Spiti Expedition 1

Know About Something Spiti

Spiti in local language means 'the Middle Land'. This area is called Spiti because it lies between Tibet and the rest of India. It is a high altitude desert land situated in the Himalayas in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. The valley of Lahaul and Spiti receives very little rainfall because it lies in the rain-shadow region of the Himalayas. During summer the landscape here is mostly barren with greenery concentrated mostly in the lower valley region around rivers. However it receives heavy snowfall in winter and remains partly cut off from the rest of India during winters. The road to Lahaul from Kullu valley passes over the Rohtang Pass at 13,054 feet, and remains cut off during winters. Lahaul and Spiti valleys are separated by the Kunzum Pass, at 15,059 feet, which again remains closed during winter. The road to Spiti through Kinnaur Valley remains periodically closed during winter storms but is restored immediately afterwards.

Kibber, a village in this Lahual-Spiti Valley of Himalayas, is known for being one of the highest motorable villages in the world. It is situated at a height of about 14,200 ft in the Himalayas at a distance of about 16 km from Kaza. Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary is the only wildlife sanctuary in India located in a cold desert. Key Monastery, the largest and the most important Buddhist monastery in Spiti Valley and is located close to Kibber. Kibber village is built in a narrow valley on top of a limestone rock. The village has around 80 houses, made of stone unlike the mud or adobe brick extensively used elsewhere in the Spiti valley. All basic amenities are available at Kibber village. The main occupation of people here is agriculture and animal husbandary in summer and knitting and handicraft in winter.