After crossing the Rohtang Pass, located 51 km north of Manali, the road to Lehu enters the Tibetan regions of Lahaul and Spiti. Like Zodzi La, situated on the border between Kashmir and Ladakh, the Rohtang Pass also separates the Kulu Valley from Lahaulu and Spiti. They border Ladakh from the north, to the east with Tibet, and to the south-east to the area of Kulu. Kinnaur is the southern neighbor of Spiti (access from Śimla).
Much of Lahaulu and Spiti is only open to tourists for a short period in the summer, when the snow melts on the passes.
Entry permits
Tourists heading to Spiti and further down the valley to Tabo, do not need to have an entry permit (Inner Line Permits). You only need this permit if you are traveling from Spiti to the north of Kinnaur. To receive them, you must be a participant of at least a four-person trip organized by an authorized travel agency.
Entry permits are issued by the Senior District Magistrate offices (HR) in Kejlong or Rekong Peo, as well as the Deputy Commissioner at Kulu and Śimli and the Ministry of Home Affairs (Ministry of the Interior) w Delhi. Applicants for a permit must submit 3 photo. Maybe, in the future, individual tourists will also be able to obtain entry permits.
Walking tours
Surroundings of Spiti, Lahaulu and Kinnauru have many great trails. One of the most popular is the trail from Darći (Window) by Śingo La (5090 m) do Padam. I am falling, the capital of the Zanskar region, regular buses to Kargil run, situated on the road from Lehu to Srinagar. For more detailed information, see Trekking in the Indian Hi-malaya (Expeditions in the Himalayas).
Car Safari
Tourists with an entry permit can travel around the three Tibetan regions: Spiti, Lahaul i Kinnaur. The route starts in Śimli and continues through Saharan, Rekong Peo, Akpe, Nacar, Sumdo, Spot, I will, Kind, Kunzam, Chandratal, cancelled, Chatra to Manali and the Kulu Valley. Some travel agencies in Śimli and Manali organize car safaris. Participants can complete the entire route in ten days. One of the cheaper ones is the trip organized by the YMCA office from Śimla (tooth.: Simla).
Climate
Just like in Ladakh, rainfall is rare in the higher reaches of the Himalayas. The Lahaul and Spiti areas are therefore dry and mostly arable. Kinnauru areas represent a kind of transition from the forested valleys in the west to the dry and gloomy regions of eastern Tibet.
The air here is clear and sharp; they are always cool after warm summer days, often frosty nights. The sun is extremely warm here and tans even at low temperatures, that's why you need creams with filters. The real winter begins in August, snow lasts until May. At that time, commuting to Spiti, Lahaulu and Kinnauru are closed to tourists.
Culture
Lahaulu people, Spiti and Kinnauru practice Tibetan Tantric Buddhism, encompassing various cults, faith in demons and good spirits. In monasteries (gompas) monks and lamas lead a life subject to complex rules and rituals. In fact, they are very much like Buddhists from Ladakhis further north. Although almost all the inhabitants of Spiti are followers of Tibetan Buddhism, so in the case of Lahaulu and Kinnauru, half the population is practicing Buddhism, and half is Hinduism.
ROHTANG PASS
Rising in height 3978 m the Rohtang Pass represents the only passage to Lahaulu. The car road there is only open from June to September, while hikers can use it a little earlier. In the tourist season (VI-IX) regular buses run from Manali to Kejlong. Be prepared for unexpected weather changes. Before the road was built, only a few tourists managed to overcome the pass, because bad weather conditions made it impossible to defeat Rohtan-gu (in Tibetan the word rohtang means "pile of dead bodies").
The Manali Tourist Office arranges daily bus rides (100 INR) to the mountain pass.
KEJLONG (KEYLONG)
Situated in the mountainous wilderness of Kejlong, it is the capital of the Spiti and Lahaulu regions. There are many old beautiful monasteries around the city, m.in. away at 3,5 km monastery in Kharding, the former capital of Lahaulu. The Śaśur monasteries also deserve attention (3 km), Tkjal (6 km) and Guru Ghantal (11 km).
Accommodation
In the HPTDC Tourist Bungalow run only three double rooms can be rented 200 INR, the rest are places in the dorm too 45 INR. During the season, you can choose to spend the night in double tents around the building, you pay per night 125 INR. The nearby PWD Rest House has a nice atmosphere. Lamayur guarantees good music and tasty food, Unfortunately, rooms, though cheap, it has grim and dirty.
There are still a few cheap hotels in the area.
Connections
In summer, buses run from Manali to Kejlong every hour, the first one departs already Fr. 5 in the morning. The journey takes six hours and costs money 30 INR. Tourists heading to Lehu have buses departing on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays (the journey lasts 2 days). The more comfortable HPTDĆ buses only run from Manali. Because trips to Lehu are becoming very fashionable, there will likely be more courses in the future; Jeep trips are also planned. For more information on the route to Lehu, see the chapter on Jammu and Kashmir.
NEARBY KEJLONG
A short distance from Kejlong, on the road from Manali, Gondh-la is situated. The biggest attraction of this small town is the eight-story Tagora castle from Gondhli and the old Buddhist monastery. From Kejlong you can reach the Gondhli on foot, several sections of the trail cross the road. Between Gondhla and Kejlon-giem lies the village of Tandi – there the road meets the Chandrabagha River (also called Chenab).
Continuing northwest along the Chenab Valley, we will get to Tri-loknathu. It is worth stopping here for a while, to see the white marble statue of the six-armed Avalokiteshvara (the most famous Bodlsattva, that is, people, who has achieved complete enlightenment). The nearby village of Udajpur is famous for its beautifully carved wooden temple from the 10th or 11th century., dedicated to the goddess Mrikula.