No doubt, Ladakh and Spiti have been few of the most popular travel destinations in India. The mesmerizing landscapes, the high altitude mountain passes, the Army camps, beautiful Monasteries, lovely villages, and truly hospitable locals make it the most visited expedition by bikers, adventure enthusiasts, and literally everyone.
Usually, the trip starts from Manali, through the Manali-Leh highway, after which the proper Ladakh trip begins. These days, those heading towards Ladakh take the Atal Tunnel route, taking left once they exit out of the tunnel after which the Lahaul Valley starts. But what if I say that there exists a splendid valley with the same landscapes, culture, weather, and many exciting things if you’d take right once you exit out of the valley.
Marvelous Spiti Valley
Welcome to the Marvelous Spiti Valley, which begins once you take a right after the Atal Tunnel from Manali. This is another lovely travel destination of India and trust me, this is my favorite destination in all the 28 states of India which I’ve traveled. Here are a few reasons why Ladakh shouldn’t be the only destination on your trip to North India.
Reasons to Choose Spiti Over Ladakh
A Lesser Known Valley and Lower Crowds
So as most travelers aren’t aware of this Valley due to poor connectivity, bad road conditions and road blocks during winters, the number of tourists are lesser and most of the places are not very crowded making it a perfect offbeat destination.
Public Transport for Budget Travelers
If I’m not wrong, each and every village of Spiti is connected by HRTC buses making your trip budget-friendly. There isn’t anything that taxis must be hired for all the tourist attractions. The buses might be stopped during heavy snowfall time, but except that, the transportation is convenient.
No Need for Permits
As in Ladakh where few areas are restricted to tourists and can be entered with proper permits from higher authorities, there isn’t any such necessity during your trip to Spiti Valley. Foreign Nationals need some permission to enter the valley, but Indians need not have any such permissions to visit any of the villages around (though National ID card is mandatory everywhere).
Rental Bikes Easily Available
So trust me, Spiti Valley is made for someone who loves adventurous roads. The Manali-Kaza road is terrible and is made for bikers who are mad for adventure. I have heard bikers who have traveled to Umling La, Khardung La saying, the road to Kunzum Pass (Highest Mountain Pass of Spiti Valley) is much more challenging than them. All kinds of bikes are available in Shimla, Manali, even in HQ of Spiti, Kaza.
Roads Maintained by BRO
As in Ladakh, the roads here are maintained completely by BRO. I don’t say the complete stretch is good, but as it’s a landslide-prone region, BRO takes the best care of maintaining the roads and making it safe to use for civilians and Army Vehicles. Only the true bikers know very well about the roads maintained by BRO.
Hotels, Restaurants, Tents, Hostels
Most of the villages are smaller but there are enough facilities to accommodate the tourists. Good food is available in most of the places. There are many options of North and South Indian foods in Kaza as there are many options and even a few cafes too.
High Altitude Locations
So if you’re someone who wishes to explore the mountains and high altitude environments like in Ladakh, don’t worry as the average height of most of the villages is above 12,000 ft. There are many inhabited villages above 15,000ft high as well. Most of the surrounding mountains are well above 20,000ft and even above heights, give a try to climb and make a new record lol!!
Winters with Dense Snowfall
Due to its proximity to the Himalayas, the temperatures in winters go as low as -40C. Once November ends then most of the villages are covered entirely with heavy snowfall and the thing is horrible in January and later. So if you’re someone who’s wishing to experience sub-zero temperatures and thick snowfall, Spiti is the right place.
Experience Authentic Culture in Kinnaur Valley
So if you’re traveling to Spiti from Shimla, you come through the Kinnaur Valley in Himachal Pradesh itself. Kinnauras are known for their Green caps on their head, their worship, hospitality and ancient culture which adds as a bonus to the trip.
Time to Complete the Circuit
Though the Spiti trip takes around 10 days to complete, almost everything can be covered in 10-12 days including Kinnaur, Spiti valley and a bit of Manali. But Ladakh is pretty huge and as an adventure enthusiast, the true beauty of Ladakh can only be experienced by covering every corner of it, making it a much lengthy expedition.
Minimality Makes the Expedition Special
As most of the area here is totally barren, the facilities, stay options, food options are not plentiful and not too commercialized. Mostly all the hotels, homestays are run by locals making it a unique experience of traveling with minimal comfort.
Notable Locations in Spiti Valley
There are so many interesting locations in the valley which makes this place very special. The Highest Post Office of the World-Hikkim, The Highest Inhabited village in the world connected to Motorable road-Komic, The Highest Fuel Outlet in the World-Kaza, Highest Bridge of Asia-Chicham Bridge, Oldest Functional Monastery of India-Tabo, Highest Point of Himachal Pradesh-Reo Purgyl are the very notable tourist spots here.
Conclusion
Both the destinations are true gems of India and we must be extremely lucky to have such wonderful terrains in our own country. But there is something better with Ladakh, which most tourists aren’t aware of and should definitely give a try to explore every bit of India.
Though I have personally not visited Ladakh but explored the Spiti properly, my views are based on observation, various blogs and videos. I will add much once I properly explore Ladakh. I would be happy to know your experiences in Spiti and Ladakh or if you wish to add something to the above-mentioned points in the comments below.
Also read the Myths and Realities of the Magical Spiti Valley.
