[docfreak]

info is from dfo.

route from kunzum is far more tough and not from batal , but a direct route .

dorjee does not have a phone

connecting road has too much of snow and not been traversed as yet .

any other info u need?

[kshil]

Originally Posted by docfreak

info is from dfo.

route from kunzum is far more tough and not from batal , but a direct route .

dorjee does not have a phone

connecting road has too much of snow and not been traversed as yet .

any other info u need?

Thanks doc, very useful information indeed, I am starting tomorrow, mine is quite relaxed trip and I would attempt Chandratal on 22nd June, so hope in 12 days if no more snow fall happens something would improve, I have made up my mind, if road is clear I would definitely go even if car is not allowed, I would curtail other part of trip and walk down. Let's see how things shape up. But once again thanks to your inspirational travelogue and messages.

Cheers!!

[docfreak]

the pictures i have posted on my facebook ,:


Sharat Varma's Photos - lahaul and spiti | Facebook

[hridayjyoti]

Hi guys,
I am planning to make a trip to Spiti Valley in May-end to early June. We have 8-9days in our hand and we will be going in a gypsy. Frankly I have very little idea about the route and places to see in Spiti Valley and Lahaul. I have already went through a number of TLs and still not sure. So far I can make out a route rougly like this:
Delhi-Narkanda-Chitkal-Kaza-Kunzum-Rohtang-Manali-Delhi (or other way around)
I would also like to include Lahaul and Chandratal to our itinerary. As far as I know road to Chandratal will be closed, so I won't mind trekking to Chandratal and stay overnight. But, I am getting very few information about Lahaul.
Will this trip is possible in end May? I would also like to know about the route to Lahaul Valley.

Btw, it will be pleasure if any TBHPian wants to join us and we can go in convey,

Cheers!
Hriday

[Bapu]

Hi,

Your itinery could read like this..

Delhi - Narkanda - Rampur -Sarahan ( Bheemakali temple is famous ) - Bhawanagar - Tapri - Sangla - Chitkul - Sangla - Powari - Recong Peo - Kalpa - Spillo - Puh - Khab - Nako - Chango - Sumdo - Tabo - Kaza - Losar - Batal - Chandratal - Batal - Chhota Dhara - Gramphoo - Manali

8-9 Days : Day Wise night stops

Day 1 - Narkanda / Rampur ( The NH road from Shimla to Narkanda is in bad shape currently. Take the road from Shimla - Naldehra- Sunni - Tattapani - Luhri - Sainj - Rampur, i.e if you are planning Rampur ).

Day 2 - Rampur to Chitkul

Day 3 - Chitkul to Kalpa

Day 4 - Kalpa to Nako

Day 5 - Nako to Tabo or Kaza (i'd prefer Tabo)

Day 6 - Tabo to Kaza or Kaza - Chandratal - Should be open. Else trek up.

Day 7 - C'tal to Manali

Day 8 - Buffer - Keep for Pin Valley, Moving around Kaza, Tabo etc.

Lahaul starts once you cross the Dhaba at Batal.

Places to see along the way :

- Chitkul is amazing. Stay a day there. Trek a bit.
- Kalpa - Views of Kinner Kailash are amazing
- Try and get permits for Shipki La from R-Peo
- The monastery at Nako is also said to be a 1000 years old.
- Dhankar Monastery, also after the monastery, there is Dhankar Lake
- Ki and Kibber, Komic or Kaumic
- Visit Pin Valley, go till the road ends. It's a very beautiful place.
- Gyue or Gui village - has the remains of a mummified Lama there.

Would love to go there again... but some day. Just back from Kaza in Feb

Do let me know if any additional info required. All the best!

[wanderernomad]

U for got to add the Tabo monastery to the list. Kaza in Feb? Must be good but no roadblocks? We have had quite a snow fall this season.

