Spiti, Manali, Mcleodganj Travel Package 18 Days

Travel Package Includes
TRANSPORT : In private  car with driver.
ACCOMMODATION: Hotels, guest houses, home stays & campsites.
ENDURANCE LEVEL: Anyone to Expert. Depends upon destinations and activities chosen.
ACTIVITIES:  Trekking, Camping, Mountain climbing, Jungle safari, Bird watching,  Cultural activities, Meditation, Yoga,  Volunteer activities
DURATION: 18 Days
MEALS: By choice
COST: From  US $ 950 onwards , More information,
This trip is an ideal vacation package for a long, leisurely yet fun and adventurous journey through mountain ranges of Himalaya as well as Dhauladhar. .

Day 1: Chandigarh – Shimla – Sarahan

We will start from Chandigarh early morning and stop in Shimla for a brunch. From Shimla, we’ll drive past Wangtu bridge and reach Sarhan to stay for the night. If we reach there in evening, we can visit the bird park or visit Bhim Kali temple. If needed, we can also begin from Shimla or New Delhi.

Day 2: Sarahan – Reckong Peo – Kalpa

We’ll drive to Kalpa village and spend some time in  meadows and apple orchards. Reckong Peo is district headquarter of Kinnaur district and the launching pad for most expeditions to Spiti. Out hotel over there is nestled between beautiful orchards of apple and cherry trees in a very quaint and romantic location.

Day 3: Kalpa – Puh – Nako – Sumdo – Tabo

From this point, you’ll notice a change in the terrain as the barren cold desert landscape of Spiti becomes visible. Driving through, we’ll reach Nako village and stay there for night. We’ll visit the Nako lake and monastery in village to observe rituals of local Buddhist monks. The walk in near by areas will provide some great views of mountainous scenery.

Day 4: Tabo

Tabo Monastery is more than 1000 years old and contains many priceless Thanka paintings and artifacts including Pillar of a Thousand Buddhas. This monastery is listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The entry to monastery which is spread over 6300 square meters is made of earthen walls and covered with beautiful frescoes.   These paintings depict various lives of Buddha and stories from Jataka tales painted in typical Tibetan style. You can also visit nearby caves which are used by monks to meditate in solitude and introspection.

Day 5: Tabo – Dhankar – Lalung

Dhankar is about 3 hours drive away from Kaza and is also the ancient capital of Spiti and seat of Spitian Kings. There are ruins of an ancient castle and a monastery constructed in 16th century. It’s situated on top of a steep mountain ridge overlooking the valley. A walk to Dhankar lake takes about 90 minutes, We’ll then drive to Lalung village which is a small picturesque village inhabited by friendly and helpful villagers. Lalung monastery is famous for it’s statue of Three Cornered Buddha made with 3 sides to symblise Buddha looking in every direction. It is believed that Rinchen Zangpo,  founder of major monasteries in Spiti planted a willow tree and instructed the locals to construct a monastery of the tree survives. Today, an ancient willow tree stands in front of  the monastery constructed in 10th century.

Day 6: Lalung – Kaza – Langcha

Langcha village hangs over Kaza town at an altitude of 4250 meters. The road leading to Langcha village is among the highest motorable roads anywhere in the world. Traveling along this road, the travellers get spectacular views of valley and sparkling waters of Spiti river flowing through it. The route eventually leads to Shilla valley on plateau above which has grazing grounds for local livestock. Langcha village is divided in to Upper and Lower village. We’ll have lunch there in a local house and enjoy authentic delicious cuisine of Spiti . We’ll visit a 900 years old Buddhist temple and then visit Komik. We will then hunt for millions of years old  fossils in Langthis Natural Fossil Center. After that, we can visit Komic monastery, which is one of highest monasteries anywhere in world as well as another ancient monastery near Hikkim village which was destroyed in an earthquake in 1975.

Day 8: Langcha – Kaza – Ki Monastry – Kibber

We’ll travel on road to Kibber and visit world famous Ki Monastery located at an altitude of 4120 meters. We’ll walk around it and see vast collection of ancient paintings and manuscripts contained in the large complex.  Ki monastery belongs to Gelugpa Sect of Tibetan Buddhism. After monastery, we’ll move towards Kibber village which is among the biggest villages in Lahaul Spiti region and situated at an altitude of 4250 meters. The surroundings offer a good spot for wildlife sightings. We’ll spend the night in our hotel there.

Day 9: Kibber – Chicham

Next day, we’ll trek to Chicham village which is located on other side of a sharp and precipitous canyon. We can also go there by a thrilling ropeway ride (called jhoola in local dialect). It’s not uncommon to spot the elusive snow leopard here. It’s also a good place to spot other wildlife like ibex, blue sheep, golden cock, pika, Himalayan wolf and more.

