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-   -   Lahaul - Spiti; Suggestions and help needed (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-travel-queries/82104-lahaul-spiti-suggestions-help-needed-19.html)

You can definitely drive upto Kaza and around, but be prepared for a few underbelly hits, roads have drastically improved over the last few years, but the region is very dynamic in nature and road conditions can change in a couple of hours at times, a tiny landslide can make it tricky for a sedan.

I have seen a 520D in Kaza so definitely, A4 will make it there. But please do not even think of driving to Manali from Kaza, if you want you can probably go up to Kunzum, but do not go any further and return via the same route.

Hello,
Was planning a spiti trip in June, the plan is to rent out bikes from manali. Below is the tentative plan please let me know if it doable or any changes required based on your experiences.
Thanks in advance
Day 1- flight to Delhi
Overnight bus to Manali
Day 2- Stay Manali
Day 3-Manali to Rampur bushahr (195 6hr)
Day-4 Rampur bushahr to Reckong peo (194 7hr)
Day-5 Reckong peo to Kaza (279 8 hr)
Nako-Gue-Tabo-dhankar-pin valley-lidang
Day-6 kaza to chandratal (150kms 5.5hr)
Key monastery-hikkim-langza-koumik-kibber-chandratal
Day-7 morning chandratal trek
And leave to manali
Day-8 buffer
Day-9 return to delhi

@Preetham, if you are starting from Manali, you will likely reach Kaza first by the Manali-Gramphoo-chhatru-Batal-kumzum-losar route. The Rampur busahr route comes if you are approaching from the shimla end and entering spiti via kinnaur. Do check this

Thanks for the response, we have planned Manali-Kullu- Jibhi - Rampur.
Basically the opposite route and the come from Kaza to manali.
Let me know if there a flaw in this plan.

Tentatively planning to drive to Spiti around Mid August. Is it a bad time because of the rains? I have found conflicting reviews on the net, some suggest that its a great time while others mention that rains can make it very treacherous. Any first hand experience?

It is fantastic in the rain. But yes, it does add some "treachery" to the mix. 4wd will be a god send, and sort of a requirement if one doesn't know the tricks of traversing around in an alto, like the locals do. Would also be critical for confidence when driving around in utter desolation, with no-one around to help.

First hand experience, but from 6 years ago.

I think the main problem will be the lower hills not specifically Spiti. It is a trans-himalayan region which does not get monsoon showers like rest of the country. The Spiti river might be muddy and not azure blue like in other seasons. Otherwise I don’t think you will face any problems. All the best!

Is it a good idea to drive on Delhi-Shimla-Nako-Kaza in a Volkswagen Vento (sedan) with 4 adults and their luggage. Should I be mentally prepared to get few underbody hits. I already have an engine guard (underbody) installed so all critical mechanicals are safe. I am planning the trip in the third week of June, 2023.

I just did the Spiti trip (via Shimla) on my Tjet. There were 4 people onboard and the white beauty performed really well, barring the digestion problem she had due to adulterated petrol given to her at Rekong Peo.

Day 1: Noida to Solan (Stay at Meghdoot. Road conditions: Good)

Day 2: Solan to Rekong Peo (Stay at Avtar Homestay. Road conditions: Good till Rampur. Next 50 km stretch is bad with lot of potholes. Okay after that)

Day 3: Rekong Peo to Tabo (Stay at Hotel Siddharth. Road condition: Mix of good and bad)

Day 4: Tabo to Kaza (Stay at Spiti Inn. Road condition: Mix of okay and bad)

Day 5: Local Sightseeing (hired taxi for today)

Day 6: Kaza to Nako via Gue (Stay at Lakeview. Road condition : Mix of okay and bad. Avoid going to Gue. Not worth it)

Day 7: Nako to Narkanda

Day 8: Narkanda to Noida ( Don't take Solan bypass road. I did the mistake and it was a nightmare)

Advise: If you are going to Spiti in a sedan, especially a low GC one , then be really slow on bad roads. Watch out for potholes that can easily make a mess of your suspension. Take it slow and you will make it back safely. Also, avoid filling petrol just after rains. I had check engine issues because of this. Also, carry all necessary fluids (oil, coolant, trans oil, etc. ) with you.

Just read this article & sharing it here as well. Recently returned from a trip to Shimla as well & this year its really scary to see how entire roads are just caving in besides the landslides etc

https://m.tribuneindia.com/news/hima...gulsari-542468

There is a reason why our ancestors made curvey and winding roads on ghats. These roads gelled with the environment and lasted for years and years. But today leaders who have surplus money just sanction a road blindly without survey and create such a mess. Where only a two lane road is possible, they want to build a four lane road in the name of development and visiting religious religious sites.

May I know on what basis you claim that roads have been built without a survey? I was recently stuck in Manali in the flood situation and saw the destruction with my own eyes. And I can say with confidence that except in a few places, the newly constructed highways have fared pretty well, especially against the once-in-a-lifetime flood that Himachal experienced after 28 years. Chandigarh to Manali is 234 kilometres. But the major road damages were only at a handful of places, which if you sum up will not be even 0.001% of the total length of the road. It's a mountainous region so even a small damage causes major traffic disruptions. It's easy for news channels to sensationalise these things and post a negative picture. In the entire Manali destruction saga, everyone just showed that 100-meter section of road that was washed away. No one showed the rest 99.99% of the road till Kullu and Mandi were fully functional even after flood of the such a level.