LAHUL AND SPITI

LAHUL AND SPITI



Lying along the historic Silk Route, these twin valleys have been described by Rudyard Kipling as ‘a world within the world’ and ‘the place where the gods live’. These valleys can be reached via Sarahan, Narkanda, Kalpa and Tabo from Shimla or from Manali through the majestic Rohtang Pass. The ecology of Lahul and Spiti are characterized by varied contrast of ethereal beauty and harsh reality. Small lakes glimmering like jewels encircled by snow-capped peaks, thickly wooded mountain slopes, meadows of alpine grass, rock hard mountain deserts, torrential rivers and howling cold winds with a variety of flora and fauna hooded by an azure sky creates a concoction that is ultimately divine. The extremely endangered Ibex Antelope and Clouded Leopard are found here. Tucked away in the mountains for centuries, this part of the world has been opened to the world only recently. These valleys have a strong and traditional cultural attachment with Tibet. Thus, there are marked cultural and religious similarities. There are only a few sparsely populated villages in these twin valleys and the people living here are strikingly simple and god fearing. The famous Kunzum Pass (4551metres), the highest motorable road in the world, connects the twin valleys which are dotted with ancient Buddhist monasteries, glaciers and glacial streams.

Accessibility: A drive from Manali through the majestic Rohtang Pass is the easiest way to reach the twin valleys. Keylong, the district head quarter of Lahaul, is 120kms in the north-west. Kaza, the head quarter of the Spiti district, is 225kms north-east. These twin valleys can also be reached via Sarahan, Narkanda, Kalpa and Tabo from Shimla (337kms) and via Leh from Kashmir, all by road.

Accommodation: There are Tourist Lodges of the state Tourism Department at Kaza and Kelong. Those apart, a few standard Hotels with basic facilities provide accommodation in these twin valleys.

Season: June to October.

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