10 Fun facts about Langza, Spiti Valley

Langza is a beautiful destination, located in one of the most majestic valleys in India’s Spiti Valley in the state of Himachal Pradesh. This picturesque village is blessed with ancient monasteries and buildings of a pre-historic era.

It is surrounded by green pastures, snow-clad mountains and barren landscapes that awe-strike every person who visits this stunning location, which is certainly one of the best places in Spiti Valley. The magic of nature in Langza leaves everyone speechless.

1. Location

• Nestled between the mountains in a bowl-shaped area in the Spiti Valley is a small remote village named Langza. This village is situated at an altitude of 14,500 feet above sea-level in the Lahaul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh in northern India.

2. Best time to visit

• The best time to visit Langza is from May to September. Thick woollens are recommended even in summers.

3. Occupation

• The main occupation of the people here is farming and animal husbandry. Tourism is also becoming one of the main sources of income these days.

4. Population & Religion

• Langza is also considered to be one of the highest villages in the world with a motorable road. Owing to its proximity to Tibet in China, the population of the village is predominantly Buddhist and belongs to the Sakyapa sect of Tibetan Buddhism. The village has a population of about 137 people living in 33 houses.

5. Olden days Main occupation

• Langza is divided into two sections – Langza Yongma (Lower) and Langza Gongma (Upper). The main occupation of the villagers in the olden days was mud craft. This art prevails in the village to this day. Vessels of all shapes and sizes are produced and sold all across the country. Agriculture is another major occupation in this village. Crops such as rice and potatoes are cultivated here.

6. 1000-year-old Buddha Statue

• At the first glance of the village, one will instantly notice a huge golden coloured Buddha statue which is believed to be around 1000 years old.

7. Accommodation

• All the houses in the village are built below this statue. The houses are made of mud and have prayer flags tied around them. As the tourism in this region has increased in the past few years, more and more houses have turned into homestays providing travellers with accommodation and food options.

8. Basic amenities

• There is no other kind of accommodations available in the village yet. The rooms at the homestays are quite basic and have only beds and blankets. The washrooms are generally located right outside the house which is nothing more than a hole in the open covered with walls on four sides. Inside the rooms, one can also spot the mud crafted vessels and fossils neatly placed for display and for sale.

9. Attractions

• The main attraction at Langza is to collect fossils and to visit the monastery. Fossils of marine creatures and plants are found in plenty under the sedimentary rocks. These fossils are around millions of years old. Although possession and collection of fossils are illegal in India, the locals in the village sell these collectables to the travellers visiting their village.

10. Fossils

• Young kids can be seen running around the village collecting and playing with these fossils trying to persuade travellers to buy them in return for money.  The local name of fossil here is ‘chaudua’ and can be easily found in and around the village. The fossils are Cephalopoda.

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