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The Spiti Bike and Hike Tour
The term “Spiti” means, the middle land and its called rightly so as it is the land between Tibet and India. This high altitude desert valley in the Trans-Himalayas is one of the most stunning, graphic, and rugged regions in the Himalayas. The road to Spiti meanders alongside river Sutlej that then becomes the river Spiti. The people in the region seem to live in isolation to the rest of the world. Although the region is predominantly Buddhist, there is a distinct Himachali influence that permeates from the Kinnaur valley and further up from the Shimla and Narkanda region into the Lahaul and Spiti regions.
The cultural richness, well-preserved Buddhist heritage, old monasteries, simple happy way of life, distinctly different food, challenging terrain, unique high altitude ecosystem, and natural beauty that transcends the barriers of time puts Spiti, high on any traveller’s bucket list.
Who can do this tour?
This is a tour for anyone who seeks adventure, wishes to go off the beaten path, be part of an immersive local experience, and interact with the locals in this untouched Tibetan influenced region. This is a tour for an experienced rider who has done long-distance cycling and is physically fit. While the Spiti tour treads through the Himalayan mountain ranges it is less enduring than the Manali to Leh since there are only 2 high passes you will ride through on this journey.
The ascents are fairly gradual and not intensely steep. You can expect long days of climbing up hills. Gradients vary between 5-10%.
The 450 kilometres cycling adventure into Spiti is packed with unique cultural influences and natural diversity that permeates from each of the valleys of Kinnaur, Spiti, and Lahaul making this an ideal cycling journey. Ready yourself to be smitten by the region’s culture, natural diversity, heritage, people and their way of life
On the Unventured Spiti cycling tour, you’ll wake up in a temple, stay at a campsite surrounded by a pine forest, endure the rough terrain, walk through quaint alleys of villages, mingle with the locals, trek in a national park looking for wildlife, visit some of the oldest monasteries in the world, go hunting for fossils, send out postcards from the highest post office in the world, sit by a bonfire and relive the days ride, watch a documentary on the Spiti region, stay with the locals and hike up to a pristine lake.
We’ve packed the right mix of cycling, leisure, cultural insight, gastronomical adventures, rejuvenation, and local exploration for you to so you go back home feeling like you’ve “truly travelled” through Spiti. And as always on any Unventured tour, the prospect of doing this with a small group of likeminded travellers brings its own flavour to the whole experience.
On arrival in Chandigarh, you will be met by the team at the airport. We will drive for 4-hours in a comfortable van/bus to Shimla. Stay in Shimla overnight. You can interact with the rest of the participants and we call it an early night.
Drive distance: 120 kilometres
Accommodation type: Hotel
Highlights:
• You will meet and greet our fellow riders on the tour.
• Enjoy the comfortable drive to Shimla.
• Stay overnight in Shimla.
After an early breakfast, we get into our tour bus and take a 4-hour steep drive up to Sarahan, a beautiful village tucked high up in the mountains. You’ll be staying in the premises of a beautiful old temple complex in Sarahan. Take a moment to marvel at the intricate architecture of the place. You’ll meet and greet with your support team and get out on an acclimatization ride in the hills that surround the village.
Drive distance: 163 kilometres
Accommodation Type: Hotel/Lodge
Highlights:
• Make sure you check your bike thoroughly during the bike fit and gear check.
• Take a ride to acclimatise around the hills.
• You’ll be briefed about the tour.
We begin the day with a long downhill ride into the valley and ride along the river before we climb up to Sangla. You’ll be greeted by spectacular views of alpine trees dotting the mountains. The final leg of 20 kilometres has an uphill ascent to 3,300 metres, with breathtaking views of the valley as we go higher. We will then drive out to our accommodation.
Ride distance: 65 kilometres
Accommodation type: Homestay
Highlights:
• You’ll ride downhill in the morning and climb uphill in the evening climbs
• Take a breathtaking ride through quaint valleys.
