Lahaul Valley of Himachal Pradesh in the northern part of the country has become the most popular tourist destination of Himachal due to its easy approach after the opening of the Atal Tunnel, Rohtang. Thousands of tourists are visiting Lahaul Valley every day to enjoy its breathtaking beauty. In 2022, as many as 6,22,988 vehicles carrying about 20 lakh tourists entered Lahaul valley via tunnel from Manali besides some tourists reaching here via Leh-Keylong and Kaza-Koksar road. Lahaul Valley, which further has many small valleys, is home to the beautiful landscapes, towering peaks, deep valleys, hanging glaciers, rivers, monasteries, temples, a mix of Hindu-Buddhist cultures and winding roads. Lahaul and Spiti are two sub-divisions of Lahaul-Spiti district. Lahaul and Spiti are divided by the mighty Kunzum pass. However, jurisdiction of Spiti valley begins from Koksar, beyond Gramphu, but its first village is Losar, on the other side of the Kunzum pass. Keylong in Lahaul is the administrative headquarters of the district. Lahaul-Spiti is the largest district of Himachal in terms of geographical area. Lahaul-Spiti is popularly known as mini-Ladakh for its Ladakh-like landscapes. Lahaul-Spiti is also known as the cold deserts of Himachal due to its high altitude barren lands and extremely cold temperature. The district is the coldest in Himachal, with temperature at many places plunging below minus 25 degrees Celsius in winter season. Spiti is colder than Lahaul but many places of Lahaul also record below minus 20 degrees C of temperature. How to reach Lahaul Valley Lahaul valley is just 33 km from Manali along the Manali-Leh highway. The valley starts from the northern end of the Atal tunnel. Atal tunnel is the bridge between Manali and Lahaul. Before tunnel, Lahaul was reachable via Rohtang pass. Rohtang top, 51 km from Manali, is the boundary of Manali
Lahaul Valley of Himachal Pradesh in the northern part of the country has become the most popular tourist destination of Himachal due to its easy approach after the opening of the Atal Tunnel, Rohtang. Thousands of tourists are visiting Lahaul Valley every day to enjoy its breathtaking beauty. In 2022, as many as 6,22,988 vehicles
Now e-permit must to visit Spiti’s Chandertal lake Updated on June 21, 2021 People who wish to visit Chandertal lake and nearby areas of Spiti valley of Himachal, which have no mobile network and are prone to natural disasters, will have to apply for e-permit online from next few days. The e-permit, named e-Aagman, will help Lahaul-Spiti district administration in keeping a track of visitors for their safety and will help administration in controlling the number of people visiting this eco-sensitive area according to its carrying capacity. This region is notorious for dangerous roads, landslides, floods and sudden snowfall which leaves tourists stranded. This being a mobile shadow area, tourists sometimes face problems after accidents or other problems as they fail to contact for help. You can apply for Chandratal Lake Permit here: http://www.eaagman.hp.gov.in/ Lahaul-Spiti deputy commissioner Pankaj Rai said, “The vehicles will have to be registered online to get e-permit to be able to use Koksar-Kaza road and to visit Chandertal lake. This arrangement is to ensure safety of the visitors and to keep track of them. We shall allow tourists to Chandertal only according to its carrying capacity. Those without e-permit will not be allowed. Camping at the lake area will not be allowed.” Visitors will have to provide their personal details, vehicle number, travel date, source and destination by filling the form at www.eaagman.hp.gov.in. Chandertal, which is also a wildlife sanctuary and home to many glaciers, is a popular tourist destination. Presently Chandertal is closed for tourists as all wildlife sanctuaries were closed for tourists since April 30 due to possibility of spread of the Covid-19 from humans to animals. The lake is expected to open soon. Lahaul-Spiti administration was considering implementing the e-permit system in the entire district to avoid overcrowding of tourists. Police will check the
Now e-permit must to visit Spiti’s Chandertal lake Updated on June 21, 2021 People who wish to visit Chandertal lake and nearby areas of Spiti valley of Himachal, which have no mobile network and are prone to natural disasters, will have to apply for e-permit online from next few days. The e-permit, named e-Aagman, will
