Himalaya only · Saver trips from ₹7,500
Try "Spiti", "snow leopard", "Char Dham", "homestay", "Tiger's Nest"
Route · Spiti & Lahaul
The stretch where the Kinnaur road becomes Spiti: down from Nako past the Malling slide zone, along the Spiti river through Chango and Sumdo, and into Tabo. About 63 km and 2.5–3 hours, with a detour to the Gue mummy possible on the way.
Photo: 11th century West Tibetan painter Photography … · Public domain · CommonsEvery way to go
| How | Time | Cost, indicative 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| HRTC bus | 2.5–3.5 h | ₹150–250 |
| Private car | 2–2.5 h | ₹3,500–5,000 one way |
| Shared taxi | 2–2.5 h | ₹400–700 a seat |
The Reckong Peo–Kaza bus passes the Nako turn-off and continues to Tabo once a day, usually reaching Nako around late morning or midday. Wait at the main road below the village, ask at your guesthouse for the usual time, and be early. Seats can be full in July and August; standing on mountain roads is tiring but common.
A taxi from Nako or a car from Reckong Peo gives you time to stop at Chango's apple orchards and Sumdo, and to make the Gue detour. Gue adds about 2 hours and ₹1,500–2,500. Foreign nationals must carry their Protected Area Permit on this stretch.
Shared taxis between Reckong Peo and Kaza run in season but are irregular from Nako, which is mid-route. Ask your guesthouse whether a vehicle with empty seats is passing. Do not rely on one for a fixed plan; the bus or a private car is safer.
At each end
Photo: Sumita Roy Dutta · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
A lake village and 11th-century temples on the road to Spiti
Photo: 11th century West Tibetan painter Photography … · Public domain · Commons
A working monastery founded in 996 CE, painted inside
Questions
About 63 km by road via Malling, Chango and Sumdo, roughly 2.5–3 hours depending on road work and landslides.
Yes, Gue is a side road from near Sumdo. Allow about 2 extra hours and arrange a car, as buses do not go to Gue.
Yes. Foreign nationals need a Protected Area Permit for the border stretch that includes Nako and Sumdo. Indians do not need a permit. Check current status before you travel.
It is a narrow mountain road with rockfall zones, especially at Malling. Travel in daylight with an experienced driver or on the HRTC bus, and avoid moving after heavy rain.
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