online posts, It's an experience with raw life without the modern ease of access. It's about quietness you can't get in your city. So, in this year of long weekends, take some time for yourself, pack your bags, and go for a date with nature. I can assure you,you will not be disappointed!