How to reach Spiti Valley from Chandigarh – 2023 Updated

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 Chandigarh 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	540 Km
Travel Time by road	16 Hrs  (approximately)

How to reach Spiti Valley from Chandigarh

Spiti Valley’s headquarter, Kaza is connected by road and accessible majorly during summers.  The distance between Kaza from Chandigarh is around 540 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 Chandigarh 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	Chandigarh	0	700	225	00:00
2	Solan	70	5100	1550	02:00
3	Shimla	120	7200	2200	03:30
4	Kufri	135	8500	2600	04:15
5	Narkanda	180	8900	2700	05:45
6	Rampur	240	3300	1000	07:30
7	Bhaba Nagar	290	5100	1550	09:15
8	Tapri	310	5600	1700	09:45
9	Karcham	320	5900	1800	10:00
10	Reckong Peo	335	7900	2400	10:30
11	Khab	410	8500	2600	12:15
12	Nako	445	12000	3650	12:55
13	Tabo	510	10800	3300	14:40
14	Kaza	540	12100	3700	16:10

How to reach Spiti Valley from Chandigarh on a Bus

If you want to travel to Himachal with a limited budget then traveling by Bus would be the best option. Unlike other hilly states, the bus network in Himachal is very good and night service is also available.

Himachal Pradesh State Owned Buses are called HRTC buses ( Himachal Road Transport Corporation buses). They are usually green/blue in color.   

There are multiple options to reach Kaza by bus. You can take the bus to major bus stands / ISBTs and then a further connecting bus can be taken.

Before moving to the options we need to understand the route map. 

Option – 1 Chandigarh – Reckong Peo by bus and then Reckong Peo to Kaza by another bus.

Below are the bus details you can choose

From Chandigarh to Reckong Peo:

SR. No.	SERVICE NO.	CHANDIGARH	RECONGPEO	DURATION	DEPOT	TYPE	ORIGIN	DESTINATION	ONLINE BOOKING
1	556	1:10 AM	3:00 PM	13:50 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	DELHI ISBT KASHMIRI GATE	RECONGPEO	NO
2	1220	1:30 AM	2:15 PM	12:45 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	HARIDWAR	RECONGPEO	NO
3	1513	4:44 AM	7:00 PM	14:16 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	CHANDIGARH	RECONGPEO	YES
4	CHD-RPO	6:05 AM	7:00 PM	12:55 Hrs	REC PEO	HIMMANI DELUXE 2X2 NON AC	CHANDIGARH	RECONGPEO	NO
5	1511	5:50 PM	7:00 AM	13:10 Hrs	REC PEO	HIMMANI DELUXE 2X2 NON AC	CHANDIGARH	RECONGPEO	YES
6	CHD-SML-RPO	6:00 PM	7:00 AM	13:00 Hrs	REC PEO	ORDINARY	CHANDIGARH	RECONGPEO	NO
7	1512	7:00 PM	9:00 AM	14:00 Hrs	RAMPUR	ORDINARY	CHANDIGARH	KALPA	YES

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  Chandigarh to Shimla, then to  Kaza.

The bus service from Chandigarh to Shimla is much more frequent. You can easily reach Shimla based on the connecting bus from Shimla.

From Shimla to Kaza Travel you can read this blog with complete details of Buses. .

Option – 3 Chandigarh to Manali, then to Kaza.

Similar to Shimla , bus service from  Chandigarh to Manali is also  frequent. 

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 Chandigarh on your own Vehicle

If you have good exposure to driving on mountainous roads and your vehicle is an SUV then this is a perfect option to travel to Kaza. Below are Key things to be considered while traveling to Kaza on your own driving.

For Option – 1

1. The travel time is more than 16 hrs.
2. Roads till Solan are good ( separate lanes for up and down traffic).   
3. Highway up to Karcham after that single-lane road.
4. You don’t require a 4X4 vehicle there as the normal vehicle can reach there.
5. The road from Rampur to Kaza is considered among the most dangerous roads so driving should be done carefully.
6. There would be many landslide-prone areas that are treacherous during the rainy season.
7. 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.
8. There are limited petrol pumps the way after Rampur.

For Option – 2

1. One can easily reach Manali from Chandigarh.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. There is no network/support on this route. Make sure you are having cold prevention set up in case you get stuck somewhere. 
5. If you are having a 4X4 vehicle then this is a good option.
6. The road from Kaza to Tabo is majorly okay but has some treacherous sections.
7. Cancel or postpone your travel if there is bad weather.
8. In Manali – Kaza route petrol pump is only at Kaza after Manali.

How to reach Spiti Valley from Chandigarh 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 a bike would be the dream for every adventure lover. Kindly consider the below points before planning a trip to Kaza on a bike.

1. Every bike can reach Kaza but prefer a bike with > 150 cc engine if you are with a pillion rider. 
2. Ride carefully as the road from Rampur to Kaza is considered a dangerous road so driving should be done carefully.
3. Carry rain covers along as there might be rainy uphill while there is a clear sky on the plains.
4. There are many landslide-prone areas that are treacherous during the rainy season.
5. During winters Bike riding is not advisable as there will be snowfall / black ice on roads and bike riding is extremely dangerous..
6. 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 Chandigarh 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.

1. Drivers should be experienced in traveling in these areas.
2. Vehicle to be comfortable since travel time would be more than 12 hrs.
3. Ground clearance of the Vehicle to be good.
4. Negotiate well before finalization.

How to reach Spiti Valley from Chandigarh by Train

The nearest railway station en route to Kaza is the Shimla railway station. But this station is on the narrow gauge. You need to change trains from Kalka railway station. The Kalka railway station is for both broad gauge and narrow gauge. You can easily reach Kalka railway station from Chandigarh which is less than an Hour.

How to reach Spiti Valley from Chandigarh by air

Since Kaza is located deep  in the Himalayas, there is no major airport nearby.

The nearest airport en route to Kaza is Shimla airport and Bhuntar airport

Summary – “How to reach Spiti Valley from Chandigarh”

Let’s summarize what we have understood in this blog  “How to reach Spiti Valley from Chandigarh ”

• Kaza is a wonderful travel destination located in the Lahaul & Spiti District of Himachal Pradesh at around 540 KM from Chandigarh.
• 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.
• Nearest railway station is  Shimla which is narrow gauge. The train can be taken from Kalka.
• Nearest airport is Shimla airport but no direct service from Chandigarh.
• 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 Chandigarh ”. If you want to give suggestions on this blog ” please comment.

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions: