Lahaul-Spiti Travel Guide - http://www.ixigo.com/travel-guide/lahaul-spiti page 1 You’ll find the exquisite Chandratal Lake, a Ironically, global warming, with its glassy mirror of blue water. In the valley unseasonal rains and higher temperatures, Lahaul-Spiti you’ll see the surreal blue-green-brown of has brought new plants such as apple, Snow cloaked valleys in the the ridges and rock formations shaped by peach, poplar and willows to Lahaul. Where snow erosion. Villages with flat-roofed once little could take root in this arid terrain, mountain desert of the Himalayas, adobe houses with prayer flags fluttering large patches of Upper Lahaul are today Lahaul-Spiti are the retreat away from the rooftops, will be surrounded by a coloured green. Lahaul and Spiti together from population and pollution. mosaic of barley and pea fields. With a make up the northernmost district of Lose yourself in the serenity of monastery on guard above it all. Also known Himachal.  Monasteries, enjoy the barren Famous For : Cit as 'Fossil Park of the World' and frequented mountain-scape, take long walks by by fossil hunters, the Spiti Valley is an river Spiti, or give yourself the dose In close proximity to Tibet, the district of adventure enthusiasts heaven, with of adventure skiing or trekking, Lahaul-Spiti is surrounded by snow clad opportunities for arduous treks, skiing and Lahaul-Spiti promises it all. mountains, barren valleys and encased in yak safari. rural life of Buddhists. Pristine and Traditionally, Upper Lahaul was the frontier untouched by modernity, these valleys are between Ladakh and Kullu, both of which locked away by snow during the winter flexed their muscles over the region, months, open only from May to September. whereas Lower Lahaul was ruled by the Rich in Monasteries, Spiti is known as the erstwhile Chamba and Kashmir 'Land of the Lamas', and the Tabo The Trans-Himalayan area of Lahaul is one kingdoms. Lahaul has also been ruled Monastery located here has been declared of Himachal’s loveliest and least explored. It by Tibetan kings. Thus, unlike its as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, housing is historically and geographically split into predominantly Buddhist neighbour Spiti, the scriptures and wall paintings -Tankhas and two — the Chandra and Bhaga valleys of people of Lahaul are a mixture of races that Stucco. Glacial streams flow through barren Upper Lahaul, with stark high mountains; include Tibetans, Mongols, people from but surreally coloured hills into the Spiti and the Pattan Valley stretching from Tandi Punjab and Kashmir and tribal River, along which, on tiny oases and to Udaipur in Lower Lahaul. In the cold communities.  patches of green, small villages survive with mountain ridges of the Bhaga Valley, wind their great monasteries. If coming from speeds can touch 100 km per hour. Winter, Manali, you’ll traverse Kunzum La Pass when many people move to lower heights, (15,059 ft), literally ‘the meeting place of sees storms and avalanches.  ibex’, the divide between Lahaul and Spiti.  The haunting cold mountain desert of Spiti, This Pdf and its contents are copyright © in the far north-eastern corner of Himachal, 2013,ixigo.com, all rights reserved. ixigo logo, the character and all other marks displayed herein are registered and/or common law trademarks of is unique in many ways. It not only shares its ixigo.com and/or third parties. borders and topography with Tibet, but also Lower Lahaul is warmer and greener. its ethnicity, culture and religion (Buddhism). Lahaul-Spiti Travel Guide - http://www.ixigo.com/travel-guide/lahaul-spiti page 2 In fact, it was part of a West Tibetan the ridges and rock formations shaped by Jul kingdom before it became incorporated in snow erosion. Villages with flat-roofed Cold weather. Carry Heavy woollen, When To umbrella. Ladakh in the 17th century. Reaching Spiti is adobe houses with prayer flags fluttering Max: Min: Rain: 204.0mm a bit of a voyage in itself. The drive from from the rooftops, will be surrounded by a 16.10000038 11.80000019 1469727°C 0734863°C Manali takes you through remote, mosaic of barley and pea fields. With a VISIT uninhabited areas, with boulder monastery on guard above it all. In the brief Aug strewn roads, river beds, high-velocity summer months the villagers feverishly http://www.ixigo.com/weather-in-lahaul-spiti-lp-1000109 Cold weather. Carry Heavy woollen, umbrella. winds, severe cold, low oxygen levels and work in the fields.  Max: Min: 11.0°C Rain: 330.0mm high-altitude sickness, making it an Jan 17.29999923 7060547°C irresistible journey for lovers of the Very cold weather. Carry Heavy woollen. offbeat!  