This roller coaster of a travel package will take you from plains of Chandigarh and Amritsar to majestic Dhauladhar mountain range in Mcleodganj to sky high mountains of Himalayas in Spiti. This tour package will cover north Indian plains, green forested mountains and high altitude desert in fun-filled 16 days.
A car will pick you up from Chandigarh airport or railway station to take you towards Shimla. Depending upon traffic, you will reach Shimla by afternoon or early evening and check in to hotel for rest and freshening up. Either rest and enjoy exploring the city on your own or take the car to visit Shimla landmarks like Mall Road, Christ Church etc.
Start from Shimla early next morning after breakfast to reach Sarhan. On the way you will pass landmarks like Kufri, Matiana, Narkanda, Hattu Peak ( 3135 m) etc. You can climb up the Hattu peak if you feel like before resuming the drive. Driving through Jeori, you will reach Sarhan for night stay.
Next day, begin the day by a visit to Sarhan’s bird park and Bhima Kali temple. This temple was the site of human sacrifice till a few centuries past. Next, drive over Wangtu bridge to have lunch and some rest in Karcham. Reach Sangla early evening and checkin the hotel. Enjoy a walk in market place and visit Kamru fort and the village temple.
After breakfast drive to Chitkul (3460 Meters) last village on India & Chinese border walk for half a day around Chitkul Village, return back to Sangla or an option of sleeping in Camps in Batseri is also available depending on availability or stay overnight in guest house / Hotel.
Next morning, drive through Powari to visit Reckong Peo monastery to see it’s major attraction, a 60 feet tall Buddha statue. Reach Kalpa for night stay and local sightseeing. Kinner Kailash mountain (6050 meters) is visible at some distance and forms an imposing presence over the area.
Next destination for the day will be Nako, the point where the terrain changes to that of a high altitude desert after the greenery you just passed. You will drive through Puh and Powari. Upon reaching Nako, visit the picturesque Nako lake, village monastery and enjoy leisurely strolls through the village streets.
After breakfast, drive towards Tabo and spend some time exploring the village. Visit it’s 1000 years old monastery and hike for a while to reach the ancient caves where Budhhist monks practice deep meditation. Nightstay in a small hotel in Tabo.
Reach Dhankar, the old capital of Spiti and visit the museum. Then walk to Dhankar lake and admire it’s beauty and marine life. Next stop will be Pin valley which is famous for it’s diverse wildlife which includes Himalayan Bear, Ibex and the very elusive Snow Leapard among a few others. Lunch will be served in Mudh village. You will also visit Kungri monastery, home to a very different sect of Buddhism than rest of the region.
Next morning, you will visit Key monastery and then drive on world’s highest motorable road towards Komic (4560 m). Lunch will be served in a local’s house in Langza. There you can visit the fossil park and see a few fossils millions of years old. Drive back to Kaza for night stay.
After an early morning wakeup, you will reach Chandrataal Lake while passing through Kunzum La (4551 m). where most travelers stop to pay respects to the deity and pray for safe journey. Night will be spent in a campsite about 1 km from the lake.Meaning of Chandrataal is Moon Lake and is a major attraction of Spiti.
After breakfast, you will leave for Manali while driving through Batal, Chota Darra, Gramphu and Rohtang pass (3970 m). The route is highly picturesque and once you cross Rohtang, the terrain gets much greener as it receives heavy rainfall. Nightstay in a Manali hotel.
This day will be dedicated to local sightseeing in Manali. You will visit Hidimba Temple, Vashishth Kund (for it’s hot water springs), Manu temple and take a walk in this charming town.
You will Manali early morning and start driving towards Mcleodganj. On way, you will stop at Mandi and Palampur, famous due to it’s tea gardens, adventure sports and Baijnath temple, which is beleived to be thousands of years old. Night stay will be in Mcleodganj or nearby Naddi.
This will the day for local sightseeing in Mcleodganj. You will visit Mcleodganj attractions like Bhagsu Nag waterfall, Dalai Lama’s residence and temple, Nobulinka an important center for Tibetan studies and culture. Walk through the winding lanes of town and enjoy views of Dhualadhar mountain ranges as well as the welcoming Tibetan ambiance. Night in Mcleodganj.
After breakfast get in to the car and start driving towards Amritsar, the capital of Punjab. As you leave the mountains, the terrain will change to wide open spaces with lush green fields and farms on either side of highway. Reach Amritsar by evening and visit Wagah border to witness the famous border ceremony.
Early morning, drive towards Golden Temple, the holiest Sikh temple and spend a few minutes there. Later on, visit Jalian Wala Bagh, a historical monument. Take the train or flight to your destination.
Best time for this tour: 1st week of June to 30th of September