Spiti Valley Expedition Part 1 - Noida to Kaza

Spiti Valley Expedition - Part 1

Spiti Valley - The name resonates with High rugged Mountains, Beautiful Monasteries, Streams & rivers flowing rapidly through steep narrow gorges.  

Located in Himachal Pradesh state of India & Lies between Ladakh & Tibet. It is spread along the River Spiti Which flows from Kunzum Pass to merge into Sutlej at Khab. This valley is also known for its rich Apple produce. 

Going to Spiti is a dream for any driving enthusiast. Why? 

• It's Home to one of the most dangerous roads in the world.
• It is one of the most remote places in the country. 
• A high-altitude desert Offering spectacular views of the yet unspoilt nature. 

The Planning

Driving to Spiti Valley was on our Bucket list for a long time. But this September it was time to lay it on the table. Many factors had to be considered to make the trip to one of the most remote places in the country. 

Time - We chose September over the popular May - June. However unrelenting rains threatened to disrupt our plans

Roads - Landslides occurred frequently this year late into September causing blocking of crucial roads to spiti for several days. 

Route- After many deliberations & discussions, we decided on the below route plan. We decided to take it easy as the elevation gain from Noida to Kaza our destination would be quite high. Below is the route plan & elevation statistics.

 
Day 1 - 24th Sept - Noida (200m) - Ambala - Shimla - Narkanda (2780m)

Day 2 - 25th Sept - Narkanda - Rampur Bushahr - Kalpa (2960m) 

Day 3 - 26th Sept - Kalpa - Khab (2438m) - Nako (3625m) - Tabo (3280m)

Day 4 - 27th Sept - Tabo - Kaza (3800m)

Day 5 - 28th Sept - Kaza - Langza (4358m) - Komic (4587m) - Hikkim (4440m) - Kaza (3800m)

Day 6 - 29th Sept - Kaza - Key Monastery (4166m)- Chicham Bridge (4145m) - Kibber (4270m) - Kaza (3800m)

Day 7 - 30th Sept - Kaza - Tabo - Nako - Kalpa 
Day 8 - 1st Oct - Kalpa - Rampur Bushahr - Narkanda - Shimla
Day 9 - 2nd Oct - Shimla - Ambala - Noida

The Preparations.

• Went through the whole route noted down important turns & landmarks in google maps.
• Consulted & took advice of Mr. H V Kumar, also known as the Human GPS who has unmatched knowledge of Indian roads. He also offered his personal help during our trip. 
• Booked the hotels. We preferred to stay at HPTDC at most places. They have the best views & very decent accommodations, Simple yet great food. 
• Documents. We carried copies of our Aadhar, driving License, Car Registration, Double Vaccination certificates. 
• Medicines were packed into first aid box. Regular ones were packed in shoulder bags. 
• Purchased Bread & Buns, Chocolates, Juices & plenty of dry fruits, for sudden hunger pangs & in case we get stuck at any landslides. 

• Pampered The Ride: Duster CVT Automatic petrol 2018 make. This was an ideal vehicle for such rough terrain.
• Got new tyres as the stock ones had already done 39K km & it turned out to be a good decision. 
• Checkup was done at Renault service for Air Filter, AC filter check & clean. Engine Oil, Brake Oil, coolant levels were checked. 
• Brake pads were checked for condition & thickness, which was found to be pretty good. 

Day 0  23rd September. 

By Evening all the luggage was packed & neatly arranged in the 475 liters boot of Duster. We planned to leave by 4am the next day so had a quick early dinner pondering over the plan. I had butterflies in my stomach as I always have before a long road trip. This usually goes off 1-2 hrs into the drive. Our main concern was that rain was predicted for Day 2 between Narkanda & Kalpa. That was the area where there were many landslides & road was blocked for 4 days a week before. 

Day 1 - 24th September.

Noida - Narkanda.  492kms. 3:52am to 4:08pm. 12hrs 16min drive with 2hrs 6min breaks.

