Spiti ValleyTravel Guide

Spiti's largest and most iconic monastery, perched dramatically on a conical hill at 4,166m — home to over 250 monks, ancient murals, and centuries-old manuscripts, with the Spiti River winding through the valley below.

The administrative capital and only real town in Spiti — a small bazaar of guesthouses, cafes, and shops selling pashmina and dried apricots, and the natural base for exploring the wider valley.

One of the highest permanently inhabited villages in the world at 4,200m — stone houses, a wildlife sanctuary known for snow leopard sightings, and views across a vast lunar landscape.

Asia's highest suspension bridge, spanning a dramatic 1,000-foot-deep gorge between Kibber and Chicham villages — an engineering marvel that replaced a terrifying old cable trolley crossing.

A village built on what was once an ancient seabed — marine fossils millions of years old can still be found in the surrounding hills, while a giant golden Buddha statue gazes out over the valley below.

The world's highest motorable village at 4,587m, home to a 14th-century monastery — the thin air, prayer flags snapping in the wind, and 360-degree views make this feel like the edge of the world.

The world's highest post office, where you can send a postcard home stamped from 4,440m — a quirky bucket-list stop for travellers crossing the Spiti circuit.

A crescent-shaped high-altitude lake at 4,300m that changes colour through the day — camp beside its shores under some of the clearest night skies in India, surrounded by stark, moon-like mountains.

A high mountain pass at 4,590m connecting Spiti to Lahaul, marked by a small temple and prayer flags where travellers stop to pay respects for a safe journey — the views across both valleys are spectacular.

A cliffside monastery perched precariously above the confluence of the Spiti and Pin rivers — a steep hike beyond it leads to a serene high-altitude lake, one of the valley's best-kept secrets.