• Enjoy the stay at a campsite with good food.
You’ll wake up to beautiful views of the mountains and pine forests. We drive out early morning towards Chitkul and ride the downhill back soaking in the picturesque views all the way towards Kalpa. The village of Kalpa is known for being a vantage point to view the misty mountains across the valley. In the evening, we’ll take a walk to the Himachali temple and a monastery.
Ride distance: 75 kilometres
Accommodation Type: Lodge/Homestay
Highlights:
• You’ll ride downhill in the morning and climb upwards in the evening.
• Enjoy the breathtaking views of quaint valleys around you.
• Relax at the campsite in the evening with good food and stay.
We start the day driving from Kalpa to Spello since the terrain is bad. Once near Spello, we unload and cycle the quaint roads through narrow passageways in the valley and begin the climb up to the quaint village of Nako. In the evening, we take a walk through the narrow alleyways of the village, make friends with the locals and learn of life in Nako.
Ride distance: 60 kilometres
Accommodation type: Lodge/Homestay
Highlights:
• Ready yourself for the climb through a narrow valley.
• Take a walk around a quaint village in the evening.
Start the day with a short climb and then cycle downhill with beautiful views of the valley below and the mountain ranges that surround the region. Roll alongside the wide-open riverbed towards Tabo. We stay overnight at the Tabo monastery that dates back to 996 CE, stay and visit one of the oldest and most significant monasteries in the region.
Drive distance: 65 kilometres
Accommodation type: Lodge/Homestay
Highlights:
• Ensure you are safe on the long ride downhill.
• Travel on dusty roads and take in the surreal views of the valley.
• You’ll visit the oldest monastery in the region.
We’ll get off the highway and take a detour to Mudh, a start point to some interesting treks across the Himachal region. Tucked away amidst the Mudh Valley, the village consists of 50 odd homes and farms which are self-sufficient to support a livelihood. You’ll get to ride past green mustard farms and villages to reach Mudh the gateway to the Pin Valley National Park.
Ride distance: 65 kilometres
Accommodation Type: Lodge/Homestay
Highlights:
• You will ride along the river’s edge.
• Take in the view of lush green fields along the route to Mudh.
• You can interact with the locals and understand how they survive in isolation.
Take the day off from riding, but take one of the many hiking trails into the Pin Valley National park. If you are lucky you’ll get to spot red foxes, the Ibex and perhaps even a snow leopard. Enjoy a packed lunch of Tibetan bread and local spiced vegetables or jam.
Hike distance: 7 kilometres
Accommodation type: Lodge/Homestay
Highlights:
• You can rest today and hike up the valley.
• Hike out to look for mountain wildlife
• Enjoy a quiet walk into a village in the evening
You’ll take a half-day ride to Kaza, the headquarters of Spiti for a stopover in a quaint cafe for a good cup of coffee and a relaxed lunch. We’ll then drive back towards the main highway and onwards to Langza, popularly known as the fossil village, we will hike around looking for interesting pieces of fossils. Stay overnight at a homestay with a local family.
Ride distance: 45 kilometres
Accommodation type: Homestay
Highlights:
• You can enjoy a morning ride.
• Eat a sumptuous meal in Kaza and take an afternoon drive to Langza.
• Go fossil hunting in the evening
Khibber is a small village nestled in the mountains and is a day’s ride away from Langza. Enroute, we will stop by at the highest post office to send postcards to family and friends. We visit the famed Key monastery, an iconic place of worship and the largest monastery in Spiti valley. Its high vantage point makes for a great view looking down into the wide river bed and valley that disappears into the horizon.
Ride distance: 35 kilometres
Accommodation type: Homestay
Highlights:
• You’ll climb uphill for half a day.
• You’ll get to Visit the enchanting Key monastery
• Evening at leisure walking the market or interacting with the locals in the homestay.