Himachal will have the world’s highest cricket stadium at altitude of 10,000ft above sea level at Sissu in Himachal’s Lahaul valley as formalities regarding land transfer and other paper works are in the final stage. Unlike other cricket grounds, this stadium next to Atal tunnel will be built after raising funds from local tribals. Initially, the ground will have a capacity to accommodate 10 thousand spectators. Location and design of the stadium have been finalised. The Lahaul Spiti Cricket Association (LSCA) is pushing hard to turn the dream into reality since 2013. The 38 bigha land has been demarcated by forest and revenue departments and the file will now be sent for FCA clearance. LSCA president Surender Thakur said association is waiting for letter of intent from the government to proceed with the further formalities. “After the nod from government, forest department will forward the file for FCA clearance and the construction work will begin immediately after clearance. Local administration, panchayat and all the residents of the district are looking forward to host the cricket match at world’s highest stadium,” he said. Thakur added that a few days back a delegation from LSCA including him, general secretary Tenzin Karpa, joint secretary Sanjay Yarpa, members Ashok Bata and Virender Thakur met with cabinet minister Ram Lal Markanda who himself wants to be involved in the project. “Minister said he is doing his level best for early completion of the stadium. All of us are waiting for formalities of FCA.” At present Chail cricket ground is highest in the world at 8,000ft. This ground in Chail in Shimla district was established by Patiala’s Maharaja Bhupinder Singh in 1893. Established n 2003, the Dharamshala cricket ground is at altitude of 4,780ft. Lahaul cricket ground at 10,000ft will be a new attraction at Sissu,
Himachal will have the world’s highest cricket stadium at altitude of 10,000ft above sea level at Sissu in Himachal’s Lahaul valley as formalities regarding land transfer and other paper works are in the final stage. Unlike other cricket grounds, this stadium next to Atal tunnel will be built after raising funds from local tribals. Initially,
As skiing season has come to an end in most of the countries, the National Skiing and Snowboarding Championships will start on the slopes of Himachal’s Lahaul valley at altitude of above 11,000ft from March 26 to 28. The athletes are thrilled to participate in the first of its kind competition in the late March during onset of summer season. Over 150 athletes from eight state associations, Indian Army, ITBP and individual athletes from many states will throng cold deserts of Lahaul-Spit district known for its prolonged winter season. Both skiing and snowboarding races will be conducted in different categories. Earlier Himachal Pradesh Winter Games Association (HPWGA), Lahaul-Spiti administration and local clubs of the district were organising the events in first week of April, but now they have decided to conduct the races from March 26 to 28. The tournament is being organised by Himachal government, HPWGA, Lahaul-Spiti administration, many adventure sports clubs of Lahaul valley in association with Ski and Snowboard India. The event in late winter season was the brainchild of tribal development minister Dr Ram Lal Markanda as he believed this will bring Lahaul valley on the international map of winter sports destination. HPWGA president Ludar Thakur said this will be a first of its kind winter sports tournament of the country. “All preparations will be made in the next few days. The dates of the event will also be finalised in a couple of days. I have talked to the associations and other teams across the nation who are thrilled to know about such an event in late March which is otherwise the summer season," he said. "Weather and environment in Lahaul are completely different from other parts of the country and we shall take its full advantage. In the future, too, we can organise national
As skiing season has come to an end in most of the countries, the National Skiing and Snowboarding Championships will start on the slopes of Himachal’s Lahaul valley at altitude of above 11,000ft from March 26 to 28. The athletes are thrilled to participate in the first of its kind competition in the late March
There are hundreds of homestays in Lahaul and Spiti valleys and almost all units offer amazing panoramic views of the snow-clad Himalayan ranges. While some tourists prefer staying in hotels, some in camps and cottages, there are many tourists who want to stay with local families. This provides them an opportunity to understand the local culture, traditions, and their way of life so closely. They also get to eat local cuisines and can learn some of the recipes. They, while sitting with members of the family, can discuss about the local sightseeing places. Homestay is the best platform to exchange two different cultures. Primarily, Lahaul valley had homestays at Keylong and Jispa only. Then some people registered their houses as homestay at Udaipur. In recent times, Sissu, Khangsar, Gondla, Tandi, Biling, Darcha and almost all the villages of Lahaul have homestay units. Homestays in Lahaul valley are going to be major source of income for the residents as the valley has a limited number of hotels. In Spiti valley, Kaza, Kibber and Tabo had the major homestays which later extended to Pin valley (Mudh), Kee, Dhankar, Langza, Hikkim, Lossar and other areas of the valley. Homestays in Spiti valley have been a major attraction for tourists for years. The number of homestays in Spiti is increasing every year. 435 homestays registered in Lahaul in four days Updated on February 26, 2021 As many as 435 tribals in Lahaul valley registered their houses as homestay units in just four days as district administration is asking maximum residents to take advantage of the special drive with a single-window registration facility. As hotels and homestays in Lahaul valley have the capacity to accommodate maximum of 3,000 tourists, the administration is working hard on increasing the capacity to 10 thousand as soon as
