Spiti Valley Tour: Kinnaur to Manali Circuit with Chandratal (10 Days)
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- Duration
- 9 nights / 10 days
- Pickup → drop
- Shimla → Manali
- Best time
- Jun – Sep (Kunzum Pass open)
- Activity level
- 4/4 · Challenging
- Group size
- 2–10
Activity level 4 of 4: Challenging.Little walking, but 4–6 hour rough drives and altitude up to 4,590 m.What the levels mean
- 1 · RelaxedSightseeing by car with short walks, under 2 hours on foot a day.All ages and fitness levels, including parents and young children.
- 2 · Light2–4 hours on foot a day, with stairs, uneven ground or some long drives.Anyone in normal health who can walk 30 minutes comfortably.
- 3 · Active4–6 hours of walking or a few long rough drives, some days at altitude.Regular walkers. Start walking 30–45 minutes a day a month before.
- 4 · ChallengingLong days, steep climbs or high altitude (above 4,000 m).Good fitness; check with your doctor if you have heart, lung or blood-pressure conditions.
Quick answer
A 10-day Spiti Valley tour drives the circuit clockwise from Shimla to Manali via Kinnaur, Nako, Tabo, Kaza and Chandratal, so your body acclimatises gradually. Altitude reaches 4,590 m at Kunzum Pass. It costs from ₹38,500 per person, and June to September is the best window.
Trip Overview
We drive Spiti clockwise: Shimla, Sarahan, Sangla and Chitkul, Kalpa, Nako, Tabo and Kaza, before crossing Kunzum Pass to Chandratal and descending to Manali. Climbing in from Kinnaur gains height gradually, which beats going up from Manali in a single day and makes the high villages far more enjoyable.
You stay in family homestays and sleep one night at Chandratal. Highlights include Tabo's 996 CE monastery, Dhankar's cliff-top gompa, Key Monastery, Langza's fossils and the Hikkim post office. Your private SUV carries an oxygen cylinder and pulse oximeter, and roads are rough, so expect long drives.
- Stays included
- Meals included
- Transfers included
- Sightseeing included
Trip highlights
- Chitkul, the last village on the road to Tibet
- Tabo's 996 CE monastery murals
- Dhankar's cliff-top monastery
- Key Monastery, Kibber and the Chicham bridge
- Hikkim post office and the Langza fossils
- Chandratal Lake at sunset
Day by day
Itinerary
Shimla → Manali · 9N/10D
10 days · tap a day to open or close it
- 1
Day 1Shimla to SarahanShimla → Sarahan · 170 km · 6 hrs+
Beyond Shimla's crowds to Sarahan's Bhimakali temple.
Guesthouse, Sarahan D
- 2
Day 2Sarahan to Sangla and ChitkulSarahan → Chitkul → Sangla · 100 km · 4 hrs+
Into Kinnaur along the Baspa river; an afternoon in Chitkul.
- Chitkul
Homestay, Sangla B · D
- 3
Day 3Sangla to KalpaSangla → Kalpa · 50 km · 2 hrs+
Apple orchards and the Kinner Kailash view; a slow afternoon to acclimatise.
Homestay, Kalpa B · D
- 4
Day 4Kalpa to NakoKalpa → Nako · 105 km · 4 hrs+
A dramatic road along the Sutlej to Nako's lake village at about 3,600 m.
Homestay, Nako B · D
- 5
Day 5Nako to TaboNako → Tabo · 65 km · 2.5 hrs+
A short drive and a long visit to Tabo monastery and its caves.
- Tabo monastery
Guesthouse, Tabo B · D
- 6
Day 6Tabo to Kaza via DhankarTabo → Dhankar → Kaza · 50 km · 2.5 hrs+
Dhankar's cliff-top monastery, then on to Kaza.
- Dhankar
Homestay, Kaza B · D
- 7
Day 7High villages+
Langza's fossils and Buddha statue, the Hikkim post office and Komic.
