How to Reach Spiti Valley From Delhi

Everything you need to know about how to reach Spiti Valley from Delhi by public transport. Includes all routes, bus times, and fees.

Spiti Valley might technically be in India, but once you arrive, you’ll see that it might as well be on another planet. Massive, sand-colored mountains cover the landscape- making the valley feel more like Mars than Himachal Pradesh.

Colorful stupas and monasteries dot villages, and fluffy yaks and cows can be seen trotting along steep and windy roads.

Temperatures in Spiti Valley rarely make it above 18 degrees. Locals- who look and speak Tibetan- live in flat-topped, square homes- which are often built right into the side of a rock face.

Spiti Valley is one of the most remote places in India. The nearest airport is still a day’s drive away, no trains come anywhere close, and the roads that carve their way through it are perilous, to say the least.

But even so- this incredible frozen mountain land is definitely worth a visit once it begins to thaw in the summer. Read on to learn exactly HOW to reach Spiti Valley from Delhi.

How to Reach Spiti Valley from Delhi

 

But first… what’s the Delhi to Spiti Valley distance?

Spiti Valley is located way up in a remote corner of Himachal Pradesh. Though the km amount might not look too drastic… keep in mind that when traveling in the mountains, km means nothing. Literally nothing.

A journey that would take 2 hours on a highway or regular road could take 8 or more when you’re driving up here on the sides of cliffs!

The distance between Spiti Valley and Delhi depends on which route you’re going to take, though a road trip from Delhi to Spiti Valley is usually done in one massive loop.

To enter Spiti, you can either head towards Kaza (Spiti Headquarters) via Manali or towards Nako (small village). via Reckong Peo.

Distance from Delhi to Kaza (via Manali): 737 km, approximately 25+ hours if done straight

Distance from Delhi to Nako (via Reckong Peo):  654 km, approximately 20+ hours if done straight

 

Routes from Delhi to Spiti Valley

During the summer months (usually from May-September but sometimes later or earlier) all the roads to Spiti Valley are open. Nevertheless, keep in mind that weather in the mountains is insanely unpredictable and passes can be blocked without warning.

If you want to complete the entire loop, both the Rohtang Pass AND the Kunzum Pass must be open. If they’re not, you’ll have only one option to enter the valley and will be forced to return the same exact way (through Reckong Peo).

The following guide focuses on public transport, but you can utilize these routes if you have your own vehicle, too.

 

Route 1:  Delhi- Shimla- Reckong Peo- Nako- Kaza- Manali- Shimla

If you’re looking for the best way to reach Spiti Valley from Delhi, this is it! Why? Well altitude! Heading in this direction ensures you’re gaining altitude more slowly and are less likely to encounter any negative effects of altitude sickness.

Trust me- AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness) is real at 10,000+ feet. You don’t want to experience that on a bus!

If the Rohtang and /or Kunzum Pass is closed, you will NOT be able to head to Manali from Kaza, or from Manali to Kaza. Instead, you’ll only be able to enter or exit through Reckong Peo, the side of the loop which is (mostly) open year-round.

Spiti Valley weather is seriously unpredictable- in 2019, the Kunzum Pass did not open until June 21st due to late and heavy snow.

 

Route 2: Delhi- Shimla/Manali- Kaza- Tabo- Nako- Reckong Peo- Shimla

Reaching Spiti Valley by this route is only possible when all the passes are open, which you can typically count on in July- September.

If you go this way, be prepared to experience a change in altitude quickly. The Rohtang Pass can also become extremely congested in high season (June).

 

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The Best Way to Travel From Delhi to Spiti

Though having your own vehicle is obviously ideal, it’s more than doable to travel around Spiti by public transport.

But like many mountain enclaves, the amount of buses is far too low for the number of people who need to use them, leading to extremely squished conditions!

Hitchhiking is also possible while traveling in Spiti, as is paying for a private taxi at a severe upcharge.

Keep in mind that budget travel will undoubtedly lead to a lot of walking so you definitely want to bring along the best backpack in India (or close to it!) to have a comfy trip.

