Explore the Trans-Himalayan Desert of Spiti

Spend 8 days exploring the Trans-Himalayan Desert in Spiti. Travelling by jeep and with plenty of trekking opportunities, you can expect huge, empty spaces, incredible rock formations, vast dry desert plateaus, little villages and Buddhist monasteries peppering this hauntingly beautiful land.

The geological landscape is by far the most immediately striking feature of Spiti: the massive mountain peaks reaching above a broad, bowl-shaped valley completely dwarf any signs of human activity. The sense of sheer space is colossal, with an otherworldly feel due to the almost complete absence of trees and oceanic deep-blue sky. This is one of India’s least-populated regions, with tiny villages of fewer than fifty houses peppered here and there, and isolated monasteries built on rocky outcrops gazing out into the silence. A place of desolate beauty, where Himalayan Blue Sheep and Snow Leopards eke out a precarious life among the rocks, this is a land that leaves a lasting impression on those who visit.

Crossing Rohtang La is the first of many moments at which you’ll catch your breath as new scenery is unveiled on your guided jeep safari: this is your introduction to the barren beauty of the high deserts, such a contrast to the lush, green world of the foothills around Manali. At Kye, one of the oldest continuously inhabited villages in the world, you’ll see the unique monastery, perched on its pyramid of rock, with a view that fills the mind, and at Langza you can join the Buddha statue overlooking the village in its silent vigil across the valley. You’ll visit Lhalung, where possibly the first Buddhist monastery in Spiti was founded over 1000 years ago, along with a sacred tree that may have been planted at that time.

This is a long tour through some spectacular and remote regions of Northern India, some of it at high altitude. Anyone in reasonable physical condition should be able to cope fairly well, given that you will be travelling most of the distance by jeep or even yak (for an additional cost), but bear in mind that higher altitudes do take some getting used to, no matter how robust you are. Many jeeps crossing north over the Rohtang pass routinely take oxygen tanks with them, in case any tourists have trouble getting used to the environment. You’ll also spend two nights of the trip camping; those who are used to luxuries should bear that in mind- as should anyone who hasn’t experienced the true bumpiness of a jeep ride along mountain roads!

The tour operator who organises this Spiti Valley jeep safari has responsible tourism at the heart of their business. Working closely with local communities, they seek to ensure that tourism has a positive, rather than a detrimental effect on the environment and people. They are also involved in specific ecotourism initiatives including working on restoring the Dhankar monastery, encouraging and aiding women in promoting and selling local handicrafts and promoting the use of green houses and solar passive homes.

We know a lot of people claim responsible practices, but this really is a holiday where you get to see a hidden part of the world and, in doing so, support local people and communities.