- Langza
- Hikkim
- Komic
Homestay, Langza or Kaza B · D
- 8
Day 8Key Monastery and Kibber+
Key Monastery at morning prayers, then Kibber and the Chicham bridge.
- Key Monastery
- Kibber
- Chicham bridge
Homestay, Kaza B · D
- 9
Day 9Kaza to ChandratalKaza → Kunzum → Chandratal · 90 km · 4 hrs+
Over the Kunzum Pass (4,590 m) to the crescent lake.
- Kunzum Pass
- Chandratal
Camp, Chandratal B · D
- 10
Day 10Chandratal to Manali, trip endsChandratal → Manali · 125 km · 6 hrs+
The rough Batal road to the Atal Tunnel and down to Manali by evening.
Trip ends B
Meals: B = breakfast, L = lunch, D = dinner. Drive times are typical and exclude stops.
What's included
Inclusions & Exclusions
Included
- 9 nights: family homestays, guesthouses and 1 night in a camp
- Daily breakfast and dinner
- Private SUV with a Spiti-experienced driver
- Inner Line Permits where required
- Oxygen cylinder and pulse oximeter in the vehicle
Not Included
- ✕ Flights or trains to the start point and from the end point
- ✕ Monument, temple-darshan and camera fees unless listed
- ✕ Lunches unless listed, tips, laundry and personal expenses
- ✕ 5% GST (added to the final quote)
- ✕ Travel insurance (strongly recommended)
Before you go
Good to Know
- Altitude reaches 4,590 m. Consult a doctor if you have heart, lung or blood-pressure conditions.
- Expect 4–6 hours on rough road on most driving days.
- Kunzum Pass usually opens in June and closes in October; outside that window we return via Kinnaur.
Packing list
Things to Pack
- Trekking shoes, already broken in
- Trekking poles
- Thermal base layers
- Down jacket
- Headlamp
- 2 L water capacity
- Rain cover for your backpack
Places on this trip
Destination Guides
Himachal Pradesh
6 packages · from ₹11,500
Explore Himachal Pradesh →Himachal Pradesh
Manali, the Parvati valley, Jibhi and the Spiti desert.
Himachal has a mountain trip for everyone: family-friendly Shimla and Manali, the backpacker cafés of Kasol and the Parvati valley, the wooden villages of Jibhi and Tirthan, and Spiti's high-altitude desert.
- Best time
- March to June and September to November
- Ideal trip
- 6–7 days for Manali–Kasol–Jibhi; 10 days for Spiti
How booking works
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On-trip help
How much does the Spiti Valley Tour cost?+
The Spiti Valley Tour starts from ₹38,500 per person on twin sharing, land only: stays, private transport, guides and the meals listed. The exact price depends on your dates, hotel category and group size, so send your dates for a written quote.
What is the best time to take the Spiti Valley Tour?+
The best time is Jun – Sep (Kunzum Pass open). Closures, festivals and seasonal notes are listed under Good to Know on this page.
How many days does the Spiti Valley Tour take?+
It runs 10 days and 9 nights from Shimla to Manali. We can add or remove nights to suit your time.
Is the Spiti Valley Tour suitable for adventure seekers?+
Yes. It is one of our Adventure trips, rated activity level 4 of 4 (Challenging). Little walking, but 4–6 hour rough drives and altitude up to 4,590 m.
Why not start from Manali?+
It climbs too high too fast. Coming in through Kinnaur acclimatises you gradually.
Is there a winter Spiti trip?+
Yes, from January to March, via Kinnaur only, with a 4×4. Ask about our winter dates.
Is it suitable for kids?+
For children over 8 who cope with long drives, yes. We add an acclimatisation night.
Can I change the itinerary?+
Yes. Dates, hotels, pace and stops can all be changed; we'll re-quote.
Do I pay anything to enquire?+
No. You'll get a written plan and quote first. Payment only happens after you approve it.
From₹38,500 /person
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