The Winter Spiti Valley Trip – Special Edition

🌅 Morning Arrival in Shimla:

• ○ 🏨 Transportation change from bus to Tempo Traveler
  ○ 🍽️ Welcome and trip briefing

🎒 Shimla Exploration:

• ○ 🛣️ Mall Road - Colonial architecture and local markets
  ○ ⛪ Christ Church - Historic neo-Gothic architecture
  ○ 🏔️ The Ridge - Panoramic mountain views and photography
  ○ 🌨️ Acclimatization - Prepare for higher altitudes ahead

🌆 Evening:

• Gear check, team bonding, and early rest

🍽️ Meals: Dinner at the hotel
🛌 Overnight Stay: Hotel in Shimla

🌅 Early Morning Departure (225 km / 10 hours) :

• ○ 🍽️ Early breakfast and check-out
  ○ 🚗 Epic 10-hour drive through stunning mountain landscapes

🛣️ Route Highlights:

• ○ 🌉 Cross multiple rivers and mountain passes
  ○ 🏔️ First glimpses of snow-covered peaks
  ○ 📸 Photo stops at scenic viewpoints

🌆 Evening Arrival in Chitkul:

• ○ 🏘️ India's Last Inhabited Village - 3,450m altitude
  ○ 🏠 Check-in to traditional homestay
  ○ 👥 Group bonding exercises
  ○ 🔥 Warm dinner and bonfire with locals

🍽️ Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
🛌 Overnight Stay: Traditional homestay in Chitkul
📝 Note: We'll stay in Sangla if harsh weather doesn't allow stay in Chitkul

🌄 Morning in Chitkul:

• ○ 🍽️ Traditional breakfast at homestay
  ○ 🏘️ Village walk and interaction with locals.
  ○ 🏔️ Baspa River views and mountain photography

🚗 Journey to Tabo (9 hours):

• ○ 🌊 Khaab Sangam - Magnificent confluence of Spiti & Sutlej rivers
  ○ 🏔️ Nako Lake - Ancient frozen lake surrounded by snow peaks
  ○ 🛕 Nako Monastery - Pay reverence at sacred site
  ○ 🏔️ Trans-Himalayan landscape transition
  ○ 🛣️ Drive through dramatic landscape changes

🌆 Evening Arrival in Tabo:

• ○ 🏨 Check-in to Homestay
  ○ 🛕 Brief visit to Tabo Caves - "Ajanta of the Himalayas"
  ○ 🏔️ Serene hamlet exploration

🍽️ Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
🛌 Overnight Stay: Homestay in Tabo
📝 Note: Due to altitude and temperature, common washrooms with hot water bucket provided (extreme winter months)
🌟 Highlights: Khaab Sangam, Nako Lake, Nako Monastery

🌅 Morning Tabo Exploration:

• ○ 🍽️ Breakfast at Homestay
  ○ 🛕 Tabo Monastery detailed visit - 1000-year-old murals and scriptures
  ○ 🧘 Conversation session with monks (optional)

🚗 Drive to Kaza via Dhankar:

• ○ ⛰️ Dhankar Monastery - Spectacular cliffside location
  ○ 🏰 Dhankar Fort - Ancient fortress exploration
  ○ 🏔️ Dhankar Lake trek (weather permitting)
  ○ 📸 Dramatic photography opportunities

🌆 Arrival in Kaza:

• ○ 🏨 Check-in to homestay - Spiti's capital and headquarters
  ○ 🏘️ Free time to explore the small town
  ○ 🌌 Stargazing session - Clearest skies in India

🍽️ Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
🛌 Overnight Stay: Homestay in Kaza.
📝 Note: Common washrooms with hot water bucket provided (extreme winter months)
🌟 Highlights: Tabo Monastery, Dhankar Monastery, Dhankar Fort

🌄 Full Day Kaza Adventure:

• ○ 🍽️ Hearty breakfast at homestay
  ○ 🛕 Key Monastery (Key Gompa) - World-famous Buddhist monastery at 4,166m
  ○ 👨‍🎓 Interact with young monks and learn about Tibetan Buddhism

🏗️ Afternoon Exploration:

• ○ 🌉 Chicham Bridge - Asia's highest motorable bridge, thrilling engineering marvel
  ○ 🏘️ Kibber Village - One of the world's highest inhabited villages
  ○ 🌉 Thrilling 1000ft deep gorge crossing

🌆 Evening in Kaza:

• ○ 🍜 Traditional Spitian dinner with local family
  ○ 🔥 Cultural evening with folk songs and stories
  ○ 📸 Sunset photography from monastery viewpoint
  ○ 🌌 Night sky photography - Milky Way visible!

