My Dreamy Spiti

Let's start with a question this time; Do dreams come in sizes like Small, Medium, Large and so on, if they do, how do you we differentiate them? Like everyone else, I also had a dream and it was to visit the splendid Spiti Valley. Maybe to many of you it may sound like a very doable thing or one can say a Small dream but for me it was more than that. I had been planning to visit Spiti from 5-6 years but something or the other usually got it pushed and it kept getting delayed, however I had visited the place in my head so many times that I had lost the count already. 

Actually, I was supposed to go to Dharamshala again but Omicron had canned the plan and that cancellation led me to pursue my Spiti dream. I didn't even had to give it a second thought, it was like the stars were aligned for me. The timing, the weather and the Covid situation was perfect and I got my slot booked for the trip, it just happened so swiftly. The only thing left was counting the days and I was so exhilarated. 

I came to Delhi and the same evening we left for Shimla. The Queen of Hills welcomed us in the morning with single degree temperatures which were actually quite comforting to what we were supposed to face in the coming days. We boarded our tempo traveller and after a short stoppage we were on the way to Kalpa which is an offbeat village nestled in the majestic Kinnaur Kailash Mountains of the Himalayas at an elevation of 9711 feet, it is nature lover’s paradise. We reached there late in the evening and it was mighty cold that night, as it had snowed heavily in previous days. Next morning I woke up and caught my first glimpse of mighty Kinnaur Kailash mountains, I went out on the balcony to get a proper view but it was so chilly and windy that I couldn't even stand there for long. Kalpa was only a stop-over for us and we were supposed to leave for Nako in the morning, so after breakfast we packed and loaded our bags back to the traveller and left for Nako making a stoppage at the famous Suicide Point.

There were a couple of places which I was very excited to visit and Suicide Point was one of them, this spot is so heavenly that you will forget about the dangerous trench for a while, the enticing landscapes are truly a feast for your eyes. I'd say that it is beautifully dangerous!

After some photography and making sure nobody has literally utilized the name of the place, we boarded our traveller again and were on the way to Nako which was our stop for the night. My body was now getting synced to the zigzags of the mountain roads and I was enjoying the changing landscape of the region. The next stop for the day was Khab which is one of the important halts on a Spiti trip. Khab Sangam comes on the way where Sutlej and Spiti rivers meet on the left and on the right there is the old Silk Route. It was actually a very relaxing spot, sitting beside the river, breathing the fresh air, absolutely soothing.

After lunch, we were on the road again to the Nako village which was going to be our stay for the night. Nako is at an elevation of approximately 12,000 feet and we reached there well in the evening. After dropping our bags in our rooms, we went to the Nako monastery which was a short walk from our hotel. The ancient monastery was founded in 11th century and is located uphill from the village surrounded by the mountains from all the sides, the view was breathtaking with snow peaks all around. We returned from monastery and found ourselves chilling at the Nako lake which was totally frozen, we had some mountain dogs to keep us company there. The lake is surrounded by willow and poplar tree and is considered sacred by the locals. Next morning, we woke up early and some of us hiked to the Nako View Point which offers a panoramic view of the village, enveloped by the massive Himalayas and the frozen lake in the center, it was just a short hike but it was so cold, it felt like a major task.

We were informed that it was snowing heavily in Kaza from a couple of days and our trip lead also told us that the previous batch could not even reach Kaza due to road closures, which made me a little nervous because reaching Kaza was very important. But, the Gods were in our favor and it was well lit day and the trip lead told us that we will be heading to Kaza directly without making a stop at Tabo. We departed from Nako in the morning itself and were making good time on the road but then there was a road closure where we had to wait for more than an hour. I got a chance to converse with some Army soldiers who were also stuck with us and waiting for the road ahead to clear. We asked them about their families and they asked us about our jobs and lives, they were so humble and respectful. The road finally cleared and we bid farewell and thanked them for their services and again we were on the road to Kaza. 

The White Spiti started to exhibit itself when we started nearing Kaza, the landscape changed dramatically. The brownish mountains were now white, all covered in the heavy snow, there were some frozen waterfalls, the roads were entirely covered in fresh snow and the temperatures had further dipped. 

Kaza is the largest township in Lahaul and Spiti Valley situated at an elevation of  12,500 feet, boasting of high mountains with snowy crowns, crystal clear streams. We had some very concrete plans of café hopping in Kaza but all of them were canned when we found out that almost everything is closed in the town due to winters. We reached our homestay and after feasting on some hot maggi, we ventured out in the town to explore whatever was open. It was chilly, there was snow everywhere and then there was our group wandering around in the sleepy town of Kaza looking for possibilities to shop, eat and explore; to conclude it was a fun evening. We came back to our homestay and everyone was chilling in the common room, the heat was on and the dinner was served. After dinner around 11 PM, a couple of us went out again to stargaze, the sky was lit and it was -15 degrees but still we stayed out and went to the Kaza monastery and clicked a couple of pictures from outside.

Due to heavy snowfall, we had to hire 4*4 gypsies to visit Chicham Bridge, Key Monastery, Langza and Komic. Then came the next freezing morning, we boarded our 4*4 gypsies and hit the road again.

