Private tourManaliManali Winter Snow Trip
Solang, the Atal Tunnel and Sissu in snow, with easy snow walks.
Per person, group of 4+₹8,999 + GST
EasyPrivate, your datesDec – Mar
Home / Group tours / Winter Spiti 4x4 Expedition
Dec – Mar
Weekly group batches · Spiti
Winter Spiti 4x4 Expedition
10 Days / 9 Nights · Manali to Manali
Frozen Spiti by 4x4, through Kinnaur to Kaza, Key, Kibber and Langza, with nights in warm local homestays.
Duration10 days, 9 nights
Max altitude~4,400 m
LevelModerate
Starts and endsManali
BatchesEvery Sat, Dec – Mar
On footShort walks only; long drives on snowy roads
Getting there
- Reach Manali by the evening before day 1. Overnight Volvo buses run from Delhi and Chandigarh; the nearest airport is Bhuntar (50 km).
- Pickup from your stay in Manali at 9 am on day 1.
- You are back in Manali by the evening of day 10. Book onward travel after 7 pm, or the next day.
About the trip
In winter the road from Manali over Kunzum Pass is closed, so we go the long way round: down to the Sutlej, up through Kinnaur and into Spiti from the south. It is the only way in until summer.
We travel in 4x4 vehicles with snow chains and drivers who live in the valley, and stay in homestays heated with a bukhari stove. Expect −15 °C to −25 °C at night, frozen rivers, and monasteries with almost no other visitors.
Day-by-day itinerary
Manali · Narkanda · Rampur · Sangla · Chitkul · Kalpa · Nako · Tabo · Dhankar · Kaza · Key · Kibber · Chicham · Langza · Hikkim · Komic · Kalpa · Narkanda · Manali
Day 1Manali to Narkanda
Places today
Drive from Manali via Mandi to Narkanda on the Shimla ridge (about 9 hours).
OvernightHotel, Narkanda
Day 2Narkanda to Sangla
Places today
Down to the Sutlej at Rampur and up the Baspa valley to Sangla in Kinnaur. We switch to snow-ready 4x4s here.
OvernightHomestay, Sangla
Day 3Chitkul and Kalpa
Morning at Chitkul, the last village before Tibet, then on to Kalpa facing the Kinnaur Kailash range.
OvernightHomestay, Kalpa
Day 4Kalpa to Tabo via Nako
Places today
Into the cold desert past Khab, where the Spiti meets the Sutlej, and the frozen lake at Nako. Night in Tabo.
OvernightHomestay, Tabo
Day 5Tabo and Dhankar to Kaza
Places today
The 1,000-year-old Tabo monastery and Dhankar fort monastery above the river, then on to Kaza.
OvernightHomestay, Kaza
Day 6Key, Kibber and Chicham
Places today
Key monastery in snow, Kibber village and the Chicham bridge over its deep gorge. Chance of spotting ibex, and with luck a snow leopard.
OvernightHomestay, Kaza
Day 7Langza, Hikkim and Komic
The high villages above Kaza: the Langza Buddha, the Hikkim post office and Komic monastery, road permitting.
OvernightHomestay, Kaza
Day 8Kaza to Kalpa
The long drive back down the valley to Kalpa (about 200 km).
OvernightHomestay, Kalpa
Day 9Kalpa to Narkanda
Down the Sutlej valley and up to Narkanda.
OvernightHotel, Narkanda
Day 10Back to Manali
Drive back to Manali via Mandi, arriving by evening.
EndsBack in Manali
Included
- 4x4 vehicle (Scorpio, Thar or similar) with snow chains and a local driver, 4 guests per vehicle
- Bus or tempo from Manali to Sangla and back, Manali to Manali
- 9 nights in homestays and hotels with heating, twin or triple sharing
- Breakfast and dinner every day
- Trip leader, inner line permits and first-aid kit with oxygen
Not included
- Travel to and from Manali
- Lunch
- Activities such as paragliding, skiing or rafting
- Entry tickets
- Anything not listed as included
Is this trip right for you?
Groups who are fine with long drives, basic heated homestays and very cold nights. Not for anyone with heart or lung problems.
Good to know- Roads close for a day or two after heavy snow; the plan can change and an extra night may be needed.
- Running hot water is not guaranteed in peak winter; homestays give buckets of hot water.
Your own group?
Friends, family or office? Go private.
The same trip runs privately, on your dates, at your pace, with only the people you choose.
On this trip
Places along the trail
In the order you reach them, with the day you are there.
1Day 1Narkanda
A ridge-top town on the Hindustan–Tibet road with apple orchards and views of the high Himalaya.
2Day 2Sangla
A village in the Baspa valley with apple orchards, wooden temples and the Kamru fort.
3Day 3Chitkul
The last village on the road before Tibet, at ~3,450 m on the Baspa river.
4Day 3Kalpa
A village above Reckong Peo facing the Kinnaur Kailash range across the Sutlej.
5Day 4Nako
A stone village at ~3,600 m around a small lake that freezes solid in winter, on the road into Spiti.
6Day 5Tabo Monastery
A monastery founded in 996 AD, with mud-walled halls full of old murals.
7Day 5Dhankar Monastery
An old fort-monastery perched on a crag above the meeting of the Spiti and Pin rivers.
8Day 5Kaza
The main town of Spiti at ~3,650 m, on the Spiti river.
9Day 6Key Monastery
A 1,000-year-old Buddhist monastery stacked on a hill above the Spiti river.
10Day 6Kibber
A high village at ~4,200 m in Spiti, home to snow leopard country.
11Day 6Chicham Bridge
One of the highest bridges in Asia, across a deep gorge between Kibber and Chicham.
12Day 7Langza
A fossil-rich village at ~4,400 m with a large Buddha statue facing Chau Chau Kang Nilda.
13Day 7Hikkim
A tiny village at ~4,400 m with one of the highest post offices in the world.
14Day 7Komic
One of the highest villages reachable by road (~4,500 m), with an old Sakya monastery.
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Questions
Winter Spiti 4x4 Expedition: questions, answered
How difficult is the Winter Spiti 4x4 Expedition?
The Winter Spiti 4x4 Expedition is graded moderate, with short walks only; long drives on snowy roads and a highest point of ~4,400 m. Groups who are fine with long drives, basic heated homestays and very cold nights. Not for anyone with heart or lung problems.
When is the best time for the Winter Spiti 4x4 Expedition?
We run it Dec – Mar.
How much does the Winter Spiti 4x4 Expedition cost?
₹32,999 per person plus 5% GST, for a seat in a weekly batch. It covers everything from Manali to Manali that is listed under Included: private vehicle and driver, stays, breakfast and dinner, and permits.
Where does it start and end?
In Manali. We pick you up in Manali on day 1 and drop you back in Manali on day 10. The trail itself starts at Manali.
Which days do batches leave?
Batches leave every Saturday from December to March, with at most 15 trekkers each. The next dates and seats left are in the booking box on this page.
Can I join on my own?
Yes. Weekly batches are open to solo trekkers, couples and small groups, with no more than 15 trekkers per batch. You can also book it private for your own group.
What should I carry?
Warm layers, comfortable shoes, sunglasses and any medicines you need. We send a packing list when you book.
Something else? Ask us on WhatsApp
Ready when you are
Winter Spiti 4x4 Expedition, Manali to Manali.
Pick a weekly batch or go private. We reply on WhatsApp within a few hours.
See batch dates