Got up at 3am & started by 3:52. Our destination for today was Narkanda. Drive up to the hills was steady & uneventful. Once we hit the hills, the  Himalayan Expressway & the 4 landed highway through the hills were awesome to drive up to Solan. Solan to Shoghi 4 Lane road was under construction and was messy. Wanted to Avoid Shimla traffic so took the bypass. 

This was longer but devoid of traffic & was scenic with a nice waterfall too. 

Soon we crossed Shimla, Fagu, and after a few photo stops reached Narkanda at 4:08pm. 

We were booked at HPTDC Hotel Hatu which is a nice property with lovely views, spacious rooms & good food.  

Day 2 - 25th September.

Narkanda - Rampur Bhushar - Kalpa.  

172.2Kms. 8:27am to 2:57pm. 6hrs 30min Drive with 47mins breaks.

Today was the crucial drive through Landslide areas. We checked at the hotel & also called up a few dhabas along the route & found out the route is open & no issues so far. 

Early morning was beautiful with clouds coming down from the hills & floating across the valley. It was good to spend some time on the grounds. Definitely recommend HPTDC Hatu at Narkanda. 

We started out after a good breakfast. Immediately after Narkanda the road climbs down through a beautiful forest. The drive is beautiful. Soon we came down from 2780m at Narkanda to Rampur Bushahr at 1082m. From here on we drove all along the Sutlej river. 

As expected we had 5-6 areas of landslides where the road was broken and we had to cautiously drive. At one such landslide place, a stream was going over the highway & this was our first water crossing (check the video).

The road then winds through the hills and we entered Kinnaur district. Amazing work by BRO, the road is constructed by cutting through the rock. It passes under overhanging cliffs and also through a "Hole in the hill" called Kinnaur Gate or Chaura Gate. We took a break to enjoy the wonderful views. 

Fortunately, without any blockage, we soon crossed Karcham Dam (deviation to Chitkul). 

After a town Powari the road deviated towards Kalpa & Rekong Peo ( Kinnaur dist HQ). The climb to Kalpa was steep with several switchbacks. about 16km of the climb we reached HPTDC Kinner Kailash, Kalpa at 2960m. The views of Kinner Kailash range from the room were enchanting, to say the least. Whole Horizon was covered with high Peaks. 

After about an hour we went to Roghi Cliff point also known as a Suicide point. We were disappointed to see that the point is now barricaded ruining the place. But the views were amazing. Visited Kapa town's Monastery & a Temple.  Returned to the hotel had a simple dinner & called it a day. We hit the bed excited for tomorrow's drive where the adventurous drive would begin into Spiti valley. 

 

Day 3 - 26th September 

Kalpa - Khab Sangam - Nako - Tabo. 

176.7 Kms. 8Hrs 36mins drive from 6:02am to 2:44pm. Breaks 2hrs 3mins.

Kalpa (2960m)

We loved our Stay at HPTDC Kinner Kailash at Kalpa, the views were just amazing with great food. 

We started around 6 am just as the dawn broke. First, we went to Powari town 2 km away to get the fuel topped up as the next Petrol Pump was in Kaza. About 200km away through one of the toughest roads. (in case you plan this route do remember to fill up here. A 24/7 Petrol Pump) 

We drove on. Few clouds were hanging over the mountains, giving a mysterious yet beautiful view of the morning. 

Pooh (2262m)

 We made our first stop at Lungta Cafe in a town called Pooh after 2hrs 50min. It was a decent place to stop with good food & clean toilets. Definitely recommend a stop.

After crossing Pooh, all the networks went POOF. Greenery gave way to barren rocky mountains. 

Khab (2456m)

About 15 min drive later we reached Khab bridge, where the Spiti River merges into Sutlej. The walls closed in like a canyon, it was like a scene out of an American West movie. From the Bridge, we were able to get a glimpse of Reo Purgyil peak which at 6816m is the highest peak in Himachal Pradesh State. 

From Khab the road switched over to the bank of Spiti from Sutlej & we had entered into Spiti Valley. Immediately the road started to climb steeply and the fun had begun. A couple of km later we hit the famous Nako Loops a Series of several switchbacks. The road was great so we enjoyed the steep climb over the neverending switchbacks. We were gaining height considerably & quickly. After about 40 min of hard climb in which the last 2km was only gravel, we reached Nako Village. 