 

Stop No. 1 was Chicham Bridge which is the highest bridge in Asia at an staggering height of 13,596 feet above sea level. The yellow suspension bridge hangs dramatically on top of a 1,000 feet deep gorge keeping the Himalayan mountains in the backdrop, you can see the turquoise Spiti river flowing calmly from atop Chicham Bridge.

Stop No. 2 was Key Monastery (13,668 feet above sea level) which was founded in 11th century, it is one of the largest monastery in Spiti Valley and is a religious training center. We were welcomed by the monks who offered us delicious herbal tea and prasad, they showed us around the monastery, explaining the religious significance of the place and talking about their personal lives there. Being in their presence was so relaxing, listening to them talk about life and spirituality made me realize that there is no place for ego in our lives. 

We paid our respects and bid adieu to the monks and then hopped on the cars for the Stop No. 3, Langza Gompa (14,500 feet above sea level). I don't know why but I was itching to visit Langza, as I mentioned earlier, I had visited the place so many times in my head that I knew exactly what I was about to experience, I knew what kind of picture I wanted to click there and when I saw the Lord Buddha statue from a distance, it all felt so familiar like deja vu. 

Langza village is dominated by the Lord Buddha statue, overlooking and blessing the valley from a vantage point. It is a heavenly place, standing there and admiring the panoramic views of the valley, I felt so overwhelmed. It felt comfortable as if I was home after a tedious day, it was a blessing for me from the Lord himself and many deities of the valley.

Stop No. 4 was Komic village. Komic means "Eye of a Snow Cock" is a remote village situated at an altitude of 15,500 feet having its fame as the highest village in the world connected to a motorable road, the beauty of the place cannot even be described in the words. We made a quick stop at Komic as one of our friends was experiencing the ill effects of Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) due to sudden gain in the elevation.

We reached our final stop of the day, Hikkim village (14,400 feet above sea level), the place is famous for its post office which is the highest in the world. The happiness of buying those postcards and the emotions of people scribbling their messages was so pure, everyone was busy recollecting the addresses of their loved ones and posing in front of the post office for pictures and videos. I also wrote down a couple of post cards, I posted some and took some home with me. It was a fulfilling experience.

We started heading back to Kaza sailing through the white snowy desert, my eyes set at the magnificent landscapes and my heart beating for them, it was a surreal drive.

We safely reached back to Kaza and the rest of the evening was free to relax. We took another stroll to the Kaza market and then came back to our homestay for dinner, the vibe was good, everyone was enjoying and having fun. After a while, we retired to our respective rooms as we had to leave for Kalpa again in the morning. 

We left for Kalpa making a stopover at the ancient Tabo Monastery. Tabo is located in a very arid, cold and rocky area at an altitude of 10,010 feet above sea level. Above the monastery there are a number of caves carved into the cliff which are used for meditation by the monks. The monastery was founded in 996 CE and the walls inside are covered with priceless murals and statues.

That evening we came back to Kalpa for the night stay and God has listened to my prayers again and I got to experience my first snowfall there. Everyone was having the time of their lives, dancing and playing outside in the snow. Oh! That was a glorious evening.

The majestic Kinnaur Kailash mountains welcomed us again and all of the group was busy in playing with the snow, we also tried making snowman but it turned out as Annabelle, but at least we tried.

The trip was coming to an end and there was only one place left to visit so, we were on the road to Chitkul village.

Chitkul stole my heart! It is such a gorgeous little place that you will be in its awe for a long long time. Chitkul is the last inhabited village near the Indo-China border. An absolute serene place with breathtaking scenery! You can go sit on the banks of Baspa river which is on the walking distance from the village, the freshness of the air, the sound of the flowing water and the beauty of the valley will calm you down and you'll wish to spend eternity there.

That night we went for stargazing and that was the clearest of skies I had ever witnessed, it was as if you could see the milky way up there and touch the stars, that was a mind blowing affair.

That's it, next morning we left for Shimla from where we had to board the bus for Delhi and the trip came to an end but the memories, the fun and the friends will stay forever. 

This trip made my dream come true, it made me realize how much I wanted to be there, what it meant to me. For me this was not a big dream or a small dream, it was just a dream, I just wanted to be surrounded by those magnificent mountains, being blessed by the Lord Buddha in Langza, write letters to my loved ones from Hikkim, when I saw shooting stars I didn't made a wish, I just closed my eyes and thanked God for making this trip possible, I thanked my family who never came cross with my love for travel.

Lastly, I want to thank JustWravel group for the trip, the trip lead Rishabh for all the support, our driver Mani Bhaiya, Dhairya, Himani, Indu, Shaurya, Smriti, Kshitij, Kishore, Ishan, Ruchi, Chirag, Denver and Deepak for their fun company.

Spiti will always remain very close to my heart. So often, we tell ourselves stories as to why we can't and why we shouldn't. This is absolute crap! The fact that we're here, living and breathing is a proof we're worthy. We are worthy of everything that we've ever wanted, just listen to your heart.

I do have many dreams but I never categorize them by their 'sizes', I just want to live and enjoy them, yes it'll take a lot of hard work but someday I'll be there and when I'll reach there I might write another blog, so maybe stay tuned.

Ciao!