DHANKAR
Located between Tabo & Kaza, this village is known for its monastery that magically clings to a cliff. Dhankar literally translates to “fort” and the monastery here acted as a seat of governance for the local rulers.
Visit & admire the engineering skills of people who had built this strong structure.
Consisting of a number of multistoried buildings perched together, the monastery gets a fortress like look. Though each of the five halls in the monastery including Kanjur, Lhakhang are worth visiting, the most impressive is Dukhang where a life size silver statue of Vajradhara is kept in a glass altar embellished with scarves and flowers. One should not miss to visit Lha-O-pa gompa which is the small chapel on the uppermost peak located above the main monastery i.e. Lhakhang Gongma.
DISCOVER THE PARADISIACAL AREA AROUND KAZA
The small town of Kaza is the administrative headquarter of Spiti valley & a perfect base to explore the surrounding marvels.
Ki MONASTERY (KEY MONASTERY)
Perched on a hill at an altitude of 4166 metres, this monastery is the oldest training centre for lamas in India. The monastery belongs to Gelugpa sect or yellow hat sect of Buddhism, to which Dalai Lama also belongs & once housed as many as 350 monks. Though the number of monks has come down now but there are still about 250 monks residing here.
Don’t miss to see the room housing the wonderful murals. One will also be amazed by the collection of rare thangkas (colourful scroll paintings) and ancient weapons. Witnessing the Chamm dance (mask dance) performance here is out of the world experience.
KIBBER SANCTUARY
Habitat for ibex, blue sheep & snow leopards, Kibber sanctuary is spread over 1400 Sq km. The village of Kibber lies just next to Ki village.
One will be pleasantly surprised by the green fields in this village which is one of the highest inhabited villages lying at 4205 mtrs above sea level. Take some time to mingle with the locals especially the lovely kids who are always eager to talk and interact with the visitors.
LANGZA
Located just 15 km from Kaza, this village is called the land of fossils. It is quite surprising to find marine fossils in Himalayas however if one goes back into history, this place was once an ocean & marine life existed here under Tethys Ocean.
It is said that, on digging at any place in Langza, one is sure to find a fossil. The huge statue of Buddha guarding this town is sure to catch the eye of the visitors.
HIKKIM
Lying at a height of 4440 meters above sea level, Hikkim village is known for its post office which is one of the highest post offices in the world. Post few post cards to your loved ones from this post office which is run from a small home.
One will find some beautiful post cards with images of the area, in the post office itself.
KOMIC
Known as the world’s highest village with a motorable road, Komic is located at an altitude of 4450 meters above sea level. Spend some time at this tiny village which has a handful of houses & an old monastery known as Tangyud Monastery.
It is one of the only two monasteries belonging to the Sakya sect left in the area. It is important to note that women are not allowed to enter this monastery.
VISIT PIN PARVATI NATIONAL PARK
Located in the cold desert, the elevation of this park ranges from 3500 – 6000 meters above sea level. The high altitude coupled with harsh weather forms a perfect habitat for many rare animals & birds which include the endangered snow leopard & Siberian fox.
Along with diverse flora & fauna, the variety of medicinal plants here is amazing to note. Stay at a homestay in Mud or Sagnam village in Pin area to enjoy & explore the surroundings.
SPEND TIME AT THE PRISTINE CHANDRATAL LAKE OR ENJOY A TREK AROUND THIS AREA
Chandra Tal, literally translates to “The Lake of the moon”, is located 14 km off Kaza-Manali road from Batal.
One will be awestruck by the blue color of this crescent shaped lake. It is a rewarding experience to stay here for a night in the camps set up near the lake to cherish the beauty of this region & to connect to inner self.
ENJOY THE ADVENTUROUS ROAD FROM KAZA TO MANALI
One of the thrilling adventures during a visit here is the road travel from Kaza to Manali where the waterfalls generally overflow across the road & the vehicles have to pass through this water. It may sound fun and exciting for some but not for everyone. However this is the demand of the trip & one must take this in stride while visiting this area. We always suggest travelling in an SUV (Toyota Innova or similar) or a vehicle with high ground clearance on this route.
Explore the Buddhist trail of Himachal Pradesh including Tabo monastery, Dhankar monastery, Key monastery and other famous monasteries in this video.
Perched at a height of 2,745 m above sea level and surrounded by Lahaul, Ladakh, Kinnaur and Kullu, Spiti is often referred to as ‘Little Tibet’ due to its similarity to the terrain, vegetation and climate as that of Tibet. Be it trekking, mountain biking or motor biking, hiking and even star gazing, Spiti valley and the surrounding area is among some of the best to explore. Come and unravel the secrets of this mysterious land with us! We, at Indo Asia Tours, are all about the handcrafted tours, memories, and moments you take out of your trip, and believe us, this escapade will be a life-changing one!
While traversing through this area, one will come across beautiful landscapes, changing elevations, barren lands, spectacular rivers & pristine lakes. Since there is no airport in this area (which is probably the reason that this place is still obscure), Spiti is best reached via Shimla (capital of Himachal Pradesh), continuing on to Sarahan, Kinnaur (visting Sangla valley & Chitkul – the beautiful and last village on India-China border) before finally reaching the Spiti Valley.
Tabo monastery is a 1000 year old functional gompa. It is the oldest earthen Buddhist monastery in the Himalayan region to have survived and comprises of 9 temples made out of mud, 23 chortens, a monk chamber and a chamber for the nuns. All the buildings here are encompassed within high mud walls which gel beautifully with the surroundings.
This 500 year old Mummy at Giu (near Tabo) will surely leave one astounded. This mummy is believed to be of a 15th century Buddhist Monk, Sangha Tenzin. It can still be seen in a meditating posture, with a rosary in its hand, and its nails, teeth and hair intact.
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