Winter Road Trip Chandigarh - Rampur - Tabo - Dhankar - Kaza - Key - Khibber - Chicham - Langza - Hikkim - Komic - Rampur - Chandigarh

Chapter 1: 21st December till the 28th December

A little bit about Spiti Valley

Spiti valley, also known as the “Middle Land” is a Trans-Himalayan terrain bordering with Tibet at an average altitude of 4000 meters. Spiti valley is home to some of the oldest monasteries in the Himalayan region like Tabo monastery, Dhankar monastery, Sherkhang monastery and Kye monastery, strong hold of Buchen Lamas in Pin Valley, famous for Tibetan medicine system and Amchis, fossils of Langza village, highest motorable villages and passes, scenic lakes, a 1000 year old culture, tough life, beautiful villages and people and out of this world landscape.

Come and explore with us as we travel to a civilisation frozen in time. Spiti Fixed Departures have been planned in a way that you explore Spiti like a local and at a pace that helps you acclimatise and enjoy at the same time.

A little bit about Winters in Spiti

- It gets very cold in winter i.e. December through February with temperatures hitting - 30C. You will need to be mentally and physically fit and must have done some high altitude travel in order to be able to handle travelling through this terrain.

- All hotels and guest houses will be shut at the time and you will only get homestays which have dry eco friendly squatting toilets. You will need to be okay with this as wet toilets are not available due to water lines freezing. 

- Because of the water lines freezing, the locals need to carry the water from a nearby water source and hence having a bath while you are in Spiti will not be possible.

- In peak winter i.e. January and early February all the places might not be open due to adverse weather conditions. We will keep you updated of the same in case any last minute changes need to be made to your plan. 

- Winter time is off season in Spiti, and you will not have many options in terms of activities, and because of the cold, you won’t be able to move around as much and will end up spending time in the homestay. We recommend travellers to make the most of the situation, and turn

their time at the homestay as of getting to know more about Spitian life, food and culture.

- Because of winter, there will not be many options in terms of food and in a homestay you will need to be understanding and eat the hearty but basic food that your hosts provide.

- Be prepared to be understanding and flexible, as we can make last minute plan changes due to bad weather for your safety and wellbeing.

Basic Details

Trip Duration: 7 Nights and 8 days
Cost: INR 21800 per person (exclusive of GST)

There is no single occupancy available for this trip. Rooming will be on double occupancy in hotels or double/ triple occupancy as per the layout of the homestay.

Short Itinerary

DAY 1: Chandigarh to Rampur

DAY 2: Rampur to Tabo via Nako

DAY 3: Tabo to Kaza via Dhankar

DAY 4: Kaza to Key, Khibber, Chicham bridge and back

DAY 5: Snow Hike around Kaza

DAY 6: Snow drive Langza, Hikkim, Komic

DAY 7: Kaza to Rampur

DAY 8: Rampur to Chandigarh

Route Map

Day 1 Saturday (21st December) - Chandigarh to Rampur

Land in Chandigarh in the morning and head towards Rampur. Your guide will see you in Rampur but before you leave Chandigarh You can stop at a pharmacy and pick up and essential medicines and snacks that you might have forgotten to pack. As you leave the hustle and bustle

of the city behind, enjoy the beauty and take appropriate breaks on the way. Lose yourself amidst scenic valleys on either side of the road. Reach Rampur and take it easy in the evening. Meet your guide and get to know your fellow travellers over dinner that night. Your winter

adventure begins before the crack of dawn the next day.

Day 2: Sunday (22nd December) - Rampur to Tabo via Nako

This morning since it is a long journey to Tabo you will be leaving around 4 am. The journey will take about 9-10 hours if everything goes as planned. Enjoy a nice, warm, early morning breakfast with a view of the mountains at Tapri. On your way you will notice the terrain change and you will see the end of tree line. See the confluence of Spiti and Sutlej river at Khab. We shall have a lunch break at the scenic Nako village- you can walk to the frozen lake here, only if permitted by the guide. Tonight you will get your first experience in a local Spitian

homestay. You can gather around the local style tandoor in the evening with the rest of the group and interact with your host family over dinner. Take enough rest in the night.

Day 3 Monday (23rd December) - Tabo to Kaza via Dhankar

Take the morning easy, have your breakfast and visit the “Ajanta of Himalayas”- The Tabo Monastery which is close to a 1000 years old now. The murals, thankas and paintings are believed by the locals to have been made in a single night by the Gods themselves. On your way visit Dhankar Monastery, if the road is open - Dhankar used to be the Seat of the King in ancient times- the most beautiful setting for a monument

which hangs on a cliff and overlooks the confluence of the Spiti and Pin rivers. Stay in Kaza for the night. Warm up by the tandoor and help out in the kitchen if you want to. A great way to bond with your host is by making and sharing a meal together. :)

Day 4 Tuesday (24th December) - Kaza to Key, Khibber and back

Take the morning easy and stroll through Kaza village. You can chat with the locals over a cup of tea.We shall then head to Kye Monastery and Khibber Village. Kye monastery is on top of a mountain overlooking the Spiti valley and the Spiti river. After Key monastery, we will go a

bit further and visit Khibber Village- which used to be one of the highest villages in the world once upon a time.

