LahaulSpiti district is part of Himachal Pradesh, India. The largest district area-wise, it consists of the two formerly separate districts of Lahaul and Spiti. The present administrative center is Kyelang in Lahaul. Before the two districts were merged, Kardang was the capital of Lahaul, and Dhankar was the capital of Spiti. The district was formed in 1960 and is the fourth-least populous district in India.
Kunzum la or the Kunzum Pass is the entrance pass to the Spiti Valley from Lahaul. and It is 21 kms from Chandra Tal.. This district is connected to Manali through the Rohtang Pass. To the south, Spiti ends 24 km from Tabo, at the Sumdo where the road enters Kinnaur and joins with National Highway No. 5. Spiti is barren and difficult to cross, with an average elevation of the valley floor of 4,270 m. It is enclosed between lofty ranges, with the Spiti river rushing out of a gorge in the southeast to meet the Sutlej River. It is a typical mountain desert area. It has close cultural links with the Ngari Prefecture of Tibet.
The harsh conditions of Lahaul permit only scattered tufts of hardy grasses and shrubs to grow, even below 4 km. Due to changes in climate, nowadays people are able to grow some vegetables in the Lahaul valley. Some of the most common species of flora found in The Valley of Spiti include Causinia thomsonii, Seseli trilobum, Crepis flexuosa, Caragana brevifolia, and Krascheninikovia ceratoides. Then there are over 62 species of medicinal plants found here. The valley is inhabited by snow leopards,[6] foxes ibex, Himalayan brown bear, musk deer, and Himalayan blue sheep. Snowleopards are ound within the PinValley NationalPark and Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary.
The Lingti plains are home to animals such as yaks and dzos. Over-hunting and a decrease in food supplies have led to a large decrease in the population of these animals. The language, culture, and populations of Lahaul and Spiti are closely related. Generally, the people of Lahaul are of Tibetan and Indo-Aryan, descent, while the Spiti Bhot is more similar to the Tibetans, owing to their proximity to Tibet. The lifestyles of the Lahauli and Spiti Bhot are similar, owing to their proximity. Agriculture is the main source of employment besides Tourism.
Most of the Lahaulis follow a combination of Hinduism and Tibetan Buddhism of the Drukpa Kagyu order, while the Spiti Bhotia follow Tibetan Buddhism of the Gelugpa order. Within Lahoul, the Todh-Gahr (upper region of Lahaul towards Ladakh) region had the strongest Buddhist influence, owing to its close proximity to Spiti. The Losar festival (also known as Halda in Lahauli) is celebrated between the months of January and February. The natural scenery and numerous Buddhist monasteries are the main tourist attractions Spiti is one of the important centers of Buddhism in Himachal Pradesh. It is popularly known as the ‘land of lamas’.
The valley is dotted by numerous Buddhist Monasteries or Gompas such as Kye Monastery, Tabo Monastery:, and Kardang Monastery. and Tabo Monastery, is one of the oldest monasteries in the world and a favorite of Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness DalaiLama.It was the location of the scenery and cinematography in the Bollywoo films like Paap, and Highway. In Lahual tourists can visit Shashur Gompa, Triloknath, and Sissu. A adventure seekers paradise Spiti Valley is popular with trekkers due to the challenging nature of its treks.
These treks take people to remote areas including rural villages and old Gompas, as well as wildlife trails. High altitude treks allow travellers to cross passes such as Parangla Pass, Pin Parvati Pass, Baba Pass, Hamta Pass trek, Spiti Left Bank Trek. Popular trekking routes in the area include Kaza-Langza-Hikim-Komic-Kaza, Kaza-Ki-Kibber-Gete-Kaza, Kaza-Losar-Kunzum La and Kaza-Tabo-Sumdo-Nako. Skiing is a popular activity with tourists in Spiti. Tourist can also enjoy Yak Safari. The valley is cut off from the rest of India up to eight months of the year by heavy snowfalls and thick icing conditions. Spiti valley is accessible throughout the year via Kinnaur from Shimla.
Due to the high altitude one is likely to feel altitude sickness in Spiti. The Shimla to Spiti route is advised for travelers coming from lower altitudes as it gives them enough time to get acclimatized to the high altitude. Accommodation beyond Manali and Shimla is very basic (mostly homestay) although Kaza does offer some better options with the opening of a few new hotels. Tourists can try Spiti Safari or mountain climbers can climb the Kanamo Peak. there are only a few homestay lodges and guesthouses in the entire region. Art lovers can buy Thangka Painting. There are a few restaurants at Chhatru and Betal village on the route from Manali to Kaza that serve Tibertan and Himachali cuisine.
