All roads leading to Kaza and within Kaza are currently open, including both Shimla and Manali routes. Camps at Chandratal too are completely operational. This will be a dedicated post for Lahaul & Spiti valley road status 2017. As the year progresses, I will keep updating this post with more recent updates on road conditions.
Current Lahaul & Spiti Valley Road Status 2017
- Shimla Kaza Road Status 2017 : Open
- Manali Kaza Road Status 2017 :Â Open
- Manali Keylong Road Status 2017:Â Open
- Rohtang Pass Status 2017:Â Open
- Sach Pass Status 2017:Â Open
- Kunzum Pass Status 2017:Â Open
- Chandratal Status 2017:Â Open
Update July 3rd: Recent update on Chhatru to Gramphoo road shared by Kapil Bhai.
“The road from Chattru to Gramphoo is broken at at least 10 places. In one section the entire portion of the road has been washed away. I had to walk from a place a little beyond Chattru till Gramphoo over the 10 landslide areas. From what I saw, this stretch should take at least 3-4 days of intense repair work to recover. However Chattru to Kaza & road to chandratal is fine.”
Update June 28th: Another update received from Anurag Bhai who just returned from his trip to Spiti valley.
“We just completed our trip to Spiti Valley from Manali to Kaza. The roads are open and functional. The condition of roads from Chatru to Kunzum pass is really bad but motorable if done safely and slowly.
For people wanting to acclimatize to high altitude and wanting to spend a day in Manali, try a place called “Tiger eye” near Zostel Manali.
Since the crowd flocking to Rohtang pass is at a all time high, the tour operators are charging a bomb for Spiti valley trip, it is advisable to book a tour well in advanced.
Camps are open at Chandratal lake. We stayed at moon lake camp which is highly recommended.
Also we covered Langza, Hikkim and Komic and stayed at Lara Tenzing Homestay at Langza. Its a newly built, nice and cozy home stay. They charge around 900-1000 per person. The rooms are palatial and very clean washrooms ( with western toilets and Geyser) .
The roads to Pin Valley, Tabo, Nako, Ki and Kibber are in good condition.”
Update June 26th: Adding update on road conditions sent by Shobhit Bhai who just traveled to Spiti in his Ford Ecosport.
“Just to share an update for help to all, the routes are fully open and clear. The stretch from Kaza to Manali is as bad as it usually is but no serious problem if driven carefully and slowly. We completed the Kaza to Chandrataal stretch in about 6 hours (an hour delay due to rush at chandrataal road) and chandrataal to Rohtang in about 7 hours. We were driving an Ecosport.”
Update from Manali today 24th June 17th : Copy pasting a update here sent by Kapil who recently travelled to Manali.
The bus from Kullu to Kaza is fully operational. It has been so since the past 7 days as told to me by the manager at the Manali bus stand on mall road. Today I booked my tickets for Kaza in Manali & got a proper computerized ticket with seat no printed on it. This year the bus leaves Kullu at 3 am & Manali at 4 am.
Manali is crowded with tourists , but most of them are Rohtang tourists rushing about for Taxis & permits.
Update June 9th: Sharing another update on road condition sent by Aslam in the comments section below.
“8 th June Mai kaza se aya Manali…by bike…raaste me koi bike nhin Mili..road from kunzum pass to gramphu…for bike is too bad…big stones and water at many places…especially or slopes…it makes tough especially if u riding upward..for 45/50 km it took me 4/5 hours…if u want yo go..then make sure u have enough for eat..and if required then to stay..”
Update June 6th: Below is a consolidate update on road conditions on the Spiti circuit. Thank you Partha Bhai and Dr. Bhrushundi for providing this information.
1. The main road entering Sarahan is BLOCKED. The base of the bridge is being strengthened. We used a 7 km not existent dirt road as a work around. This starts after you cross the bridge post State Bank at Jeori. You go ahead for a couple of km and then you will see a school followed by a small store on the main highway. Look for a dirt road climbing on the right. It’s a terrible path but everyone is using it including public buses. Hats off to the drivers. Proceed with extreme caution. There is space for only one car so be prepared to reverse on a steep slope along a dirt road when needed. A Innova in front of us developed a flat tire. The path comes out at ITBP cantonment just ahead of Sarahan. It does save a lot of time but might not be everyone’s cup of tea.
2. Sarahan To Chitkul is ok till about 5 km before Sangla. There are patches which are bad but tolerable. Personally I found the Sangla stretch quite hair raising in terms of ghats, valleys and sharp turns. About 5 km before Sangla the road disappears. The entire stretch to Chitkul is a broken road where all your patience , car suspension, tyres and low gear driving skills will be tested.You cannot go faster than 15 to 20 kmph.
3. Chitkul to Nako – Once you bump your way out of Chitkul and Sangla and take the Karcham Dam turn off things look good till you get to Powari. Post that forget about getting any roads. For about 15 km post the Rekong Peo turnoff all you get is dirt roads, stones, and glimpses of a road. From Ribba – Spello it is an utter disaster. The roads resemble a warzone. I for the life of me could not understand how the numerous Alto’s on the road were surviving. The roads are basically terrible till Pooh. Terrible here being an understatement. Post Pooh sense prevails and roads improve till Nako. This includes the Kazigs before Nako. Overall I took 7 hours from Chitkul to Nako including toilet
4. The stretch from Spello to Pooh is undergoing work by the BRO team. Heavy machinery work is on and periodically roads can get blocked by work crews. To avoid this one can travel on a Sunday as the labour is on holiday on that day
5. Road widening work is ongoing around Khab and we saw notices of blasting schedules. Some time can also be lost over here.
6. From Nako to Tabo, the road is decent. If done at a stretch on a dedicated basis it takes about 2 – 2.5 hours. If you wish to see the mummy at Giu you need to ear mark 1.5 hr. The 11km stretch heading to Giu is in bad shape. Again repair work is underway but the road is narrow and broken.
7. For Kalpa, the approach road via Reckong Peo is in good condition. It’s a steep road but the road is quite ok.
8. From Kalpa we hit the road to Shimla via Narkanda. Again road conditions are quite good, the challenge here was the steep climb and narrow roads. As you approach Thanedar and Narkanda the traffic increases and you will spend significant amount of time, making way for the oncoming vehicle or reversing to make way
9. While climbing Narkanda I saw a milestone that said 10 Km to Sarahan. I guess there is a way to Sarahan from here and could be a workaround to the approach road issue that I had mentioned in my earlier post for Sarahan
10. Shimla roads as expected were quite good and not much to report here. From Shimla to Delhi on the return stretch I cam across road widening work around Kalka. If you travel early in the morning you wont face any delays, else there can be some traffic
11. Gramphu to Batal – We traveled on 3 June, there were about 12 Nalas enroute, two were really bad, and the water was muddy rather than white. Roads were too much bad and open boulder hit was common thing. No vehicle crossed us till chhatru.
12. Chhatru to chhota dhara was OK types, bikers may face problem at chhota dhara as waterline at one or two places was high. From chhota dharra to batal, at three places there were 2 big ice walls on both sides and are soft, after which the road goes into open bed of chandra River. Here the main problem starts, though the road is in plain riverbed one gets confused with 2 or 3 small roads at many places and taking right road is an issue, so remain most of the time with River.
Otherwise chhota dharra – batal is no big issue.
13. Batal – Chandratal – Only a day prior this road was opened so you can imagine our plight, secondly we were at batal at 6 pm(traffic jam first at Bahang and then at gulaba check post) , so half of the road we traveled in dark. Never do it, try to do it before 12 noon both ways, as pagal Nalas are at its full volume in evening and darkness. My daughter could count 5 to 6 Nalas. Roads were mix of snow or mud, slippery and skiddy. It took us around 2 hrs. We stayed at Bishan Singh’s Parasol Camp, it was one of two camps set up available, but when we left 5 other camps have already started pitching. Your reference was of tremendous help. He really looked after very well as o the that night temp was subzero.
14. Camp to Chandratal – Steep climb, muddy and hidden boulders. We went till one km barrier. Trek after that was one of the mesmerizing moments of my life.
Update June 2nd: Manali to Kaza stretch was opened yesterday for light motor vehicles. Locals have already started commuting on the stretch from both Kaza and Manali side.
Update June 1st: Road from Kaza to Chandratal via Kunzum Pass is open. Please however do not plan a trip as the camp sites are just starting to set up so there will not be a place to stay for next few days. Manali to Kaza stretch should open within next one week.
Update May 31st: Manali to Kaza road should open in next 4-5 days, before June 7th.
Further update on road conditions between Shimla and Kaza, shared by a friend who is currently traveling there. Copy pasting it here.
Consolidated with update on June 6th
Update May 26th: Update on road conditions from Shimla to Kaza sent by a reader who is currently traveling to Spiti.
Summarized in update on June 6th.
Update May 24th: The expected date of opening for Kunzum Pass is around 10th June still. Snow clearing operation is expected to reach Batal by first week of June.
For people wanting to visit Lahaul or Spiti via Manali, below is the link where you can apply for Rohtang permits online at this link
http://admis.hp.nic.in/ngtkullu/BeyondRohtang/InformatoryScreen
From Kaza side, road after Wangtu is in bad condition all the way till Kaza. Between Jeori and Wangtu, road is almost non-existent. There is blasting to expand road between Puh and Nako and BRO may block the road any time for a few hours.
Update May 18th: Rohtang Pass has been declared open for tourists effective yesterday. If you are visiting Manali and want to travel to Rohtang Pass as well, you are free to do so.
With the opening of Rohtang Jot, the entire stretch from Manali to Keylong is now connected. BRO continues to clear snow around Kunzum Pass and the expected opening date of Manali to Kaza road as of now is June 2nd week.
Update May 8th: Though Rohtang Pass is not yet open for tourists, there is news of local buses traveling from Manali to Keylong however I cannot yet confirm this.
Kunzum Pass is expected to be clear of snow and the entire Manali Leh stretch declared open by June 10th.
Update May 8th: BRO has cleared snow all the way to Kunzum Pass top from Kaza side; the work however continues from Manali side on Batal Gramphoo stretch. The expected date of opening currently remains to be June 3rd week.
Update May 1st: A fresh snowfall around Manali saw the snow clearing work coming to a stand still. Rohtang pass received around 30 cm of snow and locals were turned back from both Manali and Kokhsar side to avoid any incidents. Kunzum Pass this year received way more snow than usual. As per a latest report from BRO, snow at some places is over 70 ft deep. The Batal Gramphoo stretch is badly damaged and the entire Manali to Kaza stretch is not expected to open any sooner than June end.
Update April 30th: For anyone planning to travel to Spiti valley and completing the circuit, there is a bit of bad news. The expected date of opening for Manali to Kaza stretch is now June end.
BRO has been able to remove snow from Rohtang La and the road is clear all the way till Patseo towards Leh. As per Mohan Lal, Chief engineer; Project Deepak of Border Roads Organization (BRO), Kunzum Pass is still under a thick layer of snow. Jawans are now moving towards Kaza after clearing Rohtang however full connectivity between Kaza, Manali and Gramphoo will restore only towards June end.
Please note though that Rohtang Pass is still not officially open for tourists. Army is only allowing the locals between 6 AM to 9 AM from Kokhsar check post and 11 AM to 3 PM from Gulaba check post. Tourists can still only travel until Gulaba, not beyond that.
