SPITI -: Trekking, Home Stays and Facts

Mushroomz

Awww .. I thought as much ..

Thanks anyways ..

Cheers ..

LandRover

Hi fellas,
This is my first post here - a big hello to everyone on the forum
The info posted here is very informative! I'm planning to travel to Spiti area by road from Mumbai in a Land Rover. My interest is basically wildlife photography, but I like landscapes too. Some queries here :
1. Can you'll guide me which would be good areas in this region for wildlife.
2. I'm not much of a trekker, so would like to know if its possible to travel in the remote areas by a 4WD vehicle or is it necessary to trek?
3. I'm fully equipped to camp - is it safe to camp in remote areas with little or no habitation around?
4. I have around 15 days time, starting & ending in Shimla, so please suggest places/areas for this time frame.

Thanks once again!
Cheers
Ritul

mridula

Hi Ritul,

Welcome to Indiamike. The regions in Spiti where I trekked last summer, were all connected by a road (not very good ones but jeeps ply) so driving should not be a problem. I am sure someone else will come along and answer your queries on wildlife and camping, cause we did homestays. In Spiti it is possible to do a homestay quite easily.

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LandRover

Thanks Mridula, whats the cost for home stays?

mridula

Ritul, we did it as a package for the trek. But I don't think it should be more than 500 rs 9could be even less) per day including food. The bigger monasteries also have rooms, so at Dhankar and Langza one can find rooms in monasteries too.

AvidTrekker

In a 4 X 4 you should not have many problems.

Spiti is very good for driving around and lots of places for stay are available.

The Rupi Bhaba Wldlife sanctuary is in Kinnaur Spiti... but the Land Rover can only touch its border. Rest is trekking routes.

Only lucky people can see wildlife from a vehicle, coz Spiti is barren and wild animals avoid coming near roads and human habitation. In ladakh, many have taken pictures of the Kiang [wild ass] from the road.

Buy this book by Deepak Sanan. It will give you some idea about Spiti
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voyager61

Hi!You can go to most villages by road nowadays,to really remote areas you must walk.But to see wildlife you don't have to go far,sometimes near the link road to the villages it's possible to see bharal for example,although in a car your chances are definitely less(butlast summer some people were so lucky to come across a snow leopard on the bridge between Mikkim and Sagnam in Pin valley,at around 11 Pm).The places with nobody around are the safest of them all to camp,no need to worry for that.If they ask you 500Rs for home staying they are ripping you off,3-400 is OK.
Kaza,Kibber,Ki gompa,Lalung,Pin Valley,Dankhar and Tabo the places not to be missed.

LandRover

Thanks for the prompt replies!

How about diesel, are there pumps at most of villages? I have 125 ltrs tank + 30 ltrs in Jerry Cans. This should give me a range of around 800 kms considering hill driving.

Any particular National Park where the chances of sightings are brighter? Should I engage a local guide to show me around in the Parks?

Cheers
Ritul

voyager61

Hi! In Spiti there is only ONE petrol pump in Kaza,the nearest are in Powari near Recong Peo or at Tandi in Lahaul.In the villages usually there is somebody keeping some fuels so in case of emergency you can ask around.Animals seem not too care too much about parks,but there is a sanctuary around Kibber and a national park in Pin Valley where you can see barhal,ibex with more luck,foxes,pikas and several kinds of birds.For guiding ask around in Kibber although there will still be snow around.

gobbledegeek

Dhananjay
Great work!! Thanks for posting. I felt charged like an electrical cloud just contemplating this trip

cheers

kimoni

I recently went on a trek to Spiti, we were supposedly the first group of tourists this year. (1st-5th April, 50km, alt 4700m)

You can read my blog here
http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India...og-264339.html

sriram_world

Hi Mridula,
We need your comment on deciding which is the best.

Option 1 - Jeep safari in Manali-sarchu-tsomorrir-pangongtso-leh

or

Option 2 - Trek in Spiti ( komic-damnul-dhankar trek as given in www.spitiecosphere.com.

Which is more beautifull ? Spiti or ladakh landscapes.

Sriram.B

mridula

Hi Sriram,

Both regions are beautiful! Do both one by one and toss a coin and decide for this year.

Spiti is a little less crowded than Leh because of not having an airport. But then toss that coin

k_cborty

I'm planning a trip to Lahaul/Spiti in last week of July.I just have a week in hand and thus trying to pack maximum through Jeep safari.

The trip will look as appended below and is planned through Ecosphere.

Please give inputs and suuggestion

1 Manali Kaza
2 Kaza Key, KibberKaza
3 Kaza Lhalung Dhankar
4 Dhankar Giu Tabo
5 Tabo Langza Komic
6 Komic Demul Kaza
7 Kaza Manali

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zerostress

It looks great!
can you tell us what's its cost? I'm planning to do something very similar...

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