Word Spiti means middle land, the middle land between ancient India and Tibet. It is a tourist favorite destination for adventure lovers. This blog will share complete knowledge of how to reach Spiti Valley from Shimla through different modes.
Where is Spiti Valley located?
Spiti Valley is a vast valley along the river Spiti which is a major tributary of Satluj River. Spiti is located beyond Kinnaur and Kullu district on the other side of the Himalayas.
Kaza is a sub divisional headquarter of Spiti valley. It is a major town in the valley. This place is situated 185 Km from Manali and around 200 Km ahead of Reckong Peo.
| Name of the Place | Spiti Valley (स्पीति घाटी ) |
| State | Himachal Pradesh |
| District | Lahaul & Spiti |
| Elevation | 3700 m, 12100 ft |
| Accessibility | By road |
| Best time to visit | April – June, September – October |
| Travel Distance by road | 420 Km |
| Travel Time by road | 13 Hrs (approximately) |
How to reach Spiti Valley from Shimla
Spiti Valley’s headquarter, Kaza is connected by road and accessible majorly during summers. The distance between Kaza from Shimla is around 420 Km.
There are two options to reach Kaza by road, One is via Shimla, Rampur which is open throughout the year except during heaving snowfall
Another option is Via Manali which is open only for 4 months a year.
There are different modes by which one can reach Kaza.
How to reach Spiti Valley from Shimla by Road
There are various options to reach Kaza by road.
You can refer to the below table to plan your journey to Kaza.
| Sr. No. | Location | Distance (Km) | Elevation (ft) | Elevation (m) | Time (Hr) |
| 1 | Shimla | 0 | 7200 | 2200 | 00:00 |
| 2 | Kufri | 15 | 8500 | 2600 | 00:45 |
| 3 | Narkanda | 60 | 8900 | 2700 | 02:15 |
| 4 | Rampur | 120 | 3300 | 1000 | 04:00 |
| 5 | Bhaba Nagar | 170 | 5100 | 1550 | 05:45 |
| 6 | Tapri | 190 | 5600 | 1700 | 06:15 |
| 7 | Karcham | 200 | 5900 | 1800 | 06:30 |
| 8 | Reckong Peo | 215 | 7900 | 2400 | 07:00 |
| 9 | Khab | 290 | 8500 | 2600 | 08:45 |
| 10 | Nako | 325 | 12000 | 3650 | 09:25 |
| 11 | Tabo | 390 | 10800 | 3300 | 11:10 |
| 12 | Kaza | 420 | 12100 | 3700 | 12:40 |
How to reach Spiti Valley from Shimla on a Bus
Himachal Pradesh State Owned Buses are called HRTC buses ( Himachal Road Transport Corporation buses). They are usually green/blue in color.
Route – Shimla – Reckong Peo by bus and then Reckong Peo to Kaza by bus.
Below are the bus details you can choose
From Shimla to Reckong Peo:
| SR. No. | SERVICE NO. | SHIMLA ISBT TUTIKANDI | RECONGPEO | DURATION | DEPOT | TYPE | ORIGIN | DESTINATION | ONLINE BOOKING |
| 1 | 333 | 3:40 AM | 4:00 PM | 12:20 Hrs | REC PEO | ORDINARY | SHIMLA ISBT TUTIKANDI | POOH VILLAGE | YES |
| 2 | 633 | 4:30 AM | 1:30 PM | 9:00 Hrs | REC PEO | ORDINARY | DHARAMSHALA | THANGI | NO |
| 3 | 1220 | 5:00 AM | 2:15 PM | 9:15 Hrs | REC PEO | ORDINARY | HARIDWAR | RECONGPEO | NO |
| 4 | 556 | 5:45 AM | 3:00 PM | 9:15 Hrs | REC PEO | ORDINARY | DELHI ISBT KASHMIRI GATE | RECONGPEO | NO |
| 5 | 255 | 6:56 AM | 4:40 PM | 9:44 Hrs | REC PEO | ORDINARY | SOLAN | RECONGPEO | NO |
| 6 | 1513 | 9:00 AM | 7:00 PM | 10:00 Hrs | REC PEO | ORDINARY | CHANDIGARH | RECONGPEO | NO |
| 7 | CHD-RPO | 10:30 AM | 7:00 PM | 8:30 Hrs | REC PEO | HIMMANI DELUXE 2X2 NON AC | CHANDIGARH | RECONGPEO | NO |
| 8 | 273 | 6:30 PM | 3:30 AM | 9:00 Hrs | REC PEO | ORDINARY | SHIMLA ISBT TUTIKANDI | RECONGPEO | YES |
| 9 | 1511 | 10:20 PM | 7:00 AM | 8:40 Hrs | REC PEO | HIMMANI DELUXE 2X2 NON AC | CHANDIGARH | RECONGPEO | NO |
| 10 | CHD-SML-RPO | 10:30 PM | 7:00 AM | 8:30 Hrs | REC PEO | ORDINARY | CHANDIGARH | RECONGPEO | NO |
| 11 | 1512 | 11:30 PM | 9:00 AM | 9:30 Hrs | RAMPUR | ORDINARY | CHANDIGARH | KALPA | NO |
From Reckong Peo to Kaza.