Update April 26th: The entire stretch connecting Manali and Keylong via Rohtang Pass has been cleared of snow. BRO is now working on widening the highway and make some parking arrangements at Rohtang before general public and tourist flow is allowed. Vehicular traffic is expected to be allowed within a week until Keylong. As per BRO, somwhere the snow at Rohtang was as deep as 30 ft. Both Rohtang and Baralacha La experienced a fresh spell of snow all Monday.
As for the stretch between Gramphoo to Kaza, expect it to open by either Late may or early June. There is about 34 kilometers of stretch including Kunzum top that still needs to be cleared of snow. As per a recent news report, people of Kaza have even accused BRO of the delay due to their slow progress.
Update April 24th: Road across Rohtang Pass has been cleared with both BRO teams from Manali and Kokhsar reaching the top on Sunday. Road widening work is currently in progress and the Pass should officially be declared open within this week.
Update April 22nd: From Manali Side, Snow has been cleared all the way to Rohtang top. Another 2 kilometers of stretch from Keylong to Rohtang still remains that BRO is hopeful to be cleared within next few days.
However, traffic will not be allowed to ply on this route for at least next couple of weeks. Once BRO is able to stabilize the road conditions and determines the entire Manali to Keylong via Rohtang route safe, it will be declared open for tourists.
Efforts are now on to clear the snow at Baralacha La and Keylong – Sarchu stretch. Expected date of opening of Manali Leh highway will be sometime by end of May or in first few days of June.
With temperatures soaring high all over the country, Shimla and Manali too were not an exception. Shimla recorded the highest temperature of 28 degrees Celsius since 1999 and Manali at 27 degrees. As a result of the heat, snow is melting faster than expected, expediting BRO’s snow clearing operation.
Word of warning though, with snow melting that fast, entire stretch is filled with numerous water streams that are quite furious. Batal to Gramphoo stretch will be a disaster at least for the first few weeks.
Below are a few pics taken today of snow clearing operation.
Spiti Valley Road Status 2017
Spiti Valley Road Status 2017
Update April 20th: BRO is hoping to clear snow and reach Rohtang Pass top by end of this week. Only the last few kilometers are left buried under snow and even this stretch is expected to be cleared snow soon. It will however still be several days before traffic or tourist movement is allowed after the snow has been cleared completely all the way to the top. BRO will allow locals and inspect the area for initial few days.
Nako to Kaza road is now open. The section effected by landslide at Malling Nallah has now been restored.
Update April 16th: Snow clearing on Manali Leh highway has reach Rani Nallah from Manali side and Gramphoo from Keylong side. Rohtang Pass is expected to open by end of this month however Gramphoo to Batal stretch is not expected to be cleared before May end.
From Shimla side, Road is open all the way till Nako. Stretch from Nako to Kaza is closed due to the massive landslide at Malling Nallah. As of now, this portion is expected to be fixed in another 7-10 days post which the entire stretch from Shimla to Kaza will be open.
Update April 11th: There has been a massive landslide at Malling Nallah near Nako due to which the stretch between Nako and Kaza is closed. If traveling from Shimla, you can get as far as only Nako. There is no update on by when the road will be restored. Below is a video of the landslide. The entire section of the road is gone and can only be crossed on the foot. Cars or motorcycles as of now can go only until Nako.
Update – April 5th: The road from Kaza to Losar via Hull is now open for light motor vehicles. However, the area beyond Losar and Kunzum Pass is still covered under snow.
Spiti Valley Road Status 2017 – March 30th: The road from Manali till Gulaba has now been restored. Snow has been completely removed from Sisu to Jispa and Darcha. A one kilometer stretch between Tandi and Dalang that was heavily damaged has also been restored however due to recent snowfall, the work between Sissu and Kokhsar has been delayed.
The road from Tandi to Udaipur has also been restored and has been declared safe for traffic movement. Work continues at Manali, Koksar, Tandi, Udaipur and Stingri stations to restore the roads in Lahaul-Spiti district.
BRO will start clearing the snow from Kokhsar to Rohtang Pass stretch by early April it would depend on the weather conditions as it still continues to snow heavily towards Rohtang top. Restoration of roads to remotest habitations of the Lahaul Valley has almost been completed.
If you are planning a trip to Spiti via Manali, the earliest that this stretch is expected to open is by June 1st week. Do not plan a trip via this route or Chandratal earlier than that. Chandratal camps too will probably be available by June 10th.
Spiti Valley Road Status 2017 – Update – March 22nd: BRO has started clearing the snow from several parts of the road. For now, road from Manali to Gulaba has been cleared. The stretch between Sissu and Darcha has also been cleared of snow. Work continues to clear the road from Kokhsar to Sissu and by end of the month, BRO will start working on to clear the stretch between Kokhsar and Rohtang Pass. Towards Sach Pass, the stretch between Tandi and Udaipur is open for civilian traffic,
Spiti Valley Road Status 2017 – Update – March 11th : There has been news of Snowfall still from all over Himachal. Shimla has been experiencing snowfall for last 2 days. Shimla recorded 4cm of snowfall, Kufri 7cm, Narkanda 5cm, and Kharapathar 20cm. Kinnaur and Kullu also received snow.
Following the snowfall, traffic was hit beyond Kufri on the Shimla-Kinnaur highway. Movement of traffic was also hampered at Kharapathar on the Shimla-Rohru road. Shimla recorded a minimum of 0.4 degree Celsius, Manali -0.8 degree C, Kalpa -2.8 and Keylong was the coldest at -5.2 degrees C.
If you are planning a trip to Spiti from Shimla in coming days, I would advise to postpone it by a week or few days at least. Roads were temporarily closed after snowfall. Best to wait out a few days until weather clears.
Spiti Valley Road Status 2017 – March 9th : Manali to Kaza road is still closed and it seems there will be a delay in opening of both Kunzum and Rohtang Pass this year. Chandratal camps will probably not be available until June.
As for the Shimla to Kaza Road, it is in good shape until Rampur post which a mix of good, bad and ugly starts. Road from Wangtu to Karchham was in terrible state last year however it has now been fixed. You will find Tar all the way till Karchham now. Karchham to Kharo Bridge is kind of Ok. Kharo Bridge to Spillo is good again post which it is OK until Pooh. Pooh to Nako is Ok to good with a few bad patches in between. Nako to Shialkar is tarmac all the way. From Shialkar village to Kaza is a mix of good, bad, very bad, and nightmarish roads. The area around Shialkar is prone to landslides and is the worst to drive on.
If you are planning a trip in coming few weeks, be prepared to find snow at several places, specially around Kaza. Carry warm enough clothes and if you are riding a motorcycle, ensure that you are wearing proper riding gear to protect you in case you took a fall, chances of which are high.
Spiti Valley Road Status 2017 – Feb 27th : As of now, the road is partially open. Stretch from Shimla to Kaza is open for traffic and even after Kaza, the road is drive-able until Hull. Beyond that, the road is closed as the ascent for Kunzum Pass begins.
 Road from Shimla to Kaza remains open throughout the year but the stretch between Kaza and Manali closes after Kunzum Pass and Rohtang La get snowed out completely. During peak winter, the Shimla Kaza stretch too gets closed down due to heavy snow at some places or landslides but only for a couple of days at most as compared to Manali to Kaza road that remains closed for over 6 months a year.
The entire Himalayan region has received heavy snow this year, the heaviest in last 5 years as a matter of fact. BRO has already confirmed delay in opening of Manali Leh highway as the snowfall still continues. Snow clearing has already started on 80 kms long road in Lahaul Valley but there is still no confirmation on when would Rohtang and Kunzum Pass will open. Usually, Rohtang opens by late May and Kunzum by Mid-June so for now, this would remain to be the expected date of opening. Chandratal would however not open by late June. As per the latest updates, the cities of Leh and Srinagar experienced their coldest night in last 4 years and Spiti valley was not exception. Weather still continues to be extremely cold all across the Lahaul and Spiti valleys.
I hope this information was helpful.. If you have any further questions, please feel free to ask in the comments section below and I would be glad to answer.
310 comments
Hello Vargis,
My friend and i were planning to travel through NH 505 in 3rd week of Feb. Can you please tell me way to know if the highway will be open or not? Or maybe if you know about it, can you please tell me?
Thank you 🙂
Hi Parthiv – The road from Shimla to Kaza remains open throughout the year except for occasional roadblocks caused by snowfall. Even in this case, authorities clear the road just as soon as they are able to.
Hi Vargis.
Amazing collection of information. Thanks for collecting all this useful information.
Need your advise here. I am also planning a bike trip from Delhi to Kaza (19th to 26th Nov 2017) wanted to check the weather conditions and if Kunzum pass will be open or not. We are planning from Shimla side.
Hi Alam – Kunzum pass may remain open as there has been very less snow in the region so far. I would however advise strongly against traveling on Manali to Kaza route. Go via Shimla and come back the same route.
Vargis bhai .i m.planning to go spiti 10 oct -17 oct. I want to cover whole circuit .starting from manali ending to shimla.what is the closing dates of kunzum and rohtang and what us the oermit procedure for both passes.Thankyou
Himanshu Bhai – Rohtang and Kunzum will be open around 10th October so you must start from Manali and end at Shimla. There is no permit needed for Kunzum, only for Rohtang Pass. Please take a look at the article below for details on how to get it.
https://vargiskhan.com/log/rohtang-pass-permits-details-charges-apply/
Hi Varghis!
I ahd written to you on your Chandrataal article as well. My road trip starts from Delhi on 25th Sep and return by 5th/6th. Pls help me with the road conditions and accordingly help me plan my itinerary (you amy just mention the places i should take a night halt at). Thanks!
Hello Prachi – Sorry for the delayed response. I guess you must already be on your way to Chandratal by now
Hello varghis bhai,
I m planning to leave delhi tommorrow for manali spiti .. can u plz advice the road conditions at present …
Hello Gurmaan Bhai – Roads are bad as usual but mostly manageable between Shimla to Kaza. Worst stretch is between Kaza and Manali still.
Thank u so much for such a prompt reply bro … I m planning to come via manali on corrolla altis … is it doable??
Bhai I would strongly advise against bringing an Altis on the route because of its ground clearance. Altis is automatic transmission, correct? Or is it manual?
Manual
On the Manali to Kaza route, you will have to be extremely careful Bhai. As of now, there won’t be much water in the streams which is beneficial but the road is still extremely broken. Just go slow and be prepared mentally that the belly of your car may hit the ground at some places
Hi Varghis,
I remember sometime back you mentioned that the road at Maling Nallah was closed, it it open now? also if you can suggest how many nights I should plan in Spiti, I was thinking two nights in Kaza and one in Chadratal?
Hi Rinkesh – Yes that road is now open and safe to travel on.2 nights in Kaza and 1 at Chandratal is sufficient time.
Hi Vargis, thanku for all the information.. really helpfull, just have a inquiry about condition of road from manali to chandertaal …is it extremely bad?? went to keylong last month.. and there was a bad road patch from rohtaang pass to koksar…is the road condition similar to that or even worse?? . we are planning to vist on bikes on 29 sep. should we carry our own tents just to be safe or it is absolutely certain that tents will be available at chandertaal??
Hello Sukhleen – The patch between Gramphoo and Batal is way worse than what you passed through between Rohtang and Kokhsar. No need to carry your own tents, sites will remain operational until October first week. Look out for Jamaica’s camps. You will easily spot it while on your way to Chandratal. Reach there, give my reference and he will take good care of you at a discounted price.
