| itinerary |
Chandigarh to Shimla Today, we will arrive at the Chandigarh Airport/ Railway station. Over there, you will be received by our tour representative who will take you to the Himalayan Foothills which have also been considered as the summer capital of India in the British era.
If upon reaching we find enough bandwidth available , we will go visit the Mall road which gets breathtakingly beautiful during and after sundown. After that, we will have dinner and rest.
Overnight stay at Shimla
Shimla to Sangla Today, we will travel from Shimla to Sangla via Narkanda. On our way, we will cover Rampur. Upon reaching Sangla, we will check- in our stay and spend the rest of the night in leisure at our stay over there.
- Narkanda- Tiny villages on the tiny roads of Thanadar and Narkanda make you go lost in the beauty of the place in such a way that one can never get enough of looking at it. Thanadar is the village where Asia’s first Apples were planted by a Britisher.
- Rampur- Also known as the winter capital of Bushahr dynasty. Over here, one can visit the beautiful Padam palace which nestled calmly in the middle of a bustling market. One can also attend the prayers at Bhima Kali temple.
- Sangla- With the Baspa river magically weaving itself through the forested slopes, this exquisite stretch of the Sangla Valley is a sight to behold. Known predominantly for its agriculture, almost every house in Sangla will have cultivations of apples, pears, walnuts, apricots or potatoes.
Overnight stay at Sangla
Sangla to Kalpa
Today, again we will make a move from Sangla to reach Kalpa. Kalpa is known to be one of the most beautiful villages of Himachal Pradesh. As we travel along the Baspa river in the Sangla valley, we will rejoin the Sutlej river as we climb the other side of the Kinnaur district namely, Kalpa. This village gives a spectacular view of the Kinner Kailash mountain range. We will relax in the peaceful vibes of the less disturbed Himalayas and slip into good night sleep.
Overnight stay at Kalpa
Kalpa to Koh, Khab, Hangrang valley, Nako lake & Monastery, Tabo
Today, we will start in the morning after having healthy breakfasts. We will head towards Tabo and on our way we will visit the following places:-
- Koh- For every adrenaline junky and nature lover, Koh Loops are like a dream come true. These hairpin turns are so thrilling that one shares its stories only as one of the trip’s bests. With every turn, there comes a serene landscape making all the goosebumps worth it. These loops are very sharp and alongside, they are also quite beautiful. Brown mountains covered in snow sheets getting discovered by passing through sharp loops/ turns is all Koh Loops about.
- Khab- Located near the India- Tibet border, Khab is where Spiti river and Sutlej river confluence. The sangam of these two beautiful rivers spreads peace all over the place.
Hangrang Valley- The second largest valley of the region, the Hangrang valley is covered with hilly terrains and is famous for its adventurous activities like that of mountaineering and birdwatching.
We will enter into Hangrang valley upon climbing the Koh loops and witness the change in landscape, people and culture.
- Nako lake and monastery- Also known as Lotsava Jhakang, this monastery is believed to be found in the 11th century. The monastery is located near the Nako lake and the views from the monastery are breathtaking.
Fact- Nako is the first village to live the culture of Spiti. So in a way, the borders of cultural Spiti begins from here.
- Tabo- The largest monastic complex in India, Tbo houses itself in mud huts. Situated in a bowl- shaped valley, Tabo monastery is home to beautiful wall paintings and stucco statues.
Upon reaching Tabo, we will check- in a stay and spend the rest of the evening in leisure.
Overnight stay at Tabo
Tabo to Dhankar monastery & lake trek(optional), Kaza Today, we will travel from Tabo to Pin valley. Pack your shoes for the day because we might also take an optional lake trek. Beauty of this route and the adventure of day 6 cannot be expressed in words. On our way to Pin valley, we will explore the villages and the monasteries of Tabo and then head towards the Dhankar monastery and lake where we will take our optional trek plan into action. Upon reaching Pin valley, we will check- in our stay and spend the rest of the evening mesmerized by the serenity that we experienced throughout the day.
- Tabo- Tabo houses an ancient monastery which is known to be one of the holiest. It is known to be a thousand years old and it is also where monks used to meditate. The aura of this place is so positive that one can feel relaxed the moment one has stepped in the village.
- Dhankar Monastery- This monastery is located atop a hill and overlooks the confluence of Spiti and Pin rivers. The beauty of this monastery itself is quite splendid.
- Dhankar lake- Dhankar lake is a 1.5 hours trek at a higher altitude. The lake is surrounded by gigantic brown coloured mountains and gives a feel of a bowl carefully preserving glacial melted water. To sit beside the lake on a rock and take in the splendid landscape is a bliss in its own.
we head for ancient capital of Spiti - Dhankhar to current administrative capital - Kaza. Cafe hopping in the evening (Yes, junk food after so many days... so we wont opt for dinner at hotel today. Dinner on TTMM ) and spend the night there.
Kaza local sights After a back breaking and bumpy road trip so far, we need to refuel ourselves with energy for the next phase of our journey. Hence a day in and around Kaza for sightseeing. We will start in the morning after having our breakfasts.