Nako (3625m) 

We could feel lightness in the air. In a short span, we had climbed up 1200 meters & were at 3.4km straight up from Noida ..wow.. Nako was a small village with a famous monastery & a small sacred lake. We parked in one of the narrow streets of Nako & visited both. For the lake, we had to climb down about 40 feet. The climb up was tough at this height. We spent about 40 mins & started our drive towards Tabo.

One Important Note: We measured our Oxygen levels with our oximeter. Got a shock when the readings showed 85-90. A quick call to Mr. Hv Kumar relieved us when he mentioned, that it's quite normal at high altitudes. Unless you felt uneasy & breathless. Readings can also go down to 75 as well. 

Maling naala or Maling Stream.(3875m)

The road after Nako was broken badly and the surface was just dirt & gravel. Climbing steadily we reached the infamous Maling Naala(Stream) the Highest point on this road. Fortunately, there was only a few inches of water & we crossed easily. During Rains, this is known to turn into a torrent taking down everything within its path. 

After crossing this there were another series of switchbacks, this time taking us steeply down. That was fun taking on the switchbacks.

Chango (3058m)

Took a break here for a well-deserved coffee from our kit. Chango is known for Apples and all around us, there were apple orchards with bunches of apples hanging. 

After Chango, the road became narrow & needed extreme caution to drive. Valley walls closed in with the Spiti river flowing far below. No sight of greenery anywhere except dust & the rocky mountains. Some took strange formations due to wind erosion. 

Tabo (3280m)

Reached our destination for the day at 2:44pm. Checked in to our homestay & rested a bit. To our surprise, the Homestay owner had an Apple orchard of his own & offered to take us there. It was huge. Rows & rows of Apple trees with bunches of apples hanging on each tree.

The next Visit was to Tabo Monastery. There were two, old & new. Both were unique & beautiful in their own way. I instantly loved this town nestled in the valley under the shadow of towering mountains on both sides. It was quiet, neat & peaceful. 

Night Sky at Tabo

As the night fell we were greeted with a spectacle in the heavens. The sky was glowing with millions of stars that I had never seen in my life. Never did I ever see the Milky Way so clear & distinct & clear. Jupiter was like a huge flashlight & Saturn was bright red alongside. Took a few shots with my camera on the tripod. 

Had a good simple dinner brought to the room & called it a night. 

Day 4 - 27th September.

Tabo caves - Dhankar - Kaza. 

65.5km. 4hrs drive from 9:10am to 1:10pm with 1hr 28min breaks.

Tabo Caves

15 min hike brought us to Tabo Caves. They overlooked the town from a vantage point & presented incredible views of Tabo & the valley for miles. Tabo caves are known to be very old & a symbol of human settlement long ago.  One of them was reconstructed as a meditating center. Definitely recommended visiting. The hike is not very steep and can be managed easily. We left for Kaza at 9:10am after a good breakfast.

Dhankar Monastery (3894m)

The first stop was Dhankar Monastery, reached at 10:26am. It was perched high over a mountain and the road climbed again over a series of switchbacks. The views from the Monastery were amazing. Could see Pin river merging into Spiti. The monastery was a nice quiet place. It requires a bit of Climbing to reach the inner temple. A must-visit. We started our climb down to 3200m & started our way towards Kaza at 11:12am.

Kaza (3800)

The Road to Kaza from Dhankar was from okay to bad. Narrow & sudden drops to Spiti river below required 100% attention & caution driving. But the views were so magnificent after each turn, it made the drive even more difficult than already was. 

We were elated to reach Kaza our Destination & center of Spiti valley at 1:10pm. 

We first went to get the fuel topped up which was the Highest Petrol station in the world at 3800 meters. Then checked in to Hotel HPTDC Kaza. A nice property. 

We had booked a cottage which had two huge rooms. Would recommend that instead of rooms. After settling in we walked to the Market for getting a feeling of local culture. 

Kaza we found to be a commercialized town and actually did not find it beautiful like Tabo. 

To Be Continued in Part 2.............