Do you have rohtang and kuznum la closing dates for 2016. I am planning spiti road trip in last week of october 2017, I am planning to make complete circuit entering from shimla and exit from manali.
There is no set closing date. It all depends on the weather but by last week of October, Kunzum Pass will definitely be closed.
Hello bhai …
Bhai muje ye puchna tha ki..
Ladakh Jane k liye kisi permit ki required
Hoti hai ya nahi. .
Bhai Ladakh jaane ke liye koi permit nahi chahiye Indians ko par Leh pahunch kar Nubra ya Pangong ki taraf jaane ke liye permit chahiye hota hai
Hi Vargis
We are planning to visit Spiti. We will leave from Delhi on Sep29 and travel via Shimla. We are planning to come back from Manali (via Kunzum pass) around 8-9th Oct.
Do you think Kunzum pass will be closed around this time? We really don’t want to miss Kunzum pass… Or do you think we should go via Manali and come back from Shimla ? If that is the case, can you share an itinerary if we go from Manali and come back from Shimla?
Hi Akash – You are OK to go via Shimla and return via Manali. Kunzum Pass will be open at that time. Even camps at Chandratal will be available until October 10th.
Thanks for the prompt response.. I have 1 more question –
Do you think we should book hotels/camps for our trip or will it be easy to get on the spot hotels… specially the camps at Chandrataal lake in first week of October.
You are welcome. No need to book in advance. You will easily find on the spot accommodation
what is current status of kunzum la ? I am planning to go Surchu via Kunzum la on spet 10
It is open
Hi Vargis, thanks for this page. We are travelling to spiti for a road trip from 20th to 29th. Just wanted to check if there are any updates or if there’s any way we can check the local conditions. There have been many news stories on flash floods etc in the area, hence the concern. Please let me know if there’s anything we should be mindful of. Thanks a lot.
There was a landslide at Malling Nallah near Nako due to which the road from Nako to Kaza is washed out and closed. Even bikes are not able to cross. ETA as of now is 7-10 days before they could reopen but nothing too sure right now, could open earlier or could even take longer.
Hi…any update on when road could be open ??
If you are asking about the Nako to Kaza stretch, then the road around Malling Nallah is very risky right now. Vechiles are still crossing with extreme care but no ETA on by when they will be able to stabilise it.
Hello Vargis Bhai,
Your site is really great and helped us to plan trip. Appreciate that you take time to provide help and share your experience with fellow traveler.
We are planning Bike Trip from Chandigarh on 7th to 17th Sep.
Below are our plan
Day 1 : Chandigarh to Shimla Day 2 :Shimla to Chitkul day 3 : Chitkul to kalpa
Day 4 : Kalpa to Nako
Day 5 : Nako to Kaza
Day 6 : Losar to Manali
Day 7 Manali to Chandigarh
couple of extra days for site seeing
Few Queries we have if you can help us
1) Do you think if we are missing any particular place which is must visit ?
2) I heard that Maling nala road close between Nako to Kaza ? any chance if its open before 7th ? any alternate route
3) do we have fuel station in between ?
4) any good contact you have to rent bike from Chandigarh ?
5) any permit required ?
Regards,
Manoj
Hi Manoj – I did not understand your plan for day 5 and 6. Did you mean Kaza to Manali? You missed Chandratal in between whhich is a must visit place. Road across Malling will be open within a week or so, so you are Ok to go in September. Multiple fuel stations in between, take a look at the post below for a list. I am sorry but I do not have any contacts in Chandigarh.
https://vargiskhan.com/log/accommodation-and-other-facilities-in-spiti/
Hi, Vargisbhai it is possible in May for trip shimla reckong peo spiti kaza chandratal kunzum pass key long Manali
Amit Bhai in May you can only do Shimla-Kaza-Shimla. Manali to Kaza route opens sometime in June so you cannot travel that way.
hi this is prasad
from mumbai
we are planning to ride spiti at 25of Aug from mumbai.
via mumbai gujrat rajasthan haryana himachal pradesh.
we will enter in early of september at himachal pradesh.
wanted to know about current weather as well as roads condition will good to ride in September?
plz reply on 9029451920 on whatsapp
thank you
Hi Prasad – September is fine to go in the hills. Monsoon would be gone so you will not encounter any rains. Weather will be cold and roads are always bad in Spiti.
Hello
I am planning to visit spiti from Manali with my 3 other people, Is is really too tough to acclimatize if we follow the route via manali.
It is not too tough if there is no previous medical condition involved. Usually people feel symptoms of AMS and then get accustomed to the height within a day.
Hi Vargis,
I m planning a short trip in month of Oct. I will be starting from Delhi on 13th Oct evening and planning to come back to Delhi by 17th Oct morning or Max by 18th Oct morning. I have two routes in my mind Delhi-Manali-Kaza-Delhi or Delhi-Shimla-Kalpa-Delhi.
What do you think which one will be possible during that time and any suggestions for planning the whole trip.
Thanks
Nitin
Hi Nitin – You may not be able to cover Manali route as Kunzum Pass usually closes by early October. Do check before you start. If it is closed, you can only do the journey in Shimla-Kaza-Shimla way.
Hi Vargis,
I am planning a road trip in Oct month. Planning to start on 13th Oct evening form Delhi and will be returning back to Delhi by 17th Oct morning… or max by 18th Morning.. Places which I have in my mind are Delhi-Manali-Kaza-Delhi or Delhi-Shimla-Kalpa-Delhi.
Can you please tell me which of these will be possible during that time of the year.
The purpose is to admire the natural beauty of lahul n spiti.
Hello Vargis Bhai,
First of all I would like to say I’m glad to have found your blog/website this is very helpful and I’d like to express how amazing it is to find necessary information for fellow travelers.
My question is regarding the road and weather conditions on the route to Spiti via Manali.
I will be accompanied by 5 of my friends and we have rented out a self-drive Scorpio, we will be leaving from Manali on 1st August at 5am for Kaza, I wanted some advice and guidance about the roads and weather conditions there.
Please assist me with this?
Hello Nishant Bhai, Thank you so much for your kind words, I really appreciate it.
The only word to describe the road from Manali to Kaza is “nightmare” Rather do not expect any road at all, it is just a broken dirt trail with numerous water streams, boulders on the road and what not. Take a look at the post below and you will know what I mean.
.
https://vargiskhan.com/log/spiti-valley-road-conditions-pictures/
Oh my, Vargis bhai how much time do you think it’ll take us to reach Kaza if we leave from Manali at 5am. Also, are there any landslides happening? or is there heavy rainfall?
Bhai if you start by 5 then you can make it to Kaza by 2-3 PM. Distance isn’t that great but these terrible roads will limit your speed down to 10-20 kms per hour. And then also the fact that the route is scenic so your breaks will be often too.
No major landslides as such but there has been a lot of rain this year.
Thank you so much Vargis bhai, I really appreciate your help 🙂
You are welcome Bhai
We have planned to visit spiti valley frrom Simla in 24th October. It it possible to travel via kunjum pass in November? Pls help.
No it is not. Kunzum Pass closes sometime by early or Mid October.
Hi there,
I am planning to self drive to spiti from Vadodara on 17th of July 2017. Can you please advise me whether I can travel inspite of the news of rains and thunderstorms forcast in the Himachal Pradesh.
Hello, as long as you have decent enough driving experience, know how to manage your car on difficult roads and across water streams, then yes you are OK to go despite the rain.
Hi Varghis bhai, I am going to kaza via the shimla route starting next saturday(15 July). I have planned my itenirary as follows. 15 July, Delhi to Narakanda. 16 July Narkanda to Kalpa. 17 July Kalpa to Kaza. 18 July Kaza Inner Circuit. 19 July Kaza to Chandratal. 20 July Chandratal to Manali. 21 July Rest in Manali. 22 July Manali to Delhi.
My question was do you see any problems with the above itinerary, also how would rain affect the plan because I am really worried about rain till I reach Kalpa.
Hello Prakash Bhai,
Couple of things,
1. Kalpa to Kaza will be a very long journey. Either break it in two days or take a really early start from Kalpa, by first light of the day.
2. You are missing Chitkul here which in my opinion is a must visit for anyone going that way.
3. Rain will be until Kalpa and then again around Batal Gramphoo stretch and Rohtang. It is the Batal stretch that you have to be very careful at, rain is currently playing havoc here around Lahaul valley.
I am planning a trip to Lahaul Spiti Kaza from Delhi Via shimla.
I am planning to hire a car from delhi itself.
Can a car having a number plate of Delhi take us to all the places in our way to Lahaul Spiti and Kaza?
In short, will there be any union issues?
Can i complete my whole trip using the car which i have booked from Delhi.?
Yes you can. There is no issue in Spiti at all related to taxis rented outside of Spiti or Himachal. The entire taxi union mess and non-local taxi hassle exists only in Ladakh as of now.
Hi Vargis bhai,
Thanks for your guidance earlier we were able to do the full circuit from Shimla side to Manali during 17-24 June!
Just to share an update for help to all, the routes are fully open and clear. The stretch from Kaza to Manali is as bad as it usually is but no serious problem if driven carefully and slowly. We completed the Kaza to Chandrataal stretch in about 6 hours (an hour delay due to rush at chandrataal road) and chandrataal to Rohtang in about 7 hours. We were driving an Ecosport.
Will be happy to give any other insights!
Shobhit
Thanks Shobhit Bhai for sharing the update, have added it to the main post. I am glad that your trip went well.
Update from Manali today 24th June 17th :
The bus from Kullu to Kaza is fully operational. It has been so since the past 7 days as told to me by the manager at the Manali bus stand on mall road. Today I booked my tickets for Kaza in Manali & got a proper computerized ticket with seat no printed on it. This year the bus leaves Kullu at 3 am & Manali at 4 am.
Manali is crowded with tourists , but most of them are Rohtang tourists rushing about for Taxis & permits.
Thanks Kapil Bhai for the updated. Added it to the main article.
The road from Chattru to Gramphoo is broken at at least 10 places. In one section the entire portion of the road has been washed away. I had to walk from a place a little beyond Chattru till Gramphoo over the 10 landslide areas. From what I saw, this stretch should take at least 3-4 days of intense repair work to recover. However Chattru to Kaza & road to chandratal is fine.
Thanks Kapil Bhai. Is this a more recent situation or from back when you traveled in June?
This happened 2 days ago when I was returning from Chandratal. The road from Chattru to Gramphoo is in a very bad state. I’m surprised no one else has reported this
Thanks Kapil Bhai. Added this info to the article.
Hi Vargis,
Thanks for the excellent information shared in your blog!
We are going to Delhi-Shimla-Sarahan-Sangla-Chitkul-Kalpa-Nako-Kaza-Chandratal-Manali from 24th June to 1July 2017. Would like to know the road and weather condition. Is there any precaution we need to take?
We are going in Swift Dzire. Do you think that can cause some problem keeping the road condition in mind?
Hello Aish – With a Swift Dzire, the only problem will be the bad road conditions, specially between Kaza and Manali. You will need to be very careful while crossing nallahs or else your car will hit the ground underneath at several places.
Hello Vargis,
We are planning to go to Spiti Valley from Chitkul on Renault Duster. Spiti is nearly 250 kms from Chitkul. I just needed to know the road condition from Chitkul to Spiti so that I can know how much time it will take to reach Spiti. Thanks.