Kaza is the sub divisional headquarters of Lahaul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh. We will leave from Kaza and move towards the village called Langza.
This picturesque village is blessed with ancient monasteries and buildings of the prehistoric era. It is surrounded by green pastures, snow-clad mountains and barren landscapes that awe-struck every person who visits this stunning location, which is certainly one of the best places in the whole Spiti Valley.
After Langza, we will head towards Hikkim. Hikkim is one of the highest year-round inhabited locations in India hosting the HIGHEST POST OFFICE in the WORLD.
After Hikkim, we will move towards Komik. The picturesque Lahaul and Spiti Valley embraces several treasures in its vicinity and Komik is one such place, which is set beautifully amid the stunning mountains in the state of Himachal Pradesh in North India. Komik Village is the highest village in Asia. After Komik, we will head towards Ki and then take a return journey to Kaza.
Also known as Kye Gompa or Key Monastery, this monastery is a Tibetan Buddhist Monastery and is located atop a hill at an altitude of 4166 metres. The views of and from the monastery are breathtaking and one can never have enough of the sight. The monastery has been featured in the Bollywood movies like Highway and the aura that it spreads are peaceful and positive. The monastery is home to 250 Lamas and is the training ground for the respective. The splendid architecture of the monastery will make you spell- bound and the vibes spread by the prayer wheels are so soothing that you won’t feel like leaving.
Overnight stay at Kaza
Kaza to chandra tal - After an early morning breakfast, we will start the day by heading towards the snow leopard village - Kibber via Chicham pass which is the world's highest bridge at 4037m(13,244ft) from sea level. Crossing the infamous Kunzum pass, we will take an off road to Chandratal along the river Chenab.
It is one of the most beautiful lakes of Himachal. Spending evening at the bank of lake or offering respects by taking a walk through the periphery of the lake (Pradakshina) not only gives the Spiritual feels but also gives the serenity of different areas around the lake - from mountain slopes to marshes to streams bringing glacial melted water into the lake. Herds of sheep, goats and yak grazing around, hunter birds like Himalayan Griffon, Lammergeier, Golden Eagle, and many more signs of wildlife are present in the protected region of Chandra tal.
Places that we will visit:
Kibber
Chicham bridge
Kunzum pass
Kunzum mata temple
Stupas
Chandra tal
Overnight stay at Chandratal in a campsite a few kms away from the lake.
Chandra tal to Manali - Our Last phase of the safari begins today. We will head towards Manali via the Rohtang pass while we cherish the beautiful landscapes on our way. We will also visit Batal, Chhatru and Gramphu. Upon reaching Manali, we will check- in our stay and spend the rest of the evening in leisure.
- Batal- Surrounded by mountains, Chenab flows right through the middle of this little settlement located in the Pir Panjal valley.
- Chhatru- Chhatru is the place where you can stop and take a lunch halt with a spectacular view or rather, spectacular views all around you.
- Gramphu- Gramphu is from where you can experience the beauty of the Chandra Tal lake, snow- clad mountains and colourful monasteries. It is also where the spiti cut can be found.
If we get lucky enough to find enough bandwidth, we will take to ourselves some breathing room as we will get the chance to explore the lush greenery of Manali. We can roam around on the mall road or opt for some sightseeing enroute. We may also take a dip in the natural hot water spring of Vashisht but only if time permits.
Manali to Chandigarg Today is when the trip ends. After having delightful breakfasts, we will bid our goodbyes to the most glamorous tourist destination and enter in the last lap of our journey of traveling to Chandigarh. Passing through the thick dense Pine forest of Kullu district, followed by Mandi, Bilaspur and then finally we will reach Chandigarh.
The trip finally ends with amazing and lifelong memories and a promise to meet again somewhere in the Mountains.
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| things_to_carry |
- Warm clothes, gloves, good warm sweaters, jackets, inner thermal wear
- Windcheater/Raincoat, cap, sunglasses, towel, napkin, sanitary requisites
- small shoulder bag/backpack/day pack
- Non disposable water bottle (at least 1 litre), Torch, Spare batteries for torch, Shoes,
- Flip flops, Camera (optional), Dry snacks and munching, energy bars
- Sun cream, cold cream, moisturizers
- Personal medicines if any
- Smiling face and positive attitude
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| exclusion |
- Travel ticket charges from home to Reporting point AND End point to home ie Flight, train, bus etc..
- Meals other than specified (First day Breakfast and last day dinner, meals at Kaza and Manali (to cherish delicacies at the cafes) , all lunches - as they will be on the way to sights at Dhaba/restaurants)
- Camera fees, Monument entry charges, Rafting or other activities, Personal expenses, optional tours
- Room Service Fees, porterage charges, tips, phone calls, laundry, shopping or other personal costs
- Medicines, Travel insurance
- Cost arise due to any emergency, weather instability or political unrest or such unpredictable and uncontrollable situations
- Additional usage of vehicles to the sights not mentioned in the itinerary, market visits etc
- Any charges that are not mentioned in inclusions
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