Day 5 Wednesday (25th December) - Snow Hike around Kaza

Enjoy a heavy breakfast and get ready for your hike to the village around Kaza. Because of the cold and the heavy snow, a hike is an invigorating way to keep warm and also experience Spiti just like the locals do.

Day 6 Thursday (26th December) - Snow drive Langza, Hikkim, Komic

This morning we go on a snow drive towards Langza, Hikkim and Komic. On your way, we will make a couple of designated stops for you to take some pictures. Stay in Kaza for the night. Make the most of your homestay experience by learning about local life, festivals and traditions

from your host family. Winters is a time when locals interact a lot with each other and many social activities take place.

Day 7 Friday (27th December) - Kaza to Rampur

We leave early morning today for Rampur and as it is a long journey, breakfast and lunch will be done along the way. Say your goodbyes to your wonderful hosts this morning.

Day 8 Saturday (28th December) - Rampur to Chandigarh

Leave early in the morning to catch your evening flight from Chandigarh back to your hometown and take back memories back of a isolated civilisation and trans Himalayan terrain. Trip ends here. :)

Trip Cost:

INR 21800 per person (exclusive of 5% GST) There is no single occupancy available for this trip. Rooming will be on double occupancy in hotels or double/ triple occupancy as per the

layout of the homestay.

What is included:

- All Transport in a Tempo Traveller from Day 1 to Day 8 
- Accommodation on a twin sharing basis in a hotel

- Accommodation on twin/ triple sharing basis in the homestay 
- 3 meals every day (breakfast, lunch and dinner) from Day 2 to Day 7

-Lunch and Dinner on Day 1 -Breakfast and Lunch on Day 8

- All entry fees to monasteries in Spiti (if any) - Local Guide provided from Day 2 till day 7

What is not included:

- Snacks and beverages (except the ones with meals) - Any kind of insurance


- GST
- Cost of any emergency (snow storm, flooding and road closure)

- Bus/ flight/ train ticket cost to Chandigarh - Camera Fees

Cancellation Policy:

In case you need to cancel your plans for the trip due to avoidable/unavoidable reasons, please do notify us in writing regarding the same. The cancellation charges levied will be as follows:


60 - 46 days prior to date of departure: 10% of the tour cost
45 - 16 days prior to date of departure: 20% of the tour cost 15 - 8 days prior to date of departure: 25% of the tour cost 7 - 4 days prior to date of departure: 50% of the tour cost Less than 72 hours prior to date of departure: No refund

A few things to note:

Minimum requirement: The trip runs if we have a minimum of 4 confirmed participants. In the event that we don’t get the requisite numbers we can run with less than 4 participants if participants are willing to pay extra. We will revise the costing according to the no. of participants. Alternatively in the event the trip gets cancelled, we will reimburse the amount paid to the participants minus any minimal bank charges that

may have been cut.

Room Sharing: All stays in guesthouses will be on a twin sharing basis except for homestays where it will be as per the layout of the homestay i.e 2,3 or 4 people in one room basis the size of the room. Rooms are divided amongst same sex participants which is most comfortable for

solo travellers and friends. Only if there is a couple amongst the group will they get to stay together.

Type of participants: Our groups usually have participants between the ages of 20-40 and we have a healthy 50-50 male to female ratio in the group, with friends, couples and solo travellers alike.  


Homestays: You shall stay in a homestay for a night where you shall be sharing some space with a local family. It will be a wonderful experience to see the life of people at this altitude and how content they are. Stay and food will be very basic and your host will serve you

local cuisine. 

Dry Toilets: Since there is lack of water in cold deserts and carrying water is not easy at such high altitudes- the concept of dry toilets have been prevalent in Spiti since the beginning. In your homestay, you will either get a common bathroom which you will be sharing with your

host family or a dry toilet. We can also provide a stool if some people have difficulty squatting but there shall be an extra charge for the same.

Bathing and Hot Water in a Homestay: Since we shall be around 4000 meters during peak winters, getting hot water for everyone in a homestay will not be possible. Hot water for drinking shall not be an issue but for bathing it will not be possible.

For more information, mail us at- Spiti@IncredibleSpiti.com or call us at +91-9650675505/ 9418718564