Hello Ajay – To be on a safer side, it is safe to assume that it will take you two days to reach from Chitkul if traveling at a leisurely pace. If you want to make it in one day, you will have to start by 5-6 in the morning, keep breaks limited to minimum and then you can make it to Kaza by a little late in the evening. Roads are a mix of good, bad and really ugly.
Thanks for your reply Vargis. I also want to know that are there some good eating points on the way to chitkul and if we needed to stay on the way are any good hotels too. After chitkul when we start our journey to Spiti valley then my question is same for the eating points and staying options.
Hi Ajay, Spiti is well populated and connected and you will find decent enough eating places at almost every town. Do not expect McD or KFC, just plain Indian Daal Roti and a few other items on menu, LOL. Simple but good food.
Why does google maps show Tandi kishtwar road (near kirpa motors) as closed till Nov 2017? Can’t it be crossed in a 4×4?
Mixed updates on this one actually. There is an entire section of road washed away in rain due to which it shows closed. Locals are still somehow managing to cross because when I spoke to a person there, I was told the road is open.
Thanks. Is there a way to confirm if it is really motor-able? Also wanted to know, does the Zanskar Sumdo road via Shingola pass connect Jispa to Zaskar? Is it motor-able?
I am confused myself, getting mixed answers. My contact in Kishtwar says it is closed but the one in Bairagarh says it is open.
The Padum Jispa road is not yet complete; not motorable.
Hloooo sir,
U r awesome i read your blog..they r fabulous.
Sir me and my frnds have planed to travel to spiti valley in dec around (20 dec) by bike and route is chandigarh-shimla-narkanda-sangla-poo-kaza-kunzum pass-rohtang pass-manali-chandigarh
Suggest me some tips on my trip..
Thank you Pranav. For a trip in Decelmber, I suggest that you read through the following post please.
https://vargiskhan.com/log/plan-trip-spiti-valley-winters/
hi traval spiti vally
spiti vally 2 leh gov parmit lena padega kya muz spiti vally road traval ke liye or kaza se leh ke jana hai tho parmit lena padega kya
Nahi, koi permit required nahi hai Leh jaane ke liye Spiti se
Hi Vargis,
Do we have any updates on the bus service from Manali to Spiti? Has it started yet?
I’m planning to travel in the next week.
hello! no, bus service is not started yet. it take time, because at many places for bus its not possible to cross over right now..with flow of traffic, road will get better day by day…but I think bus is not the only option, there are other vehicles too who provide this service…from manali to kaza..
Thanks Aslam Bhai
Thank you so much for the update, Aslam! Really appreciate it!
Hi Manali – This bus usually starts by June 15th but considering the terrible conditions of the road this year, it could be delayed by a couple of weeks.
I have planned to go to nubra valley (ladak) from kolkata driving my XUV500. Taking the road via Shimla-Kufri-Sangla-Chitkul-Kalpa-Dhankhar-Kaza-keylong-Jispa-Pang-Leh-Nubra. Starting on 25th June. On the way wish to set up tents and do self camping at Sangla, Kalpa, Dhankar lake,Pang . Please advice on road conditions expected and availability of camping sites where tents can be pitched without causing problems for anyone. My vehicle is an all wheel drive one.
Thanks
Nikhilesh
Road until you exit at Gramphoo on Manali Leh highway is a mix of bad and extremely bad. After that until Leh it is a mix of good, average and bad. You can camp without any problem at Sangla, Dhankar Lake and Pang but check with the locals around and take permission. If possible, pitch your tent near a dhaba. Camping at Kalpa can however be a little problematic, may be tough to find a spot there.
thanks a lot.
You are welcome !!!
Hello
We are planning to travel dehradun-shimla-kinnaur-spiti-manali-dehradun for 8 days trip for photography perspective. We are going be terrano car.
Please guide us.
Regards,
Hello Rajnish – Please let me know what help you need.
We r going to Shimla-Sarahan-Sangla-Chitkul-Kalpa-Nako-Kaza-Manali on 30th June to 10July 2017. So we want to know about the road and weather condition during this time range of that area??
Road conditions will be pretty much the same that I mentioned in the latest updates above. Weather will be cold but there won’t be any rain.
Hi Vargis,
I am planning a ride from Chandigarh > Kaza > Keylong > TSO Moriri > Keylong > Sachpass > Kishtwar > Chandigarh. However, google maps is showing that the route from Tandi to Killar is closed.
Do we have an update as when will this open and why is this closed. I plan to start my trip on 29th this month.
Looking forward to your reply.
Thanks,
G
Hi Gajendra – That route should open by 12th or 13th so you are Ok to go on 23rd. However be prepared for a nightmarish roads.
You cannot however do Tso Moriri as you will need ILP for that and will have to get it from Leh.
Its heavy rains in Manali and we are planning to travel to Spiti tomorrow, not sure what the road status is ?
we have around 3 days at hand. can you confirm if its safe to drive from manali – rohtang – graph -Betal – kaza.
Also any recommend homestays ?
The road is open from Manali to Kaza as far as I know. Someone in the comments below just updated today that he returned from Chandratal successfully.
8 th June Mai kaza se aya Manali…by bike…raaste me koi bike nhin Mili..road from kunzum pass to gramphu…for bike is too bad…big stones and water at many places…especially or slopes…it makes tough especially if u riding upward..for 45/50 km it took me 4/5 hours…if u want yo go..then make sure u have enough for eat..and if required then to stay..
Thank you so much Aman Bhai for the update. I really appreciate it.
its ok..just want to ad one more thing..for those who want to travel on kaza manali road…leave early in the morning, because in evening water in nallahs will be much more, because of melting of ice.
Geo Codes: 31.5172350, 78.1281059
I believe we still need to take this detour to cross this area, since this bridge is not in place and last year there was an earthquake which is still not cleared.
@vargis.khan – Can you please advise?
Thanks
Arun
Hi Arun – I really do not have an idea about that bridge this year. Sorry
Aahh… any update on AKPA bridge serviceable??
Hi.
A warm thank to you for this blog.
I left Jaipur on 4 th just after reading your reading..
My tour is on the way…. and will move from shimla to kaza…
…
Very helpful blog.
Keep it up.
Thank you Khushal
Dear Mr. Vargis Khan. First of all thanks to you for your detailed updates on the road opening status. Your real time info really sets the mood to plan these trips. I am planning to go to Leh in the 2nd week of June in my vehicle (all by myself) and as per my schedule I will be returning from Jispa on 13th June. I don’t want to go back to Manali this time. Instead, I want to take left turn from, perhaps Koksar, on to NH 505 to go to Kunzum pass and further on to Kaza. Is this road open as on 3rd June or likely to open by 13th June. Satyan Sharda
Hello Mr. Sharda – Thank you very much for your appreciating words Sir. The road from Keylong to Kaza across Kunzum Pass opened yesterday so yes, you can plan your travel around 13th June.
Thank u sir for your valuable information.now please help me as I m traveling with my friends on 6 June n wants to visit chandratal and keylong please suggest me the route to reach chandratal from Delhi and also tell me the best itenary
Hello Ashish – How many days do you have in hand? Let me know and I can suggest an itinerary.
Hello we are planning 6days trip from manali to kaza…. so i just want to know the best itinAry !! And is it safe to travel by tempo traveller?
Hello Bhagyarajsinh – Are you just planning Manali to Kaza or the complete circuit? And when are you traveling?
Hi Vargis, What do you suggest which bike should be preferable royal Enfield 350 cc or 500 cc for Manali to Kaza in June end.
We do have pillion rider’s.
Also are you aware of which store services are better.
Manali bike rentals.com
Or
Bike rental Manali.com
Hi Pratik – If you are renting then definitely go for 500CC. The conditions of the motorcycles, specially in Manali, isn’t that good so a 500 CC would deliver some more power than 350CC. Both these rentals are Ok, hire from any. I wouldnt really recommend either of them above other.
Hello brother, greetings & thank you for your very informative updates, truly commendable !
Please help me know if I can find shared taxis / sumo for Kaza from Manali for 1 person around June 25th. Where do I look for them , how do I book it & the cost? Thanking you in advance….
Hi Vincent – Thank you for your appreciating words.
Yes you can board a shared taxi from near Manali Bus stand for Kaza, There is no booking system for it yet, just reach there and find a seat for yourself in a cab going that way.
Hi Vargis,
Me and my friends are planning to ride from Manali to Kaza on June 13th which is a Tuesday. Can we cross rohtang pass on a Tuesday ? Earlier it used to be blocked on Tuesdays only for tourism purpose. But now I’m hearing that it is blocked on Tuesdays for travel purpose as well.
Hi Chandrasekhar – It is not confirmed or bought in effect yet. There are talks to restrict the number of vehicles crossing Rohtang on a daily basis and keep it closed for everyone on Tuesday but this will severely effect the locals and the tourism industry. As of now, you can cross on Tuesdays as well.
Dear Friend, the information you are providing here is very valuable and unmatched. Thanks for this effort. I have started following your posts very recently.
We are planning a trip where will be reaching pin valley on 22 June, Chandratal on 23rd June and Manali on 24th June. Do you think the road will be open by that time?
Also can you give some contact options for Jamaicas tent in Batal?
Reply to this is highly appreciated.
Hello Prakash – Thank you for your appreciating words brother. Yes, the road will be open around your dates of travel. You can contact Jamaica at 9418200183. In case the number is off, just drop him a message on watsapp and he will call you back.
Thanks.. my friend…
Your update as on today talks about Sarahan.. Is it applicable for travellers going straight to Kalpa without visiting Sarahan…?
You are welcome Prakash. And no, it only applied to people wanting to go to Sarahan. From Jeori, you are needed to take the road towards Sarahan and next day come back to the highway to continue to SPiti. If you do not wish to go to Sarahan, you can just continue straight.
Thanks bro for the response… another guidance required…
Our plan was travel from pin valley to chandratal on 23rd and stay at Jamaica’s tent. Now Jamaica advised against it as we have small kids . So we thought of staying in Nomad’s cottage at Losar .. but they are sold out for june… now we have two options..
1. Explore pin valley for one more day and stay there and drive directly to Manali on 24th
2. Go to losar on 23rd stay at some other hotel and go to manali on 24th
3. Come back to kaza on 23rd and drive to manali on 24th
What you suggest? What other options are available for stay at Losar.
Thanks in advance…
Just to inform you that… i managed to get rooms booked at Nomads cottage.. luckily someone cancelled… thanks for your help….
I am glad it all worked out Prakash Bhai. Have a safe trip and do not forget to share some pictures once you are back.
Thanks bhai.. I will definitely share pics..
Hi Vargis . It is commendable how you painfully reply to each comment. Just wanted to find out one thing. We plan to be in Spiti around the 10th Of June from Shimla side. Just wanted to to Know if we can drive upto the point from Kaza to Kunzum where the road is still blocked. We had done the same few years Ago and it was comfortable drive. Basically want to know the road conditions from Kaza to Kunzum only and not across.
Hi Adesh – Thank you so much for your kind words. In all probability, the road from Kaza to Manali may actually be open by 10th. If not then yes, you can drive as far as the road is blocked by BRO
Hi Vargis what are the chances opening of road Kaza-Manali on 6th JUNE
Hi Alok – It won’t open before 10th June at earliest.
Hi Vargis,
I have gone through your blog.It is really admirable and helpful.I am planning to travel to Kaza from Manali around 25th June this year.I am assuming the roads will be open and in good condition.Can shred some light.
