10 dumb mistakes to avoid in Spiti Valley
A road trip to Spiti Valley in Himachal Pradesh has been on the tlow must do since 2012, but it’s only since Covid that the place has got so much of internet hype. The reason for this is that network has finally reached the Middle Kingdom.
Listed below are a few pointers which will come handy and helpful in planning a more time efficient road trip to Spiti Valley.
Table of Contents
Never hike alone
Spiti Valley isn’t the kind of place you can even consider hiking or trekking alone. The extreme altitude, climate and remote terrain has claimed the lives of many over the years. Purely from trying to try their luck by hiking alone into the wilderness. It’s advisable to always have a group of minimum four to six adults while hiking, so if anyone has any injury help can be found.
Don’t over pack
This is a common mistake that everyone ends up making. After listing this point on so many blogs, still it’s a blind spot for everyone. Just carry what you will use for sure on a daily basis.
Plan a minimum 8+ day trip
Spiti Valley has no direct airport, so you have to travel by road. It might seem easy and fast over Google maps. But how often has Google maps got you to your destination is the desired time? So even an 8 day trip is a lot of travel. Because you’re not going to travel all the way to Spiti Valley and just skip a few of the must visit places.
Avoid self driving
Spiti Valley roads have been done up since Covid-19 but these ain’t the roads for a rookie driver to take the wheel. There are patches which ain’t for the city star. If you really want to enjoy the journey, don’t get your car, it’s gonna take a hammering doing the entire road trip.
No trolly / duffle bag
Yes, you read it correctly. Spiti Valley isn’t like Ladakh which has a road to every accommodation. Villages like Langza and Dhankar are where your trolley will have to be carried uphill so to avoid that headache at such high altitudes, get a backpack for this road trip. Spiti Valley is a backpacker road trip.
No smoking
Avoid smoking while on this road trip. Rather reduce the number of cigarettes, since this isn’t the place where you can burn more oxygen. There is already barely any without any trees. If you’re not a smoker, don’t try smoking in Spiti Valley, you’ll end up feeling even more uneasy.
Monastery = Silence please
Understand the difference between a place of worship and a community hall. Don’t talk once you remove your shoes at the entrance. Remember to respect the place. Silence is where you will find the much needed inner peace that you have set off from home to find.
Don’t take back fossils
The villages of Langza and Hikkim are where marine fossils dating back to over a million years old are still found but you need to hunt for them. Since all that was there in and around the village have been taken back by the tourists in the past. Save the ecosystem by letting things be how they are.
Don’t enter the lakes
Yes, please remember that all the lakes in Spiti Valley are holy lakes and have a god or goddess connected to them. So sit on the banks of the lake. But don’t enter the lake to take a dip or to even wash your feet.
Avoid winter road trips
Travelling to Spiti Valley in winter is one of the biggest risks a person can take. It’s not just the cold but even the unpredictable nature of the roads which can lead to a fatal accident. It can end up being life ending. Just because people are doing it does not mean it’s safe.