Here is how I did Spiti, One of the most scenic and remote valley, under 2000 bucks

Day 1- All set for Jibhi

So I started my journey from Delhi. My first destination was Jibhi which was supposed to be my only stop. I took an overnight Volvo to Manali and got off at Aut tunnel from where I reached Jibhi by catching HRTC buses. It took me around 12hrs to reach Jibhi. It is surprising as some places really leave an impression on you for a long time. I saw this place on the maps and without any idea destined to visit it. I stayed at a hostel called Mudhouse Experiential. One of the best hostels in my life so far. A completely astounding experience it was.

Jibhi is a place I can call it my own. Somewhere I belong. That is all I want. There was greenery all around, surrounded by mountains, a river nearby where you can go fishing, a small hidden waterfall, less humans, fresh air and a cozy stay. The first day I just rested the entire day and did some local outings to the nearby waterfall and enjoyed my hostel. I made some friends and from then it was camping, socializing and bonfire, whose woods we collected from a nearby crematorium. It was quiet a spooky experience at dusk. So the entire day passed and I planned on leaving for a nearby trek to Jalori Pass the next day which I've heard from few the people around.

Where to stay- Mudhouse Experiential

Cost of stay- Rs. 650 for a night

How to reach- volvo from Delhi to Manali. Get down before Aut tunnel and then take the HRTC buses to Banjar and then another to direct Jibhi

Day 3- Spiti here I come… Jibhi to Reckong Peo

The journey was long, scary and tiring. With 12hours bus journeys for 2 days it was going to be hard. I got to know about a bus that leaves from Jibhi in the morning around 7am and goes till Rampur Bushahr. I had somehow caught the bus at 7:00am and reached Rampur by around 1pm. It was a really long journey. From Rampur I catch another bus to Reckong. I finally reached Reckong Peo by around 7:30pm. I was really exhausted from all the travelling and without proper meals.

On reaching Reckong I was a bit scared as I had to leave for Spiti the next day. The locals warned me about the weather there, I was not prepared at all. With just a few T-shirts in my backpack I was worried and hence decided to buy some sweaters there. This is exactly where I spent almost most of my hard cash. After shopping it was already 9:00pm. It became really spooky when the streets turned empty and markets almost closed. What is up with the placed having such strange names. “Reckong Peo” sounds like a usual name. I didn’t have a place to stay and finding a place at night when people are packed in their homes and when you roam around in the dark lonely streets that’s when real shock run down the nerves. I have never been in any such situations where I have to deal with all this alone. Well when all the doors are closed then god always show the way. I started walking back to bus stand from the market where I found a man who was a local there and he helped me finding a decent place to stay near the bus stand so that I can easily catch a morning bus to Spiti. The bus from Reckong to Kaza leaves at 7am and cost somewhere around 500 bucks. I stayed at a place called apple tree hotel. They charged me around 500bucks. I slept peacefully after such an adventurous day.

Where to stay- Appletree resort near Reckong Peo Bus stand

Cost of stay- Rs. 600

Day 4- And the Journey to the land far away begins. To the magnificent land of Spiti Valley

Itinerary for the day- Reckong Peo to Kaza (Catching a morning bus from Reckong Peo that leaves at 7am and reaches Kaza at 7pm)

Next morning I have to leave for Spiti. I got a bus at 7am from Reckong Bus stand. Trust me I have never ever catch my school bus on time but travelling gives me an altogether different energy. Today was also going to be a lot hectic. The whole bus journey was jaw dropping with narrow mountain roads and really long road journey. As soon as you enter Spiti Lahaul district you see a complete change in the landscape. With clearer air, higher altitudes, fresh oxygen, rugged and sharp mountains, no greenery, grayish narrow water stream (The Spiti River) and remote villages.

