Route library · Outstation · Mountains
Delhi to Spiti Valley Circuit
The full loop, ridden anticlockwise: in through Kinnaur along the Sutlej, up into the cold desert of Spiti to Kaza, over Kunzum La at about 4,550 m to Chandratal, and out over the Manali side and home. It is high, remote and demanding — one working fuel pump in roughly 400 km, rough unpaved sections, river crossings, and real altitude.
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At a glance
- Round trip
- About 1,250–1,400 km as a loop
- Riding days
- 8–10. Fewer is unsafe — the altitude gain needs to be gradual.
- Nights
- Nights on the road: 8–10
- Start point
- Delhi (via Chandigarh, Shimla and Kinnaur)
- Highest point
- Kunzum La, about 4,550 m. Villages like Komic sit near 4,500 m.
- Difficulty
- Expedition. High altitude, remoteness, self-reliance, and mixed surfaces including unpaved sections and water crossings.
- Surface
- Kinnaur side mostly sealed with rough patches; Nako–Tabo–Kaza largely paved; Kaza–Kunzum–Batal–Gramphu is rough, unpaved, with stream crossings, open only about June–October
- Best season
- Mid-June to mid-October. Kunzum La opens around June and closes with snow by late October. Avoid the monsoon weeks for the Kinnaur landslide risk.
- Permits
- Indian citizens need no permit for the main circuit; carry photo ID for the routine checkposts (Jangi, Sumdo). A small SADA area-development fee for two-wheelers is collected at the Spiti entry barrier (Sumdo, or Losar when the Manali side is open). Foreign nationals need a Protected Area Permit. Rules change — confirm at Reckong Peo or Kaza.
The ride
You go in the "easy" way — up through Kinnaur, gaining height slowly so your body keeps up — and come out the hard, spectacular way over Kunzum La and past Chandratal. Doing the loop in this direction is safer for acclimatisation and means the roughest riding is behind you before you are most tired.
Spiti itself is a cold high-altitude desert: ochre mountains, a blue river, and villages that have kept 1,000-year-old monasteries going — Tabo, Dhankar, Ki. From Kaza you can ride to Langza (fossils and a hilltop Buddha), Hikkim (the world's highest post office), Komic and Kibber, and detour into the green Pin Valley.
Day by day (typical)
Delhi to Shimla / Narkanda
The long tar day out of the plains. Sleep at around 2,700 m.
To Sangla or Kalpa
Onto NH-5 along the Sutlej into Kinnaur. Rough patches around Karcham. Sleep at 2,700–2,900 m.
Into Spiti — to Nako or Tabo
Cross into Spiti at Sumdo, climb past Nako lake to Tabo. You are now above 3,000 m; take it gently.
Tabo to Kaza
A short day via Dhankar monastery. Fuel up in Kaza. Rest — this is your acclimatisation base.
Kaza day rides
Ki, Kibber, Langza, Hikkim, Komic — or the Pin Valley. A rest day at altitude before the high crossing.
Kaza to Chandratal
The rough beautiful part: Kaza → Kunzum La (~4,550 m) → Batal, then the side track to the Chandratal camps. Unpaved, stream crossings, slow going. Camp near the lake.
Chandratal to Manali
Batal → Gramphu → Atal Tunnel → Manali. Rough until Gramphu, then tar. A big descent — rest properly in Manali.
Manali to Delhi
The final highway run. Split it over two days if you can — the Kullu–Mandi stretch is slow.
Fuel & services
- Fuel is easy to Shimla, Narkanda and Rampur, and there is a pump at Reckong Peo.
- Kaza has the only petrol pump between Reckong Peo and Manali. Fill completely at Reckong Peo, fill again at Kaza, and carry 5–10 litres of spare fuel in a proper can for the Kaza–Kunzum–Batal–Manali leg.
- Kaza, Tabo, Nako, Kalpa and Sangla have guesthouses and homestays. Chandratal is camps only (no signal). ATMs in Kaza can be empty or offline — carry enough cash for the whole Spiti section.
Road & conditions
The Kinnaur side is mostly rideable tar with the usual NH-5 rough, dusty and shooting-stone sections. Nako–Tabo–Kaza is largely paved now. The hard part is Kaza to Gramphu over Kunzum La: no tar, loose rock, sand, and glacier-fed streams that run higher and faster in the afternoon — cross them in the morning. This stretch is only open roughly June to October. Weather turns fast; a clear morning can be sleet by 2 p.m.
Bike, fuel & getting help
- Suggested bike
- Needs a dirt-capable bike (an ADV or a light dual-sport) and off-road experience. Not a commuter route.
- Fuel gap
- A serious fuel gap on this route — carry spare fuel and fill every chance you get.
- Spare fuel
- Carry 10 litres or more of spare fuel.
- Emergency & logistics
- Small hospitals at Reckong Peo and Kaza; CHCs only in the villages; ITBP/Army help on the border stretches; no signal for long spells. Evacuation is hours to a full day — carry a satellite messenger.
Best time to ride
Mid-June to mid-October is the season. Kunzum La typically opens in June once the snow is cleared and closes again with fresh snow by late October — without it, there is no loop, only an out-and-back through Kinnaur. Early July and August carry real landslide risk on the Kinnaur side; late June and September are the sweet spots.
What to add to your kit
Beyond the standard ride kit: a 5–10 litre fuel can, a real tool kit with spare clutch and brake levers, cables, a tube and puncture kit, a tyre inflator, tow strap and zip ties. Layers for near-freezing nights and hot afternoons, proper riding boots, sunglasses and strong sunscreen. Plenty of cash. A basic medical kit including something for altitude headache and an awareness of AMS symptoms. Do not ride the loop solo.
Ride this with a group
We run Spiti as a planned expedition with an experienced lead — acclimatisation days built in, fuel and spares organised, and a carry-out clean-up in the valley. Places are limited and riders are vetted.