There are hundreds of homestays in Lahaul and Spiti valleys and almost all units offer amazing panoramic views of the snow-clad Himalayan ranges. While some tourists prefer staying in hotels, some in camps and cottages, there are many tourists who want to stay with local families. This provides them an opportunity to understand the local
Concerned for the safety and procreation process of snow leopard and other endangered wildlife species which descend down to lower areas after winter snowfall, the Spiti administration on Monday imposed a complete ban on car rallies in major sanctuary areas. Additional district magistrate (ADM) at Spiti Gian Sagar Negi said it has been seen that various travel agencies organise car rallies especially during winter season in Spiti valley which passes through snow leopard landscapes of Kibber wildlife sanctuary. “Animals like snow leopard, blue sheep, Himalayan serow and ibex descend down to lower elevation after snowfall in higher regions. February and March is the mating season of snow leopards. Passage of heavy vehicular traffic is not only disturbing the natural habitats of the animals but it will also adversely affect the procreation of snow leopards which are highly endangered species,” he said. The ADM imposed a ban on car rallies in Kibber wildlife sanctuary through Lidang, Demul, Komic, Hikkim and Langcha village areas and from Rangrik bridge to Chicham via Kee and Kibber villages with immediate effect. “Any violation of this order will attract legal action under Wildlife Protection Act and Section 188 of CrPC. He added that both state and Centre are making efforts for conservation of these wild animals through different projects and programmes. “The heavy rush of the vehicles and their loud sounds are disturbing the wild animals. Kibber sanctuary is home to snow leopard and many other rare species. Snow leopard sighting tours in winter season are one of the major sources of income for local residents. The car rallies are posing threat to the wild animals and will also indirectly hit the snow leopard sighting tours. This important issue was brought to my notice and imposing ban on car rallies was very important,” Negi added. A
Concerned for the safety and procreation process of snow leopard and other endangered wildlife species which descend down to lower areas after winter snowfall, the Spiti administration on Monday imposed a complete ban on car rallies in major sanctuary areas. Additional district magistrate (ADM) at Spiti Gian Sagar Negi said it has been seen that
Remaining closed for over 10 months for outsiders, the Spiti valley of Himachal will open for tourists from February 17 with a condition that visitors carry a Covid-19 test report. The decision was taken after a meeting of Spiti Tourism Society (STS) where stakeholders decided that this is the right time to resume the business. Earlier residents had decided not to welcome any visitor till March 31. As Lahaul-Spiti district has no active case of Covid-19 and as vaccine of the disease has also been developed and being administered, the members decided that tourists should be allowed to enter the valley provided that everyone will have to strictly follow the Covid safety protocols. However, residents of Kibber village have denied welcoming the tourists. The society decided that tourists will not visit Kibber village and Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary, famous for snow leopard sighting. Narendra Rana, one of the members of the society, said it was decided in the meeting that it will be the duty of the tour organisers to make sure that each tourist is carrying a valid Covid-19 test report. “Any individual entering the valley without test will have to be rushed to the government hospital for rapid antigen test. Tourists will have to use face cover and maintain social distancing even in open space. Local coronation and vigilance committees have been formed to ensure that all SOPs are being followed by tourists and tour operators. Some of the restrictions can be lifted in April,” he said. Spiti, where majority of population is dependent on tourism, was the first place in Himachal to impose complete lockdown in the valley in March last year. The residents blamed that this remote valley, coldest in the state, has poor medical facilities and prevention was the only remedy to protect its residents
Remaining closed for over 10 months for outsiders, the Spiti valley of Himachal will open for tourists from February 17 with a condition that visitors carry a Covid-19 test report. The decision was taken after a meeting of Spiti Tourism Society (STS) where stakeholders decided that this is the right time to resume the business.
