Spiti Valley is a cold desert mountain valley located high in the Himalayas in the north-eastern part of the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. The name "Spiti" means "The Middle Land", i.e. the land between Tibet and India. Local population follow Vajrayana Buddhism similar to that found in the nearby Tibet and Ladakh regions. The valley and surrounding region is one of the least populated regions in India and is the gateway to the northernmost reaches of the nation. Along the northern route from Manali, Himachal Pradesh or Keylong via the Rohtang Pass or Kunzum Pass respectively, the valley lies in the North Eastern section of the Indian state Himachal Pradesh, and forms part of the Lahaul and Spiti district. The sub-divisional headquarters (capital) is Kaza, Himachal Pradesh which is situated along the Spiti River at an elevation of about 12,500 feet (3,800 m) above mean sea level. Lahaul and Spiti district is surrounded by high mountain ranges. The Rohtang Pass, at 13,054 feet (3,979 m), separates Lahul and Spiti from the Kullu Valley. Lahul and Spiti are cut off from each other by the higher Kunzum Pass, at 15,059 feet (4,590 m).[2] A road connects the two divisions, but is cut off frequently in winter and spring due to heavy snow. The valley is likewise cut off from the north up to eight months of the year by heavy snowfalls and thick icing conditions. A southern route to India proper is periodically closed for brief periods in the winter storms of November through June, but road access is usually restored a few days after storms end via Shimla and the Sutlej in the Kinnaur district.
The town of Kaza or Kaze is the subdivisional headquarters of the remote Spiti Valley in the western Himalayas in the Lahaul and Spiti district of the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. This central location also makes Kaza an ideal base camp for trekking, mountaineering and tours directed to other parts of the valley.
Chandra Taal, or Chandra Tal is a lake situated in the Spiti part of the Lahul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh. The lake is flanked by gigantic mountains which turn into a bed of wildflowers during winters. Chandertal lake alias the moon lake is a crescent-shaped basin, surrounded by the gigantic Himalayas.
Hikkim is a village in Lahaul and Spiti district in the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh at an elevation of 4,400 m. It is 46 km from Kaza, the nearest town connected by road. It is one of the highest year-round inhabited locations in India, with residences from 4330 to 4400 m.
Tabo is a small town in the Lahaul and Spiti district on the banks of the Spiti River in Himachal Pradesh, India. The town lies on the road between Rekong Peo and Kaza, the sub-divisional headquarters of Spiti. The town surrounds a Buddhist monastery which, according to legend, is said to be over a thousand years old.
Dhankar Gompa is situated at an elevation of 3,894 metres in the Spiti Valley above Dhankar Village. Not just this, but the old monastery has five different halls, including Kanjur, Lhakhang, and Dukhang, and a huge life size silver image of Vajradhara, kept in a glass altar adorned with scarves and flowers.
Kye Gompa is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery located on top of a hill at an altitude of 4,166 metres above sea level. The walls of the monastery are decorated with beautiful paintings and murals, thangkas (a painted or embroidered Tibetan banner), valuable manuscripts, stucco images, and unique wind instruments.
