Spiti Valley - An Off Roading Experience

I have been solo backpacking for past 5 years, 
domestic & international. In the early days & some even today pose the obvious questions “Don’t you get bored ? Is it safe for women to travel alone?” etc. Today there is a rise in the number of solo backpackers & definitely there is a lot more awareness. I am a slow traveller using public transportation interacting with locals, tourists & foreigners alike. It is so much easier to strike a conversation when you are out of the cocoon of friends & family, may be more approachable too. I have been made aware of lesser known facts by locals, intrigued by the interest of foreign tourists towards India and truly amazed by the traveling genes of Indians.

Only this time it was all very different. I was on a road trip with a friend for a short duration exploring the  Spiti Valley in a car. From the beginning we were racing against time in true sense. My flight from Bangalore landed in Delhi late by over an hour thanks to Air Asia. My friend was already waiting outside the airport & we left Delhi in a hurry only to reach Shimla not later than 4PM. From Delhi International Airport to Shimla, it is 358 KMS via Chandigarh. We drove through beautiful 4 lane highway NH 44 stopping for quick breakfast in Murthal Haveli. Only a foodie deprived of North Indian cuisine would know the orgasmic feeling that comes with Parathas dipped in Makhan melting in your mouth, accompanied with thick curd & pickles. It’s Food Orgasm!

With a heavy stomach we started off again only to have a small break at Chandigarh to grab some caffeine. All went well till Panchkula, approx 260 KMS from our starting point. We were ecstatic once the Himalayan Expressway started, probably close to what GOT fans felt once the recent series was released. We are here, finally in Devbhoomi Himachal. The lush green hills and sharp sexy curves did its bit to spark the Josh. The excitement was short lived as the road condition ahead was terrible with multiple landslides & there was bumper to bumper traffic on both sides of the road, speed reduced to 15-25KMS/Hour. Added bonus was the lovely rain. Given the current condition of Shimla I had already booked our stay 25KMS ahead promising a sea view of the pine trees that used to be the speciality of Shimla once upon a time. We reached our destination close to 7PM & the area being secluded it was perfect to enjoy the rest of the evening in the quiet company of nature with clouds gliding past & fog slipping inside as we kept the windows open.

Next day we had to cover close to 220KMS to reach our night halt, Kalpa. After breakfast we left the hotel by 9. The road was mesmerizing as the mist accompanied with rain clouds continued to shower on us in alternate turns & curves of the hill. It was green & green & some more green, heavenly Himachal. Road was good for the most part, well connected with bridges adding a romantic charm to the surroundings. We reached Kalpa by 6 in the evening & got lucky. We secured a room with possibly the most beautiful view of Kinner Kailash across our window. The breathtaking view soothing your eyes after a long day drive & making the journey worth it. Traveling in off season has its own perks. We were probably the second guests in the entire hotel.

We had already spent 2 nights & yet to enter Spiti. Third day we were all set for it. Distance from Kalpa to Tabo is slightly over 150KMS & we were confident of making it early, on time. I am confident someone was laughing behind the curtains. After refueling we set out & reality hit us in next 15KMS. There was no road but there was Sutlej flowing with all its might & rigor breaking every barrier on its way. Major landslides, traffic jam while work was on its way. Every time the tyre went to the sides I prayed, and prayed harder. With each passing hour, the surroundings changed & the greenery was replaced with harsh barren lands. We were still in Himachal & slowly inching towards Spiti Valley. Right after Nako we got stranded with few other vehicles in tow. After a wait of 30-45 mins when we finally got the go ahead we had loose stones beneath us & landslide above our head. BRO workers kept screaming “faster”,”faster” & “faster”. Our vehicle got stuck for less than 30 secs & it felt like forever. Sigh!

The rest of the road was uneventful in comparison except that there was less and less road & more of overused tracks. We finally arrived at Tabo slightly before sundown. Our room was a traditional mud room in a homestay with modern facilities. Since we chose to stay away from the market area in almost all the places we were rewarded with seclusion, tranquility & uninterrupted views. I could just laze in the garden for hours gazing at the sky & back to the silhouettes of the surrounding mountains. Next day morning we walked around the village, hired a bike for a short ride & visited the 10th century Tabo Monastery. Our host happened to be a guide of the monastery & he showed us around with great patience & interest. We met a Swiss couple traveling from Geneva with their 10 year old daughter experiencing the healing techniques of the dwellers of the Mystique Himalayas.

Our next stop was Kaza, the sub divisional head quarters of Spiti Valley. It is only 50KMS from Tabo & wouldn’t take more than an hour. On the way from Tabo to Kaza one can visit Dhankar Monastery. We stayed in Kaza for 2 nights & drove around the nearby places. On the day we visited Key monastery it started raining heavily & we had to stay put in the warm corridors of the monastery till the rain subsided outside. It is an unique 16th century monastery that has been destroyed & constructed multiple times over the course of time. The mud walls of the old extant rooms is cool & the steep steps transports you to the top. However, the highlight of the day for me was Kibber. A village so beautiful that one easily fall short of words. Life is hard due to harsh weather conditions & yet the villagers had smiling faces. We shared our chocolates & snacks with the kids in the village & I made a mental note to come back with more. I wish I could figure out a way to do something that would make a long term change.

Our last leg of the journey was to drive back to Manali. We wanted to complete the circuit. On the day of the journey, road was blocked near Losar. We spoke with endless people and each one advised against driving towards Manali. They were very vocal about the non existent road which stays closed for 6 months of the year. We had to stay put on that day. Next day early morning when the time came to choose which direction to take we did the unthinkable. Coin toss & Manali won 2 out of 3 times. We were warned against overflowing Nalas & big rocks, that our car didn’t have the sufficient ground clearance & wasn’t a 4*4 wheel drive. It was a mad decision that we took but then that’s how you probably create memories.

Right before entering Losar an XUV from the opposite side got stuck & had to be pulled out with BRO workers. I think that set the tone for the rest of the day. 200 KMS of complete off roading. I haven’t seen anything similar to this stretch inspite of my time spent in Ladakh. It is unique in every possible way. This time it was a journey from barren to the greenery. Nature unfolded itself after every twist and turn. The view was flat green surface of Spiti Valley, which later transformed to all sizes of rocks. I am confident we crossed a granite quarry & unending barren stretches with sharp bends. We crossed 6-7 Nalas till Chatru. Unfortunately the last big one got us. Vehicle was stuck amidst big boulders & flowing water. Thankfully we had other vehicles behind us who helped us to get the tires rolling. God Bless them !

It was an unforgettable journey & we finally arrived at the Manali – Leh highway junction. As we took the left, the greens that had started few hours back were in abundance again. We drove through Rohtang Pass and there wasn’t a fleck of snow anywhere to be seen. As we started driving down the hill it was time for “kohra” & rain once again. Visibility reduced to negative & we pulled over near the checkpoint. While we had almost made our mind to sleep in the car we saw 3-5 heavy vehicles crossing. With new enthusiasm we followed them only to realize that their heavy duty isn’t slowing them down. We somehow made it through straining our eyes to figure out where the road is heading & reached Manali for the last night.

I must agree it was a different experience, living by the edge every minute of the road. Only when you are seated next to a loved one first time in these regions you will come to experience the risks that the locals take everyday. Life literally hanging on a thin line for the most part.

Accommodation – Treebo Snowview Valley Resort, HPTDC Kalpa, Namsay Homestay Tabo, Sudhnam Guesthouse Kaza.

4 wheel drive is a must recommendation to have a better experience.

After Recong Peo no petrol bunks till Kaza.

Feel free to reach out if you need more info  - www.theikandy.com
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