In my bus I met a girl, Sweety, who is also a solo traveler like me. This time to spiti she was travelling with a friend whom she met on her way from home. Few people you meet at the random places who stick throughout your side when you expect the least life keeps throwing surprises at you and unexpectedly Sweety turned out to be a friend who became my best buddy, my travel buddy. I am usually very reluctant to travel with any of my friends that is why I always leave for such solo trips. But here I found a friend whom I can travel with. Our habits match. We can survive the day by eating an omelet, we can travel miles on a local bus the whole day, we can talk and discuss about everything without judging each other, and we can walk and walk without cribbing about it.

Talking to the passengers, enjoying the amazing road views and hoping to reach before sunset our day passed and we reached Kaza by 7:00pm. A land far away. The most picturesque places I have ever been to. Kaza, A town amidst the cold desert of Spiti is a small remote town surrounded by mountains. It is a small town with markets and houses and considered to be the hub of Spiti. It is headquarters of Spiti Valley. On reaching Kaza I have heard about Zostel and that was the only place I decided to stay. On reaching Zostel I saw it from the bus it was completely vacant. Not a single person was there. To travel in such a remote place without even knowing how to ride I was just wandering how am I even gonna travel further. I was thinking this time I made a wrong choice as I am alone and to travel I didn’t know that it will turn out like this. I thought I will just be in my bed and do some local site seeing the next day and return. Sweety also made fun of me as she already had a friend and she had plans to hire a bike with her friend and travel the rest of the journey. I felt helpless at that moments but again had some hopes left. My timings (touchwood) while travelling are really bang on. The moment I reached Zostel Kaza I saw a group of people leaving Zostel. They were 5 of them and they had a plan to hire 3bikes where I as always decided to hop on with them. We rather than staying at Zostel decided to stay at another hostel. I vaguely remember the name of the hostel. It was by the name of Redrocks probably. It was a much cheaper option there. All 6 of us took 2 interconnected rooms and it had cost us around 200Bucks each.

Where to Stay- Redrocks hostel

Cost- 1200 for 2 rooms

Day 5- On a journey to India’s most remote villages.

The next day was simply awesome. We hopped on our bikes all 6 of us went to Explore the famous villages of Spiti. Our first stop was Hikkim, also known for the highest post office of the world. The place has completely different feels. When we reached there we went to the post office. We wrote few post cards for family and friends. It was a completely out of the world feeling to write postcards and send it from the world’s highest post office. Each one of us wrote post cards to ourselves, the feeling to receive a gift from yourself and to see how long it will take to reach home.

Then we left for Komic which is known for the highest village connected by motorable road. The road was bumpy and at a very higher altitude. We reached Komic. It was just so different out there. We were completely alone at a place which was so far from our homes. The air was so pure and transparent. Komic is at such a height that one can see the peaks of all the surrounding snow capped mountains from there. Because it was on a higher altitude it was quiet difficult to breathe properly since I was not used to it. Well we visited the Komic monastery and enjoyed a plate of soupy maggi with a popular local alcoholic drink there. We stayed there for a while. Trying to soak in the vibes as much as possible and then left for Key.

We couldn’t go to Langza as the roads were very slushy and muddy. Nonetheless it is important to live the moment rather than covering places. Key monastery is the most popular monastery there in Spiti. It is built on an upward elevation on a hill. It was so picturesque that now when I think of that place I get Goosebumps as it was so mesmerizing. A completely dreamlike place to be. It is the smell, the air and the vibes that gets associated with the memory. It was going to be dark. Sun was setting and we decided to skip Kibber and head back to our hostels before dark.

We reached our hostels and that is when it struck me that I have spent the rest of my money today in stay and on travelling that I saw my wallet and there were just 60bucks left. I was in serious trouble. I rushed to the ATM which were out of order and that was the only ATM in Spiti. There were no phone connections at all. I couldn’t ask for help from my friends as they themselves have to manage on the little cash they had. I was scared since it was already sunset around 7pm and the market was closing. Wondering what to do and it suddenly struck me to ask help from the Zostel guy. I went to the Zostel and there I saw Sweety, who was also looking for me since her friend ditched her. We both were so surprised to see each other there that I cannot explain the coincidence to meet her in such an hour of need. Without any second thoughts I decided to couple up with her and I told her my situation and asked her to be my help me for the next few days which I will payback once we find ATMs. As she was also stranded she agreed. We went back to our hostel Redrocks and decided to leave for Dhankar the next day after a heated brainstorming. I am a good at socializing and a good jugaadu. I got to know that someone from Zostel is also going back to Delhi tomorrow morning around 6am and that is when I decided to hitchhike with him.