[hridayjyoti]

Thanks Bapu and Wanderer. Bapu your suggested itinerary brought up more queries! It will be great if you can give a rough estimate of the distance and time to travel per day. Thanks in adv.

Originally Posted by Bapu

Day 1 - Narkanda / Rampur ( The NH road from Shimla to Narkanda is in bad shape currently. Take the road from Shimla - Naldehra- Sunni - Tattapani - Luhri - Sainj - Rampur, i.e if you are planning Rampur ).

Will it not be too much if I stress it to Rampur from Delhi on the first day? Take a note that I am taking gypsy so ride is not going to pleasent to do very long stress. And how bad is the road from Shimla to Narkanda? I won't mind taking the detour if it provide some good snaps.

Originally Posted by Bapu

Lahaul starts once you cross the Dhaba at Batal.

I could not get you properly. Can you explain on this?

Originally Posted by Bapu

- Try and get permits for Shipki La from R-Peo

Where is Shipki La? Couldn't find in googlemap! From where in R-Peo I can get the permit?

Originally Posted by Bapu

- Dhankar Monastery, also after the monastery, there is Dhankar Lake
- Gyue or Gui village - has the remains of a mummified Lama there.

Again, where is it? From where I need to detour to get to there?

Originally Posted by Bapu

- Visit Pin Valley, go till the road ends. It's a very beautiful place.

From where this road to Pin Valley started? and how far can I go inside?

Cheers!
Hriday

[Bapu]

Originally Posted by wanderernomad

U for got to add the Tabo monastery to the list. Kaza in Feb? Must be good but no roadblocks? We have had quite a snow fall this season.

Luckily no major roadblocks. The snow has been very good. I know first hand. We did a bike trip

I had recommended a night stay in Tabo for that matter itself.

Originally Posted by hridayjyoti

It will be great if you can give a rough estimate of the distance and time to travel per day. Thanks in adv.

Will it not be too much if I stress it to Rampur from Delhi on the first day? Take a note that I am taking gypsy so ride is not going to pleasent to do very long stress. And how bad is the road from Shimla to Narkanda? I won't mind taking the detour if it provide some good snaps.

Delhi - Narkanda should be doable. However, the road condition is very bad as of now. May be the PWD will repair it by May. You can plan for crossing Shimla on Day 1 and then taking a call on where you want to stop. Lots of options around Shimla. Theog PWD GH is supposed to be very nice.

The area of Lahaul Valley starts geographically once you cross the dhaba at Batal.

I could not get you properly. Can you explain on this?

DC Office in Peo would issue the permits. Shipki La is the last border trading post with Tibet / China.

Where is Shipki La? Couldn't find in googlemap! From where in R-Peo I can get the permit?

Dhankar turnoff would come after Tabo. There is a road which goes uphill on your right. At the junction, on your left will be 2-3 houses and the road on the right has a traditional gate which proclaims, welcome to Dhankar.

Turnoff for Gue will come after the checkpost at Sumdo.

Again, where is it? From where I need to detour to get to there?

There is one road from Khab bridge, which should take you there. Another route is after Puh.

From where this road to Pin Valley started? and how far can I go inside?

After Tabo, towards Kaza, once you cross Lingti Village, there is a small bridge on the left, that road goes to Pin Valley.

Cheers!
Hriday

You can also add Kaurik. Permit will have to be taken from the ITBP / Army checkpost at Sumdo itself ( you can also try from the DC office at R-Peo).

List of rough distances from Shimla :

Delhi - Shimla: 370 km
Shimla - Sarahan: 175 km
Shimla - Sangla: 230 km
Shimla - Kalpa: 244 km
Shimla - Nako: 324 km
Shimla - Tabo: 374 km
Shimla - Kaza: 421 km
Shimla - Keylong (via Kunzum Pass): 609 km

Distances of the places enroute :
Sangla - Kalpa: 38 km
Shimla - Kaurik: 337 km
Shimla - Narkanda: 65 km
Narkanda - Sainj: 30 km
Narkanda - Rampur: 66 km
Rampur - Jeori: 25 km
Jeori - Sarahan: 17 km
Jeori - Wangtu: 41 km
Wangtu - karcham: 34 km
Karcham - Sangla: 18 km
Sangla - Chitkul: 29 km
Rampur - Chitkul – 137 km
Chitkul – Tabo – 256kms

[hridayjyoti]

Thanks Bapu. That makes more or less my itinerary. Will post final itinerary soon.

