Himalayas trekking holiday with homestays
| country: | India |
| location: | Indian Himalayas |
| trip type: | Moderate, high altitude trekking holidays |
| departures: | 2010: 27 Jun |
| price: | From £1259 (14 days) excluding flights, based on 2 people travelling together. A discount will be offered to groups of 4 or more. |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
the amazing things you'll be doing
This trekking holiday with home-stays, in the remote Spiti Valley gives you the chance to experience first hand a Buddhist way of life that has remained unchanged for centuries. You will interact closely with the local people as they go about the daily tasks of farming, water management and cooking. Some of the world’s most endangered species make their home in the Spiti valley and you may be lucky enough to encounter a Snow Leopard, a Tibetan Wolf or a Blue Sheep.
The valleys of Spiti and Lahaul are bound by Tibet in the east, the Kullu valley to the south and Ladakh in the north. While in some ways these wild valleys are similar to the Leh and Zanskar valleys of Ladakh, they are more remote, mysterious and magnificent. Because of deep snow and subzero temperatures road access to the region is impossible for most of the year. This land lies between altitudes of 3000m and 6000m. At lower altitudes we find wide valleys with rich pastures full of wild flowers. These contrast with soaring peaks and frozen glaciers. It is one of the most impressive and remote areas for trekking in India.
We offer holidays of varying levels of physical difficulty. We ask clients for information about their level of fitness at the time of enquiry and then recommend an adventure holiday to suit. Age is not something we generally take into account as often it does not give an accurate indication of fitness. We offer trekking holidays of varying lengths and difficulty and our rafting and wildlife holidays are not physically demanding.
The valleys of Spiti and Lahaul are bound by Tibet in the east, the Kullu valley to the south and Ladakh in the north. While in some ways these wild valleys are similar to the Leh and Zanskar valleys of Ladakh, they are more remote, mysterious and magnificent. Because of deep snow and subzero temperatures road access to the region is impossible for most of the year. This land lies between altitudes of 3000m and 6000m. At lower altitudes we find wide valleys with rich pastures full of wild flowers. These contrast with soaring peaks and frozen glaciers. It is one of the most impressive and remote areas for trekking in India.
We offer holidays of varying levels of physical difficulty. We ask clients for information about their level of fitness at the time of enquiry and then recommend an adventure holiday to suit. Age is not something we generally take into account as often it does not give an accurate indication of fitness. We offer trekking holidays of varying lengths and difficulty and our rafting and wildlife holidays are not physically demanding.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Arrival in India. You will be meet at the airport and transferred to the hotel. Spend the afternoon and evening relaxing in your hotel room or taking in the sights of Delhi. Overnight Hotel. |
| Day 2: | Delhi to Manali (2050 m) . We leave Delhi in the early morning and drive north to Manali. Over the next three days the scenery changes from flat arable land, to alpine meadows, wooded mountains, and finally to the barren high altitude landscape of Spiti; a fascinating and adventurous journey. The beautiful hill station of Manali is on the banks of the Beas River on the lower slopes of the Himalaya. Overnight at our hotel. |
| Day 3: | Relax in Manali . A relaxing day today offers you the chance to explore this lovely town; you can visit the colourful market and the Roerich Art Gallery. The Hadimba Temple is also worth a visit. Overnight hotel. |
| Day 4: | Manali to Kaza (3686 m): 8/9 hrs . Today we drive further north over the Rohtang Pass and continue up into the Himalayas gaining altitude all the time. The drive is through panoramic scenery of immense beauty. Overnight in hotel at Kaza. |
| Day 5: | Around Kaza.. A day of relaxation and acclimatisation gives you the opportunity to visit some of the local sights. We visit numerous villages including Kye which has the largest gompa in Spiti before heading back to Kaza for a trip to the local market. Overnight hotel. |
| Day 6: | Kaza to Langza (4400 m): 1 hr . After a relaxed breakfast we leave for Langza where we visit the Lang (temple) the main gompa in the area. It houses some impressive frescoes and thankas (paintings on silk canvases) and other local artefacts. Dinner and over night in a home-stay. |