Thanks in advance
Pratik
Hi Pratik – Yes, the road will definitely be open by 25th.
Thanks for the detailed report…from your report, I think my plan would be feasible….please let me know otherwise….
I’m planning a leh & spirit ride by end of June & early July…below is the plan to be precise
June 24th- Chandigarh to Kalpa
June 25th- Kalpa to Langza
June 26th – Langza to Kunzum pass
June 27th – Kunzum to Bharatpur tent colony (BTC)
June 28th – BTC to Tso Kar
June 29th – Tso Kar to leh
June 30th – leh (arrange for ILP)
July 1st – leh to pangong Tso
July 2nd – pangong Tso to Nubra/Panamik
July 3rd – Panamik to turtuk
July 4th – hunder/diskit to Kardungla to leh
July 5th – leh to Kargil
July 6th – Kargil to Srinagar
July 7th- Srinagar
July 8th – Srinagar to Jammu
July 9th – fly back from Jammu to Pune
Please let me know if I need to take any extra precautions for above plan, considering harsh weather conditions, hope it’s feasible
PS: we would be riding our own Enfield
Many Thanks in Advance!!
Hi Nikesh – Your plan is doable but first there are a few days of long rides included. For June 26th, where do you plan to stay? For July 2nd, which route are you taking for Pangong to Nubra valley?
June 26th am planning to stay at the base of chandrataal. On July 2nd am planning to ride via agham village
I just hope that wether conditions are favourable.
Your plan is doable, no changes required.
Thank You Brother 🙂
You are welcome bro !!!
Hi Vargis,
Thanks a lot for frequent updates, its really helpful. Could you please let me know which is the best route to travel to Jammu from Leh without touching Srinagar? We are actually preparing a backup plan to reach Jammu incase if there are any tensions/violence reported in Srinagar area
with google maps I came to know that below are the only 2 routes that meets this criteria
1) Leh- Manali- Jammu
2)Leh-Tandi Junction- Udaipur-Kishtwar-Jammu
Which amoung these routes are doable in 4 days on a bullet. If its not possible, how long do you think it needs
Also, could you please let me know how is the road condition between Tandi-Kishtwar strech?
Hi Vargis,
Thanks a lot for frequent updates​. Could you please let me know which is the best route to travel to Jammu from Leh without touching Srinagar? We are actually preparing a backup plan to reach Jammu incase if there are any tensions/violence reported in Srinagar area
with google maps I came to know that below are the only 2 routes that meets this criteria
1) Leh- Manali- Jammu
2)Leh-Tandi Junction- Udaipur-Kishtwar-Jammu
Which amoung these routes are doable in 4 days on a bullet
Also, could you please let me know how is the road condition between Tandi-Kishtwar strech?
Hi Nikesh – If you want to reach Jammu from Manali Leh highway, then from Keylong you will have to take the road towards Udaipur. From there, continue towards Killar and reach Kishtawar. From Kishtawar,, you can either go to Patnitop via Doda or go to Anantnag via Chingam. Road will be extremely bad until Kishtawar. It will be a mix of bad and average between Kishtawar and Patnitop / Anantnag. Keep in mind that between Kishtawar and Udaipur, you will also have to tackle the Sach Pass ascent which is a challenge in itself.
Thanks for the update Vargis! If there is any unrest in Srinagar, I would prefer to ride during night between Sonmarg and Jawahar tunnel. That might be less risky
At night is doubtful. If there is unrest, then there will also be army check posts and they may not allow you to proceed.
Hi Vargis,
Do you have the contact number of Diskit Petrol pump. Wanted to check if they have petrol reserves when we are in Leh, so that we can plan. Our ride accordingly
Hi Nikesh – Sorry I don’t
No worries bro! It feels good to read your updates daily! You are really doing good work!
I usually don’t read any blogs..you are my first blogger whom am seriously following 🙂
Lemme know if you need any information after I complete my trip. happy to help 🙂
Thank you for your kind words brother, I really appreciate it.
Some pics and a small travelogue of your experience will be great, would love to hear how your trip went.
If you can update others on the road conditions to help others after you return, that would be awesome.
If you can share some pics and a small travelogue of your tip at the link below, I would love to read to about it.
http://roadragas.com/index.php?forums/travelogues.4/
Sure brother! Will do
Regards,
Nikesh
Thanks Bhai…. You will come back on July 2nd and I will start from Delhi to Leh on July 4th.
Actually I would be returning on July 9th from Jammu. I will be in Leh on June 29th and 30th as well as on July 4th
Regards,
Nikesh
I will be starting from Delhi on 4th, 5th Jispa, 6th Pang and will reach Leh on 7th. Bringing my Thar along this time. 🙂
Hi Nikesh… Your plan seems to be quite impressive. This seems to be a Biking Trip. Will it be possible for you to send me the detailed itinerary. Also can you please confirm if this plan can be done by a 4 wheeler as i would love to follow your itinerary or a similar one with my family.
Looking forward for your reply.
Thanks !!
It depends on which care you are in. There are a couple of stretches in the itinerary which are not suitable for a Sedan or Hatchback.
Hi Mayuri,
As Vargis rightly said, the spiti and lahaul strech is not suitable for sedan or Hatchback, its possible with an SUV. I would not recommend to take kids or aged people in that stretch as its highly challenging! Roads are not in good condition as well. Lahaul-Spiti region is tough terrain. In the beginning of the season, you will see massive snow melt & water crossings in Lahaul region. So please plan accordingly
Yes, ours is a biking trip. Its a 17 day stretch From Chandigarh to Jammu (via Kalpa-Kaza-Leh)
Please share me your email id. I will email you the detailed plan
Regards,
Nikesh
Hi,
I am doing a homestay trek from 22 to 26 in spiti which starts and ends in Kaza, which is booked and sorted.
I have now realised i have a bit of time before the trek starts and cover kalpa on the way to Kaza and Tabo on the way back.
I have two major problems. Different bus timings in all posts, HRTC not showing al the buses that ply from Shimla to Kalpa reckongpeo or kaza. And i also need to book accommodation. Also, if you could tell me if i need to pre book the buses and accommodation in Kalpa and for taco or should i just reach and figure. As i understand may end isn’t a peak tourist season.
I begin from delhi on 18 and reach shimla 19th morning. I wish to then travel to reckongpeo or kalpa the same day, stay there for a day and travel to kaza on 20th. stay in Kaza for a day (zostel mostly) and acclimitize before the trek begins.
On my way back wish to have a similar break and visit tabo and Nako. My trek ends on 26 and i need to be back in delhi 30 th morning or noon latest.
If you could tell me if both these are possible or attest one of them and any information on buses or shared taxis. I will be travelling alone, so i don’t know how safe the shared taxis are.
Thanks for the help.
Amrita
Hi Amrita – Where are you traveling from to Kalpa? Shimla to Kalpa or some other place?
You can definitely do Tabo, it is the same bus that goes from Kaza to Shimla. Just get off the bus at Tabo and board the next day.
Take a look at the below article. I hope it helps.
https://vargiskhan.com/log/spiti-valley-bus-service-frequency-fare/
Hi Vargis,
The bush timings are great help. Thank you so much.
I am travelling from Gujarat. Will reach Delhi and then shimla and then plan to go to Kalpa and then to Kaza.
You are welcome Amrita. Glad I was of help.
Also tell us about the spiti trek. Is it still open? We can travel to kaza at any time of the year, but our main motive here is to explore spiti and trek. Please elaborate. We are visiting spiti especially for the trek. Dates:9-18. Reply asap, Mr. Vargis.
Mr. Painully – If by trek you mean the trek to Kaza and Kibber, then yes it is open. As a matter of fact all the trek routes from Kaza are open as of now.
Mr. Vargis please tell me if the route via shimla is open to spiti valley. I’m planning to visit spiti from 9-18 may and explore everything thing in spiti. Please tell me about the status of the road and give us the itinerary if we are starting our trip from dehradun. And how bout spiti trek? Chandrataal lake? Enlighten us with everything you have got. Thanks in advance
Mr. Painully – Shima to Kaza is open but Manali to Kaza is not. Trek to Chandratal lake is open but you cannot take a vehicle there right now.
Khan sahab..we’re a group of three boys planning to go to spiti valley via Shimla route. Dates:9 -16 may. We want to explore the entire valley including the trek. We have a personal car:swift desire. Will swift be ok for the terrain or do we need to rent a more powerful car. Please help.
[email protected]
Hi Shashank – Manali to Kaza is closed right now so you will have to go from Shimla and come back the same route. Yes, you will be able to do the journey in a Swift Dzire without any problems.
Hi Vargis,
We a group of 4 is planning to cover Spiti starting from Chandigarh 17th June to 2nd July on bike. Plan is to complete the circuit, entry via Shimla and exit through Manali. Will the Kunzum Pass and Chandratal be open at this time?. Can we move ahead as planned or do we need to reschedule?
Hi Bro – Expected date as of now is June end. I would recommend to delay the trip by a week just to be on the safer side. By then, both Kunzum and Chandratal will definitely be open.
Hi,
What is the status of Manali – Keylong route?
Has buses started playing on this route ??
Waiting for your reply.
Regards,
Nitin
Rohtang Pass is still not officially open for tourists. Army is only allowing the locals between 6 AM to 9 AM from Kokhsar check post and 11 AM to 3 PM from Gulaba check post. From Manali,Tourists can still only travel until Gulaba, not beyond that. No Bus service yet.
thank you for the effort and please keep it up
a trip from kalpa – kaza – batal – chatru – manali – will it be possible if I start from kaza on may 24th may – 2017.
kindly reply – highly appreciated.
thank you
sabu
Kunzum Pass will most probably be closed by 24th May so no, you cannot travel from Kaza to Manali
Kindly let me know probable date of opening kunjum pass. We are planning to travel on 7th of June from Kaza to Manali via Kunjum pass and chandratal.
Kunzum Pass will be open by 7th June so you can definitely plan to travel Kaza to Manali
Hi… Mr.khan…Planning to cover entire spiti valley from Simla and moving on to leh… All this in maruti celerio…..we r planning a 17-18 days trip in first week of June and we r starting from pune Maharashtra. My car is new and we have a good knowledge about our vehicle(servicing, engine and all) I just want to ask u bro that will this car make it all the way and any precautions to be taken. Food in spiti valley and homestays or should I carry tents
Hi Abhijit – When are you traveling? The only problem with Celerio will be the ground clearance, especially while crossing water streams which in beginning of the season will be in ample amount. Are you traveling in June?
Mr. Khan, I will be leaving by 12th June and will be in spiti valley by 16th June….. We r planning 3-4 days in spiti and then heading towards leh via keylong…. After that we r moving to nubra valley and then to pangong lake…… Before leaving to Srinagar jammu via kargil…. I m aware about the ground clearance of my vehicle and we will be prepared for the worst situations coming our way….is this the ideal time to go…. Any additional precautions you suggest….. R homestays and food throughout this journey good and hygienic enough…. As we aren’t planning any hotel stays and all….. Can we get any local alcohol in spiti, nubra, pangong lake……
Hello Abhijit – I recommend taking a look at the article below for a few tips while driving to Ladakh.
https://vargiskhan.com/log/important-tips-driving-through-ladakh/
Homestays and food is good and hygienic enough. You can definitely carry your own tents but do practice a little caution in terms of where and how you camp. Take a look at the article below.
https://vargiskhan.com/log/camping-in-ladakh-preparations-precautions/
You can get Alcohol at several places on Spiti route like at Shimla, Rampur, Reckong Peo and Kaza. On Ladakh route, you can get it at Keylong and then Leh after that.
