The spellbinding Spiti Valley, located in Himachal Pradesh in India, is often proclaimed by those who see it to be world within a world. With an average height of around 12,500 feet above sea level, it consists of stark high-altitude alpine land. This is scattered with small villages and monasteries, and enclosed by soaring peaks crowned with snow.
Spiti is bordered by Ladakh in the north, Tibet to the east, Kinnaur to the south east, and the Kullu Valley to the south. It shares the same religion as Tibet -- Tibetan Buddhism.
The majority of people who inhabit the area are farmers who produce crops of barely, wheat, and peas. They rise early every morning to attend to their crops. Only one crop per year is possible, due to the extreme weather.
Climate in Spiti:Spiti receives heavy snow fall during the winter. This results in many villages being completely cut off from the rest of the valley. The ideal time to visit Spiti is from May to October. During this time, the weather is sunny and pleasant. Spiti is also the most accessible during these months.
Altitude Sickness:Due to Spiti's high altitude, special care must be taken to avoid altitude sickness. You should allow a couple of days to acclimatize before heading up to the higher villages in Spiti. In addition, you should drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration.