Kaza and Spiti Valley

Photos

Photos from Wikimedia Commons. Select a photo for its author and licence.

Best time to go

Sights and activities

Getting there

By bus

Two roads lead in. The Shimla, Reckong Peo, Nako and Tabo road is about 412 to 420 km, takes 16 to 20 hours of driving over two days and is open almost all year. The Manali road through the Atal Tunnel and Kunzum Pass is about 182 to 200 km and 7 to 10 hours, but is usually open only from about June to mid-October. HRTC buses run on both. Tour operators also run organised trips with transport included from Delhi, Chandigarh, Shimla and Manali; see Guided trips and packages below.

By train

Spiti has no railway. The district site lists Shimla, Jogindernagar and Chandigarh as the nearest stations; Shimla (narrow gauge) is about 420 km from Kaza.

By air

Bhuntar airport near Kullu is the nearest, about 235 to 250 km from Kaza by the Manali road, which is open only in summer.

Where to base yourself

Stay in Kaza, either in the old market area (Kaza Khas) or the quieter newer side (Kaza Soma), and make day trips from there.

Getting around

• HRTC village buses leave Kaza in the late afternoon (about 4 to 5 pm) for Kibber, for Langza, Hikkim and Komic, and for Mud in Pin Valley, and come back early next morning; older fare lists show about 30 to 40 rupees, so they suit an overnight stay rather than a day trip.
• A private taxi from Kaza for the Key, Kibber and Chicham round costs about 2,500 to 3,000 rupees, and about 2,500 to 3,500 for the Langza, Hikkim and Komic loop.
• A taxi day trip from Kaza to Pin Valley costs about 3,000 to 4,000 rupees; occasional shared taxis to Mud charge about 50 to 70 rupees a seat.
• Motorcycles can be rented for about 1,200 to 1,500 rupees a day.
• Buses towards Reckong Peo pass Dhankar turn-off and Tabo; the last 9 km up to Dhankar needs a shared cab or a lift.

On the way

Worth a stop on the drive from Shimla, the last stretch whether you arrive by train, bus or air. Stopping needs a taxi or your own vehicle; buses do not wait. Distances are by road.

Often combined with

Places people usually visit on the same trip, and how long it takes to get between them.

• Kibber and Langza: Road, about 30 to 45 minutes, about 20 km by road. See the Spiti from Manali trip
• Tabo: Road, about 1.5 to 2 hours, about 50 km by road. See the Kinnaur and Spiti loop trip
• Manali: Road over Kunzum Pass, about 8 to 10 hours; the pass is usually open only from about June to October, about 180 km by road. See the Kinnaur and Spiti loop trip

Guided trips and packages

Private operators run group departures and package tours to Kaza and Spiti Valley with road transport included, mostly starting from Delhi, with some from Chandigarh, Manali or Shimla. The main season on the pages checked is roughly May or June to September or October, and one operator also lists winter trips from January to March. Prices found ranged from about Rs 12,000 to Rs 25,000 per person for 7 to 9 day trips. No tour run by a government operator such as HPTDC was found in this check.

Checked online on 2026-10-04. A listing here is not a recommendation; we have no tie-up with these operators. Before you pay, check that the operator and its website are genuine, and confirm dates, price and what is included.

Where to stay

Food

Barley is the staple grain. Kaza has the widest choice, with cafes such as Sol Cafe, The Himalayan Cafe, Cafe Zomsa and Taste of Spiti serving Tibetan, north Indian and some Israeli-style food. In the villages you eat what the homestay cooks, and simple dhabas serve dal, roti, rice and noodles. A dhaba meal is about 100 to 200 rupees and a restaurant meal in Kaza about 200 to 400.

Try these

• Thukpa (noodle soup)
• Momos (steamed dumplings)
• Butter tea (salted tea with butter)
• Tibetan barley bread
• Peas and potato curry (made with local produce)
• Chang (local barley beer)

Vegetarian food is the norm in homestays and dhabas and is easy to find everywhere.

