Schedule:

3 to 14 September 2010 (12 Days)

Max Altitude:

5000 meters

Route:

Singapore – Delhi – Manali – Spiti – Manali – Delhi – Singapore

Price:

Only S$2,700.00 per person covering full program, guiding, jeep/yak transportation, accommodation and meals throughout the Spiti journey, and hotel accommodation in Delhi. Cost excludes meals on first and last day in Delhi, India Visa and personal travel insurance.

EARLY BIRD S$2,430.00 (10% discount) if confirmed and paid before 1 August 2010.

EXCLUDE: Airfare from your location to/fro Delhi, India. We shall pre-arrange to meet at a specific hotel in Delhi.

Itinerary

Day 1: Singapore to Delhi
Stay the night in a hotel in Delhi.

Day 2: Delhi to Chandigarh to Mandi
Today is a long day (8-10 hours) on jeep through the famous Grand Trunk Road built by Sher Shah Suri. We drive through Chandigarh the capital of Haryana and Punjab and through the Shivalik ranges gradually getting to the Middle Himalayan ranges to Mandi. We stay the night in a hotel in Mandi.

Day 3: Mandi to Nagar to Manali
After breakfast we head to Nagar, which is famous for the Russian artist Roerich’s gallery and the Naggar castle. The views around the area are spectacular. We then head to Manali which is a small little hill station bustling with tourists where we spend the night in a hotel.

Day 4: Manali to Kaza (3686m)
Today we will cover 210 km over 8-10 hours. We jeep over the Rohtang pass, and descend into the valley of the Chandra river and continue past Chhattru, Batal and over the Kunzum la (4551m), which divides Lahaul and Spiti. We will enjoy fabulous views of the Chandrabhaga range of mountains, visit the Buddhist shrine at Kunzum and get into our waiting jeeps, to reach Kaza by evening where we will check into a hotel.

Day 5: Kaza: Day trip to Kye and Kibber (4200m)
We will learn about the Spiti culture, people and ecology, and various developmental activities in the region along with their initiatives on responsible travel and conservation of nature and culture. We then head off to the highlands of the left bank plateau for altitude acclimatization. At the Kye village, we will have lunch with the residents of the Spiti old age home and then head to the Kye monastery, the largest monastery in Spiti. Next is Kibber village (4200m). The evening will be spent roaming the Kaza market where one may find interesting local handicrafts. We stay the night in a hotel/guest house in Kaza.

Day 6: Kaza to Pin to Tabo (3300m)
We will visit the Pin Valley that is a tributary of the Spiti River. En-route we will learn about local initiatives to promote solar energy in the Spiti valley as a means to reduce fuel wood consumption and carbon emissions of the local community. We will also visit a Sebuckthorn processing unit to get an insight into local initiative aimed at empowering the women of Spiti. The Pin valley, distinct both in terms of culture and topography, is famous for its horses (the Chumurti Horses) and for the Bhuchens. The Bhuchens are a unique and rare sect of Tibetan Buddhist theatrical artists. We will visit the Kungri Monastery and witness a Bhuchen performance. We then head to Tabo for the night in a hotel. We promote the Bhuchens to prevent this rare art form from disappearing from Spiti.

Day 7: Tabo to Lhalung to Dhankhar (3900m)
Tabo is famous for its 1012 years old Monastery. We will explore the Monastery and its numerous temples before heading to Lhalung village. We visit the famous ‘Serkhang’ (golden temple) that is 1000 years old and see possibly one of the oldest trees (dating back to over 1000 years). We then head to Dhankhar, the ancient capital of Spiti, where there is an ancient Monastery that is perched precariously between unique wind eroded structures and the remnants of the Dhankhar Fort, which housed the royal family of Spiti. We visit both and learn about ongoing efforts to help restore the Dhankhar Monastery. We then head to Demul village for the night where we will stay in Homestays. Homestays have been developed in numerous villages to ensure direct economic benefits to the local communities and to enable a more enhanced understanding of the lifestyles of these hard working mountain folk.

Day 8: Dhankar to Demul (4350m)
Today will provide a fascinating insight into the Spiti way of life. An hour trek above Dhankhar is a spectacular blue-green lake amidst pink-brown hills. We get up early to visit the lake. After breakfast we head to Demul that is one of the most interesting villages of Spiti with numerous legends and stories. We will get a glimpse into these along with time to interact with the villagers and participate in their daily chores. Demul is also famous for its local brew called arak and its cultural performances. A flavor of both in the evening will leave us truly spellbound. We promote these art forms to ensure their conservation and as a source of income generation for the local community especially the women and musicians (who belong to the lower castes) as well as to enhance their social status.

Day 9: Demul to Komic (4550m)
Today we adopt the local mode of transport, Yaks. We explore the Trans-Himalayan Deserts and travel into the grazing pastures of the local livestock and wild herbivores (such as the Blue Sheep). This is also the hunting ground for the Himalayan Wolf and Snow Leopard. With luck, we may spot some wolves. We will also learn of efforts by the local community to conserve these unique and endangered wildlife. The trail also gives insights into the floral diversity of the region. We will continue to the village of Komic which is Asia’s highest village. We will visit the Monastery there and spend the night in Homestays.

Day 10: Komic to Manali
Today we jeep back to Manali along the same route that we took to reach Kaza over the Kunzum La and Rohtang La.

Day 11: Manali to Delhi
On this last day of our journey, we retrace our steps back to Delhi via the same route as we took to come to Manali. It is a long jeep drive that will take about 12 hours all the way up to Delhi. We rest the night in Delhi.

Day 12: Delhi to Singapore
Free and easy, and shopping. Return from Delhi to Singapore.

NOTE:

a. Accommodation: Homestays are clean and comfortable rooms in a local house with environment friendly and clean toilets. Hot water can be made available on request. Cuisine comprises of local delicacies. However if you would prefer to stick to basic Indian meals (lentils, pulses, rice, chappati/ local bread) you can inform us in advance. Boiled water is provided for drinking purposes. Hotels/Guesthouses are clean and comfortable rooms with attached bath (running hot and cold water) and toilet.

b. Food Preference: We are able to co-ordinate to meet your preferences in advance.

c. High Altitude Sickness: Spiti is a high altitude region. If you have never been to such altitudes, it is hard to know if you may be affected by high altitude sickness. There are no specific factors such as age, sex, or physical conditions that correlate with susceptibility to altitude sickness. Some people get it and some people don't, and some people are more susceptible than others. If you have not travelled to these altitudes before, it is recommended that you consult your doctor. We usually advise dosage of Diamox or alternate medicines for high altitude (however please consult your doctor before getting onto any medication) 2-3 days before reaching Kaza as a precautionary measure for this trip. Please note that we do not take responsibility for reimbursements in the event that you are unable to complete the trip due to high altitude sickness and/or other personal reasons.

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