Being a tribal region, Spiti valley has its own unique culture. Plus with impeccable vistas, it attracts hordes of travelers across the globe. But owing to its hostile terrain and extreme climatic conditions a lot of first-time visitors might have this question “Is Spiti worth visiting”
So the answer is a big YES. In my opinion, Spiti valley is not to be missed thanks to its amazing culture, grand vistas and incredible hospitality. And I have 17 Incredible Reasons which will answer the question “Is Spiti worth visiting”
Is Spiti Really Worth Visiting?
As I said earlier, Spiti is one such place that you should definitely visit at least once if not more. Trust me, the exquisite vistas, rustic villages, ancient monasteries of Spiti will compel you to visit Spiti again and again.
To prove my point, I am listing 17 wonderful reasons to answer the question “Is Spiti worth visiting”. Trust me, visiting Spiti will be one of the best moments of your life, such is the beauty of the middle land.
| Impeccable Vistas Makes Spiti absolutely worth visiting |
| Rustic villages of Spiti that will Steal Your heart |
| Amazing homestay experiences in Middle Land To Make you feel at Home |
| Ancient Buddhist Monasteries That Will Transport You Back In Time |
| Spiti is one of the Best place to learn Buddhism |
| Incredible festivals of Spiti That Are A Sight To Behold |
| Exhilarating road trip Spiti will leave you Speechless |
| Amazing Spiti circuit is worth it |
| Spiti is one of the safest places in the Country |
| Spiti is extremely light on pocket |
| Looking to Escape maddening crowds of Popular places – Spiti will not disappoint |
| Incredible Hospitality by the local folks of Spiti |
| Incredible High mountain passes on the way to Spiti |
| Otherworldly lakes of Spiti that will blow your mind |
| Spot the Ever Elusive Snow |
| Winters in Spiti are celestial |
| Trekking in Spiti Is An Ultimate Adventure |
1. Impeccable Vistas Makes Spiti Absolutely Worth Visiting
Spiti has some of the most unique landscapes in our country. High mountains, incredible rivers, high-altitude villages you name it, Spiti has it all.
Even though Spiti is a cold-desert like Ladakh, the landscapes although similar are not exactly the same. Almost every picture you click in Spiti becomes post-card worthy or wallpaper material. Such is the beauty of the middle land.
Trust me, if you are having second thoughts about visiting Spiti, just check out some images on google and you’ll forget that you had a question “Is spiti worth visiting” on your mind.
2. Rustic Villages of Spiti That will Steal Your heart
Pretty high-altitude rustic villages make Spiti absolutely worth-visiting. The villages in Spiti are some of the highest villages on earth, fascinating right!
And the exquisite vistas of cold-desert that you get to witness from such villages really gets the adrenaline rush going.
Villages of Spiti like Demul, Dhankar, Mud, etc really left me speechless as traveler.
3. Amazing Homestay Experiences In Middle Land To Make you Feel At Home
Even though Spiti valley has experienced a massive surge in popularity as a tourist destination over the years, Except for Kaza and Tabo, the rest of the villages only have homestays as a mode of accommodation.
And to experience the Spiti and its tribal culture in the best way, staying in a homestay is a must. You get to learn so many things about the harsh lives of the people in higher Himalayas.
The locals are very amiable and make you feel at home when you stay in their homestays. Not staying in enough homestays on my trip to Spiti is the biggest regret that I have till date.
And surely I am going to correct my wrongs in my next trip to the middle land. By the way, here are 27 practical travel tips for first-time travelers to Spiti valley so that you don’t make mistakes like I did.
4. Ancient Buddhist Monasteries That Will Transport You Back In Time
Locals of Spiti are a Buddhism practicing community. Buddhism is ubiquitous in Spiti due it being ethnically closely related to Tibet and once was even a part of Tibet.
This means that there are lot of ancient monasteries in Spiti valley with incredible paintings and murals depicting different forms of Buddhas. Tabo and Dhankar are two of the ancient monasteries that are an absolute must-visit.