🍽️ Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
🛌 Overnight Stay: Homestay in Kaza
🌟 Highlights: Key Monastery, Chicham Bridge (Asia's Highest Bridge), Kibber Village

🌅 Morning Adventures:

• ○ 🍽️ Breakfast at homestay
  ○ 📮 Hikkim Post Office - World's highest post office at 4,400m
  ○ 📬 Send postcards to family from "space"!

🦕 Fossil Village Exploration:

• ○ 🏘️ Langza Village - World's highest fossil village
  ○ 🦕 Search for 400-million-year-old marine fossils
  ○ 🗿 Giant Buddha statue overlooking Spiti Valley
  ○ 🏔️ Komic Village - World's highest motorable village

🌆 Evening Return to Kaza:

• ○ 📸 Sunset photography from monastery viewpoint
  ○ 🌌 Night sky photography - Milky Way visible!
  ○ 🔥 Bonfire evening with fellow travelers

🍽️ Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
🛌 Overnight Stay: Homestay in Kaza
🌟 Highlights: Hikkim (World's Highest Post Office), Langza (Fossil Village), Komic Village

🌅 Early Morning Departure:

• ○ 🍽️ Breakfast and emotional goodbye to Kaza
  ○ 🚗 Epic 8-hour journey to Kalpa

🛣️ En-Route Adventure:

• ○ 👻 Gue Village - Visit a 500-year-old naturally preserved mummy (if time/Weather permits)
  ○ 🌊 Lingti Falls - Breathtaking frozen waterfall. 
  ○ 🌉 Cross multiple high-altitude passes

🌆 Evening Arrival in Kalpa:

• ○ 🏨 Check-in to Homestay in Kinnaur Valley
  ○ 🍎 Welcome to famous apple valley region
  ○ 🏔️ Kinnaur Kailash sunset views
  ○ 🛕 Kalpa Monastery - 3000-year-old sacred site visit
  ○ 🏔️ Suicide Point - Picturesque views of Kailash ranges

🍽️ Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
🛌 Overnight Stay: Homestay in Kalpa/Peo
🌟 Highlights: Gue Village (500-year-old Mummy), Kalpa Monastery, Kinnaur Kailash Views

🌄 Morning in Kalpa:

• ○ 🍽️ Breakfast with mountain views
  ○ 🍎 Apple orchard walk through snow-covered valleys
  ○ 🏔️ Kinnaur Kailash morning photography

🚗 Epic Drive to Shimla (10-12 hours):

• ○ 🌉 Sutlej River valley drive
  ○ 🍎 Pass through famous apple growing regions
  ○ 🏘️ Reckong Peo - Perfect pit stop town
  ○ 🏛️ Rock Tunnel - Gateway to Kinnaur photo stop
  ○ 🌨️ Gradual descent from high-altitude cold desert

🌆 Evening Departure from Shimla:

• ○ 🚌 Board overnight vehicle to Delhi
  ○ 🎉 Trip completion celebration and photo sharing

🍽️ Meals: Breakfast included
🛌 Overnight: In transit to Delhi
🏨 Check-out: Standard time 11:00 AM
🌟 Highlights: Apple Valleys, Rock Tunnel, Kamru Fort

🌅 Morning Homecoming:

• ○ 🏠 Arrive in Delhi with lifetime memories
  ○ 📸 Final photo session and contact exchange
  ○ 💙 Trip ends with hearts full of Himalayan magic
  ○ End of Winter Spiti Road Trip

🍽️ Meals: Not included
🛌 Overnight: Back home with epic stories!