# How about accomodation? Is prior booking is essential? and how the rates will be?
# I hope food should not be problem. Or do I need to carry food stuff with me?
# How about fuel stations? Do I need to carry fuel? With 40ltrs tank I will need to carry fuel if they are more than 300kms apart.

Please let me know if anybody else wants to join us. Most probably we will do this trip from 21st May to 29th May.

Cheers!
Hriday

[unoczar]

Originally Posted by hridayjyoti

Please let me know if anybody else wants to join us. Most probably we will do this trip from 21st May to 29th May.

Cheers!
Hriday

Hi

Who is "us"? I mean who all are going on your side? I'm planning for a trip soon, but I have open dates in April last week and May 1st week.

[hridayjyoti]

Originally Posted by unoczar

Hi

Who is "us"? I mean who all are going on your side? I'm planning for a trip soon, but I have open dates in April last week and May 1st week.

Oh, apologies for that. Forgot to mention I will be accompanied by a friend. That's it.

[hvkumar]

You can refer this log book of mine for the distances on the Keylong-Gramphoo-Chandra tal-Kunzum la-Losar-Kaza-Tabo-Sumdo-Nako-POwari-Sangla-Chitkul-Narkhanda-Shimla-Delhi sector:

https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?...dXM3c&hl=en_GB

Answering some of your queries:

I am not sure if Kunzum la will be open by the time you go, it opens last. If not open, then you will not be able to drive to either Chandra tal or Manali.

Spiti Valley stretches across Sumdo, Tabo, Kaza & Losar till KUnzum la, which separates it from the Lahaul Valley. Lahaul Valley has Chandra tal, Chhatru, Gramphoo, Keylong. Batal is the junction where you turn off towards Chandra tal or Gramphoo (en route Manali/Keylong).

Shipki la is on NH22 beyond Sumdo and after Kaurik where the highway ends. For those bound for Kaza, you turn off at the check post at Sumdo to go to Shipki la.

To go to Gui, turn 2 kms after the Sumdo check post and then go 8 kms further to reach the Gui village where the mummy is preserved.

To go to Dhankar, turn off the Kaza-Tabo road at Sichling Village which is 20 kms before Tabo. Dhankar is 7 kms from this point. There is a large ornamental gate tower at this point, so you cannot miss the junction.

To go to Pin Valley, turn off 15 kms after Kaza and 30 kms before Tabo, and go towards the village Mikkim.

Accomodation on this route is not a problem. Once you cross Recong Peo, you have hotels at Pooh, Nako & Tabo.

Petrol pumps - the last one on NH22 is at Powari, which is the junction where you turn off NH22 towards Recong Peo/Kalpa. After Powari, there is no petrol pump till Kaza, 250 kms away.

[hridayjyoti]

Thanks HKV sir.
I am keeping my finger crossed and just hope that Kunzum la open by then.

[sudev]

Just a suggestion for those who have visited /planning to visit these areas : Use GPS and record the track log. This can then be shared with the members here and become a resource guide much like revered HVK's trip logs.

[hridayjyoti]

Originally Posted by sudev

Just a suggestion for those who have visited /planning to visit these areas : Use GPS and record the track log. This can then be shared with the members here and become a resource guide much like revered HVK's trip logs.

Point noted. I will surely post my GPS logs once I get back. But, I have no idea how use those logs in my device (Mapmyindia Vx140). Can anyone enlighten me here?