New Delhi :
Travelling is an experience. It frees one’s soul from burden and brings rich taste to those who enjoy the luxuries of paradise.
And, one such must-visit place is the Valley of monks and – don’t mix here- we are not talking about the Kashmir Valley but Spiti Valley which still tells the tale of untouched beauty.
The Spiti Valley is located in the farthest corners of Himachal and boasts of beauty, culture and adventure.
The landscape is breath-taking yet harrowing so you definitely need a 4 X 4 car to sustain the perils of the journey.
The Spiti Valley
It is a desert mountain valley located high in the Himalaya mountains in the north-eastern part of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. The name "Spiti" is derived from "The Middle Land", i.e. the land between Tibet and India.
There are two major routes to reach the region. Along the northern route from Manali, Himachal Pradesh or Keylong via the Rohtang Pass or Kunzum Pass one can respectively reach the periphery. Otherwise one needs to cross Kaza and Kalpa to reach the beautiful valley which lies in the North East of the Indian hill state.
Lahaul and Spiti district are divided by Kaza which is situated along the Spiti River at an elevation of about 12,500 feet (3,800 m) above mean sea level.
Kalpa
Being there and lived the dream, Kalpa is one of the most daring places to visit if one talks about the known tourist spots in India. To reach the area one need to cross Shimla and Rampur and head to the destination. However, the journey is often difficult because the road that connects Kalpa and Rampur is often disturbed due to landslides. So you have to cover the 5 Km distance by going around a stiff cliff which enhances your journey by 25 kms. Meanwhile, the road is dusty,
How to reach Kalpa?
Nearest Airport (267 km) and Railhead (244 km) is at Shimla. The route is on NH - 22 (The Hindustan Tibet Road) which bifurcates toKalpa from Powari. Buses and Taxis are available at Shimla and Rampur. One can also reach Kalpa via Manali - Rohtang Pass - Kunzam Pass - Kaza (400 km).
Tourism
In Kalpa, it is only scenery and trekking that will drive you to try out everything. For shopping and good eating joints purposes one have to go down to Reckong Pio (nearly 5 kms).
Nearby tourist spots include Suicide point, a trek to Sangla Valley and Chaka, Kinner Kailash view, Kamru and Sapni Fort.
If travelling from Delhi, one need to keep an estimated period of nearly 15-16 hours to reach Kalpa.
From Kalpa you can reach Kaza via Nako in again an estimated period of 16 hours as it is another 250 kms journey from Kalpa.
