Miyar valley is one of the most beautiful and unique places in Himachal which not many people know about. From beautiful landscapes to incredible rustic villages, there are many such wonderful reasons to visit Miyar valley.
Therefore, I am curating a list 11 such amazing reasons to visit Miyar valley which will really compel you to head to this place. And I am sure you’ll fall in love with Miyar just like I did.
11 Inspiring Reasons to Visit Miyar Valley
Miyar valley was one of the best kept secrets of Himachal until recent times. International travelers and mountaineers have been visiting this pristine valley since 80’s and 90’s, but domestic tourists only have now realized the beauty of Miyar valley.
Therefore, I would highly encourage you to spend at least a couple of days in Miyar. And In case, this is your first time visiting Lahaul, then I have complete backpacking guide to Lahaul which has all the relevant details about making a trip to Lahaul.
| 1. Miyar Valley will provide a surreal experience to travelers |
| 2. Incredible Landscapes to treat your eyes just like Ladakh |
| 3. Rustic villages of Miyar will give you a sneak peak into native Himalayan life |
| 4. Solitude Seekers will find Miyar Valley blissful |
| 5. Ample hiking possibilities to high altitude meadows of Thanpattan |
| 6. One of the most adventurous crossover treks of India exists in Miyar Valley |
| 7. Experience the incredible hospitality by the warm locals of Miyar Valley |
| 8. Excellent offroading adventures exist for Motorists in Miyar |
| 9. Enjoy unforgettable homestay experience in Miyar Valley |
| 10. Beautiful camping places exist for travelers in Miyar Valley |
| 11. Discover the ethereal lakes of Miyar Valley that are largely unknown to the world |
1. Miyar Valley Will Provide A Surreal Experience To Travelers
When I first witnessed the valley of Miyar, I was not able to comprehend the raw beauty of Miyar. Such is the pristine beauty of Miyar.
| The landscape changes quite drastically when you eventually reach the inner villages resulting into incredible beauty. It was quite surreal to witness such pretty vistas and to stay in such a remote valley to be honest. |
Therefore, visiting Miyar lesser explored will leave with incredible memories and surreal experiences. By the way, you can read my interesting take on the situation of offbeat places like Miyar valley in Himachal.
2. Incredible Landscapes To Treat Your Eyes Just Like Ladakh
If you love Ladakh but don’t have that much time then, Miyar valley is perfect for your. Making a trip to Ladakh requires at least 10 days if you go by road and trust me Ladakh is fun only when you are making a road trip.
| But you can reach Miyar valley just in a couple of days from Delhi. Though, the initial part of the valley is not like Ladakh. But as move towards the last villages of the valley, the landscapes surely resemble Ladakh and Zanskar. |
So if you love Ladakh-like barren landscapes, then you should definitely head to Miyar valley without any second thoughts. Trust me you’ll love it.
3. Rustic Villages Of Miyar Will Give You A Sneak Peak Into Native Himalayan Life
The rustic villages of Miyar valley are the real deal. Such pretty villages of Miyar is one the best reasons you should visit Miyar valley. By the way, I have a list of 17 such lesser explored villages of Lahaul that you should visit on your trip to Lahaul.
| The inner villages of Miyar like Khanjar, Shukto, Urgos are really very picturesque. Plus most of houses are still traditional Lahauli style unlike other parts of Lahaul.
Their culture, harsh way of life, hospitality will really leave you awestruck. This is why you should really make a point to visit the pristine Miyar valley to have a complete travel experience in Lahaul valley. |
4. Solitude Seekers Will Find Miyar Valley Blissful
Well I never thought I would say this about Lahaul, but places like Khwaling (Sissu), Kyelang have had people flocking in huge numbers post Atal tunnel opened up.
