Destinations / Himachal Pradesh
A small Spiti River village built around a Buddhist monastery founded in 996 CE.
Lesser-knownHeritageVillagePilgrimage
Tabo holds one of the oldest working Buddhist monasteries in the Himalayas, with old wall paintings, scriptures and meditation caves in the cliff above it. The village is quiet and small, with clear night skies and apple orchards. It suits travellers on the Shimla to Kaza road who like history and slow village stays more than activity.
Trip planner
Photos from Wikimedia Commons. Select a photo for its author and licence.
| When | What to expect |
|---|---|
| May to June | Roads from Shimla are reliable, days are sunny and the sun is strong. One of the preferred times to visit. |
| July to August | Spiti lies in a rain shadow and gets little rain, but the approach road through Shimla and Kinnaur can be affected by monsoon rain. |
| September to October | Clear and cool, and a preferred time. The Manali to Kaza road usually closes by early October. |
| November to April | Very cold, with winter temperatures reported down to about minus 20 C. The Shimla road stays open in principle but can close for days after snow. Not advised for a first visit. |
Monastery complex founded in 996 CE, with several temples and chapels, old wall paintings, statues and scriptures. About 50 to 60 monks live here. Photography is not allowed inside.
Old meditation caves cut into the cliff above the monastery, once used by monks as living and retreat spaces. They give a wide view over the village and the Spiti River.
A library at the monastery with books in English on Tibet and Buddhism. A monastery museum was also reported as being built.
An old monastery on a high cliff above the meeting point of the Spiti and Pin rivers, at about 3,894 m. The old building is fragile and only about 20 people may enter at once.
A small high lake reached by a steep path with loose stones from Dhankar Monastery.
The naturally preserved body of a monk, believed to be Sangha Tenzin and dated to about 1475, kept seated in a glass case in a small shrine in Gue village.
A village at about 3,625 m in Kinnaur with a small lake ringed by willow and poplar trees and an 11th century monastery. It lies on the road between Reckong Peo and Tabo.
A cold desert park of about 675 sq km, home to snow leopard, with Kungri monastery and Mudh village in the valley.
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.
Apple-growing ridge at about 2,700 m with wide Himalayan views. Hatu Peak and the Hatu Mata temple are 7 to 8 km up a side road. Skiing in winter.
Old capital of Bushahr state on the Sutlej, with Padam Palace (seen from outside) and the Lavi trade fair in November.
Places people usually visit on the same trip, and how long it takes to get between them.
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No government-run tour to Tabo was found; the HPTDC site shows only its hotels, not a Spiti package. Private operators include Tabo as an overnight stop on Spiti Valley road circuits of 7 to 10 days, starting from Delhi, Shimla, Chandigarh or Manali, with summer departures roughly May to October and some winter departures via Shimla. Prices found ranged from about Rs 11,600 to Rs 39,000 per person, depending on group size, vehicle and starting city.
| Operator | Trip | From | Length | Price from | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Treks and Trails Private operator | Group road trip through Kinnaur and Spiti with a night in Tabo | Delhi or Shimla | 9 days / 8 nights | ₹15,999 per person Shimla to Shimla, triple or quad sharing; Delhi to Delhi is Rs 17,999 on the same sharing. As listed on the operator's site on 2026-10-04. | Overnight bus Delhi to Shimla and back (Delhi option), tempo traveller on the mountain route, 6 nights in hotels and homestays, 6 breakfasts and 6 dinners, trip leader, inner line permits for Indian nationals, oxygen cylinder and first aid kit (as stated on the page) |
| King Hills Travels Private operator | Group tour of Spiti Valley with a night in Tabo | Delhi | 9 days / 8 nights | ₹17,499 per person Delhi to Delhi, triple occupancy, 5% GST extra, Indian nationals only; double occupancy is Rs 18,999. As listed on the operator's site on 2026-10-04. | All transfers and sightseeing by AC vehicle, tolls, parking and permit charges, hotel stay, breakfast and dinner; monastery and monument entry fees are not included (as stated on the page) |
| HPTT by Planman's Group Private operator | Package tour of Spiti with a day excursion to Tabo, Dhankar and Pin Valley | Manali | 7 days / 6 nights | ₹11,590 per person Budget category, per person in a group of 15; rises to Rs 15,050 for 6 people, Rs 19,250 for 4 and Rs 31,000 for 2. As listed on the operator's site on 2026-10-04. | All transport, sightseeing as per itinerary, hotel stay, breakfast and dinner, taxes; air or rail fares to the start point and entrance fees are not included (as stated on the page) |
| Spiti Holiday Adventure Private operator | Small-group vehicle tour of Kinnaur and Spiti with a night in Tabo | Chandigarh | 10 days / 9 nights | ₹38,950 per person Per person in a group of six, for 7 July to 30 October; May and June prices differ. As listed on the operator's site on 2026-10-04. | Non-AC Toyota Innova shared by up to six people, fuel and tolls, English-speaking local driver-guide, hotels, homestays and a camp at Chandratal, breakfast and dinner at most stops (as stated on the page) |
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.
| Budget level | Type | Price per night |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | Monastery guest rooms and simple homestays | ₹500 to ₹1,200 |
| Mid-range | Guest houses, homestays and small hotels | ₹1,500 to ₹3,000 |
| Luxury | Best hotels in the village | ₹6,000 to ₹6,950 |
Food is basic. There are a few small restaurants, such as Tiger's Den, Kunzum Top and The Third Eye, and homestays cook simple meals. A dhaba meal in Spiti was reported at up to about 100 rupees in 2020.
Vegetarian food is easy to find. Vegetable momo, thukpa and simple dal, rice and vegetable meals are generally available.
| Budget level | Stay per room | Food per person | Local transport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | ₹500 | ₹300 | ₹100 per person |
| Mid-range | ₹1,800 | ₹600 | ₹2,500 per vehicle |
| Luxury | ₹6,950 | ₹1,000 | ₹3,000 per vehicle |
Per day. Travel to and from your city is added in the planner above.
Indian citizens need no permit; carry a government photo ID such as Aadhaar for checkposts. Foreign nationals need an Inner Line Permit for the stretch between Reckong Peo and Kaza, which includes Tabo. It is issued at offices in Shimla, Reckong Peo and Kaza, is officially free and is valid for two weeks.
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Unless a sight is described as accessible, assume it is not step-free.
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