Places to Visit in Spiti: Monasteries, Villages and the Cold Desert

Monasteries and villages are the two things worth driving for, and the places to visit in Spiti sit along a single river in the order the road reaches them. Tabo was founded in 996 CE and is described as the oldest continuously operating Buddhist enclave in India and the Himalaya, which makes the valley's quietest building its oldest. Everything else sits between there and Chandratal, with Dhankar, Key and the high villages above Kaza along the way.

Each of these is reached from the one road along the Spiti river, with short climbs off it. The guide to preparing for travelling in India assumes the India side, and Spiti adds altitude to it rather than paperwork.

Places to visit in Spiti

Grouped by where they sit along the river, west to east and then up.

Tabo. The oldest monastery complex in the valley, and the lowest of the main stops.
Dhankar. The old capital on a spur, with the lake above it and the Pin valley beyond.
Kaza. The subdivisional headquarters, the fuel, the bazaar and the base for everything above.
Key and Kibber. The best-known monastery in Spiti, and the villages and bridge above it.
Langza, Komic and Hikkim. The high cluster, reached on a loop from Kaza.
Chandratal. The lake below Kunzum La, on the Manali side of the pass.

Tabo and the murals that survived a thousand years

Tabo was founded in 996 CE by the translator Rinchen Zangpo for Yeshe-O of the Guge kingdom, and it has operated since. The Archaeological Survey of India protects it as a national historic treasure.

What it is. A complex of mud-brick temples at around 3,050 metres, lower than the rest of the valley.
The murals. Clay figures and wall paintings inside the main temple, which is why photography is restricted.
Why it is dark. There are almost no windows, and that is the reason the paintings survived a thousand years.
The caves. Cut into the cliff above the village, used for meditation and open to walk up to.
How long. An hour inside, and it rewards a night in the village rather than a stop on the way.

Dhankar and the Pin valley

Dhankar sits on a spur of eroded rock above the meeting of the Spiti and Pin rivers, and it was the valley's old capital. The Pin valley runs south from there into a national park.

Dhankar Gompa. Built on a crumbling spur, which is why a newer monastery was built below it.
Dhankar lake. An hour's walk up from the village, steeply, and the walk is the point.
Pin Valley National Park. The core snow leopard and ibex habitat in the district.
Mudh. The last village in the Pin valley, and the trailhead for the walk over to Kinnaur.
Kungri. The Pin valley's own monastery, of the Nyingma order rather than the Gelug.

Key, Kibber and the Chicham bridge

Key is the largest monastery in Spiti and the building that appears in most photographs of the valley. Kibber and Chicham sit above it on the plateau.

Key Gompa. Stacked on a hill above the river, with assembly halls layered up the slope.
Kibber. A village on the plateau above Key, and the base for snow leopard tracking in winter.
Chicham bridge. A suspension span across a gorge above Kibber, which replaced a winch and a basket.
Snow leopards. Himachal announced an estimated 83 adults statewide in October 2025, with Spiti and Pin among the highest densities.
Who did the counting. A team of eight people from Kibber village led the camera-trap work.

The survey is worth knowing about for a reason beyond the number. Who does the fieldwork decides who holds the knowledge, and whether a protected place benefits the people in it usually turns on exactly that.

Langza, Komic and Hikkim

The three villages above Kaza, all over 4,000 metres, usually done as one loop. The record claims attached to them are looser than the signage suggests.

Langza. The large Buddha figure above the village, and the fossil-bearing hills behind it.
Komic. At 4,587 metres, described as one of the world's highest villages with a motorable road.
Hikkim. The post office that has run since 1983 under one postmaster, Rinchen Chhering.
The record that moved. Hikkim held the world's highest polling station until 2017, when Tashigang in the same district took it at 15,256 feet.
How to do it. One loop from Kaza, on day two or three rather than on arrival.

Komic and Hikkim are each sold as the highest something in the world, and the careful sources say one of the highest rather than the highest. The claims are real and they are shared, which is a different thing from what the boards say.

Chandratal and the high passes

Chandratal sits at around 4,250 metres on the Manali side of Kunzum La, which puts it outside Spiti proper and inside most Spiti itineraries. It is reachable only when the pass is open.

The lake. A crescent of meltwater below the ridge, half an hour's walk from the parking area.
Kunzum La. 4,551 metres, the pass between Spiti and Lahaul, and the gate on the whole circuit.
Camping. Tented camps a couple of kilometres back, since staying at the lake itself is restricted.
When. Roughly June to October. Outside that window the pass is shut and the lake is unreachable.
Altitude. Sleeping here is higher than Kaza, so it belongs late in a trip rather than early.

Everything above sits within a day of Kaza except the lake, which is why the valley rewards a base rather than a convoy. Our eleven day high-altitude journey through Spiti takes in Kibber, Key, Langza, Komic and Chicham at the pace the altitude requires. Customised tours is where Tabo, the Pin valley and Chandratal get added or left out. The August fair at Kaza is the one week when the valley fills.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the oldest monastery in Spiti?

Tabo, founded in 996 CE by the translator Rinchen Zangpo for Yeshe-O of the Guge kingdom. It is described as the oldest continuously operating Buddhist enclave in India and the Himalaya, and the Archaeological Survey of India protects it as a national historic treasure. Its wall paintings survived because the temples have almost no windows.

Is Komic the highest village in the world?

Not provably. Komic sits at 4,587 metres and careful sources call it one of the world's highest villages with a motorable road rather than the highest. Hikkim nearby makes a similar claim about its post office. Both claims are real and both are shared rather than sole.

Can you see snow leopards in Spiti?

Sometimes, and almost always in winter, when the animals come lower and the ground is bare. Himachal announced an estimated 83 adult snow leopards statewide in October 2025, with Spiti and the Pin valley among the highest densities in the state. Kibber is the usual base and sightings are never guaranteed.

What is Spiti famous for?

Monasteries, altitude and the cold desert. Tabo and Key are the two best-known buildings, the villages above Kaza sit over 4,000 metres, and the whole valley lies in the rain shadow of the main Himalayan range. It is also one of the more reliable places in India to look for snow leopards in winter.

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