Having been explored every nook and corner of the state of Himachal Pradesh now, there’s nothing more amazing and solacing than relaxing in the lap of Spiti Valley. From the region’s friendly and welcoming localities to their beautiful homestays, unique lifestyle, 1000 years old culture, and breathtaking places of interest, there’s so much to discover and admire.
If you’re planning to travel to this majestic valley, here are some must-visit places and what do they have to offer in terms of sightseeing.
This is the largest township flourishing in the Spiti Valley. Kaza is also a home to crystal clear rivers, snow-capped mountains, and base camps for many famous trekking and mountaineering expeditions. Some of the most renowned monasteries and gompas of the state of Himachal Pradesh are nestled in Kaza. Of these, the most famous ones are Tabo Monastery and Sakya Tangyud Monastery.
The best way to reach Kaza village is via Lahaul Valley and Kinnaur Valley. But, the former is only accessible in summer months. Staying at a homestay in Kaza extends an opportunity to indulge in conversations with the local population, take up adventure sport activities and find peace at the region’s monasteries.
Surrounded by snow-capped mountains and lush green pasture lands, this picturesque village is a home to some of the ancient monasteries and buildings of the region that are worth visiting. Langza village rests at an altitude of about 4400 meters above sea level. Pre-dominantly, it’s an agricultural-dependent village and most known for its exclusive carpets, shawls, and vessels. You can buy them as souvenirs.
Summers are the best time to pay a visit to this majestic place as it experiences heavy snowfall in the winter months and the weather is unbearable. When in Langza, the most famous attraction of the place is the statue of Lord Buddha, which overlooks the valley. The village’s ancient monastery and mud houses are also worth exploring. Trekking and mountaineering two adventure activities that you can enjoy here.
Located at an altitude of about 4320 meters above sea level, Demul village can be easily reached via road, from Komik via Lidang. The village is an amalgamation of nearly 40 families and offers a few homestay facilities as well. They are well-maintained and equipped with all the modern facilities.
Komik houses the region’s most famous Komik Monastery. Collectively, the village has about 50-60 houses. During the winter months, the village completely cuts itself off from the rest of the world owing to heavy snowfall. Even the region’s temperatures falls down to as low as -30 degree Celsius.
Dhankar was once the capital of Spiti Valley. It rests between the villages of Tabo and Kaza. The most prominent places among many to visit here include the Dhankar Gompa and Dhankar Lake. The village is a home to about 60 odd families and they’re most famed for their excellent homestay facilities.
So, if you’re planning to pay a visit to the Spiti Valley, it’s best to travel in the summer months and stay in homestays than regular hotels. The place is beautiful and a must visit once in your lifetime!
Papua New Guinea is a Neverland for people. Well, it is not that way as many assume it to be. This Neverland ensembles within itself some untold, unseen, unheard mysteries. Today we unfurl these mysterious from within. The Tari valley in Papua New Guinea is the home to the colurful Huli tribals of New Guinea and as a visitor one really thrills to be a part of such unmanned beauty.
Death Valley is a very tough destination of the world with a heated atmosphere and troubled land surface. But nonetheless, it invites the off the track travellers to its turbulent and testing lap and the true dare devil takes up the challenge and gives it a go!