Lahaul Snow Festival 2022 Start Date: January 13, 2022 End Date: March 31, 2022 (tentative) Address: Lahaul and Spiti, Himachal Pradesh, India Main attractions: Traditional (winter) festivals, Local culture, Local cuisines, Lahaul tribal dresses, Snow Craft, Snow Queen contest, Winter and traditional sports, Folk Dance, Folk Music, and many more Influence: Within Lahaul Valley Venue: All villages of Lahaul with centre at Keylong and Udaipur First Event: 2021 (25 Jan to 31 March) Purpose: To boost winter tourism and cultural tourism besides preserving and revival of long-forgotten local traditions. Organizers: DC Lahaul Spiti, Local MLA, SDMs, all government officials and local stakeholders with support from all the residents. Funding: With a mutual contribution by residents under the guidance of local administration. Achievement: Won SKOCH Silver Award in governance category on March 20, 2021. Timing: Opening at 10 AM on 13th January at Udaipur, and cultural and other programmes will continue all days daily. How to reach Lahaul: Delhi/Chandigarh > Manali > Atal Tunnel > Lahaul How to reach Spiti: Delhi/Chandigarh > Shimla/Karsog >Rampur > Kinnaur > Spiti Two month-long Snow Festival from 13 January 2022 Updated on December 30, 2021 With an aim to promote winter tourism, tribal culture, local festivals, and traditions, the two-month-long snow festival will start in Himachal’s Lahaul-Spiti district from January 13, 2022. The first snow festival was organised from January 25 to March 31 last winter season when opening of the Atal tunnel had provided winter access to the snow-blanketed valley. After the festival remained successful, the second winter festival will start from Udaipur after worship at Trilokinath temple by lamas and Brahmins. The festival, which will be celebrated in snow-covered valley at different places for over two months, will showcase Lahauli festivals, local culture, cuisines, dresses, folk songs and dances, winter sports and many
Lahaul Snow Festival 2022 Start Date: January 13, 2022 End Date: March 31, 2022 (tentative) Address: Lahaul and Spiti, Himachal Pradesh, India Main attractions: Traditional (winter) festivals, Local culture, Local cuisines, Lahaul tribal dresses, Snow Craft, Snow Queen contest, Winter and traditional sports, Folk Dance, Folk Music, and many more Influence: Within Lahaul Valley Venue:
People from across the country will get access to the snow-bound tribal Lahaul valley in the winter season for the first time as the government has decided to keep the valley open for tourists even after snowfall. Tribal development minister Ram Lal Markanda, after holding a meeting with the officials of Lahaul, said there will be no restriction on tourist inflow to Lahaul valley in clear weather. He said outsiders, for the first time, will get to experience the winters of this tribal belt which used to be cut off from the rest parts of the world after the snowfall. He said the road to the valley via Atal tunnel will be kept clear of snow. He said tourism infrastructure in the valley will be developed on a war footing so that tourists get all basic facilities. “Tourist footfall in the valley has increased suddenly after the opening of the Atal tunnel. There will be no restriction on the movement of tourists if the weather is clear. We shall organise skiing, a winter carnival, and other winter events to attract more tourists this season. Meanwhile, we need to develop our infrastructure to meet the demand of the growing tourism,” Markanda said. He said a Yatri Niwas at Sissu, adequate parking at Keylong, a large bus stand, parking, and cafeteria at Trilokinath will be built very soon. He said parking spaces, dustbins, waste management facilities, viewpoints, parks, tourism activities, exploration of new destinations, and organising cultural events for tourists are proposed. Lahaul-Spiti, popularly known as the cold deserts of Himachal, gets very heavy snowfall from November to March. The area is coldest in the state with minimum temperature at some places plunges below minus 25. Visiting Lahaul valley in the winter season was impossible until recently when the Atal tunnel connected
People from across the country will get access to the snow-bound tribal Lahaul valley in the winter season for the first time as the government has decided to keep the valley open for tourists even after snowfall. Tribal development minister Ram Lal Markanda, after holding a meeting with the officials of Lahaul, said there will
