How to Travel Spiti Valley

Getting to Spiti — two roads, and they are nothing alike

Spiti has no airport and no railway. Kaza, the main town, sits at about 3,800 m and is reached only by road, over passes that close for much of the year. Everything about planning a Spiti trip follows from that: you are committing to two long mountain driving days at minimum, in a specific season, and the route you choose in determines whether you enjoy the altitude or spend two days with a headache.

🛣️ Route 1: Shimla–Kinnaur — open all year, and the right way in

The road runs Shimla → Rampur → Reckong Peo → Nako → Tabo → Kaza, roughly 412 km from Shimla and normally split over two days with a night at Reckong Peo, Nako or Tabo. It follows the Sutlej and then the Spiti river at valley-floor level, which means the climb is gradual — Delhi at 350 m to Kaza at 3,800 m over three or four days rather than in one afternoon. That is why almost everyone who knows this valley recommends entering from the Shimla side.

It is the only access in winter, and it is the route HRTC buses run through much of the year. From June to September it is also the one most likely to be blocked: the Kinnaur stretch is landslide-prone in monsoon, and a single slide can hold the road for a day or two. Build slack into your dates.

🚌 Route 2: Manali–Kunzum — June to October only, and much harder on the body

Manali → Atal Tunnel → Gramphu → Batal → Kunzum Pass → Losar → Kaza is only about 182–200 km, but it takes 7–12 hours because that distance crosses Kunzum Pass at roughly 4,590 m. The Atal Tunnel, 9 km long and opened in 2020, bypasses Rohtang Pass entirely and saves two to three hours.

The Manali road opens when BRO clears the snow — usually mid-May to early June — and closes mid to late October. Before June and after October it simply does not exist as a route.

Crossing Kunzum in one day is how people get altitude sickness — Going from Manali at 2,050 m to 4,590 m and then sleeping at Kaza's 3,800 m in a single push is the main cause of AMS on this circuit. The classic answer is Shimla in, Manali out: three or four days of gradual climbing first, then the high pass once your body has adjusted.

Cross the pass in the morning — Aim to be over Kunzum between 9 am and 1 pm. After about 2 pm the meltwater streams near Batal swell and the afternoon wind picks up on the ridge, which is exactly why the HRTC bus leaves Manali at 5 am.

🚌 Public transport, realistically

HRTC Manali–Kaza — Leaves around 5–6 am in season (June to October), takes 10–12 hours, costs roughly ₹500–650 a person. Kullu departures are earlier still, around 4:30 am.

HRTC Shimla–Kaza — Runs via Reckong Peo through much of the year, usually with a night halt en route. Three changes and longer layovers than the Manali side.

From Delhi — Overnight Volvo to Shimla (₹400–700, 8–9 hrs) or to Manali (₹300–600, 12–14 hrs) from ISBT Kashmere Gate, then connect. A full public-transport journey from Delhi to Kaza works out around ₹1,200–1,750 one way.

There is no railhead anywhere near the valley. The nearest useful station is Chandigarh, from which Shimla is about five hours by road. The nearest airport is Bhuntar (Kullu), around 250 km from Kaza with limited flights — which still leaves you a 10–14 hour drive after you land. Treat flying as a way to reach the gateway, not the valley.

📋 Permits and registrations

Indian nationals do not need an Inner Line Permit for Spiti itself. Foreign nationals do — an ILP is issued at Reckong Peo, Shimla or Kaza against ID and photocopies.

The e-Aagman vehicle registration is the one people miss — Every vehicle entering Lahaul-Spiti district, including through the Atal Tunnel, must be registered on the Himachal government's e-Aagman portal. It is free and takes a few minutes, but fill it in 24–48 hours ahead because there is effectively no mobile network at the checkpost and you cannot do it on arrival. This applies to the vehicle, not to you as a passenger, so if you are in a hired taxi the operator normally handles it — check that they have.

Rohtang Pass permit — Only needed if you drive over Rohtang itself rather than using the tunnel, roughly ₹550 for a car or bike. Most people going to Kaza no longer need it.

A local development fee is collected at the barrier — Around ₹100–400 by vehicle type, at Losar when entering from Manali or at Sumdo on the Kinnaur side. It is a toll, not a permit. Carry cash.

Rules in this district change often. Confirm the current position with your operator or at Reckong Peo before you rely on any of it.

🚕 Getting around the valley

There are no app cabs. Uber and Ola do not operate here and will not appear in the app. Local taxis work from Kaza and are hired by the day; most travellers either keep the same vehicle and driver for the whole valley circuit or arrange the next leg through their homestay the evening before.

HRTC village buses exist but are infrequent — They connect Kaza to Key Monastery, Kibber, Langza and Tabo on limited daily or alternate-day schedules. Ask at the Kaza bus stand the day before and do not plan a same-day return on one.

Chandratal is a detour, not a stop — The high-altitude lake off the Kunzum side is reached on a rough track and needs its own vehicle and time; do not fold it into the Manali–Kaza day.

Self-drive needs a full tank and a spare plan — Fuel is available at Kaza and Manali and nowhere in between; on the Manali side the last pump before Kaza is at Tandi, roughly 32 km short of Jispa. Arrive with a full tank.

💡 Things that go wrong

Acclimatise or you will lose days to it — Do not drive Manali to Kaza on the day you arrive in India. Spend a night at least in Shimla or Reckong Peo, and treat a headache, poor sleep or breathlessness as a reason to stop climbing.

Carry cash — ATMs in the valley are few and frequently out of service or out of cash. Small notes matter more than large ones.

Assume no signal — Prepaid SIMs from outside Himachal generally do not work here. BSNL is the most likely to connect, and even then only in Kaza and a handful of villages. Tell people at home you may go quiet for days.

Book the Manali–Kaza bus a day or two ahead — Seats go early in peak season and the 5 am departure is not something you can join late.

Winter is a different trip — From November to May the Manali road is shut and Spiti is reached only through Kinnaur, with temperatures far below freezing and most homestays closed. It can be done, but it is an expedition, not a holiday.