I was fortunate enough to visit Spiti a number of times in 2018 and 2019, before the pandemic brought travel and tourism to a halt. Locked up at home, I feel the urge to travel but also to share my wonderful experience in this golden land. 

My first contact with Spiti was an unexpected one. My initial days on Instagram and talking to a few relatives exposed me to the majestic valleys of the cold desert nestled in the north-eastern part of Himachal Pradesh. Turning a few pages of the book, one fine Saturday night I landed in the god’s own valley. The advent of the journey was not easy, from multiple attempts to escape Delhi to not being able to convince my parents to allow an 18 year old to travel solo, but I finally ended up mustering the courage to set off on my own. 

Nothing you read online will prepare you for what you will go through. It might guide you through the travelling points, the transport, but what lies ahead is something totally different. 

The next morning, you might wake up with the urge to get some hot tea but instead of enjoying the warmth in subzero temperatures, I suggest you take in the immensity of the mountains around you. Surrounded by 5000m tall peaks on all sides, you won’t help but wonder about how small you are in this majestic world.

At a height of 3,800 meters (12467 feet, or well over 2 miles), it took me about a day to acclimatize to the thin air in the region. Walking uphill at a steady pace left me gasping for air each time. It took me another few days to figure out the optimal layers of clothes to wear. The sunrays are strong enough to burn the skin, but the moment you step in the shade the cold hits you. 

The Different Faces of Spiti.  
The more time you spend on the valley, the more you realize that every mile in every direction leads you to a different landscape. Spiti, a purely Buddhist society, with some of the oldest Tibetan monasteries in the world, is a cultural abode to soak in the calm, depth and spectrum of life and also the human within. 

A string of little stalls sell local handicrafts, and daily essentials like sun hats and sunglasses. Internet connection through a cyber cafe is also available, by tapping upon the army satellite connection. Internet access at 3,800 meters is a commendable feat and despite its tortoise speed, it allows you to keep in touch with the online world.

The first few days, if you’re on a 10-15 day trip, should be spent exploring Kaza. 

Hikkim

In the neighbourhood of Komic is a small sign announcing the tiny village of Hikkim, where you spend a day writing letters to your loved ones and sending them from the world’s highest post office. Hikkim is believed to have the highest functional post office in the world – though I hear the postman would rather be left in peace.

With these being the major tourist attractions, going deep into the local cultures and interacting with the locals will lead you to discover mind boggling rituals and places. A few of them are :

• A mummified monk, a literal mummy now, in the village of Gue, about 100 odd kilometres from Kaza. 
• If you’re as lucky as I was, as this is not open to the rest of the world, an exorcism exercise to talk to god about the valley’s weather and crops and wishing for a good year ahead. 
• Hidden lakes and frozen waterfalls, revealing a hidden monastery, claimed to be residence of the Pandavas back in the era
• Multi-colour mountains, which are formed mainly because of the iron compounds in the soil, in one of the extreme corners of the valley, connecting you to passes like Pin Bhabha and Pin Parvati.

Even with a short stint in Spiti, you subconsciously develop a close bond with this golden land. You become accustomed to the extreme weather, the infinite hospitality of the locals, and even the lack of communication with the world outside. 

Spiti has taught me the immediate need to care for its fragile ecology, so it can be preserved in a way such that 10 years from now, travellers will be able to appreciate its raw beauty the way I did. After countless interactions with the locals, the businessmen and the lovely people at Spiti Ecosphere, I understand that every small effort counts. Every less plastic bottle used and disposed counts. Every voice discouraging their usage counts. Every blog post that urges travellers to switch to eco-friendly alternatives counts. Every responsible travel choice counts.

Here’s how you can help as a traveller visiting Spiti Valley:

• Pledge to say NO to plastic bottled water in Spiti. Most homestays in the upper villages of Spiti also have water filters, and cafes in Kaza have filtered water installations, refill and reuse. 
• Before you book your tour, hotel, homestay or guesthouse in Spiti, ask in what ways they contribute to environmental conservation in Spiti. The best way to make businesses care is to demand it as their potential customers.
• Volunteer with Spiti Ecosphere – in Spiti or virtually – to take this project to the next level.
• Carry your non-biodegradable waste back from Spiti, and dispose of it in a big city where some form of waste management or recycling is in place. For me, doing this puts in perspective how much plastic waste I generate, and inspires me to consume less plastic-wrapped junk food!
• Encourage your fellow travellers to do all of the above.