Kaza sits at roughly 3,800 metres, and the villages above it climb past 4,000. Drive in too fast and your body pays for it. The good news: Spiti rewards the patient.
Come in through Kinnaur
Entering from Shimla through Sangla and Kalpa means you gain height gradually over three or four days. By the time you reach Kaza you’ve acclimatised without trying.
The people who rush Spiti are the ones who spend Key Monastery with a headache.
What to pack
- Layers: a thermal base, a fleece and a windproof shell
- Sunscreen, lip balm and sunglasses (UV is brutal up here)
- A refillable bottle and electrolytes
- Cash: ATMs are rare beyond Kaza
Do it this way and Spiti stops being a test of endurance and becomes what it should be: the most beautiful road trip of your life.
