10 Offbeat Things to do in Spiti Valley.

Dreaming of the high Himalayas? Take my list of incredible experiences and lesser known things to do in Spiti Valley.

Climb with me to the mountains on the roof of the world. I’ll walk you by gushing rivers. I’ll show you curious summits staring starry skies. I’ll float you to the depths of ancient seas. I’ll take you to the world’s highest inhabited villages. I’ll enchant you with blue streams in deep gorges.

I spent a month volunteer travelling across Spiti Valley with social enterprise Spiti Ecosphere. Behold some unique experiences I discovered along the way:

Try the mountain ropeway at Chichum (among the most unique things to do in Spiti Valley)

This is literally breath-taking. As an alternative to the long uphill walk from the village of Kibber to Chichum, the locals built an ingenious ropeway between two mountain peaks, over a deep gorge. The small open box on the pulley is used to transport men, cattle and raw materials, has no weight limits, and can’t be kind to your shoulders, though if you’re lucky, you’ll find someone on the other end to pull your ropes. The ropeway was built 5 years ago, and it has never yet collapsed.

This local engineering feat is worth a ride for the stunning views of the gorge below and the intimidating aura of the surrounding peaks.

Also read: I Love Spiti – A Campaign to Save Spiti Valley from Single Use Plastic

Hike up to Dhankar Lake

The 1.5 hour uphill trek from Dhankar Monastery along the Spiti River to the Dhankar Lake, affords some gorgeous views of the village below and the monastery in the distance. Dhankar Lake is a picture of serenity, peace and calm, and could make anyone feel introspective. Expect a clear expanse of water dotted with fish-generated ripples, a backdrop of snow-capped mountains, and herds of yak or yaks-bred-with-cows.

Also read: 15 Responsible Travel Tips for Authentic, Meaningful Experiences on the Road

Ditch the car and hike to Kee Monastery

It’s easy to rent a car or hitch-hike up to Kee Monastery. But the real beauty is in hiking up from Keye village. Through the narrow, pebbly mountain path carved out by locals. Watching the monastery appear bit-by-bit, perched precariously atop a small hill.

Also read: The Legend of Moving Monasteries in Spiti Valley

Go birdwatching in Langhza

You don’t have to be a bird-watcher or a biology-enthusiast to fall in love with the little village of Langhza. It’s easy to forget about civilization on its isolated slopes, and all you need to do is look up at the clear blue skies for thrilling glimpses of hawks, eagles and vultures.

You could spot these elusive birds in other parts of Spiti too, but the landscape of Langhza ups that thrill by a few notches.

Also read: How Volunteering in Spiti Led Me to the Women in Red

Visit the highest inhabited village in the Himalayas

Imagine living at an altitude of 4,513 metres, in a neighborhood of 13 households, and a 6-hour hike away from the nearest signs of civilization. That’s life for you at Komic, the highest inhabited village of the Himalayas, and perhaps the world. Its landscape will leave you in awe.

Also read: Ladakh Travel Tips: How to Discover Ladakh Responsibly in 2020

Watch the full moon by the Spiti River (one of my favorite things to do in Spiti Valley)

Ditch the bustling market of Kaza (Spiti’s capital), walk along the dry river bed that separates old Kaza from new Kaza, and make your way down to the Spiti River. You can feel its intensity only at its shore; mountain perspectives are such that from an altitude, water merely appears to trickle in the river. Sunset is not always a specialty here, because the setting sun hides behind the mountains, leaving the sky a pink-red-orange color.

A full moon at the shore, on the other hand, is bound to make your night and tease you with mountain shadows and water reflections. Concentrate on the sky, and you’ll see atleast a dozen shooting stars too.

Also read: My Hitch-hiking Adventures in Spiti

Cycle to Pin Valley

Pin Valley is an oasis of green in the cold mountain desert region. After being surrounded by the brown bareness of the Himalayas in Spiti, Pin Valley is a breath of fresh air that you didn’t know you missed; think trees and waterfalls. And if you think Spitians are friendly, get ready to be blown away by the hospitality of the mountain folks living in Pin Valley. You’ll leave convinced that this was how we were intended to lead life on earth.

Also read: Awe-Inspiring Uttarakhand Homestays to Tune Out of Life and Tune Into the Mountains

Feel in awe of the mummy of Giu

Spiti is full of legends, and the mummy of Giu is perhaps the only one that you can testify to. It is said that during a drought in Tibet, several lamas were mummified. During the Chinese occupation of Tibet, most of these mummies were destroyed. However, in the earthquake of 1975, one of these mummies washed up in the Spiti River and was rescued by the Indian government. It was housed in Giu, where during a digging accident, a spade hit the mummy’s head and it started to bleed!

You can still see hair growing on the mummy’s head, and spooky as it might sound, it is one of those things you have to see to believe.

Also read: How to Embrace Sustainable Tourism in India

Spot the world’s highest post office and petrol pump

It’s not easy to build a life at 4,000 metres. In fact, Spiti is recognized for having the world’s highest post office at Hikkim, and the world’s highest petrol pump at Kaza. Surely, using them is a worthwhile travel achievement to boast about!

Also read: A Chance Encounter With Kaza’s Garden Lady

Introspect in Fukchung, a village of meditating nuns (one of the most special things to do in Spiti Valley)

Spiti is known for some of the oldest monasteries and schools of Tibetan Buddhism. Fukchung village is a collection of stone caves, where nuns from the Nyingmapa school of Buddhism go for long-term retreats. They typically spend 3 years in a stone cave, meditating from morning to night, and not seeing or speaking to a human soul.

It’s an intense experience, to walk along the caves, imagining the conviction of the nuns meditating inside them.

Also read: The World from the Lens of Ladakhi Nuns

What are your favorite offbeat things to do in Spiti Valley?