Thanks a lot Bhai…….
You are welcome Bhai
Bhai… R there any cng filling stations in haryana, himachal Pradesh, and jammu Kashmir……if so Pls give me detail info about those….
Time that you are traveling on is good enough. The only major problem will be on Batal – Gramphoo stretch and a few places on Ladakh highway after that, especially around Tanglang La because the road was badly broken there last year.
ILP has been implemented again so ensure that you get permits first in Leh before proceeding towards Nubra and Pangong. I would advise against attempting Wari La in a Celerio.
Thanks a lot Bhai…….. Any cng filling stations updates in himachal Pradesh and jammu Kashmir Pls let me know
Hi Vargis Khan,
We are a group of 4-5 people planning to go to Chandratal from May 7th onwards starting from Delhi. Your blog states that the camping won’t be open until the end of May. Is it possible to stay there if we carry our own tents. Also we’ll be travelling by buses most of the time and we’re also ready to hitch hike if necessary. Any inputs from your side would be highly appreciated. Also, I would like to mention that we don’t have any time constraint.
Hi Milind – If you are traveling by Bus then you cannot go to Chandratal. Kunzum Pass is closed and there is no bus service on the route right now. The pics I posted above were of Kunzum Pass as of last week, you can see the amount of snow piled up. The only way to reach right now to Chandratal is to trek all the way in that snow with a proper guide and equipment.
Hello Vargis, Thank you for taking the time out to pen (type?) down such detailed articles for the other travellers. It is truly a thoughtful idea. I am planning a trip to Spiti from 13th to 24th May, with my husband and 5 y.o daughter. The following is my brief itinerary:
Day 01: Delhi to Shimla (Overnight Volvo from Delhi)
Day 02: Arrive Shimla and stay at hotel
Day 03: Shimla to Sarahan
Day 04: Sarahan to Sangla – Rakcham
Day 05: Sangla to Tabo )
Day 06: Tabo to Kaza – via Dhankar / Ki Kibber / Pin Valley
Day 07: Sightseeing in Kaza (Chichham / Langcha villages)
Day 08: Kaza to Kalpa
Day 09: Kalpa to Sarahan
Day 10: Sarahan to Shimla
Day 11: Shima to Delhi
Sadly, I found your site after I have made the bookings, so I can’t cancel. Do you reckon that the time line or itinerary is suitable ? What precautions should I take for my daughter – in terms of AMS and weather ? Would you have any idea about availability of food while traveling ? We have booked a Scorpio with a driver for the trip.
Any tips or feedback will be much appreciated!
Grateful,Natasha
Hello Natasha – Your itinerary looks great, I couldn’t have planned it better myself. I just have one suggestion, stay at Chitkul rather than Sangla. It is more scenic.
About your daughter, take a look at the article below for traveling to high altitudes with Children. I wrote it from the point of view of Ladakh but same thing applies for Spiti as well.
https://vargiskhan.com/log/traveling-to-ladakh-with-children/
sir.we are travelling same circuit on that same time.so can we expect to see snow covered road in kaza.if not,where can we see lots of snow to play with in spiti regeion.
Hi Sandip – You will find snow around Losar – Kunzum Pass stretch by late May.
Hi Vargis,
We are a family, planning a 9-10 days trip starting June16 from Chandigarh.We will be covering Kinnaur and then finally visit Chandertal on 22nd June.
So wanted to check whether the road from Kaza to Chandertal via Kunzum Pass will be open for cars during that time.
I am totally confused as I dont want to miss Chandertal.Please suggest whether we can confirm the trip and go ahead with the bookings .
Hi Payel – Yes the road will be open. All the camps at Chandratal will be fully functional by June 10th at most so you can proceed with your trip as planned.
My Plan is for 5 days, Delhi to Spiti Valley. any advice ? from 30th April night till 5th May night Delhi.
It will be too rushed a journey, I won’t recommend it. From Delhi, you will have to reach Kaza via Shimla and return via the same route. It is a 7-8 days trip at minimum.
Dear Mr Vargis,we a group of seven eight all plus sixty persons intend to visit Shimla kalpa kaza Manali circuit in September first week. May we hire a vehicle from Chandigarh? Any particular address to contact for vehicle? The eldest in the group is 78yrs Young.how should we prepare for the trip? Can we include Chandratal?which part of the road is really dangerous? Pl enlighten us. Omio
Hello Mr. Madhob,
May I ask, where are you traveling from Sir? Delhi or Chandigarh? I do have a contact who can arrange for your trip from Delhi or Chandigarh to Spiti and back to Delhi/Chandigarh including a vehicle. He will pick your from home, take you to Spiti and drop back. He has a hotel in Kaza and a camping site at Chandratal. If you are interested, I can give you his number, you can call him and see if you can work out a deal. Please let me know.
If you however would like to travel on your own, please let me know how many days you have in hand and I can help with an itinerary you can follow.
Please pardon me for asking this but has anyone in the group have any medical condition? This will become of the utmost importance while preparing for the trip as most of the places en route have just basic dispensaries, no major hospital in case of an emergency.
Yes you can include Chandratal in the itinerary.
There is no dangerous road as such. Just way too narrow at some places, like from Kunzum pass to Chandratal or extremely bad like between Batal and Gramphoo.
Hi Vargis
I have been following your this blog ever since me and my friends planned for himachal road trip.
We friends were planning to be on road from Chandigarh – Simla – Narkanda – Sangla – Kalpa – Kaza – Gramphoo – Manali on 4×4 and couple of RE’s starting on 29th April.
You think we will be able to do this trip??
Thanks in advance.
Regards
Arvind
Hello Arvind – Thank you for following my posts brother, I really appreciate it.
If you really want to complete the entire Spiti circuit, you will have to postpone the trip by at least a month. Manali to Kaza will not be open that early, expected opening date is by late May or early June.
As of now, even the road until Kaza is not open due to the landslide at Malling Nallah at Nako. There are people stuck in Kaza not able to get out anyway.
I understand… but we friends r getting together after a very long time… someone coming from Orissa, one from Mumbai and one even from Dubai… so this is one fun trip we do not want to postpone….
Hello Vargis ,
Firs of like to thank you for your effort helping fellow traveler like us.
I have a query for you we are 13 member traveling to kinnaur and Spiti valley of April please find my itinerary
22nd April – delhi To Kalka
23rd April – Kalka -> shimla -> narkanda
24th April – narkanda – sangla
25th April – sangla
26th April – sanlga -> Tabo
27th April – Tabo -> Kaza
28th April – Kaza
29th April – Kaza
30th April – Kalpa
1st May – Kalpa -> Shimla
2nd May ->Shimla-> Chandigarh -> Delhi
So do you think road will be open to Kaza by that time ? If not then can you please suggest some alternative place to explore.
Please add your suggestion if you think some change is required in our itinerary
Thanks
Samiran
Hello Samiran – Thank you for your appreciating words.
The Nako to Kaza stretch has been restored and opened for traffic today so you should be able to complete the journey.
Dear Mr. Vargis Khan, Thanks for nice blog, We are planning to visit Lahaul and Spiti valley for 10 days in May / June for 10 days, can you suggest us probably dates for which we should plan so that all roads are open as we travel. I understand risk of land slides and road closed therefore. Your kind reply wil lhelp us to plan. Thanks.
Hello Kalpak,
Shimla to Nako is currently open. Nako to Kaza will open within next two weeks. Kaza to Manali is expected to open by last week of May and Chandratal is expected to open by first week of June. Hope this helps.
Thanks a lot Mr. Vargis.
You are welcome Mr. Kalpak !!!
Hello
Your adventure trips are well documented and appreciated. Keep it up.
I am planing to drive with family from dahradune / kalpa/ tabo to spitivalley and if possible to manali by 20th of May 2017. WIll the roads be open. Do i need a 4×4 or a duster should be enough.
Thanks in advance
kindly pm to pretread@ymail.
thanks for the help
BR
JAN
Hello – Thank you for your kind words.
Rohtang Pass will probably be open by 20th May but Kunzum Pass may not, which will mean that you will have to return via Shimla again. As of now, the expected date of opening is in June first week so if you can, delay your trip by a couple of weeks to be on a safer side.
Duster will do just fine on the entire stretch. Do not need a 4X4. Last year one of the readers went completed the circuit in Duster with 5 family members, entire luggage and faced no problem at all.
Hi Vargas,
I am Planning to travle Manali with my family on date of 23 to 26 April..
So like to On above dates Rotang will Open for Tourists..
I am eager to know the current status of Rothang Pass
Thanks,
Nilesh veer
Hello Nilesh – As of now, the expected date is early May. It will be closed around your dates of travel. You will only be allowed to go until Gulaba.
Hlo,Vargis i want to know that what will be the farthest point beyond kaza if kunzum la pass will closed.Btw in 2016 when kunzum la pass opened?
Hi Ayush – It depends. If you go right now, the farthest point will be Losar. If you go in May, you can get even farther and the road will be snowed out only towards the top of Kunzum Pass.
Last year the pass opened in June first week.
Thank you vargis.
We are planing to visit in may 16 from shimla to kaza via kalpa . So there is any chance that we can visit batal and chandra taal or nearer to that places….
Batal, Not at all. Chandratal, yes if you are in a mood to trek but then there won’t be a place to stay there for the night. Camp sites as of now will probably set up by early June.
Thank you very much…..
You are welcome !!!
Hey Vargis, I plan to travel to Kasol and Spiti Valley between 9th and 19th of May. I will be traveling from Mumbai and have already booked my return flight from Delhi. I saw your reply below that some of the must visit places near Spiti Valley will remain closed in May. I will have hard time postponing my trip in June. Meanwhile is it possible for you to suggest me places which I can visit in/near these two regions.
Thank You.
Hi Vishal – The only way to enter Spiti from on your date of travel would be to travel all the way to Shimla from Kasol and then take the Shimla Kaza road. If you cannot do that, the only other thing I can suggest is that you reach Manali. If Rohtang Pass opens by then, then cross it to reach Lahaul Valley and spend some time there. Another thing you can do is take the Batal – Gramphoo road and go as far as you can to Spiti.
Hii, I am planning for keylong from 1 June to 6th June. I wanna have your advice regarding following itinerary.
June 1,reach manali from Delhi by Volvo, then to Keylong. June 2-local at Keylong
June 3 Udaipur,, . June 4 – Vijay tal- baralacha pass. June 5 stay at Jispa. June 6 back to Manali for delhi.
I think chandratal will not be possible in first week of june.
Your suggestion plz
Milind Bhrushundi
Hi Milind – June 3rd you want to go to Udaipur but then you will have to come back to Keylong in order to go to Jispa. It is in entirely different direction. What is your plan? To go to Jispa & Baralacha La using public transport or do you want to go towards Sach Pass?
Chandratal will in all probability open by first week of June.
Thanks dear, basically I was following your posts, and decided for keylong. Last year covered simla narkanda sangla, Chitkul kalpa. This year wanna explore from Manali side, me and my wife, both are 55+,want to stay at keylong where we will be going for the first time. Stay at keylong for three nights and visit nearby areas. We will be hiring local scorpio for over conveyance. Plz suggest us from your vast experience.
