Once we were done exploring Kinnaur Valley completely, now was the time to explore the major crux of Spiti, Tabo and Kaza with all other places around. We actually started from Haridwar, then straight away came to Reckong Peo via Shimla. This was how we entered Kinnaur and explored Kalpa, Chitkul, Sangla and planned to explore Nako, but due to shortage of time and kind of inconvenient bus schedule we straight away headed towards Tabo, after officially entering Spiti after Sumdo.
Journey to Tabo – The Hindustan Tibet Highway
To mention again, the journey to Tabo was actually my best ever road journey till date. The bus journey itself was so mesmerizing, I can’t imagine the complete 360 degree experience on a bike journey. If you haven’t read it, just check my experience before continuing to read this as it genuinely took my heart and mind to genuinely describe such an amazing journey.
Welcome to Tabo
After a long journey of 210 kms which took around 9+ hours due to the road conditions, we finally reached Tabo, a very beautiful tiny village nestled between gigantic colorful mountains all around. One side of the village was the Pretty Spiti River flowing smoothly and other side were the tiny and beautiful mud houses spread all around the village. This would properly describe the ideal Himalayan village surrounded by mountains, peaceful environment, an old monastery with very hospitable people around.
The Iconic Tabo Monastery
We were so exhausted that we wanted to take good rest, but we didn’t want to waste a day. So we directly freshened up and set out to roam around the streets of Tabo. So if you don’t know, Tabo Monastery is the oldest functional monastery in India and is one of the most loved ones of the Dalai Lama. A monk here said that he actually wishes to spend his time here, but due to bad road connectivity, he usually stays in Dharamshala.
Monastery Guest House
The best part of Tabo Monastery is that there is a proper guesthouse for tourists and they can stay with monks at a nominal cost. Also they can take part in prayer sessions with them. We were lucky as we were the only tourists on the day we went. Another interesting part of Tabo is the pets around the monastery. Though they appeared too dangerous, they actually were too friendly and mostly fed by the monastery itself.
Interacting with Monks & their link with Karnataka
Once we were out to roam around Tabo, the monks offered Tea with them and we had a wonderful time interacting with them and learning more about Buddhist culture. We became much familiar with them because the monks usually leave this monastery and go to other monasteries in peak winters, where they usually come to Kushal Nagar or Mundgod in Karnataka. So they are familiar with Karnataka and Kannada which brought us much closer.
The Apple Season
The best part of this monastery campus is the Apple Gardens which belong to the monastery itself. The trees were full of ripple apples and the cool monk said to eat it whenever you need and those are the fresh juicy apples that reach us after a lot of processing and other stuff.
Exploring Tabo
We set out to explore the tiny aesthetic village and interacted with a few local people and had a good time with the kids. These are usually cut out from the outside world and if you properly know the exact geography of Spiti and Kinnaur Valley, then you should also know that you need 2 days atleast to reach Shimla and more than a day to reach Manali, making it difficult for these people during an emergency.
The Prayer Caves
We went to a small Buddha Cave after a very small trek and it was the meditating caves of the monks. But the best part is, I could now see the entire Tabo village with surrounding mountains which was kind of an aerial view. It was damn beautiful after the sunrise and since it’s completely surrounded by mountains all around, by 5 5:30 it starts getting darker and we were actually done for the day and had a simple yet satisfying meal with the monks before going to bed.
The Pretty Spiti River
The next day, our plan was to roam around for some more time and catch the same bus which we had come yesterday and reach Kaza by night. I woke up early and crossed the monastery compound. There were actually 2 compounds and nobody was allowed to go there and there was Spiti River flowing at the end and it was deep down from the ground. I still managed to jump both of them and I was surprised to get the best view of Spiti River ever.
Rivers in Himalayas
This is the best part of the rivers in the Himalayas which I love the most. They never carry mud and dust with them and as the river originated from fresh glacier melting, it would be crystal clear and even the stones reflect light in the morning. So honestly the river looks very pretty and I almost went down to taste the water but the final part was too rocky and I didn’t wear my shoes, added to that the temperature was 1 or 2 degree Celsius making my palms and feet cold as hell.
So I clicked some breathtaking images and sat for 10 mins enjoying the cool breeze and silence of the surroundings. Even the Tabo village was looking splendid in the morning.
Day-2 in Tabo
Exploring the Oldest Monastery
We got ourselves ready after a light breakfast. Actually there are 2 monasteries and the new one was closed, but the old one was open. We could see the old paintings and the scripts of Buddhists. There were also many silent prayer rooms for monks where they pray everyday. Visiting monasteries itself gives a lot of peace and feels good to spend time, even speaking with monks kind of feels positive vibes.
Mud Houses – The Best Part of Nako & Tabo
We’d never know how time passes when we spend time in monasteries. We then headed to visit the iconic mud houses which are very popular in Spiti. Nako is very popular for mud houses and there are even some here too. Usually they make such houses to keep them warm during peak winters. Even they spread grass on the roof and it’s very famous among tourists to stay at these kinds of houses for a new experience.
Conclusion
As expected this was another tiny village and there was nothing much to explore in Tabo, we again had a good lunch with humble monks and headed to the bus stand to actually experience the main content of Spiti Valley, the HQ Kaza. This was actually the trailer and all the best parts were actually in and around Kaza. Also there are many good places to visit on the diversions from the Tabo – Kaza road like the Dhankar Monastery, Mud, Pin Valley. This was our splendid experience in Tabo and will continue with the guide to Nako-Tabo and our journey to Kaza with our adventures in the coming blogs.
🫂🔥
🙂 🙂