You can take a bus for Kaza from Reckong Peo.
| SR. No. | SERVICE NO. | RECONGPEO | KAZA | DURATION | DEPOT | TYPE | ORIGIN | DESTINATION | ONLINE BOOKING |
| 1 | RPO-KZA-01 | 5:30 AM | 3:00 PM | 9:30 Hrs | REC PEO | ORDINARY | RECONGPEO | KAZA | NO |
| 2 | RPO-KZA-02 | 7:30 AM | 5:00 PM | 9:30 Hrs | REC PEO | ORDINARY | RECONGPEO | KAZA | NO |
Option – 2 Shimla to Manali, then to Kaza.
Bus service from Shimla to Manali is frequent. You can easily reach manali
From Manali to Kaza Travel you can read this blog with complete details of Buses.
For online booking of buses on the HRTC website kindly Click here
Note: If you are planning to take an offline HRTC bus, kindly confirm the timings from the HRTC Depot office before finalization. Click here to know the phone numbers.
How to reach Spiti Valley from Shimla on your own Vehicle
If you can reach Shimla in your own Vehicle then reaching Kaza is not too difficult a task in Option-1
Option-1
- The travel time is around 13 hrs so please make sure you start early in the day so that you reach Kaza in the evening..
- Highway up to Karcham after that single-lane road.
- Road near Kaza is not so okay, so having a high-ground clearance vehicle would be a good option.
- You don’t require a 4X4 vehicle there as the normal vehicle can reach there.
- The road from Rampur to Kaza is considered among the most dangerous roads so driving should be done carefully.
- In winter there would be high snowfall above Shimla to Narkanda and then in the Kinnaur district so weather updates to be taken before the start of the journey.
- There are limited petrol pumps the way after Rampur.
For Option – 2
- One can easily reach Manali from Delhi.
- The route after a few kilometers from the Atal tunnel is totally bad in shape and opens for only 4 months a year. So please make sure you are well prepared for that terrain.
- The travel time is more than 8 hrs Kaza from Manali, so please make sure you start early in the day as during the rest of the day the water level in the crossing is high.
- There is no network/support on this route. Make sure you are having cold prevention set up in case you get stuck somewhere.
- If you are having a 4X4 vehicle then this is a good option.
- The road from Kaza to Tabo is majorly okay but has some treacherous sections.
- Cancel or postpone your travel if there is bad weather.
- In Manali – Kaza route petrol pump is only at Kaza after Manali.
How to reach Spiti Valley from Shimla on a bike
Nowadays traveling into the Himalayas on Bike is becoming a trend. Lots of bikers every year travel to remote areas and enjoy the beauty. Reaching Kaza on the bike would be the dream for every adventure lover. Kindly consider the below points before planning a trip to Kaza on a bike.
- Every bike can reach Kaza but prefer a bike with > 150 cc engine if you are with a pillion rider.
- You will feel the major variation in the temperature while traveling on the bike as there is a gain and drop of altitude. Shimla to Narkanda at a higher altitude than Rampur at a lower altitude.
- Ride carefully as the road from Rampur to Kaza is considered a dangerous road so driving should be done carefully.
- Carry rain covers along with as there might be rain at higher reaches.
- There are many landslide-prone areas that are treacherous during the rainy season.
- During winters Bike riding is not advisable as there will be snowfall / black ice on roads and bike riding is extremely dangerous..
- There are limited petrol pumps the way after Rampur so please plan and fill the tank based upon the fuel consumption of your bike.
How to reach Spiti Valley from Shimla on a Taxi
Taxis can easily be hired for Kaza and there are many options available on the online platforms. Following key things to be considered while taxing taxis to Kaza.
- Drivers should be experienced in traveling in these areas.
- Vehicle to be comfortable since travel time would be more than 8 hrs.
- Ground clearance of the Vehicle to be good.
- Negotiate well before finalization.
How to reach Spiti Valley from Shimla by Train
Kaza is not connected by train. The last station is at Shimla
How to reach Spiti Valley from Shimla by air
Since Kaza is located deep in the Himalayas, there is no major airport nearby.
Summary – “How to reach Spiti Valley from Shimla”
Let’s summarize what we have understood in this blog “How to reach Spiti Valley from Delhi ”
- Spiti Valley is a wonderful travel destination located in the Lahaul & Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh at around 420 KM from Shimla.
- You can reach Kaza in one day from Shimla.
- Kaza can be reached during summers but the best time is from April – June and then from September – October.
- Kaza can be reached by self-driven car, bike, taxi, and by Bus.
- Cheapest way to reach Kaza is by the HRTC bus and many options are available.
We hope you have got a good understanding of “How to reach Spiti Valley from Shimla ”. If you want to give suggestions on this blog ” please comment.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions:
Question – Shimla to Spiti Valley bus
Answer – There is no direct bus from Shimla to Kaza with online booking. You can change at Reckong Peo.