 

How Many Days Are Needed to Travel in Spiti Valley?

Y’all- Spiti Valley is FAR. To date, it was the most far-out place I’ve ever traveled to and once you’re inside of it, getting out takes a while.

This is NOT a place you should try to rush to on a 3 day weekend (unless you live in Himachal Pradesh, perhaps).

I’d say 7-10 days should be the minimum amount of time needed to reach Spiti and be able to enjoy it. Considering the amount of time and effort it takes to get here, it’s worth it!

 

How to Reach Spiti Valley from Delhi by Bus- Route 1

Though there aren’t many buses operating in the valley, getting to it won’t be a problem!

To begin your Spiti Valley road trip, you’ll first have to decide if you want to start off with a casual ride, or if you want to jump off with a super long one. You can go from:

 

Step 1- Leaving Delhi

Delhi to Shimla

You can reach Shimla by either an AC Volvo or an Ordinary bus. The AC Volvo should cost between 800-1200 rupees whereas the ordinary bus will cost 445 rupees- buses head out all through the day.

You can expect the ride to take between 8-10 hours depending on traffic and road conditions. Click here to see exact times and prices on redBus

 

Shimla to Rampur

If you do stop in Shimla, you can choose to head to the cute town of Rampur if waking up super early doesn’t appeal to you as it didn’t to us!

Ordinary HRTC buses from Shimla to Rampur depart at 1:45 and 4:45 per the official schedule, though you can also find private ordinary buses intermittently. Bus tickets cost 240 rupees and the ride takes about 4 hours.

 

Shimla to Reckong Peo

The bus from Shimla to Reckong Peo leaves at a very painful 5:00 AM daily. You can catch this bus from Shimla’s NEW bus stand, which is about 3km from Mall Road. The ride should take about 9 hours and cost 400 rupees.

 

Note: Shimla is EXTRAORDINARILY overcrowded in the months of May and June. I highly advise that you do not travel here on a weekend as every hotel will be booked out and prices will be unreal. When we got stuck there in June, every accommodation within a 10-mile radius was completely full! If you do head to Shimla, try to do so on an overnight bus so you can keep it moving the next day.

 

 

Delhi to Rampur

Rampur is about 4 hours or so from Shimla and in my opinion- is a much better place to rest for a day. Ordinary buses leave Delhi three times a night starting around 6:30 PM and the journey takes about 15 hours. Expect to pay around 680 rupees for a seat.

 

Rampur to Reckong Peo

We took an ordinary HRTC bus that left Ramour for Reckong Peo at around 9:30 AM, though I’d recommend checking times at the station the night before to make sure this hasn’t changed.

Keep in mind that Rampur has two bus stations. The large one with an actual bus lot is where you’ll need to head. Expect to pay 165 rupees and to be on the bus for 7-8 hours.

 

Delhi to Reckong Peo

I wouldn’t recommend doing this as it will be EXTREMELY long, but if you’re super pressed to get to Spiti from Delhi as soon as possible- this is your ride.

The ordinary HRTC bus departs Delhi at around 10:00 PM and takes over 18 hours to reach Reckong Peo. The ride costs about 860 rupees.

 

 

Spiti Valley Trip Permits

If you’re a foreigner taking this route, you’ll have to get an Inner Line Permit in Reckong Peo. Permits are supposed to be free per government rules, but there’s no way to get one on the ground without the approval of a tourist agency.

And that’s where it becomes… not free. The tourist agency imposes a fee of 400 rupees, which will get you a permit valid for 14 days.

Indians do NOT need to acquire this permit. If you enter Spiti Valley from the other side of the loop (Kaza) you must get a permit in Kaza before heading elsewhere in the valley.

 

Step 2- Heading into Spiti Valley

Reckong Peo is the last major stop on this side of the loop before you’ll head into Spiti Valley. Regardless of whether you took a break in Shimla or Rampur, you’ll have to make it to Peo to catch a bus into Spiti.

While there is one that leaves Reckong Peo at 5:00 AM each morning destined for Kaza, I HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY advise that you don’t take this one.