With just about 200 odd people in the village, Losar is situated by the confluence of the streams and adjacent to the Indo-Chinese border. Our ride is a mix of climbs and flat terrain, its cold desert like landscapes are a treat for shutterbugs. Today is our last day of the ride, we’ll take time to enjoy the views and ride our way into a beautiful little cottage amidst the mountains.
Ride distance: 55 kilometres
Accommodation type: Homestay
Highlights:
• Cross Asia’s Higest bridge
• Take in the beauty of quaint villages as you ride through them.
• Catch up on some rest in the evening.
We hike to Chandra Tal from Kunzum Pass, a scenic hike taking the route the shepherds take. At Chandra Tal, also known as the Enchanted Lake or moon lake, we spend some time at the lake and we’ll check into a tented campsite. Our tented campsite here will be very basic with an attached toilet tent but no bathing facilities.
Hike distance: 10 kilometres
Accommodation type: Tented campsite
Highlights:
• You’ll drive across KunzumLa Pass.
• Enjoy the hike to Chandratal lake.
Get ready to go on a long bumpy and a very picturesque drive to Manali. We’ll drive alongside the Chenab river in the valley between the mountains and take the road leading up to the Rohtang Pass. Across the Rohtang and in the valley below is the town of Manali. Check into our hotels for some much-needed rest and a fun evening.
Drive distance: 125 kilometres
Accommodation type: Hotel
Highlights:
• Get ready for the long drive to Manali.
• Enjoy your stay at a nice hotel at Manali.
• Rest through the evening.
You will have a free day to explore Manali town at leisure. Go shopping or just take a walk around Old Manali. You will need to be ready and packed to leave for Delhi by 4:00 PM in the evening. You will be taking an overnight bus to Delhi and back home.
Drive distance: 550 kilometres
Accommodation type: Overnight bus
Highlights:
• Visit the Old Manali market areas.
• Check out of the hotel by noon.
• Take the your bus back to Delhi in the evening.
We arrive in Delhi today and take the onward journey back to our home destinations
Drive/Hike Distance: 0 kilometres
Accommodation type: None
The Spiti Valley Bike and Hike Experience
The Spiti valley is the lesser-known Tibetan influenced region of the Himalayas. The region is still untouched and has its natural beauty intact. The people are hospitable and will love to welcome you into their homes and teach you their unique culture. We aim to offer a wholesome experience that combines local interactions, visits to monasteries, learn of the way of life in the region, hike in the hills, go fossil hunting and even have the time to watch a documentary of Tibetan influences in Spiti valley. On our tour, we’ve put a good mix of local experiences like staying at a local home-stay in a village where you can walk around and make conversations with the locals, visit monasteries, hike up valleys looking for wildlife and get to try some local Tibetan cuisine.
Difficulty Level: High Intensity (Challenging due to the high altitude and long days of riding)
Preparedness – Physical & Mental
The Spiti cycling tour is a challenging tour and will have you cycle on broken roads and dusty plains. There will be some steep climbs but in general, you don’t have high altitude passes to climb on this tour. Hot dusty days and cold evenings are what you can expect on this tour.
Over the years, our closely monitored training regime has helped participants not only to endure the tour but also enjoy every moment along the way. We’ve had instances where participants (men & women) who were new to cycling trained and practiced, to pedal almost all the way and completed the tour.
Cycling Support
Your tour will be supported by good quality bicycles, a well-trained mechanic a full repair kit with essential spares. However, we strongly encourage participants to carry their basic bike maintenance kit along. We will also be carrying a backup cycle along the expedition; just so that nobody misses out on the riding experience should their bike have a serious breakdown.
Accommodation
Accommodation will be in local homestays with good hygienic shared or attached bathrooms offered on a twin-sharing basis varying by each location. In a remote region like Spiti, one can only expect local accommodations and basic facilities.
Transport
A team of 10-12 riders will be supported by 2 support vans with a carrier that will transport both the riders and bikes along with a spare cycle, lunch packs and water, and camp equipment and gear. Through the day one vehicle will trail with the riders.
