Overview of the cold desert

Novelist Rudyard Kipling once said, “a world within a world”, “a place where god resides” in his book Kim describing the Spiti Valley. The name Spiti came from “Piti” which means the “middle of land” as the name suggests, it is the way valley is surrounded by mountain ranges that was separated by then empires. The range includes Ladakh to the north, Tibet to the east, Bushahr to the south and Kullu to the west. A deep influence of Buddhism has always been there in the coldest desert, the introversive culture which focused mainly on monasteries which reflects in the entire landscape of the Spiti Valley. The native language of this place is Stod Bhoti, a subgroup of Tibetic spoken in the region of Lahaul and Spiti.

Tourism in Spiti Valley

Spiti Valley has gain its significance as tourist places in recent time, it captivates the delightful scenarios of Himalaya, surreal moonscapes, the pristine lakes, and the highland meadows covering the valley. The soulful Spiti valley comes with pure spiritualism and solitude. The place is popularly known for photography, homestay and adventure tourism and many kinds, including winter sports which is a major attraction, the dense pine forests hold up the beauty of the Spiti Valley. The barren land stands proudly at an altitude of 12,500 ft above sea level, the mountains change it hues which are awe-inspiring and attracts tourism from all over the world.

How to reach there

The connectivity to Spiti Valley is quite difficult as it stands at higher altitude yet the nearest railway stations are Shimla railway station and Joginder Nagar railway station. Kullu airport is well connected with many parts of India and it is the only nearest airport to the destination. There are two ways through road via Manali which is at 200 km and Shimla at 410 km, the steep roads from Shimla is indeed a tough journey and needs skilled driver for the journey, the Hindustan – Tibet highway is one of the most treacherous roads for the adventure junkies.

Things to do

The barren and deserted land has many things to offer than we can think of. The trappiest monasteries are Tabo, Dhankar, Kee Monastery, Kungri Monastery are the major ones. Tibetan and Spitien cuisine has both the touch of Indian and Tibetan spices and flavours, due to lack of vegetation they are predominantly dependent on meat and their cuisine too includes a lot of lot non-vegetarian delicacies, it helps them to maintain the warmth in their bodies as well in the harsh cold climate. During the summer the melted Himalayan Glaciers melts down and river flows the chilling water runs through the trails of the mountains which enriches the view. During summer it is suggested to visit the place as the temperature is tolerable. While monsoons there are always chances of landslides and the roads are blocked. In winters the mountains are covered in shine and bright snow which is a tourist attraction. The cleanest and purest lakes are found in the valley are ChandraTal Lake, SurajTal Lake which are a derivative of melted glaciers. The Buddhist culture and practices are open for all and if one stays long, it brings you closure to the meaning of nature and life, which is therapy. Hiking is a common activity in the tough trails of the steep mountains the trails are less travelled and requires sharp skills and endurance to ascend. Pin national park is a unit of diverse flora and fauna, which consists of several rare species of animal and vegetation found in the higher altitudes. The park is located at the sub-division of Spiti cold desert of Lahaul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh, it is the only national park located in the cold desert . Snow Leopard is an endangered species in and it is conserved and rarely found in the national park, the estimated number of remaining snow leopards are about 12 and Pin national park is renowned for its protection. Species like Ibex, Bharal, Red Fox, Marten, Weasel, Pika, Snow Cock, Beareded Vulture, Chukor, Golden Eagle, Griffon, Himalayan Chough, Raven etc. Lynx, Marmat & Tibetan Wolf are also be found in this region. Even though there is rare vegetation in this region but there are numerous forests which adds glory to this place but unfortunately pasture of dry alpine Scrub Forest, Juniper & Birch trees are on the verge of extinction, valley is blessed with medicinal herbs and spices which are rare to found anywhere else, local pharmacists uses those herbs and spices for the treatment of various diseases. Spiti valley may have several challenges and hurdles but the moment you will stop by their, one will be extremely grateful and thankful to the mother nature for the splendid scenarios and you may rethink for all the complains you have with your life after you get a sip of the lifestyle in the harsh conditions.