Thanks
Milind
Hello Mr. Bhrushundi – Yes your plan looks completely doable. You can do the following,
Day 1 – Manali
Day 2 – Keylong
Day 3 – Udaipur (I would actually recommend that you skip it. Nothing but a terribly bad road and not even that scenic. The actual vistas start after Udaipur as you start ascending towards Sach Pass)
Day 4 – Keylong to Baralacha La and back to Jispa
Day 5 – Jispa to Chandratal
Day 6 – Chandratal to Manali
How are your driving skills Sir? I am asking because Jispa to Chandratal would include driving on the infamous Gramphoo to Batal stretch. If you are Ok with going there, I can give you the number of my contact who runs a camping site at Chandratal.
Dear Vargis, thanks for your suggestions. I will skip Udaipur. I have driven last year from simla sarahan sangla Chitkul kalpa, if the gramphoo – batal is difficult then I will hire local SUV. And yes I will be happy if u provide me with contact at chandratal camping site. I am really thankful to you for all info u have provided
Milind Bhrushundi
You are very welcome Sir, Glad I was of help.
Please take a look at the link below. I have shared some pics of the camp site with the contact # here.
https://vargiskhan.com/log/camping-chandra-taal/
Dear Vargis khan,
Thanks a lot for helping me with my itinerary manali-jispa-baralacha-chandratal. Here is my final itinerary subjected to your approval.
June 2–reach Manali at 7 am by Volvo, local sight seeing at Manali. Stay at Kothi.
June 3 –Keylong – local, stay at Jispa
June 4 – Jispa to Baralacha La and back to Sissu, stay at Sissu.
June 5 – Sissu to Chandratal stay at camping ground Parasol/Jamaica
June 6 – Chandratal to Manali for delhi.
My only query now is about vehicle. Scorpio vs bolero camper vs Innova for this tour. Plz guide me on this too.
Regards
Milind Bhrushundi
Hello Mr. Bhrushundi – Your plan looks great Sir, no changes required. As for the vehicle, Road will be kind of bad so early in June so best not to take Innova. Bolero would be a bit uncomfortable so I would recommend Scorpio.
I really appreciate that you took so much efforts to acquaint me, rather all of us regarding the Manali – Leh road conditions. Specifically today’s (22nd) post is real help for travelers like me very much. With this info I definitely look forward to visit till baralacha pass,though chandratal looks difficult (we are travelling in first week of June). If not chandratal then can I stay at darcha or zing zing Bar for overnight on way to baralacha pass.?
Thanks is very small word to express my gratitude.
Milind Bhrushundi
Thank you so much for your kind words Sir.
Chandratal as of seems like it should be all open by June first week. In case it is not, then I recommend staying at Jispa, since it has the last cemented hotel on the route. There are no hotels at Darcha or ZingZing Bar, just chadar tents. If interested, you can also stay at the wooden huts at Jispa right next to the river.
Dear Vargis khan,
thanks for update, but Chandratal– June end!!! Seems impossible in first week of June. But I hope I will be able to go to Jispa patseo and if possible upto suraj tal and baralacha pass.
Thanks
Milind Bhrushundi
Hello Mr. Bhrushundi,
This is the official word Sir however there is a high chance that it may open earlier than that. And yes, Baralacha La will be open by May end or June first week so you will definitely be able to go there.
Dear Vargis,
As I won’t be able to go to Chandratal, what’s your take on utilizing the free day for miyar valley? Is it possible in one day from keylong?
Thanks
Milind Bhrushundi
Hello Mr. Bhushrundi – Where in Miyar valley are you planning to go?
As far as I know Sir, it is all trek only route. The road goes towards Udaipur, Killar and to Sach. From there you can trek towards villages in Miyar.
Mr Vargiskhan ji, I will like to go upto urgos, if possible khanjar.
Milind Bhrushundi
Hello Mr. Bhrushundi – You can definitely drive up to Urgos, the road bifurcates near Udaipur. I am not really too sure about Khanjar though. As far as I have heard, it is a trek route after Urgos towards Khanjar and further ahead to Pimu Pass. However the drive even until Urgos is quite beautiful.
Dear Vargis
I really thank you for your help. I have completed my lahul tour as you suggested. 3rd chandratal, 4th jispa, 5th baralacha suraj tal and Deepak tal. Yesterday stayed at Sissu and now back to Manali. Just visited kumzum in way back to batal. So Three tal and three passes. And really all help from Bishan Lal.
Really thanks.
Dr Milind Bhrushundi
Hello Mr. Bhrushundi – I am glad you were able to complete your trip Sir. Would you please mind sharing an update on the road conditions in order to help others? A few pics along with will help.
Mr Vargiskhan,
First thing I did today when network was available was to give you the news of my achievement and convey my deep sense of humble appreciation towards your relentless efforts to help people like me,( today I turned 56).
Now about the road conditions,
1.Gramphu to Batal
We traveled on 3 June, there were about 12 Nalas enroute, two were really bad, and the water was muddy rather than white. Roads were too much bad and open boulder hit was common thing. No vehicle crossed us till chhatru.
Chhatru to chhota dhara was OK types, bikers may face problem at chhota dhara as waterline at one or two places was high. From chhota dharra to batal, at three places there were 2 big ice walls on both sides and are soft, after which the road goes into open bed of chandra River. Here the main problem starts, though the road is in plain riverbed one gets confused with 2 or 3 small roads at many places and taking right road is an issue, so remain most of the time with River.
Otherwise chhota dharra – batal is no big issue.
2.Batal – Chandratal
Only a day prior this road was opened so you can imagine our plight, secondly we were at batal at 6 pm(traffic jam first at Bahang and then at gulaba check post) , so half of the road we traveled in dark. Never do it, try to do it before 12 noon both ways, as pagal Nalas are at its full volume in evening and darkness. My daughter could count 5 to 6 Nalas. Roads were mix of snow or mud, slippery and skiddy. It took us around 2 hrs. We stayed at Bishan Singh’s Parasol Camp, it was one of two camps set up available, but when we left 5 other camps have already started pitching. Your reference was of tremendous help. He really looked after very well as o the that night temp was subzero.
3.Camp to Chandratal
Steep climb, muddy and hidden boulders. We went till one km barrier. Trek after that was one of the mesmerizing moments of my life.
Thanks
Dr Milind Bhrushundi
Dr. Bhrushundi – I wish you a very blessed and happy birthday Sir. 56 done and here is to 56 more of health, happiness and prosperity. God Bless you and your family Sir.
Thank you so much for the updates. I really appreciate it. I would love to see some pics though once you are back home.
How about the road to Baralacha La Sir? How is that this year?
We are planning to visit Spiti in early june. If we plan to start on 5th June from Manali, can we go from Manali to Kaza? Thanks in advance.
Yes you can Avik.
Any chances weather losar to manali will open in the last week of april?
Nope .. will open sometime by early June or late May at earliest.
Hi Vargis – u r great.. replying to everyone 🙂
I am planning to visit Kaza via Shimla in mid April (13-17). I want to know about the road condition.. will the roads will be accessible and will the roads be filled with snow ? .. I am sure Chandratal will be for sure closed during this time. So , apart from Chandratal if roads are opened what are the best places i can cover in 4 days from Shimla. We are 2 frnd planning on Bike.
Please suggest the must visit places. I can skip some places due to less time. Also,can you tell me about any specific permission required to visit Kaza.. as we require to have permission from DTO office in Manali to cross Rohtang.
Thanks
Ashish
Hi Ashish – Thanks brother.
For 4 days from Shimla to Kaza to Shimla will be way too rushed a journey. Can you throw in a few more days?
Also, You will not be able to include Manali in your plan as Rohtang is still closed and will open sometime in May.
Hi Vargis thanks,
We just want to visit Spiti Valley, We dont want to go to Manali as last year we completed a trip to Manali-Leh-Manali and we missed Spiti valley just because it was so unplanned and we don’t have any itenary.
So, how much minimum days we need for the trip – we are okay with 12-13 hrs drive on bullet.
We just want to cover some of the amazing places on the way and we can skip some of the places. If i take 5 days in picture how can be my itenary considering we can ride for 12-13 hrs a day
For 5 days from Shimla, you can do this,
Shimla to Kalpa
Kalpa to Kaza
Kaza to Nako
Nako to Chitkul
Chitkul to Shimla
Or, rather than Shimla, make it all the way to Narkanda to Rampur from the day you start from home.
Narkanda / Rampur to Chitkul
Chitkul to Nako / Tabo
Nako / Tabo to Kaza
Kaza to Sarahan
Sarahan to Shimla
Be advised that all these days will be of long traveling hours
To be honest, If I was you, I would just do the journey until Chitkul and Kalpa if I had 5 days in hand and leave Spiti for some other time. At least you would be able to enjoy the ride.
Thanks Vargis… i wasnt having much idea earlier, same thing happened in my Leh trip – skipped most and was on my mind everytime to rush- rush.. so, i believe then i should postpone the trip to the time when i will have more days in hand…bcz I will be travelling from Gurgaon and it will be more then hectic.
Thanks again for sharing information and making me beleive its not possible to visit Spiti in 5 days 😀
You are welcome brother. Maybe someday we can ride to Spiti together. I have been there a few times but I know I will go back again for sure.
i am planning to visit kaza to manali on 21st may 2017. is that road will be open or close during this time? what was the road condition? pl guide me.
Most probably not. Kunzum Pass is expected to open by early June
Hello sir.. just want to know ..manali to kaza road is safe enough for self drive in car /bike???
Im planning for the same in june 6th …. keylong – spiti – chandratal – manali is possible in two days???
Hello Bhagyarajsinh,
Road is safe but quite bad with a lot of water crossings in between. The Batal to Gramphoo stretch is the worst patch of road you would have seen in your life. Just be careful, drive slow and you will be OK.
For 3 days, you can do Keylong to Kaza, Kaza to Chandratal and Chandratal to Manali.
Sir will road of keylong to kaza be open by that time??
Yes it will be
could you please someone help me out hare, as i want to go to spiti in Mid April 2017 by I10 Grand car.
Is it possible I10 will reach there.
It can go definitely but the low ground clearance will be a problem. Your car will get scratches underneath. Spiti is notorious for bad roads and the one from Kaza to Manali has tons of water crossings in between. You will have to be extremely careful while taking your car across or the belly will hit the rocks underneath.
Thanks You Mr. Vargis for this valuable suggestion.
You are welcome Mr. Guru
Hi Vargis Sir,
Can you please update on the earliest time that we can visit chandratal lake this year? And also, We wish to see Kaza, Kibber and all the nearby villages.
Hi Sanket – Chandratal will probably open by June first week. Road to Kaza remains open throughout the year from Shimla, from Manali it will open by early June. Road to Kibber is already open.
Hi,
Lovely post and quiet helpful. I am planning a circuit trip from Chandigarh- Narkanda-Sangla-Nako-Kaza-Manali-Chandigarh from 31st May to 10th June’17.
Narkanda- 1 nights
Sangala- 3 nights
Nako- 1 night
Kaza- 2 nights
Chandra Taal – camping – 1 night
Manali- 2 nights
Narkanda sightseeing
Sarahan, Bhimkali temple
Sangla, Baspa Valley, small trek/ walk, rakcham walk
Chitkul, temple of chitkul mata, trekking
Nako lake and monastery
Kaza sightseeing, chandrataal lake, monasteries,
Kunzum la pass, rohtang pass,
Manali sight seeing, if possible bir biling
Will the roads open from Kaza to Manali by June 5th? Shall I book a trip later then that week? Do i need to book hotels in advance or I can get a cheap acco(800/1000 Rs.)? Can you plz give me a tentative idea, if i can make any changes.