Daily costs

Per day. Travel to and from your city is added in the planner above.

Permits and documents

Indian citizens need no permit for Kaza and Spiti; carry a government photo ID. Foreign nationals need a free or low-cost Inner Line (Protected Area) Permit for the Shimla side road beyond Reckong Peo, issued at Shimla, Reckong Peo or Kaza, with a fee reported at about 250 to 400 rupees; no permit is needed on the Manali side through the Atal Tunnel. Vehicles using the old Rohtang Pass road instead of the tunnel need a Rohtang permit.

Safety

By day

Crime is very rare. The real risks are altitude sickness and the roads. Kaza is at about 3,800 m and the day-trip villages go above 4,400 m, so rest on the first day, drink plenty of fluids and go lower if a headache or nausea does not ease.

At night

Kaza is quiet after dark and very cold even in summer. Do not drive at night; streets and village roads are unlit.

Solo women

Sources describe Spiti as generally safe for solo women, with normal travel precautions. Homestays with families are common and book out in season.

Roads

Roads are rough on both routes. The Manali to Kaza stretch between Gramphu and Batal is badly broken with water crossings that rise in the afternoon, so start before 7 am. Landslides can block the Shimla road in the monsoon. There is no fuel between Manali and Kaza.

Emergency numbers

112 (all emergencies)

Practical

Mobile network

BSNL has the widest coverage. Jio and Airtel work in and around Kaza but are patchy. Villages such as Kibber, Komic, Langza and Dhankar have little or no signal.

ATMs and cash

Kaza has two State Bank of India ATMs and they often run out of cash. There are none in the villages. Carry enough cash from Shimla, Rampur or Reckong Peo.

Fuel

Kaza has one Indian Oil pump, open about 9 am to 5 pm. On the Shimla side the last pump before Kaza is at Powari near Reckong Peo; on the Manali side there is none after Manali.

Medical

The Community Health Centre in Kaza is the main hospital for the whole valley. Kibber has a primary health centre. Serious cases have to go down to Shimla or Kullu.

Coverage maps: Jio · Airtel · Vi · BSNL. Report a problem

Accessibility

Seniors

Possible with a slow plan through the Shimla side for gradual height gain, and a doctor's clearance for heart, lung or blood pressure conditions. The long rough drives are tiring.

Children

Sources advise caution and a careful, slow itinerary; one source suggests only children above 5 years. Watch closely for signs of altitude sickness.

Wheelchair users

And likely to be very difficult: monasteries are built up steep hills with steps, and village paths are unpaved.

Unless a sight is described as accessible, assume it is not step-free.

Culture and responsible travel

• Spiti is a Tibetan Buddhist region. Dress modestly at monasteries and take off shoes before entering prayer halls.
• Photography is not allowed inside Key and Tabo monasteries; outside shots are fine.
• Monastery entry is free, so leave a small donation.
• In homestays, guests usually eat with the family in the kitchen. Booking with families directly keeps the money in the village.
• Fossils around Langza are part of the local heritage; leave them where they are.
• Water and fuel are scarce in this cold desert. Use both sparingly and carry your rubbish back to Kaza.

What to pack

• Photo ID (Aadhaar, passport or driving licence); hotels and permits ask for it
• Thermals, a down or fleece jacket, gloves and a warm cap, even in summer
• Sunglasses, high-SPF sunscreen and lip balm: the sun is harsh at altitude
• Ask your doctor before you go about altitude sickness and what to carry for it
• A rain jacket or umbrella and quick-dry clothes
• Clothes in earthy colours, a cap and binoculars for safaris
• Enough cash for the whole stay, a power bank and offline maps
• Your regular medicines, plus basics for stomach upsets, headaches and cuts

Multi-stop trips that include Kaza and Spiti Valley

• Kinnaur and Spiti loop, 8 nights
• Spiti from Manali, 7 nights