It was not always the case. In fact, when I made my trip to Lahaul before the Tunnel became operational, there was absolutely no one exploring this sacred land of Garsha (Lahaul). But things have changed drastically post Atal tunnel became operational.
| But Miyar valley is still somewhat far away from the tunnel. Therefore, it will kind of remain less crowded at least for a while. So, I highly recommend visiting Miyar if you want to escape the crowded and overrated places like Kasol and seek solitude. |
5. Ample Hiking Possibilities To High Altitude Meadows Of Thanpattan
Vast meadows at around 4000m with huge mountains and impeccable landscapes all around, how does this sound ? Incredible right ?
| One of the reasons you should visit Miyar is Thanpattan, the high altitude meadow. It is one of the least visited places in Himachal, but it is quit rewarding in terms of landscapes. And even beginners can do this hike, you just have to be well acclimatized and you are good to go. |
The hike to Thanpattan starts from Khanjar village before Shukto. I could not go here due to time constraint but you should definitely.
You can contact Rajeshwar Thakur +91 7018369494. He is well versed with Miyar valley and Lahaul in general and can help you if you want to go hiking in Miyar valley.
6. One of The Most Adventurous Crossover Treks of India Exists In Miyar Valley
Yes you heard it right Miyar valley is gateway to majestic Zanskar valley in Ladakh. You can reach Zanskar from Khanjar the last village in Miyar via Kang La.
The landscapes you’ll get to witness on this trek will be just otherworldly.
| But please note that the Kang La crossover trek is only for seasoned trekkers looking to challenge themselves. The highest point which is crossing Kang La is around 5400 m. So it is surely not for beginners. |
But for those seasoned adventure junkies who want new challenges this crossover trek of Miyar valley should provide with unlimited adventure.
7. Experience The Incredible Hospitality By The Warm Locals Of Miyar Valley
Well, one of the primary reasons I fell in love with Miyar valley is the incredible hospitality of the local folks. And I assure you will also have your fair share of such heart-warming experiences.
| For instance, I was invited for tea by a local lady in Urgos while we were wandering around the village. The other day I had asked her a few questions about reaching Miyar in a local bus and she recognized our voices and invited us. Isn’t this amazing. |
For city dwellers like me such experiences are quite rare. And when you get them in such remote places it just feels so amazing.
8. Excellent Offroading Adventures Exist for Motorists in Miyar
Roads of Miyar valley serve as a mini offroading adventure for biking enthusiasts.
From the moment you divert from Udaipur (Margul) towards Miyar valley road all you get is dirt track. It is perfect for who are not very experienced in Offroading conditions but would love try.
One tip I would like to give is not to visit in Miyar in monsoons (August). Even though it does not rain much, but in monsoons water crossings are almost transformed into a river and sometimes even washes away a part of the road.
9. Enjoy Unforgettable Homestay Experience In Miyar Valley
In India, not everyone in the tourism industry understands the concept of Homestays. There are several guesthouses which call themselves homestays, but are actually not. There is no local family actually living there.
But anyways, In Miyar valley, finding guesthouses or hotels is a rarity. All you’ll find are homestays that too in only a select villages. But this what I like about Miyar valley.
| Trust me living with a local family in a homestay is an amazing experience. You learn so much about their culture, way of living etc. And places like Miyar are still quite virgin enough to only have homestays as staying options. |
10. Beautiful Camping Places Exist For Travelers In Miyar Valley
If you love camping, then you should definitely head to Miyar valley. There are amazing camping spots in the valley.
| The best one being the high altitude meadows beyond Khanjar. But If you do not want to camp in the wilderness, then you can camp around the villages as well, but take the permission of the locals prior to camping. |
And In case you want to camp without having to carry all the camping gear, you can take help of the locals who are into tourism related activities
11. Discover The Ethereal Lakes Of Miyar Valley That Are Largely Unknown To The World
There is a popular saying in the travel world “Greatest view comes after the hardest climb.” And this is completely true if you want to visit the lakes of Miyar valley. By the way, here is my travel stint with the heavenly lakes in Lahaul, which you must visit.
| There are several unnamed lakes located above Thanpattan on the way to Kang La ( mountain pass leading to Zanskar from Miyar) as mentioned by indiahikes in their Miyar valley trek documentation.
But of course owing to the altitude you must be extremely fit and well-acclimatized to witness the grandeur of these lakes. The trek would start from Khanjar village, the last point in Miyar valley. |
This brings me to the end of this blog. I hope that you will surely visit after now knowing splendid reasons to visit Miyar valley.
In case you have queries relating to Miyar valley, feel free to reach out in the comments below.