A First-Timer's Guide to the Spiti Valley Circuit

Spiti is not a place you pass through — it's a place that slowly rewires how you think about mountains, silence and scale.

When to go

The circuit is best from June to early October, once the Kunzum Pass has cleared.

Acclimatise, don't rush

Spiti sits above 3,800 m for most of the loop. Take the Kinnaur route in and gain altitude gradually:

1. Shimla → Sangla (night 1)
2. Sangla → Kalpa (night 2)
3. Kalpa → Tabo (night 3)

Drink twice as much water as you think you need, and never sleep more than 500 m higher than the night before.

By the time you reach Key Monastery, you'll be ready to actually enjoy it rather than nurse a headache.