Day 6- A journey to one of the most pristine and placid lakes in the world

The next day in the morning, Sweety and I woke up early and got ready so that we can ask for the free ride to Dhankar from that guy. We took a ride and got off in the midway. Dhankar is a small village and requires a hike of an hour or two to reach from the highway. It is situated at a higher altitude on the top of a mountain. The village is small and has less number of people. There were fewer tourists as it is not an easy place to reach. One can feel breathlessness due to higher altitude. Dhankar monastery and Dhankar Lake are famous attractions there. We hitchhiked from a tractor that was going up to Dhankar. The tractor guy again dropped us midway and from there on we walked around an hour to reach to the monastery. We enjoyed the place. Had our breakfasts and I were much focused to visit Dhankar Lake. There are few time when you become stubborn and destined to visit a destination. I had an aim to visit that lake. I never saw the photos of the lake, didn’t even know the way of it.

Dhankar Lake is a short hike of around 2 hours one side uphill. It is a completely remote place where when we hiked we hardly find anybody neither during the way to the hike nor at the lake. As we left our backpacks in the monastery hence we had no water or snacks with us. Imagine yourself walking for 2hours without backpacks, without anyone to guide, just following the rough random path and walking relentlessly for hours. The hike turned out to be so damn difficult that it started to give us a mirage where every turn looked like a short path but the lake was very far from what we’ve imagined. It was really difficult to walk in such a higher altitude without a guide and basic supplies. Sweety and I gave up at few times but somehow we managed to finish what we’ve started and we finally did. The lake was a completely out of the world experience. Barren land and alone amidst the mountains was Dhankar lake. It was a holy pristine lake, which is also known by the name of frozen lake. It was like a treat to the eyes. To see water in a dessert. The feeling of achievement ran through us and we sat beside the lake. Slept for an hour and decided to move back to the village. On reaching back we kind of got bored and it was already 4pm and staying at Dhankar didn’t seem like a good option. Exhausted from all the day’s travelling, we just randomly decided to ditch everything and move to Tabo.

Tabo is another small village there in Spiti. Around an hour drive from Dhankar. We reached Tabo by around 6pm with a hope of finding an ATM there since now we both were running out of cash. On reaching Tabo we got to know the ATMs there are also out of order. That was it. We were so tired and exhausted that now we decided to leave back from where we started due to cash crunch. We didn’t have any other options. Nonetheless on the same day we booked a stay at a hotel called Maitree Hotel, which was near the monastery. Tabo was a small and really beautiful town. An evening in Tabo was so peaceful and cultural. If ever you want to experience Spiti’s culture and soak in it then Tabo is a must visit. We had an evening walk around the small town it was simply blissful. We were so exhausted that after relaxing and exploring the village since we had an early bus to catch the next day we slept by 10pm. The bus leaves from Tabo to Reckong by around 5 am.

Places to see- Tabo Monastery, Caves, Gue Monastery, Tabo Lake.

Where to stay- Maitree Hotel

Cost- Rs. 600 for a room

Day 7- At the last village of India- Chitkul

Next morning we left for Reckong Peo. On our way back I returned the money to Sweety. Surprisingly the estimate for 2 days in spiti came out to be only 1200 bucks which included everything from travelling, food to stay. Sweety and I part our ways. As she wanted to travel solo further so she left for Amritsar from there on and I had a spare day so I decided to leave for Chitkul.