| Day 7: | Langza to Jureley (4740m) 5/6 hours . After the past few days of acclimatisation you are ready to start your first full day of trekking. We set off early moving at a slow pace. When passing through villages we see irrigation systems that have been used in agricultural practice here for generations. We encounter some of Spiti’s geology as we walk through an area rich in fossils. Throughout today’s walk we have amazing views of Chau Chau Kang Nilda (6380m) and Chau Chau Kang Namo (5964m) which are part of the magnificent Pasham range. We will also see a wide range of native flowers making the most of the short growing season. This is Blue Sheep country too, and you may be lucky enough to spot one. Overnight camping. |
| Day 8: | Jureley to Mulchay (4560m) 4/5 hours . Today the trail meanders through grazing lands where the yaks and horses browse. The yak, an animal unique to the Himalayas, is an imposing sight. We camp for the night at a summer settlement. Here a few of the villagers move to herd their animals on the short lived summer pastures, saving hay, and gathering fuel for the winter. Overnight camping. |
| Day 9: | Mulchay to Demul. (4357m) 2/3 hours . Today you will encounter the legend of Demul which you will learn about during your visit. This village is in one of the most isolated regions of an already remote Spiti valley. Enjoy a hot meal at the home-stay and then meet local villagers who will tell you more about their special history. Overnight in home-stay. |
| Day 10: | Demul to Lhalung to Dhankhar (3758m) 4/5 hours.. You will notice the increasing richness of the air today as we descend almost 700m to the village of Saglung for lunch. This tiny village of two houses is in a beautiful area where we meet very friendly residents. We then continue on a short way to Lhalung complete with its ancient temple and a locally famous tree, over 1000 years old. From Lhalung we drive to Dhankhar, the prehistoric capital of Spiti, arriving there in the evening. Words are not enough when it comes to describing this early settlement, balanced on cliff edges and mud pillars. Again we have the opportunity to see at close hand, evidence of Spiti’s geological past. Overnight home-stay or monastery. |
| Day 11: | Dhankhar to Kaza (3686m):1/2 hours. Today we relax and are free to spend the morning visiting ancient and modern gompas, the Dhankhar Fort and a museum of early cultural remains. After lunch at the home-stay we leave the area and drive back to Kaza. Overnight hotel. |
| Day 12: | Kaza to Manali (2050m) 8/9 hours . On our drive south to Manali we can appreciate the changing landscape as it becomes richer, greener and more fertile. Overnight in hotel in Manali. |
| Day 13: | Manali to Delhi 12 hours. Today is “namaste” or “farewell” day meaning both “hello” and “goodbye”. As we drive back to Delhi we hope that the memories you take with you(and the photographs) will be lasting and treasured, and that the IntoIndia team will have the opportunity to share some more of this magnificent sub-continent with you and yours in the not too distant future. Transfer to your hotel. |
| Day 14: | Depart India. After breakfast depart to the international airport for your flight home. Trip ends. |
small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places. how this holiday makes a difference
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We have teamed up with Ecosphere, an NGO developing alternate and sustainable livelihoods for the local community that link to the development and conservation of the region’s culture and nature. Ecosphere ensures that the local community receives a fair price for their services and has developed mechanisms that ensure equitable benefit sharing in the local community.
Staying in somebody’s home, experiencing their way of life, is undoubtedly the best way to view any country in the world. Traditional Spiti homes are made of mud and stone to ensure that they are warm in the winters and cool in the summers. The kitchen is the hub of all activity in these houses. Traditional cuisine in Spiti is similar to Tibetan cuisine of noodles, thukpa, momos and bread. A real delicacy is a dish called Skew, which consists of wheat dumplings in a tasty gravy of vegetables & potato. And of course, one couldn’t visit a home-stay without getting a taste of the famous Butter Tea, which incidentally is salty.  Something that one would never forget are the traditional toilets. The good thing about them is that they are environmentally friendly, use limited resources and in fact ensure you contribute to the region. We have teamed up with an environmental organisation, Climate Care, to help you to repair the impact of your flights on the global climate. Climate Care funds sustainable energy and forest restoration projects in India and all over the world that reduce carbon dioxide on your behalf, by the same amount as your share of the plane’s emissions. We sponsor Clean Himalaya, a recycling and waste management project, dedicated to maintaining the sanctity and beauty of the Ganges and Himalayas. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |