Category: Spiti valley
Insights from SPAI Snow Leopard Population Study in Himachal Pradesh
The state has recorded a 62.7% rise in its snow leopard population since the 2021 SPAI survey.
Spiti Valley’s Icy Embrace: Climbers Tale of 3 Frozen Waterfalls
Once I reached the top, there was a small rock surrounded by dry grass. Snow had sloughed off the surface due to the steepness and sunshine. I was in a meditative state as I was all alone at that point without any noise except the faint soothing sound of the river flowing much below me…
Beauty And Hardships Of Living in Kinnaur & Spiti Valley During Wintertime
I arrived at a hotel in Narkanda following the one of the most challenging journeys of my life in recent years. It was a nice hotel, and the owner and staff were friendly and very kind. I visited this part of India before the pandemic (in 2019) and things have changed quite dramatically in less…
Get Inner Line Permit (ILP) for Kinnaur & Spiti Valley (Step-by-Step Guide)
Inner line permit is an official travel document that allows an Indian citizen to travel to restricted/protected borders areas of India. Prior to August 2021, such areas extended from Ladakh Union Territory to Arunachal Pradesh all along the India-China border. Ladakh UT administration waved goodbye to the ILP condition for domestic tourist in August 2021. …
Top Photo Spots on Spiti Valley (Circuit) Road Trip
Wrapping up my series on the best photo spots from my trip to the Kinnaur and Spiti valley of Himachal Pradesh! Escaping the daily grind, we started on a week-long adventure in the majestic Greater and Trans Himalayan mountains of Himachal Pradesh. The first day was a treat for my taste buds as we indulged…
Backpacking & hiking in Spiti (Tabo, Dhankar & Lhalung)
“Spiti valley backpacking & hiking (Tabo, Dhankar and Lhalung) ‘You mean to say we are walking between villages in Spiti?’, I asked, making a puzzling face. ‘Yes, as much as we can’, Arpita replied with conviction in her voice.” I debated between waiting for hitching a ride, but considering that it was already past 4…
I Stayed in Key Monastery for 3 Days (and Savoured Tsampa)
This is how things unfolded in Spiti Valley, —quietly, unexpectedly. On the morning of 22 September 2018, I woke early and looked out of the guesthouse window in Kaza. The bright grey landscape that had stretched endlessly the previous day was now transformed. Overnight, it had disappeared beneath a white blanket of sleet and snow.…
Spotting Snow Leopards Of Kibber (in Spiti Valley)
It was a sunny, yet blistering cold day, with temperatures around -15 degrees Celsius. We had spotted a male snow leopard across the valley, sleeping in a shallow cave in Kibber wildlife sanctuary (WLS). This cat was about 600 meters away (as viewed through the lens), with a steep, narrow gorge and a river at…
Parang La Pass (Trekking From Kibber To Tso-moriri)
Despite nearly losing one hiking boot to its flow just minutes before, crossing the thigh-high fast currents of the Pare Chu River at Norbu Sumdo felt strangely exciting. After all, there’s only so much walking on river bed that one can take. Walking through dry valleys for days after crossing the Parang La pass, even…
Snow Leopard Photo Tour in Spiti Valley (Kibber WLS)
It might strike you as both bizarre (and equally fascinating) to drive to Spiti valley and Kinnaur during wintertime. Though for solitude seekers and wildlife photographers — with a goal to unplug and get off-grid, or spot endangered (now vulnerable) snow leopards and assorted mammal and bird species in Kibber wildlife sanctuary — the snowscapes…
