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This is the longer, but a better road to reach Spiti Valley. It is open all year round. A gradual ascend brings you to Kaza. The distance of 450km between Shimla and Kaza usually takes about two days to cover, with an overnight stay in between. The road until Tapri, which is halfway, is a surfaced and well-maintained one. The going may get a bit rough after that and you may have to keep an eye out for land-slides. Road widening is an ongoing activity along this route. So you will have to factor that into your travel time. As Indian nationals, you do not need any permits for yourself. But if you’re travelling with any foreign nationals, they will need an Inner Line Permit issued by the District Magistrate Office in Kullu, Keylong, Reckong Peo or Shimla. This is necessary as you will be visiting areas near the international border. The journey holds many promises with some beautiful stops along the way. You can catch a beautiful sunset at the Hatu Peak spend the night at the nearby Bhimakali Temple. Or you could visit Chitkul, the last Indian village on the old Indo-Tibet road. On the way, you can stop at Narkanda, Tapri or Hurling for some Indian food. Tibetan delicacies can be relished at Nako or Tabo. Make sure to use the toilets at the food joints and in fact, at every chance you get, as these will be few and far between.
Like Shimla, Manali enjoys good road connectivity from Delhi, Chandigarh, Dehradun and Ambala. If you’re starting from Delhi, make sure you book your seat in a comfortable bus since it is going to be a long journey. If you’d rather take the train, the nearest station to Manali is the Jogindernagar railway station. Though you may not find a direct train from your starting point, it is still a more comfortable option than the bus. The Bhuntar airport is the closest airport to Manali, located 50 km away. It is well-connected with Chandigarh airport. So you can simply fly down to Chandigarh and catch your flight to Manali. No matter how you decide to reach Spiti Valley, it will be one full of thrills and memories. A rare journey that may be as memorable as the holiday itself. SOTC has a range of Himachal Tour Packages which cover tours to Spiti Valley that will definitely make your holidays memorable. All you have to do is select one and be on your adventurous way.
Shimla is well-connected to the rest of the country by air, road and rail. There are direct buses running from Delhi, Chandigarh and Ambala. Delhi is the farthest away with the bus taking 9 hours. But if you catch a bus from Ambala or Chandigarh, the journey is cut down to around 3 hours. The Kalka-Shimla railway connects the two cities with a narrow-gauge rail line. The entire railway is a certified UNESCO World Heritage site. The train takes between 4 to 5 hours to complete the journey. Passing mostly through the mountains, it is quite a scenic route. If you simply wish to fly into Shimla, there are direct flights from all the major metros around the country. However, it is worth noting that there is only one direct flight operating between Delhi and Shimla.
This is the shorter route to Spiti Valley. The distance of around 200km can be covered within 8-10 hours. But this route is only open from mid-June to mid-October. It remains closed for the rest of the days. This is the route usually preferred by bikers (and you will see groups of them) as it takes them through high mountain passes which circle around the most challenging terrain. The adrenaline is further pumped by the many water crossings along the way. These are the ultimate tests of a rider’s skills. The road even passes through a dry riverbed between Chhatru and Batal. The road between Gramphoo and Losar is especially lonely. So make sure you carry ample fuel and a basic repair kit. If you’re driving your own car, you must get a ‘Beyond Rohtang’ permit for your vehicle. You can apply for and get it from HP tourism’s Rohtang Permits website. • Travel Tip 1: Rohtang Pass is closed for maintenance on Tuesdays and no vehicles are allowed to pass. • Travel Tip 2: Leave from Manali before 4:00am if you want to miss the traffic at Rohtang. • Travel Tip 3: Keep an eye out for the right turn to Spiti Valley at Gramphoo. The signboard is easy to miss. Unlike the Shimla route, there are fewer toilets and places to eat along the Manali route to Spiti Valley.
