Yes!!! We are finally SPITIed.
Spiti Valley is a trans-himalayan, cold desert region located in the north-eastern part of Indian state of Himachal Pradesh offering only scenic landscapes and nothing else. The name “Spiti” means “The Middle Land”, i.e. the land between Tibet and India and Spiti River adds life and charm to this Himalayan Valley.
Every sight in each direction is so pristine and serene that you feel stunned and amazed every moment. This part of world is cut off from world for 4-6 months in a year and infamous for tough traveling conditions. Every turn calls for highest order of driving and maneuvering skills on these roads. The name “Spiti” means “The Middle Land”, i.e. the land between Tibet and India which was described by Rudyard Kipling in his book Kim as “a world within a world” and “a place where god lives.”
After an inspiring self-drive up to Kinnaur Valley last year, Spiti Valley was on high priority for us. Literally we planned meticulously for this trip and finally on 26th September 2015, early morning I left for this dream road trip with my companion for life – my wife. It was indeed one of those once in a life time journeys that we finally embarked upon with a mix feeling of apprehension and high expectation.
We travelled for 1800KM in 8 days and roughly 500KM were on NO TARMAC road and for miles and miles there was indeed no road. We drove on one of the most dangerous road of the world, crossed treacherous water streams, attentively meandered along rivers like Satluj, Spiti, Pin, Chandra and Beas, watched best golden hour landscapes, traversed thru Rohtang and Kunzume passes, visited highest village of the Asia and prayed inside few of the oldest monasteries of the world and camped at 4500 mt in freezing -6 degree temperature near Chandrataal. While on road in Spiti, shades of mountain, vibrancy of sky, pebbled river bed, endless roads made us feel as if Tolkien’s Middle-Earth (Endor) in Lords of the Rings was this Middle-Land Spiti.
The barrenness of the mountains characterized by the umpteen shades of brown, black, grey, orange, green makes this region of the world most scenic. As you enter from fruit-abounding, full of green Kinnaur Valley to treeless, road less, people-less and oxygen less Spiti Valley, you see unbelievable, unimaginable aspects of natural beauty.
We drove edge to edge, detoured to worst ever route to Chandratal, crossed notorious Pangi nallah and living the words of Robert Frost every moment in Spiti Valley. It indeed was travelling on the road least travelled and now when we are back to Delhi we realized that it had made all the difference in true sense.
So, for now, I will let the photographs do the talking. More detailed posts to come soon.
Riders as seen on G T Road. We were sure to meet more such riders during our road trip!
Near Chail. Instead of going via Shimla, we detoured from Kandaghat toward Chail and Kufri
Drama in the sky Near Rampur.
Golden Hour shot
Awesome Landscapes!
Kinner Kailash Range from Kalpa
Golden Hour shot from Kalpa
Sun Rise from behind the Kinner Kailash. As seen from Kalpa.
Driving on World’s most dangerous road 🙂
View of Satluj Valley after Kalpa
Dangerous rooads along Satluj towards Nako.
Picturesque!!
Kalpa to Nako. Home of serenity!!
Snow Capped Mountains!
At Khab where Spiti meets Satluj. After this point Spiti was with us till Kunzum Top!
The beauty was too much to be absorbed!! We were lost in the Spiti Land!
On our way to Giu Mummy. From the river bed of Giu Nallah.
Picturesque Lari Village on the way to Tabo!
Everything along spiti was amazing.
Dhankar Monestary
Golden Hour Shot from Dhankar!
It seems god is still busy in creating the wold!! Heavenly!
ALong Pin River towards Pin Valley!
It looks as if God is also lost in spiti and still busy in creating the world!
Small Hamlet along Spiti River!
Snow capped peaks as seen from Kaumik near Kaza!
Spiti River near Kaza!
Towards Key Monestary!
Key Monestary Near Kaza!
Road to Kunzum Pass from Kaza!
Curves and turns of the road kept us alive!
Beaauty all around us and thats t=why people love to get lost in Spiti Valley!
Lost in wonderland!
Spiti Valley with all shades of brown, Green and orange!
As we reach Kunzume Pass!
At Kunzum Pass!
Kunzum Top!
Near Chandratal, we camped at -6 degree temperature at 4500 mt height!
Awesome and beautiful Chandratal Lake!
Trek upto Chandratal from Base camp!
On our way to Rohtang from Chandratal. Worst of all the roads but most beautiful scenes as well!
At the fag end of our road trip and looking back to the mountains and the landscpaes!
At rohtang Top and thus we completed our Spiti Circuit in 8 days!
During the last day when we were on the worst patches, we met these beautiful people who helped us and now we are no more strangers! Thanks Guys!
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Oh! Spiti, I am in love with you. Dying to be in your embrace again and again!
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