Europeans have never been allowed freely
into the indo-Tibetian border areas of Spiti
and Kinnaur. In 1950 these areas were
slammed shut to everyone when the Chinese
invaded Tibet. Now the area is open. Its is
a region of soaring rock strata and sweeping
flood plains. The mountain villages are
wrapped in a time warp and sweeping flood
plains. The mountain villages are wrapped in
a time warp and preserved as Tibet would
have been without the oppression of the
Chinese. The area is a macrocosm of all the
extremes or the Himalayan form the savagery
of the peaks to the women crouched in the
fields harvesting the barley crop.
Rudyard Kipling describes Spiti in 'Kim' in
these words : "At last they entered a world
- a valley of leagues where the high hills
were fashioned of the mere rubble and refuse
from off the knees of the mountains...
Surely the Gods live here. Beaten down by
the silence and the appalling sweep of
dispersal of the cloud-shadows after rain.
This place is no place for men."
South of Spiti is the area known as Kinnaur
which is dominated by the vertically pointed
and perennially snow covered Kinner Kailash
which stands out majestically at 21,000 ft.
It comprises of seven valleys, the most
beautiful being the Baspa valley at a height
of 9400 ft. which is an exquisite tiny
version of Kashmir . Geologists say that
this valley was under the sea thousands of
years ago. The main town here is Sangla, and
is worth any effort to get there.
We offer three itineraries into this areas:
The first across the 16300ft Pin Pass form
the Kulu Valley into Spiti. At the end of
the trek is an eight day drive to Simla
visiting the age old Monastaries of Kye,
Dhankar and Tabo which is regarded by many
as next in significance to the Tholiang
gompa in Tibet.Its murals date back to the
8th and 9th Century AD as in the year 996
the Tabo gompa was established.
The second option is to trek over the Bhaba
Pass driving into Kinnaur from shimla.
The third option is to drive form Manali
through Spiti and Kinnaur, finishing in
Simla. The holiday necessiates stopping at
very attractive campsites in the Greater
Himalayas. Both options include a visit a
Sangla.
The foot trek over the Pin Pass is not easy.
A good degree of fitness is necessary and
some trekking experience .It is worth any
difficulty.