Chitkul, also known as the India’s last village is a small town in Sangla Valley, Kinnaur District. It is called the last village since it is the last place of inhabitance between India and China from that side. Recently Chitkul has become quite a popular destination on internet. Honestly, it didn’t live up to my expectations. I didn’t feel anything so special there. Yes the landscapes were good but the vibes and my personal experience was not up to my expectations. I reached Chitkul by around 7pm. I stayed at a very stingy hotel, Rani Guest house, which was the first place I saw since I was too tired from all the travelling without further research it looked like the only option. Well the place was a total bore. First time in my journey I actually felt alone. People there are not so friendly and are money minded. The hotels are way too expensive for a budget solo traveler like me, and there is honestly nothing much to do there. On reaching Chitkul I was thinking that I made a silly mistake that come here. I was really bored. I just explored the town that evening and then came back to my hotel and slept without any plans for the next day.

Day 7- At the last village of India- Chitkul

Next morning we left for Reckong Peo. On our way back I returned the money to Sweety. Surprisingly the estimate for 2 days in spiti came out to be only 1200 bucks which included everything from travelling, food to stay. Sweety and I part our ways. As she wanted to travel solo further so she left for Amritsar from there on and I had a spare day so I decided to leave for Chitkul.

Chitkul, also known as the India’s last village is a small town in Sangla Valley, Kinnaur District. It is called the last village since it is the last place of inhabitance between India and China from that side. Recently Chitkul has become quite a popular destination on internet. Honestly, it didn’t live up to my expectations. I didn’t feel anything so special there. Yes the landscapes were good but the vibes and my personal experience was not up to my expectations. I reached Chitkul by around 7pm. I stayed at a very stingy hotel, Rani Guest house, which was the first place I saw since I was too tired from all the travelling without further research it looked like the only option. Well the place was a total bore. First time in my journey I actually felt alone. People there are not so friendly and are money minded. The hotels are way too expensive for a budget solo traveler like me, and there is honestly nothing much to do there. On reaching Chitkul I was thinking that I made a silly mistake that come here. I was really bored. I just explored the town that evening and then came back to my hotel and slept without any plans for the next day.

Day 8- An evening to remember…..

The next morning I got to know that I was the only person staying in that hotel. It was completely off season and the whole hotel was empty. I was so pissed off at that moment that I rushed, packed my bags, got ready and decided to leave as soon as possible. I don’t know it was just not my kind of place. On leaving I decided to at least give a last try and visit the border which was nearby. While coming back from the border I took a lift from a couple Rolly and Nishant. They were really nice people and helped me to reach back to the village. Thankfully we met otherwise I wouldn’t even have stayed there even for an extra hour. On our way we also met another solo traveler, Jyoti who was from Kerala and he had a big months plan to travel solo. The four of us from then on explored Chitkul together. Since Rolly & Nishant were going back to Delhi the next day so I thought it will be a good idea to take a ride back to Delhi with them. I stayed one more evening in Chitkul. Compared to day 1 the second day was much happier, peaceful and satisfying. We talked, had our evening snacks, warm tea and then daal rice for dinner. It was blissful. We had long chats about life, future, religion and all the other topics of interest. After having a nice and peaceful evening there we decided to leave back to Delhi via Shimla.

Day 9- and that was the end of such a miraculous and adventurous journey

Next day by morning around 8am we left for Shimla and thought rather than a long continuous journey it will be better to take a halt at somewhere near Shimla. So while going back decided to take a halt at this small hill station called Chail. Chail is another small town. We stayed for the night there and then called off the evenings. The journeys are so long that we got tired. So instead of exploring Chail any further all we did was took rest the whole evening and the next day returned to Delhi.

Now when I think of the time I was in spiti I feel proud. I am proud that I went there all by myself, all alone. Not dependant on anybody. I survived without proper food, without money, without phone connections, without taking expensive cabs or booking expensive stays. I feel proud that I have experienced such a lifelong experience. I feel proud to get stuck in the worst situations and come out of it. From being a person who has just came out of the nest to having been travel to one of the most remote places in India was an experience I cannot forget throughout my life. Things that travelling can teach you no one else can. It throws challenges at you, tests your patience, and makes you a good manager, leader & decision maker. I feel that one should live a life full of stories to tell to your friends, peers & children. Do something offbeat, do something different. That’s my life mantra. And be proud of yourself. Love yourself first.