What to See at Lahaul and Spiti

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Lahaul and Spiti are two of the most remote valleys in the state of Himachal Pradesh that are at an altitude of 6500 m. They are located on the Indo- Tibet border and have an undeniable fascination. Lahaul has high mountains and huge glaciers. Spiti is closer to Tibet border and is called by various other names such as World within a world, Middle country and Place where the gods live. The monasteries of Lahaul and Spiti are rich repositories of ancient murals, wood carvings, golden images of the Padmasambhava and thankas. The people of this place are charming, friendly and hospitable with their own traditional dances, ballads, folk tales and legends. The Lahaul and Spiti are surrounded by some interesting and beautiful tourist attractions that make up its excursions. Some of the places to see in Lahaul and Spiti are mentioned below.

Lahaul and Spiti

Places to See in Lahaul and Spiti:

  1. Tabo monastery: It is located in the valley of Spiti at an altitude of 3050m. It is mostly referred to as the Ajanta of the Himalayas and is founded by a famous school Richen Zangoo as an advanced centre of learning in the 996 AD. It is a complex that holds nine temples, a monk's chamber. 23 chortens and an extension that houses the nuns, chamber. It is spread over an area of 6300 sq. m and is surrounded by tall boundary walls.
  2. Keylong: It is a village amidst fields of barley and buckwheat at an altitude of 3340 m. It is located above the Bhaga River. It enjoys the status of the district headquarters of Lahaul Spiti and is surrounded by brown hills and white heights. Earlier it was home of the Moravian missionaries. The well known monasteries within a few kilometers radius of Keylong are Tayul, Khardong and Shashur.
  3. Gondhla: It is located on the river bank of the river Chandra. This Lahaul valley has some royal heritage. This eight storey residence of Thakur of Gondhla is called as the Gondhla castle or fort. This was built in 1700 A.D by Raja Man Singh of Kullu. The gompa in this village attracts a number of people, particularly during the fair, which is celebrated in the month of June.
  4. Khoksar: It is perched at a height of 3140m. It is believed that it is coldest place in the Lahaul valley. It is located on the old trade route from Indian plains to the west Asia.
  5. Kunzum pass: It is at an altitude of 4590m. Along with the magnificent views of the surrounded areas, you can see a temple at the top of the pass which is dedicated to Goddess Durga. While going to this pass you can also enjoy the beauty of the second largest glacier in the world, Bara-Sigri glacier.

Along with these there are many other interesting and beautiful places in Lahaul and spite to see such as Tandi, Jispa, Darcha, Baralacha La pass, Sarchu, Shansha, Triloknath, Kaza, Dhankar monastery, Loser, Kibber and many more.