Day 10: Chicham – Kunzum La – Chandrataal Lake

We’ll leave early next morning and drive up to Kunzum La for a short break. Kunzum La is a vital pass in the region at an altitude of 4550 meters. There’s also a temple dedicated to Goddess Kunzum. We can either trek to Chandrataal Lake ( 8 km) from there or drive via Batal. Chandrataal Lake is one of the major attractions of Spiti valley famous for it’s crystal clear water and stunning views.  We’ll spend the night in our campsite about 1 km from the lake.

Day 11:  Chandrataal Lake – Batal – Rohtang Pass – Manali

Next morning, we’ll drive to Batal, a popular resting stop for vehicles on this route and have tea in hospitable Chandra dhaba.  We’ll get close to Chandra river and spend some time soaking in the views. After that we’ll reach Chatru and stop there lunch or snacks near river. We’ll see the fields, spend sometime with local Gaddi shephards and enjoy the views of dozens of small streams flowing through mountains and joining Chandra river as it gains more volume.  As we leave valley, the desert landscape of the valley is left behind replaces by greenery all over. We’ll reach Rohtang Pass by noon and visit Beas Kund. After having a cup of tea, we’ll reach Manali in evening. Check in the hotel and walk around Old Manali town for sightseeing.

DAY 12: Manali – Mcleodganj, Dharmsala

We’ll drive towards Mcleodganj early morning and will need to travel for about 8 hours to reach there. After checkin, free day or rest in the town.

DAY 13: Kangra

We devote this day to sight seeing and getting acquainted with the culture of Kangra. First we take a drive to the Kangra fort, which is famous both historically and for its being quite ancient. We later proceed to watch the Kangra museum and the War memorial. A drive to MAchiral temple and the hot springs at Tatwani will really help you unwind as you put your feet in warm therapeutic waters and enjoy the feel. We then visit the pretty waterfall in Machiral, which is the biggest in the region and drive back to the hotel .

DAY 14:   Tibetan Buddhism in Mcleodganj, Dharmsala

Mcleodganj is the capital of the Tibetan government and also is the residence and exile place of the Dalai Lama. We spend our day , today in Mcleodganj itself beginning with a visit to the Tsuglagkhang monastery housing the three idols of Sakyamuni Buddha, avalokitesvara and Padmasambhava, crafted in gilded bronze. A very important landmark for the Tibetan Buddhists, it also hosts people world over who come here for prayer and silent God communion. A rare sight to se,, you will see monks of various backgrounds debating or meditating. We proceed hereafter to the Jewel Garden, popularly known as Norbulingka Institute, an important place for the study of the art and culture of Tibet. You can also buy some art work or books from here. We end the journey for today by going to the monastery with a golden roof, the Dip Thekchen Choeling Monastery and Museum

DAY 15 : Sights of Mcleodganj.

We drive to St. John’s church situated in the heart of plenty of cascading pine trees. The walk to this place is also very picturesque. The was built in 1852 with black stones and you will love the place encircled by a lot of trees from all sides. From here, we go to the Bhagsung Temple and the Bhagsung waterfall. The temple has many stories, though it has been recently renovated. Then we take a drive or if you prefer, a walk to the twirling and winding trail within the mountains to visit the beautiful Dal Lake , located within dense jungle and sitting proudly at the base of the mountain. Visiting a nearby temple , we continue our journey to Naddi, and view the grand sunset.

DAY 16 : The Hidden Waterfall of Dharmkot

This place is relatively unknown but is a great destination for hiking, especially if you love water. We start by driving to Gallu ka mandir in Dharmkot and follow a trail to the waterfall. We take a lovely walk for about 5 kms inside the forested area but the altitude remains more or less the same. A small stream flows from the mountain ranges and descends to become a lovely waterfall. Here, you can have some snacks and refresh yourself with tea from a small shop which is there for a few months. We then go to Mcleodganj taking the same route and spend the day walking in the streets and taking dinner in one of the many restaurants.

DAY 17 : Trek To Triund

Today we take a 9 km trek in an easy to medium difficulty level for one day. Beginning in Dharmkot and trailing through the dense forests, we encounter a colorful view of flowers, birds and butterflies, finally showing off the superb biew of the Dhualdhar mountains on the Truind ridge. We can extend the trek by following the snowline, should we choose to do so for 3 days. Alternatively we can extend the trek to 2 days by camping in Triund for the night and returning to the hotel by nightfall.

DAY 18: Drive Back Home

We partake breakfast and begin our homeward journey..