GETTING THERE

The road to Spiti Valley goes through Manali or Shimla. Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport is the nearest international airport to both Shimla and Manali. While the route from Shimla via Kinnaur is more developed and stays open almost through the year, the road from Manali is rocky and opens only during summer (May/June–September/October, depending on rainfall). You might want to factor in the distance, too. Spiti is roughly 200 km from Manali, a journey that takes around 10 hours under ideal circumstances. The distance from Shimla is almost twice as much and requires an overnight halt en route; Rekong Peo is a popular halfway point. A local HRTC bus leaves for Kaza from Rekong Peo around 7 am, and from Manali around 5 am, everyday. In Manali, you can also book a seat in a private minibus (` 1,000–`1,500/USD13– USD20 per person), which is faster and more comfortable than the bus. In Kaza, the taxi union’s office is where you can book your choice of transport for the return journey, or for touring in Spiti Valley. You can also rent a self- drive car for the trip, if you’re experienced in driving on such hilly terrain.