When we talk of places where raw beauty of nature gives you sighs and at the same time where the footfall of tourists is still not very high, there is one place in Himachal that'll always come up. This is the District of Lahaul and Spiti. Though together the region of Spiti and that of Lahaul make one district, the duo are completely unlike each other. Spiti valley is dry and arid with barren mountains and landscapes. On the other hand, Lahaul is lush green and surrounded by snow covered mountains.
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Connectivity to Lahaul:
After the construction of Atal tunnel, Lahaul has become extremely accessible. Atal tunnel functions all twelve months of the year. After we cross the tunnel, the landscapes will suddenly become grand with river flowing to the left and a certain chill in the air. Sissu is the first main landmark of Lahaul valley when you enter from Atal tunnel, followed by Gondhla and Tandi. The roads are maintained by Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and are in a very good condition except only a few points where nallahs are always flowing by. All in all, Atal tunnel has drastically changed the whole accessibility scenario and once upon a time a very remote Lahaul is not all that remote now.
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Map of Lahaul Valley
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Attractions
Tinan Valley :
The region from Atal tunnel to Sissu to Gondhla upto Tandi is basically Tinan Valley
1. Sissu: After crossing the Atal tunnel, Sissu is the first major pit stop. Here you can simply take some time to soak in the views around. The majestic snow covered mountains, the river Chandra gushing on one side of the road, some locals selling fresh strawberries (if that's the season), and the Sissu waterfall which you can see from afar; try some chai at a local shop. There's a lake and helipad in Sissu and you can also enjoy dipping your feet in river water by finding your spot (be safe though). To reach the waterfall you'll have to do a 1 hour hike. It is upto you if you are fond of hiking you could do that as well. You could spend a night in Sissu or Gondhla and just chillax.
2. Tandi Sangam: So the second pit stop on your way which you can not miss is Tandi. Here at Tandi Sangam, the river Chandra originating in Chandrataal and river Bhaga originating in Surajtaal unite to form the River Chandrabhaga. The Chandra-Bhaga then flows through the Chamba district in Himachal Pradesh before entering the Jammu division of Jammu and Kashmir, where it flows through the Kishtwar, Doda, Ramban, Reasi and Jammu districts. It enters Pakistan and flows through the Punjab province before emptying into the Sutlej, forming the Panjnad river.
Tandi Sangam is approx. 20 km from Sissu and down there at Sangam, there's a small cafe where you can sit by the river and enjoy the waters of two rivers merging into one.
P.S. The last petrol pump of Lahaul is in Tandi. So its advisable to refill the fuel tank.
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Pattan Valley:
At tandi, the road gets diverged. The left diversion takes you to Pattan Valley while the right diversion takes you towards the Bhaga valley. Pattan Valley will take you across the meandering roads with its wild flowers smiling at you at every twist and turn and finally lead you towards Udaipur. Trilokinath temple and Mrikula devi temple are the main Attractions of Udaipur. The valley beyond Udaipur is the Miyar Valley and the road ahead leads you to kishtwar but it is not in a good condition.
3. Trilokinath temple: Trilokinath temple is situated on the top of hill in Udaipur and at the end of market street. The sparkling white color of the temple leaves you feeling peaceful. This temple is also a symbol of religious harmony as it is an equally auspicious place of worship for both Hindus and Buddhists. The Hindus worship the Lord Shiva and the Buddhists worship the Lord Avlokiteshwar.
4. MrikulaMata temple: This temple is dedicated to Goddess Kali and it is also said to be the local Deity of the place. According to some legends, this temple is built on the place where a drop of blood had fallen when Maa Kali killed the demon Mahishasura. According to some other legends, this temple was built by the Pandavas during their exile and carved out of single block of wood. The temple with its intricate wooden carvings is an architectural feat in itself and everyone visiting Udaipur makes it a point to pay respects at the temple.
Bhaga Valley
The right diversion at Tandi takes you towards the Bhaga valley through Manali Leh highway. Nestled along the route is also the District headquarter Keylong. Bhaga Valley extends from Tandi and goes on to Keylong to Deepak Taal to Suraj Taal to Baralacha La and further on the route continues towards Leh.
About the Monasteries
The Bhaga valley is home to the beautiful monasteries with scenic but adventurous roads which are as beautiful as the final destination. There is Tupchling monastery, Guru Ghantal monastery, Kardang Monastery and Shashur Gompa; all in the hilltops with narrow difficult link roads stretching in the region between Tandi and Keylong.
5. Tupchiling Monastery: Very near to the Tandi Sangam, there's a link road on the opposite side of road which goes upto the village of Tupchiling approximately 3 km above Tandi. The gate of Tupchiling monastery welcomes you with its beautiful wild flowers and the inside of this monastery is just as serene as the peaceful surroundings. This monastery is actually a branch of Guru Ghantal Gompa.
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6. Guru Ghantal Gompa : Guru Ghantal monastery is located on a hill top above Tupchiling. Guru Ghantal Gompa is believed to be founded by Guru Padmasambhava. The Gompa can be reached through a 2 to 3 hour strenuous hike from Tupchiling. The peculiar feature of Guru Ghantal Gompa are the wooden idols as distinguished from clay idols at other places.
7. Kardang Monastery: If you keep going ahead on the road that led to Tupchiling monastery, after an adventurous and jaw opening ride of approximately 10 km you'll find the Kardang Monastery situated atop the hill. This serves as a good vantage point to see the Bhaga river and the Valley below. This monastery is the biggest of Lahaul. As much scenic it is, it is not easy to reach here. Rethink before self drive. It would be better to hire experienced cab driver.
8. Shashur Gompa: Keeping on the road towards Keylong from Tandi, Shashur Gompa is an uphill drive on a link road starting from Keylong Market. It is an old 16th century Monastery with beautiful views of snow capped mountains all around. The sanctum sanctorum is full of peaceful vibe.
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9. The beauty of Jispa- Next pitstop
Next along the route is the beautiful tiny hamlet of Jispa. Jispa is sitting on the bank of river Bhaga and is travellers pitstop for camping by the riverside. It is a perfect place to take a night halt and press the pause button midst the gushing river sound. Spend the evening walking around and cajoling the natures' bounty at this blissful place. We opted to stay at Karma Cottages but there are many options to suit every budget.
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About the Taals (lakes)
10. Deepak Tal: It is the first Tal on the way to Baralacha la pass before Suraj Tal. This lake has an elevation of 3750 m. Spotless blue water of the lake is a treat to the eyes of every traveller.
11. Suraj Tal: Next along the route and close to Baralacha la pass is the third highest lake of India with elevation of 4750 m - Suraj Tal. This lake has greenish color with snow marking the outlines at various places. The area nearby the lake is landslide prone and sees traffic congestions during peak season. So you may not be able to get down and spend some quiet time here ( like us). But the view will sure mesmerize you. The sun shining down on the emerald green water dotted with pure white snow captivates not only your eyes but your heart, mind and soul.
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12. Baralacha La Pass:
A high mountain pass with an elevation of 4950 m, forms the crossroads between Spiti, Ladakh, Lahaul and Zanskar region. Chilly winds and snow all around, that is Baralacha La Pass for us. We spent a good hour around here before concluding our Lahaul trip and heading back home.
P.S. There were three stretches on the route where the nallahs were really intimidating and needed extremely skilled driving to drive by safely.
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Next we hit the trail backwards and made a stop at Manali before reaching home next day.
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BBye ....
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