So, if you love visiting such ancient monasteries, Spiti valley is absolutely worth visiting. Such ancient monasteries located in remote regions provide extremely peaceful vibes. By the way, here is the list of 7 celestial monasteries in Lahaul valley, Spiti’s neigbour.
5. Spiti is One Of The Best Places To Learn Buddhism
Well, you might have heard Dharmshala is the best place to learn and experience Buddhism in Himachal, but Spiti is not very far behind.
In fact, Spiti being a Buddhist practicing region is one of the best places to learn about. Key Gompa in Spiti houses a lot of monks and their nunneries in Spiti as well. While Dhankar and Tabo are one of the oldest Buddhists Gompas in the region.
So if you are one of those who has keen interest in Buddhism, then Spiti valley is exactly the place you need and is one of the reasons why you should travel to Spiti.
6. Incredible Festivals of Spiti That Are A Sight To Behold
Unique festivals of Spiti are definitely a sight behold. Unlike the rest of the country, festivals in Spiti are very different and certainly give a glimpse into the culture of a close-knit Spitian community.
From archery festivals to Losar, Spiti has loads of different festivals that are celebrated with incredible zeal. for the exact dates you should contact the locals.
7. Exhilarating Road Trip Spiti Will Leave you Speechless
If you are looking for a breathtaking road trip with family or friends, then Spiti is the ultimate destination in my opinion. Spiti is currently one the best places to embark on a road trip.
The experience that you would get while driving through some splendid landscapes would be just otherworldly. In fact, mine was a road-trip with friends and it turned to be an experience of a lifetime.
If you are going to self-drive in Spiti, which a lot of people do, then you have to be extremely careful as the terrain is quite hostile and remote. The roads have definitely improved, but still one has to be very careful.
8. Amazing Spiti Circuit Makes For One Of The Best Road Trips
Spiti circuit trip is what makes it absolutely worth it. You enter Spiti via Kinnaur and exit via Lahaul. This way you get to experience the beauty of both of worlds.
Trust me, it is going to be awesome. You’ll be driving on some of the most scenic roads in the country. Once you see the landscapes, the question “is spiti worth visiting” will be answered.
But just a note, Spiti circuit is only doable in summer and autumn months, as the road via Lahaul is closed in winters due to heavy snow at Kunzum La. By the way, I have detailed blog on the best routes for Spiti. Feel free to check that out.
9. Spiti Is One Of the Safest places In The Country
One of the reasons why you should not think twice about visiting Spiti , is the safety aspect. Spiti is probably one of the safest destinations to visit in India. The crime rate here is almost zero.
The amiable and hospitable folks of the Spiti make sure that tourists and travelers have the fondest of memories from their Spiti trip and treat you very well.
In fact, you’ll see a lot of solo travelers taking that epic trip Spiti, including female solo travelers. Spit’s impeccable beauty along with safety makes it extremely worth it to be honest.
Here is my detailed blog on all the safety aspects when traveling to Spiti, feel free to check it out.
10. Spiti Is Extremely Light On Pocket
Spiti is one of the most budget-friendly destinations in our country. Thanks to the budget-friendly homestays and robust public transport a trip to Spiti will not cost you a fortune.
This is one of the reasons why you should travel to Spiti. You get to witness some insane mars-like landscapes without having to spend too much.
For instance, I just paid around Rs 250 for a room in Mudh village. Although, the room was basic it was worth it for price I paid. So if you sacrifice a bit and avoid luxury you can make a trip to Spiti on an incredibly tight budget.
If you are going to Spiti by self-driving cars like zoom car, then it might be a tad bit expensive if you are not a big group. But, if you use public transport and stay in homestays, then trust me, the Spiti trip is going to be very light on your pocket.
11. Want to Escape Maddening Crowds of Popular places – Spiti Will Not Disappoint
If you are someone who wants to seek solitude and escape the maddening crowd of popular and overrated places like Kasol, Spiti is the place to be in.
