Getting there
How to reach Spiti Valley
Spiti has two road approaches: from Shimla through Kinnaur, about 420 km and open most of the year, or from Manali over Kunzum La, about 200 km and open roughly June to October. The Shimla route gains altitude gradually and is the safer choice for a first visit.
- From Shimla
- About 420 km via Kinnaur, 2 days
- From Manali
- About 200 km over Kunzum La, 1 long day
- Kunzum La
- Open roughly June to October
- Recommended
- In via Shimla, out via Manali
Why direction matters
The Manali road puts you above 4,500 m within hours of leaving a town at 2,050 m. The Kinnaur road spreads the same climb over two or three days. For anyone who has not been at altitude recently, going in through Kinnaur is not a preference, it is the difference between enjoying the valley and spending a day in bed.
Road conditions
Both approaches include unpaved sections, water crossings and stretches cut into cliff faces. High-clearance vehicles and drivers who know the road are standard rather than optional, which is the main reason self-driving here is a bigger undertaking than it looks on a map.
Questions people ask
Which route to Spiti is better, Shimla or Manali?
Shimla via Kinnaur for going in, because the altitude gain is gradual. Manali over Kunzum La for coming out, once you are acclimatised. Doing the loop in that direction is the standard advice.
Can you reach Spiti in winter?
Only from the Shimla side, and only as an in-and-out trip. Kunzum La is closed, so the circuit is not possible between roughly November and May.
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Tours that go there
Every one of these is run by our own team, with the drivers and the permits arranged.
Read next
- Spiti Valley travel guideSpiti is a high cold desert between 3,000 and 4,500 metres, reached either from Shimla through Kinnaur or from Manali over Kunzum La. The Manali road is open roughly June to October; the Kinnaur road stays open most of the year. Eight to ten days does the full circuit properly.
- Kinnaur travel guideKinnaur follows the Sutlej gorge east of Shimla, climbing from apple country at Sarahan to the high villages of Kalpa and Chitkul near the Tibetan border. It is usually travelled as the approach to Spiti and takes three to four days on its own.
- Best time to visit Spiti ValleyMay to October is the season for the full Spiti circuit, because the Kunzum La road from Manali is only open in those months. The Kinnaur approach from Shimla stays open most of the year, so winter Spiti is possible as an in-and-out trip but not as a loop.
- Altitude sickness in Ladakh and SpitiAltitude sickness typically begins above 2,500 metres and is common in Leh at 3,500 metres, particularly for travellers who fly in. Headache, nausea and breathlessness at rest are the warning signs. The only reliable treatment is descent, which is why itineraries are built to ascend gradually.
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