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Europeans
have never been allowed freely into the indo-Tibetian
border areas of Spiti and Kinnaur. In 1950 these areas
were slammed shut to everyone when the Chinese invaded
Tibet. Now the area is open. Its is a region of soaring
rock strata and sweeping flood plains. The mountain
villages are wrapped in a time warp and sweeping flood
plains. The mountain villages are wrapped in a time warp
and preserved as Tibet would have been without the
oppression of the Chinese. The area is a macrocosm of all
the extremes or the Himalayan form the savagery of
the peaks to the women crouched in the fields
harvesting the barley crop.
Rudyard Kipling describes Spiti in 'Kim' in these words :
"At last they entered a world - a valley of leagues
where the high hills were fashioned of the mere
rubble and refuse from off the knees of the mountains...
Surely the Gods live here. Beaten down by the silence
and the appalling sweep of dispersal of the cloud-shadows
after rain. This place is no place for men."
South of Spiti is the area known as Kinnaur which is
dominated by the vertically pointed and perennially snow
covered Kinner Kailash which stands out majestically at
21,000 ft. It comprises of seven valleys, the most
beautiful being the Baspa valley at a height of
9400 ft. which is an exquisite tiny version of Kashmir .
Geologists say that this valley was under the sea
thousands of years ago. The main town here is Sangla, and
is worth any effort to get there.
We offer three itineraries into this areas:
The first across the 16300ft Pin Pass form the Kulu Valley
into Spiti. At the end of the trek is an eight day drive
to Simla visiting the age old Monastaries of Kye, Dhankar
and Tabo which is regarded by many as next in significance
to the Tholiang gompa in Tibet.Its murals date back to the
8th and 9th Century AD as in the year 996 the Tabo gompa
was established.
The
second option is to trek over the Bhaba Pass driving
into Kinnaur from shimla.
The third option is to drive form Manali through Spiti
and Kinnaur, finishing in Simla. The holiday necessiates
stopping at very attractive campsites in the Greater
Himalayas. Both options include a visit a Sangla.
The foot trek over the Pin Pass is not easy. A good degree
of fitness is necessary and some trekking experience .It
is worth any difficulty.
Permit:-
To visit these you need a permit. Ask for necessary forms
and send it along with four passport size photographs. |
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