Even though Spiti has become popular, owing to the hostile terrain and extreme climate only a good 4-5 months are feasible for tourism. This means that Spiti does not get overcrowded.
And there are quite a lot of lesser-known villages in Spiti where only a handful of travelers visit. So solitude seekers will find Spiti extremely therapeutic.
12. Incredible Hospitality by the Local folks of Spiti
Locals of Spiti are quite friendly and approachable. Therefore, I would recommend you to visit to Spiti to experience the hospitality of the wonderful locals.
There are very helpful and will help in case you are stuck in any kind of problem. In fact, if you are wandering around a rustic village of Spiti, chances are you might get invited for tea.
13. Incredible High Mountain Passes On The Way Spiti
So if you are entering or exiting via Manali and Lahaul, you’ll have to pass through at least one mountain pass that is Kunzum La. The other one which is Rohtang La has become optional now with the arrival of Atal Tunnel.
Imagine yourself at the top of the world, observing one of the biggest glaciers, and some of the highest peaks. Sounds Fascinating right !
In my opinion, the Kaza-Manali road really enhances your trip to Spiti valley. And such high mountain passes definitely makes your Spiti trip worth it.
14. Otherworldly Lakes Of Spiti That Will Blow Your Mind
Spiti is home to some of the awesome lakes like Dhankar lake and Sopona lake. Dhankar lake being the most popular amongst the travelers.
A visit to to such lakes in Spiti will really provide with incredible scenic landscapes and serenity. These lakes can be only reached by foot.
And in case you were wondering why I have not mentioned Chandratal here, it is because Chandratal is one of the lakes in Lahaul valley and not Spiti. In fact, it is one 31 incredible places to visit near Spiti valley.
So, if you are making Spiti circuit trip you can also cover Tso Chigma or Chandratal lake located in Lahaul valley.
15. Spot The Ever Elusive Snow Leopard In Spiti
Spotting the ever elusive snow leopard has become one the popular things to do in winters in Spiti. Snow leopards hardly descend to the altitudes of around 12,000-15,000 ft during summers.
But in winters, the descend down to the villages in search of food. And it is one of the best times if you want to spot the ever elusive snow leopard.
A lot of local tourism related companies organize such Snow Leopard Expeditions during the winter months.
16. Winters in Spiti Are Celestial
I might sound ridiculous for recommending Spiti in winters, but trust me if you can endure the cold, then Spiti is one of the best places to visit in winter.
Some surreal vistas will await you in Spiti if you decided to embark on a Spiti trip during winters. And thanks to the Shimla-Kaza route which is open throughout the year you can definitely make it.
But yes, It will be brutally cold and almost everything is shut, except for a few homestays. This is one of the best times actually to visit Spiti if you want to experience the culture.
As the locals have no agriculture related work they are very free during winters. Also, there are a lot of festivals celebrated during winters.
17. Trekking In Spiti Is An Ultimate Adventure
Well if you are avid trekker, then questions like “is Spiti worth visiting ” should not be even on your mind. Spiti is really a paradise for those who are into high-altitude trekking in the Himalayas.
But mind you trekking in Spiti is not for everyone. Owing to the high-Altitude you have to extremely fit and well acclimatized in order to trek in Spiti. Mind you at such dizzying altitudes doing even petty things is difficult.
Crossover treks like Pin-Parvati and Pin-Bhabha are quite famous. Apart from that Mount Kanamo is ideal for those looking to build an experience in mountaineering.
If you are looking for easy treks, then you go for Dhankar lake or trek to villages like Hikkim, Komic, Langza. But again as I said you’ll have to fit and well acclimatized and even then dangers of AMS will loom large.
To conclude, I hope that I was able to properly answer the question “Is Spiti worth visiting”. Personally, I haven’t met anybody who has regretted visiting Spiti despite of it being remote.
The ancient monasteries, the grand vistas, rustic villages and the incredible hospitality of the local folks will entice you to this beautiful land not once but forever. So just pack your bags and head to this celestial valley called Spiti and forge memories that will be etched forever.