Spiritual · Chandratal, Spiti & Lahaul
Kunzum La and its roadside shrine
Stop at Kunzum La, about 4,590 m, between Spiti and Lahaul, where drivers circle the small shrine to Kunzum Devi and the chortens before going on. A short stop at a very high point.
Photo: John Hill · CC BY-SA 3.0 · CommonsKunzum La is the pass between Spiti and Lahaul, on the road between Kaza and Chandratal. At the top, a small shrine to Kunzum Devi and a cluster of chortens stand among prayer flags. Most drivers stop and walk around them clockwise for a safe journey.
The view stretches over the Bara Shigri glacier side and the Chandra valley to the west, and back into Spiti to the east. On a clear day you can see far into both valleys.
Keep the stop short. At about 4,590 m, headaches come quickly, especially if you have driven up from lower down. Do not run, do not shout, and do not add to the stone piles or leave plastic flags behind.
Good for
Also in Chandratal
More days here
Photo: Adarsh Patel · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Morning walk around Chandratal
Walk from the camps to the lake and around its shore at sunrise, when the water is still and the crescent reflects the …
Photo: Gerd Eichmann · CC BY 4.0 · Commons
Dal and rice at a Batal dhaba
Eat with drivers, bikers and trekkers at Batal, the tiny stop where the Chandratal road leaves the highway. Hot dal, ri…
Trips through Chandratal
Do this on a trip
Each of these trips stops in Chandratal. Tell us and we keep a slot for this day.
Photo: Sumita Roy Dutta · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Comfort
Spiti circuit: Kinnaur in, Kunzum La out
Private SUV with driver
Photo: This Photo was taken by Timothy A. Gonsalves. … · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Comfort
Lahaul and Chandratal from Manali
Private SUV with driver
Photo: Sumita Roy Dutta · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Signature
Slow Spiti and Lahaul with a private guide
Private SUV with driver, private guide
Questions
Before you book
How high is Kunzum La?
About 4,590 m, the highest point on the Manali–Kaza road.
When is Kunzum La open?
Roughly June to October, after BRO clears the snow. Check current status before you travel.
Why do drivers circle the shrine?
It is a local custom to honour Kunzum Devi and ask for a safe journey over the pass.