Spiti Valley: The Middle Land Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love him. Truly the scenic Spiti Valley is God’s special creation. It’s breathtakingly beautiful. Spiti literally translates to ‘The Middle Land’. It derives its name from its geographical location in between the Indian peninsular mass and the Tibetan plateau. The Spiti has imprints of the Buddhist culture. It has the oldest monasteries of the world Ki Monastery and Tabo Monastery, a favourite of Dalai Lama. Spiti is located at an altitude of 12,500 ft above the sea level. The barren cold desert of the mountains is eye-catching destination.Spiti becomes attractive due to multiple reasons. The beauty is such that the word cold desert loses its dryness. Moreover, there are many lakes. These lakes at such a height are formed from the melt water accumulation. They form a nice site for camp fire for the travellers and the mountaineers. You must have experienced a Horse ride and a Camel ride. But have you ever heard of a Yak Safari. One can start imagining the Yak safari while heading towards Spiti through a difficult motorable road through Shimla. Spiti holds highest village of Asia which is accessible through a motorable road. The villages here are sparsely populated holding just 30-50 households. Staying at the villages gives one to have a firsthand experience of the local culture. The view of the open skies during night stay is simply awesome. Very few places provide such a view.In addition to above mentioned natural beauty and spiritual soul searching Buddhist monasteries; Spiti has a delight for the adventure loving people. One needs to have a lion’s heart to brave the weather and raft through the Spiti River’s meandering flow in Himalayas. The adrenaline junkies can quench their thirst with rafting through the cold waters of Spiti River. So, overall Spiti provides natural, spiritual and even adventure-seeking people. It can mesmerise children, young and the adults equally. It’s a must visit location at least once in a life time for everyone.
Nestled amongst the gushing waterfalls of Eastern Ghats, Araku Valley has been a major attraction. The journey to Araku Valley snakes through 84 bridges and 58 tunnels in the Anantagiri range. The hazy evenings, the chill in air and the placid aroma of coffee scattered around the valley, will leave you awestruck. Even when the civilization has gone deep within the valley, the place is still soaked by the heritage of the age-old tribal groups. Situated at a distance of 29 kilometers from Araku Valley are the historic Borra caves. Araku Valley has so much to offer for anyone hoping to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city life. You can go to Galikondalu viewpoint for a breathtaking view of the entire valley or trek to the beautiful limestone caves, Borra. Along with the beautiful stalactites and stalagmites inside the cave, it is also known to have mythological significance. The locals believe that Lord Ram, Lakshman and Sita dwelled in the caves during their exile period. Borra caves are not only the longest but also the deepest caves in India. The travelers get an illusion of some alien land with halogen lamps, creating mesmerizing effects on the damp pathways. No amount of pictures can capture the captivating beauty of these caves.
Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love him.Truly the scenic Spiti Valley is God’s special creation. It’s breathtakingly beautiful. Spiti literally translates to ‘The Middle Land’. It derives its name from its geographical location in between the Indian peninsular mass and the Tibetan plateau. The Spiti has imprints of the Buddhist culture. It has the oldest monasteries of the world Ki Monastery and Tabo Monastery, a favourite of Dalai Lama. Nonetheless, there are plenty of places in Spiti that are worth your time. But here is the list of the 10 must visit places in Spiti that will sweep you off your feet.
Expansive desserts, dense forests, deep blue seas and breathtaking views – Markha Valley’s once-in-a-lifetime trek introduces you to the region’s natural beauty, adventures, and a hell load of majestic emotions experienced never before. The trek’s trail religiously takes you through the Hemis National Park, where you’ll spot snow leopards and many other lesser-seen animals, to tiny Himalayan hamlets made with huge parachute tents, witnessing unique Buddhist culture and finally crossing the high-mountain passes which offer a view that’s simply soothing, enchanting, and worth experiencing.So, if you’re someone who loves trekking, let Markha Valley be your next destination of excursion
Of the many offbeat places nestling in the state of Himachal Pradesh, Spiti is nothing less than a gem studded in its crown. The desert mountain valley of Spiti is as an ideal destination not only for adventure travelers, but for the solitude seekers as well. A part of the Himalayan Mountains, the picturesque valley of Spiti offers an exuberant range of opportunities for moderate to difficult trekking expeditions along with Jeep safaris. However, for those of you who wish to stay away from such adrenaline-pumping activities and laze around in the peaceful environs of the region, opt for a homestay instead.Spiti itself is an amalgamation of many villages. Of these, nearly six of them offer excellent homestay. These include, namely Demul, Dhankar, Langza, Lhalung, Kibber, and Komik. On an average, each of these villages has up to three homestays comprising of one guest bedroom that can accommodate one or two people. These homestays are nothing but village homes, with one of their portions transformed into guestrooms for tourists. These places have also developed over the period of time into contemporary homestays. So, you do not particularly feel that you’re away from home.