It’s unbelievably crowded- we’ve heard of travelers arriving before 4 AM and still not getting a seat. The best option to start your Spiti Valley trip is by first heading to Nako, a beautiful village that’s basically the first of proper Spiti.

 

Reckong Peo to Nako

A bus heads to Nako from Peo at 12 PM- though don’t be surprised if it ends up being late- ours ending up leaving at 1 PM but it was far from crowded! The bus ride costs 175 rupees and should take between 5-6 hours. Cell phone service will cut off about an hour into the ride.

 

 

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How to Reach Spiti Valley from Delhi by Bus- Route 2

Though Route 1 (essentially heading east) is preferable, for whatever reason you might be interested in how to reach Spiti Valley from Delhi the other way.

Keep in mind that this route is ONLY accessible once both the Rohtang Pass and Kunzum Pass are open. This can happen as late as June. Here’s what’s up:

Delhi to Manali

 

The first option is to take a bus from Delhi to Manali. All types of buses run this route, including AC Volvos which cost anywhere from 1000-1800 rupees. These buses leave at night from Delhi ISBT and take around 14 hours. Ordinary buses also leave from 6 PM onwards and will cost about half the price or less.

 

Note: If you don’t want to spend such a long time on a bus, you can also head to Chandigarh first and then take another bus from there. AC Volvos (1200+ rupees) and Ordinary buses (500 rupees) run from Chandigarh to Manali daily from the ISBT in Sector 43. The ride takes about 8 hours.

 

Manali to Kaza

 

Ordinary HRTC buses leave from Manali to Kaza daily at 5 AM and 5:30 AM. It should take about 6 hours to reach Kaza and costs around 200 rupees.

 

How to Reach Spiti Valley from Delhi by Air

Reaching Spiti Valley directly by plane is not possible. The nearest airport to Spiti Valley would be either Kullu or Shimla, where you would then have to hop on to bus or car.

Seeing as plane tickets cost at least 5000 rupees, it just doesn’t seem worth it in my budget backpacker opinion. Part of the fun in visiting Spiti Valley is the journey- enjoy the road trip!

 

How to Reach Spiti Valley from Delhi by Train

As you can imagine, there aren’t any train tracks anywhere near Spiti! But if you did want to spice up your journey you do have a few options. You can take a train from Delhi to Chandigarh, and then take a bus to either Shimla or Reckong Peo.

You can also take a train from Delhi to Kalka, and then hop on the famous toy train bound for Shimla, though this is expensive and time-consuming. Then it’s all 4 wheels from there!

 

Delhi to Spiti Valley Road Conditions

Don’t expect pavement once you enter the valley. Unlike the Manali-Leh highway that leads to picture perfect Ladakh, the condition of Spiti’s roads are not great.

If you’re used to driving in mountain areas you’ll see that they’re not the worst though. I was prepared to be terrified but ended up feeling like I had overhyped myself.

But still- you should NEVER drive in Spiti Valley at night. Even in Kaza, there are virtually no street lights. Here’s my take on the following stretches:

Delhi- Rampur: Good

Rampur- Reckong Peo: Pretty bad with multiple sections of construction

Reckong Peo- Nako: Not too bad, a bit scary at times but relatively decent roads

Nako- Tabo: Slow-moving as a lot of the driving is along the side of a cliff, but the road is decent enough with no construction

Tabo- Kaza: Relatively good for the most part

Delhi to Manali: Very good

Manali to Kaza: Very poor, landslides and water on the road is common

 

How to reach Spiti Valley from Delhi- Wrap Up

Once you’ve reached Spiti via either Nako or Kaza, you have the entire valley to explore! No matter which way you enter, you should be positioned to continue your Spiti Valley trip and exit out the other side of the loop (unless the road becomes blocked, that is.)

The following are notable villages in the valley, in geographical order heading towards Kaza:

• Nako
• Tabo
• Dhankar
• Mud Village
• Komic
• Kaza
• Hikkim
• Langza
• Kibber
• Chicham

 

And that’s that on reaching Spiti Valley from Delhi! If you have any questions or if any of the timings have changed, drop a comment below.