Thanks
Vaishali
Hi Vaishali – Yes the roads will be open at that time however I would still recommend that you delay it by couple of weeks. The latest I know is that camps at Chandratal will start setting up in first week of June and even Kunzum Pass opening may get delayed. So to be on a safer side, delay it by a couple of weeks,
You will easily be able to find an accommodation within this price range at all places except for Chandratal. There the price per person including meals will be Rs, 1500 above.
Thanks Vargis for this info
1). I am planing for Spiti Valley through Narkand >Pooh >Kaza Road
2). i want to visit Leh, so can i take way from..
Spiti Valley to Sissu > Keylong > Pang >Hemis >Pangong Lake & back to Hemis and then to Leh (keeping 2 days for leh to Hunder)
3). Return will be from Leh Manali HighWay NH1 (from Kargil>Draas> Manali)
How much days i need to do this trip? and should i start the trip from May 25th as the way for Spiti Valley is open now
Do let me know if i need to make any changes in above plan or what is better according to you
Hi Pulkit,
So you are planning to Spiti first, then straight to Pangong and then to Leh? DId I get this right?
And about your return plan, you said via Leh Manali Leh highway, Kargil, Drass to Manali? How are you going to do that?
Last question, How are you traveling? Your bike or car?
Let me know and I can suggest an itinerary.
Hiee,
We are planning to visit spiti valley on our way from Leh. Please have a look at the below plan for spiti :
16th June: Leh to Jispa. night stay at jispa
17th June: Jispa to spiti via gramphu, night stay at spiti (200Km)
18th June: spiti to sollang valley, night at solang
19th June: manali to chandigarh
What time we will reach spiti if we leave jispa early morning by 6-7am, (200Km Distance)?
Will the roads open by 17th june on our way to spiti?
Can we set up our own tent at spiti or are there any tents availabe to stay?
Thanks in advance
Hi Pratik,
Where in Spiti? and secondly, how are you guys travelling? On your motorcycles?
1. Leh to Jispa will be a very long journey so ensure you get an early start, by first light of the day.
2. If by Spiti you mean Kaza then you are in again for a long day. Gramphoo to Batal stretch alone will eat up good 5-6 hours so start early again.
3. If however you are planning to travel to Chandratal from Jispa, then the journey will be a few hours shorter. I will recommend that you do this. Head straight to Chandratal from Jispa, camp there for the night and then go to Kaza the next day.
4. From Kaza, head towards Solan valley. You will again reach back to Gramphoo and from there cross Rohtang to reach Solang. This again will be a long day due to bad roads until Gramphoo so once again, start early.
It is not the distance, 200 kms which seems small but the conditions of the road. Once you cross Gramphoo, your speed will be limited to 20-25 kms per hour. Be careful while riding on this stretch, it is nothing like you have seen before. Not trying to scare you, just stay prepared mentally.
Yes, the roads will be open by June 17th.
Hie Vargis,
Thanks for the reply,
Firstly:
We are travelling on motor bikes. We just want to enjoy the bike ride to spiti and next day return to solang valley.
We are leaving from LEH on16th morning. Please guide me with a plan from LEH to SPITI so that we can return solang valley by 18th evening.
Secondly:
I Have no idea about different places in spiti, i thought spiti is just a place to visit, like manali. Please help me where we can have a night stay at spiti or somewhere else and next day return back to solnag valley.
Third:
What route do u suggest to go to spiti?
Pratik – Spiti is an entire valley brother, Kaza being the headquarters of it. From Leh to Spiti to Manali in 3 days would be a long journey on all three days. The only way you can do this is,
Leh to Keylong – 16th
Keylong to Kaza – 17th
Kaza to Solang Valley – 18th
What I would rather recommend is that you do not go to Kaza. From Leh reach Keylong on 16th. On 17th, start from Keylong, reach Gramphoo, take the road towards Batal and reach Kunzum Pass top. From there, do not continue on the highway towards Kaza, rather take the 14 kms long road towards Chandratal. Stay there in a camp next to the lake for the night. Next day, take the same route back to Gramphoo and from there, reach Solang via Rohtang Pass.
You will have to ensure that you start really early from Leh on 16th, by first light of the day to make sure that you reach Keylong well in time before dark.
thanks a lot vargis..will follow ur route…
You are welcome bro
Hi I am planning a Spiti Valley circuit trip around May 26 th. Approximately 15 day trip. I just happened to talk to a Driver from Manali. He says the route from Kaza to Manali will not open till last week of June. But you mentioned in one of the comments that it will be open. I am bit confused now. Do you think it will be possible nd safe for me to travel on the above mentioned dates.
As of now, the forecast is that the route will be open by first week of June. Even Chandratal camps will be all set up by June 10th. But everything depends on the weather in end.
Hi Vargis. We are planning for Spiti Valley from 22nd May to 5th June. Do you think it will be possible for us to complete the circuit (shimla to Manali) around that time .
You should be able to, Kunzum Pass will be open by that time.
What would be temperatures around that time. Will it be too cold??
Not really. Nights will be cold but temperature during day will be moderate. Sun is really harsh there, won’t just tan your skin but will burn it if you are not careful; so do carry some good sunblock lotion.
Cool Thank You
You are welcome
Hello Bhaijaan very nice of you to have provided with this information. I’ll be going to kaza from chandigarh from 31st march. Is the road open till kaza?? please update on the same, thanks!!
Hello Arnav Bhai – Yes the road is open until Kaza.
hiii
i m looking to travel in 20 june.
plz tell me distance & how much time it will take
from kaza to kelyong km
kaza to sarchu km
Kaza to Keylong is ideally a 2 hours journey Sandeep, Best that you do Kaza to Chandratal and Chandratal to Keylong. The Batal – Gramphoo stretch alone will eat up about 5 hours. It is not really the distance but actually the condition of roads where your speed will be limited to 20-25 kms per hour.
If you must however do it in a day (which I strongly recommend that you do not) then you will have to start from Kaza by 6 AM, rush through the entire journey without any breaks and then you can hope to reach Keylong by late evening.
How are you traveling btw?
hiii
i m looking to travel in 20 june from kaza to leh plz suggest us the proper route.
There is any anoter route that do not pass through kelyong & sarchu village.
The only other possible route is that you start from Kaza, and just near Keylong, take the cut towards Sach Pass via Killar and from there reach Dalhousie and from there head towards Srinagar. From Srinagar take the Sriangar Leh highway towards Leh. Or from Sach Pass, rather than coming to Dalhousie, you can take the Bandarkoot, Sinthal Top, Achabal road to reach straight to Anantnag.
Hi…I am Looking to Travel Shimla To Kaza on my Own Bike. Frm 5~13 April. What is Road Condition Like In terms Of Snow. Do i need to carry Snow chain or its Easily accessible.
My itinerary would be.
Day One Rampur/Jeori
Day 2 Nako
Day 3 PinValley
Day 4 Kaza
Day 5 explore and return Tabo.
Day 6 sangla
Day 7 chandigarh.
2 days buffer. Specially for Kaza.
Any changes i need to do in it?
There is still some snow left but it won’t need you to take any snow chains. Just do not start early in the morning, wait for the sun to come up because there may be some black ice formed on the roads which is dangerous. Wait for the sunshine so that the black ice (if any) has melted before you start.
Your itinerary looks good enough but do inquire at Rampur or Karchham before you take the turn towards Sangla. There is a high possibility that you may find that road closed so early in the season. If its open, go directly to Chitkul, do not stay at Sangla. Chitkul is a better place. If the road is closed, go to Sarahan.
what is status of road from leh to nubra valley, leh to panging and leh to tsosomiriri
Those roads will be open unless there has been a recent snowfall, temporarily closing the passes at Khardung and Chang La.
Very helpful info!
We will be in Kaza from 01st to 05th June ‘2017 (Travelling from Shimla)
Do you think we will be able to go on Chandratal lake trek ?
Thanks a lot 🙂
Hi Om – Yes you will be able to. Chandratal will be open by first week of June. If you are planning to stay there, take a look at the article at the link below.
https://vargiskhan.com/log/camping-chandra-taal/
Hi, I am planning to travel shimla to kaza and Spiti valley trip & kaza to sarchu travel leh road on 20 june plz update road status kaza to sarchu
plz
As of now the road is closed Sandeep but it will be all open around your dates of travel.
Road is closed as of now Sandeep but it will be open by early June. You are traveling around 20th June so there will be no problem at all
Hi Vargis, very informative blog and really appreciate all the effort you have put in maintaining it up to date. I am planning for a Shimla to Losar drive(both ways) in 6 days. What do you think about it as in
1. covering most of the places
2. driving without any rush
It would be great if you could advise us on the same.
Regards, Derrick
Hello Derrick, when are you planning to travel? You can follow the following itinerary,
Shimla to Sarahan
Sarahan to Nako
Nako to Kaza/Losar
Nako/Losar to Dhankar / Nako
Nako to Kalpa
Kalpa to Shimla
Hi, bro your info about the routes are phenomenal and appreciate your hard work.
Wl I am traveling to spiti via manali road on 1st of May manali/solang valley- kaza-spiti/chandratal by a car. Will it be possible to travel by that road if not suggest something else.
Thanx
Hello Bunty – Thank you for your kind words brother.
You will not be able to complete the circuit in May 1st week. Rohtang, Kunzum, Chandratal will all be closed. You should postpone your journey by a month and do it in June if you want to cover the entire circuit. As of now, you can only travel from Shimla to Kaza and back to Shimla.
On may 25 to 27th,planning gor keylong.. as wrk of snow clearance hv started vl this route be accessible. . Also wanted to know about barallachha ,.
Chances are that Rohtang will be open at that time so you should be able to reach Keylong but Baralacha La will definitely be closed until early June.
Bro, you’re doing an amazing contribution to make this world a better place. I admire that. And, If I’m to start from Shimla to Kaza on 23rd of this month, is it possible to make it there in 2 days? Are the villages (Langza, Komic, Mud, Tabo and so on..) accessible at this point of time in Spiti? I really want to experience the White grace of the Mighty Himalayas. Please let me know. Thank you.
Hi Sathwik – Thanks brother. Shimla to Kaza in 2 days is not at all possible at this point of time, it will be too long a journey and wish snow in the picture, you cannot even rush. Tabo is on the way to Kaza so you will cross it on your way. Langza and Komik depends on snow but I doubt it will be accessible by road at this time.
Hi, I am planning to travel to kaza and Spiti on 26th of may from Kasol. I need to know about the kumzum pass, will it be operational by then?
Kunzum Pass usually opens in early June. This year a delay is expected so there is a big chance that it may not be open at the time of your travel.
Hey! I am planning to travel to Kaza from Chandigarh on this 13th March, I need to know if one can go to Kaza now, and if yes, then any buses from Chandigarh to Kaza or Shimla to Kaza.
Please help.
Hey .. Yes you can go to Kaza on 13th March.. There is a bus that goes from Shimla to Kaza but it is a 2 days journey. You will stay overnight at Reckong Peo and then continue to Kaza the next day.
Rohtang Pass will be open at that time but cannot say about Kunzum Pass. It usually open in early June.
Probable date of rohtang la openning. We r planning may 31st and 1st june . Will it be open?
Rohtang Pass will be open at that time but cannot say about Kunzum Pass. It usually open in early June.