Things to Know Before Planning a Trip to Spiti

Two roads reach Spiti and only one of them stays open all year, which is the first decision a trip to Spiti turns on. Indian passport holders need no permit for Spiti or Kinnaur, because the orders that cover the valley carry the word Foreigners in their titles. Settle the road, the season and the altitude, and the money and the length of the trip follow from them.

Almost everyone arrives by road from inside India, which makes this a domestic journey with a high-altitude problem attached. The guide to preparing for travelling in India covers the general version, and Spiti sits inside it rather than beside it.

When to plan a trip to Spiti

May to October for the full circuit, and the rest of the year for one road only. The season is set by Kunzum La rather than by the weather in the valley.

Mid-May to June. Both roads usually open, once Kunzum La is cleared in the second half of May.
July and August. Warmest, greenest, and the one period when the Kinnaur road is most prone to landslides.
September and October. The clearest skies and the most stable road conditions of the year.
November to April. Kinnaur road only, and heavy snow can shut the Nako to Kaza stretch for two or three days at a time.
One month, if you want one. September.

The valley is dry all year. The monsoon that closes roads in Kinnaur mostly stops at the Himalayan crest, which is why Spiti can be clear while the approach to it is not.

The two roads into Spiti, and which one closes

Shimla through Kinnaur is the all-year road. Manali over Kunzum La is the one that shuts, and it shuts for roughly half the year.

Shimla to Kaza, through Kinnaur. NH-05, the old Hindustan-Tibet road. Open all year in principle, two long days, and the gentler climb.
Manali to Kaza, over Kunzum La. 4,551 metres at the pass. Cleared around late May and closed again by the first heavy snow.
What open means. The Kinnaur road stays notionally open through winter and still closes in bursts between Nako and Kaza after heavy snowfall.
The sensible direction. Up through Kinnaur and out over Kunzum, so the altitude is gained slowly and lost quickly.
Why it matters for a short trip. A one-way circuit needs both roads open. Only the Kinnaur road is available outside the summer window.

Spiti being cut off in winter is the most repeated thing said about it and it is not quite true. The Manali road closes. The valley stays reachable from the Shimla side, and people live and work there through the winter.

Permits for Spiti, and who actually needs one

Indian citizens need nothing. Foreign nationals need an Inner Line Permit for the stretch past Jangi, and the distinction is in the name of the law rather than in the name of the place.

Indian passport holders. No permit for Kinnaur or Spiti. Carry photo identity and vehicle papers and register at the checkposts.
Foreign nationals. A permit is required beyond Jangi, around 35 kilometres from Reckong Peo, and it covers Kaza, Tabo, Dhankar and Key.
Where it is not needed. Lower Kinnaur, including Kalpa, Sangla, Chitkul and Sarahan, is outside the restricted stretch.
Where to get it. In person at a district office, most practically Reckong Peo. There is no online application for this one.
Group size. The Kinnaur side expects two or more applicants and the Spiti side asks for four. Single travellers are at the officer's discretion.
Checkposts. Jangi and Sumdo. Everybody registers. Only foreign nationals produce a permit.

The confusion is worth naming once. The Inner Line Permit that binds Indian citizens comes from an 1873 regulation and applies in four northeastern states. What covers Spiti and Kinnaur is the Foreigners (Protected Areas) Order and the Foreigners (Restricted Areas) Order, and the word Foreigners is in both titles.

Altitude in Spiti, and how to arrive

Kaza is the valley's subdivisional headquarters and sits well above 3,500 metres, with villages above it at 4,000 and higher. The approach decides how the altitude feels far more than fitness does.

Through Kinnaur. Two days of steady climbing, with nights at progressively higher stops. The body gets the gradient it needs.
Over Kunzum from Manali. A single day that crosses 4,551 metres and drops into Kaza. Faster and harder.
The first night. Sleep lower than the highest point reached that day wherever the route allows it.
The villages above Kaza. Langza, Komic and Hikkim all sit higher again, so leave them for day two or three rather than the afternoon of arrival.
What to watch for. Headache, breathlessness at rest, nausea and broken sleep. Descending is the only reliable fix.

Money, fuel and connectivity in Spiti

Cash, a full tank and low expectations of signal. Kaza has the valley's only reliable infrastructure and everything beyond it thins out quickly.

Cash. Carry it. ATMs exist at Kaza and Reckong Peo and they run dry or go offline.
Fuel. Kaza holds one of the highest retail pumps in the country. Fill up there and again at Reckong Peo.
Mobile signal. Postpaid connections work better than prepaid. BSNL and Jio reach more of the valley than the others.
Electricity. Available and intermittent. Carry a power bank and charge whenever you can.
Accommodation. Homestays in the villages and small hotels at Kaza. Most are not online and a phone call a day ahead is the normal method.

How long you need in Spiti

Seven days from Shimla and back, nine to do the full circuit out through Manali, and under five is a drive rather than a visit.

Five days. Kaza and the villages around it, if you fly into Bhuntar or Shimla and move fast.
Seven days. Up through Kinnaur with nights at Sangla or Kalpa, Tabo and Kaza, and back the same way.
Nine to ten days. The full loop, in through Kinnaur and out over Kunzum, with Chandratal on the way.
Two weeks. Adds the Pin valley and time to walk.
Under four days. Possible from Manali in summer, and mostly road.

Spiti punishes a compressed itinerary more than most places, because the altitude profile is the schedule. Our eleven day high-altitude journey through Spiti is built around the pace the valley requires rather than the distance it covers. Customised tours is where the dates and the road status get settled together. The Ladarcha fair at Kaza is the one week of the year when the valley's small bed count comes under real pressure.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Indians need a permit for Spiti?

No. Indian passport holders need no permit for Spiti or for Kinnaur. You will be asked to register at the Jangi and Sumdo checkposts with photo identity and vehicle papers, which is a record rather than a permission. The permit requirement beyond Jangi applies to foreign nationals.

Is Spiti open in winter?

Yes, from the Shimla and Kinnaur side. The Manali road over Kunzum La closes for roughly half the year, but the Kinnaur road stays open in principle through winter. Heavy snow can still shut the Nako to Kaza stretch for two or three days at a time, so winter travel needs slack in the schedule.

What is the best time to visit Spiti?

September and October for the clearest skies and the most stable roads, and mid-May to June if you want both roads open. July and August are warmest and are also when the Kinnaur approach is most prone to landslides. Winter is for people who want the valley empty and can absorb a delay.

How many days do you need for Spiti?

Seven days up through Kinnaur and back covers the valley at a reasonable pace. Nine to ten allows the full circuit out over Kunzum La with Chandratal included. Under four days is possible from Manali in summer and most of it is spent driving.

Is there an ATM in Spiti?

There are machines at Kaza, but they run out of cash and go offline, and there is nothing dependable beyond the town. Draw what you need at Reckong Peo on the way up and treat anything in the valley as a bonus. Most village homestays take cash only.

How do you avoid altitude sickness in Spiti?

Come up through Kinnaur rather than over Kunzum La, because the gradient is gentler and spread across two days. Sleep lower than the highest point you reached that day, and leave Langza, Komic and Hikkim until you have had a night or two at Kaza. If symptoms do not settle, going down is the only treatment that works.

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