Max: Min: Rain: 3.0mm Sep 8.699999809 2.200000047 Cold weather. Carry Heavy woollen, 265137°C 683716°C umbrella. Feb Max: Min: Rain: 207.0mm With winter temperatures as low as –30º C, 14.60000038 9.899999618 Very cold weather. Carry Heavy woollen. 1469727°C 530273°C women spin and weave wool inside bukhari- Max: Min: Rain: 36.0mm heated homes and men light fires around 10.10000038 2.799999952 Oct Spiti was not even open to tourism till hand pumps to melt the water. Festivals and 1469727°C 316284°C Cold weather. Carry Heavy woollen. 1992, all of which gives its mystique an extra weddings abound with much singing, eating Mar Max: 17.5°C Min: Rain: 36.0mm 10.60000038 edge. The valley is exquisite but requires and dancing. The children walk over snow Very cold weather. Carry Heavy woollen, 1469727°C umbrella. you to give up your notions of lush green for miles to school, playing with abandon, Max: Min: Rain: 108.0mm Nov beauty. Glacial streams flow through barren taking turns to take the livestock for grazing. 10.10000038 3.900000095 Cold weather. Carry Heavy woollen. 1469727°C 3674316°C but surreally coloured hills into the Spiti Max: Min: Rain: 0.0mm River, along which, on tiny oases and Apr 14.30000019 8.600000381 0734863°C 469727°C patches of green, small villages survive with Very cold weather. Carry Heavy woollen. their great monasteries. If coming from Max: 14.0°C Min: Rain: 3.0mm Dec 7.599999904 Very cold weather. Carry Heavy woollen. Manali, you’ll traverse Kunzum La Pass 632568°C Max: Min: Rain: 15.0mm (15,059 ft), literally ‘the meeting place of May 10.39999961 5.300000190 ibex’, the divide between Lahaul and Spiti’s villages can be visited by making 8530273°C 734863°C Cold weather. Carry Heavy woollen. Spiti.  Kaza or Tabo your base and making day Max: Min: Rain: 6.0mm trips to places around. Overnight trips are 22.39999961 13.30000019 8530273°C 0734863°C feasible since guest houses and homestays What To are quite cheap. Most people practise Jun Tibetan Buddhism and ancient monasteries Cold weather. Carry Heavy woollen, umbrella. SEE can be the major part of your seeing and Max: 20.5°C Min: Rain: 252.0mm 5 Sights You’ll find the exquisite Chandratal Lake, a doing.  16.60000038 1469727°C http://www.ixigo.com/places-to-visit-see-in-lahaul-spiti-lp- glassy mirror of blue water. In the valley 1000109 you’ll see the surreal blue-green-brown of Lahaul-Spiti Travel Guide - http://www.ixigo.com/travel-guide/lahaul-spiti page 3 Standing among tall blue pine trees, the Guru Ghantal Gompa Kardong Gompa, Lahaul, Himachal 1 Suraj Tal 17th-century Shishur (Land of Blue Pines) Pradesh, India Gompa belongs to the Drugpa (Red Hat) sect of Tantric Buddhism. Shashur Opposite Keylong is the mountain where Gompa's monks and nuns are Lahaul’s first Tibetan capital was established allowed to marry and lead a domestic life. in the 12th century, Kardong (or Khardong). The gompa has an intricately carved two- The gompa, at 11,480 ft on Drilburi storey wooden verandah, a huge drum- Mountain, is in a peaceful complex. wheel and hand-painted wooden panels of According to Gaddi legend, this mountain Buddhist-Tantric imagery. It can be accessed was where Shiva and Parvati married. At by a steep 5-km climb from Upper Keylong, Kardong village, some 31/2 km short of the or by driving. gompa, one can view the local houses and Bara-lacha-la, Lahaul - Spiti, the sprawl of Keylong. The countryside Guru Ghantal Gompa, Lahaul, Himachal Pradesh, India 3 Tandi betrays little of its past as a capital. Kardong Himachal Pradesh, india can be reached by a very challenging Fed from the glaciers of the Bara-Lacha-La- Accessible only on foot, Guru Ghantal footpath or by driving. Pass, Gompa is said to be the oldest gompa Suraj Tal is one of the popular attractions in in the region but is just a concrete building Lahaul-Spiti. It is the base of many trekking Where To now, closed most of the times. Built as a trails and biking tours. The lake falls en- temple in the 8th century CE, the gompa has route to Leh from Manali. The lake is the been revered by Hindus and Buddhists for Eat source of the Bhaga River, a tributary of the centuries. It’s a steep 5-km trek up from 3 Places River Chenab. Tandi. The trek leads via Tupchiling Gompa, http://www.ixigo.com/foods-in-of-lahaul-spiti-lp-1000109 2 Shashur Gompa where the idols and religious reliquary have been transferred for safe-keeping. Tandi, Lahaul, Himachal Pradesh, 1 Cafe Kunzum Top India Tandi (7,499 ft) is where Draupadi is said to have given up her body (Tan Dehan).