About the Manali – Kaza – Chandratal Trip
This is the Spiti circuit most people picture when they say Spiti: in over the Kunzum Pass from Manali, two nights in Kaza for Key Monastery and Chicham, a night camped at Chandratal, and back the way you came. Seven days, six nights, and no Shimla leg — which is what keeps it a day shorter than the full circuit.
Kunzum is the whole trip in one crossing. You leave Manali green, climb through Lahaul, cross at 4,590 m, and come down the other side into a cold desert where nothing grows unless somebody irrigated it. Kaza sits at 3,800 m, so the second night there is doing real work — it is what lets you sleep at Chandratal without spending the night awake with a headache.
Chandratal has no hotels. Everyone stays in fixed camps about two kilometres short of the lake, walks the last stretch in, and there is no signal from the moment you drop off Kunzum until you are back over it.
The road is open roughly June to early October. Outside that window Kunzum is under snow and this route does not run at all.
Day by day
01Delhi to Manali | Overnight Journey
- Assemble at the boarding point in Delhi in the evening and meet your trip captain and the group.
- Depart by tempo traveller, Volvo or private cab, whichever you have selected.
- Overnight journey through the night towards Manali.
02Manali Arrival and Local Sightseeing | Overnight in Manali
- Arrive in Manali in the morning and check in at the hotel.
- Freshen up, then head out for local sightseeing.
- Hadimba Temple, Manu Temple, Vashisht hot springs, Van Vihar and the Tibetan Monastery.
- Evening free on Mall Road for a walk and shopping.
03Manali to Kaza | Overnight in Kaza
- Early start — this is the longest driving day and the one the whole trip turns on.
- Cross the Atal Tunnel and climb through Lahaul towards the Kunzum Pass.
- Kunzum Pass at 4,590 m is the gate into Spiti; the green ends and the cold desert begins.
- Arrive in Kaza by evening and check in.
04Kaza Sightseeing | Overnight in Kaza
- Full day around Kaza after breakfast.
- Key Monastery, the largest in Spiti, stacked up its hillside above the river.
- Kibber village and Chicham Bridge, the highest suspension bridge in Asia.
- Back to the hotel by evening.
05Kaza to Chandratal | Overnight at Chandratal
- Check out after breakfast and drive back west towards Chandratal.
- Recross the Kunzum Pass, then the rough track down to the lake.
- Check in at the camp — these are fixed camps, the only stay permitted near the lake.
- Evening free. No phone signal, no lights, and the reason people come here.
06Chandratal to Manali | Overnight in Manali
- Depart after breakfast for Manali.
- Back over Kunzum Pass and down through the Lahaul valley.
- Arrive in Manali and check in. Evening free.
07Manali to Delhi | Tour Ends
- Check out after breakfast and depart for Delhi.
- Scenic mountain drive down through Kullu and Mandi.
- Arrive in Delhi and the trip ends.
On this trip
✓What’s included
- Delhi → Manali → Kaza → Chandratal → Manali → Delhi transport by tempo traveller, Volvo or private cab, as selected
- Six nights’ accommodation — two in Manali, two in Kaza, one at Chandratal camp, one on the overnight journey
- Breakfast as per the selected meal plan
- Manali local sightseeing
- Key Monastery, Kibber village and Chicham Bridge
- Atal Tunnel and the Kunzum Pass crossing, subject to road and weather conditions
- Chandratal fixed camp stay
- All sightseeing and transfers as mentioned in the itinerary
- Fuel, toll tax, parking and driver allowance
- An experienced driver throughout the journey
- A trip captain with the group
✕Not included
- Entry fees to monasteries, monuments, museums and other attractions
- Adventure and snow activities, including equipment hire
- Lunch, dinner and any meal not listed in the package
- Bottled water, beverages and personal refreshments
- Shopping and personal expenses
- Early check-in or late check-out charges
- Any sightseeing or vehicle use beyond the itinerary
- Travel insurance
- Medical and emergency expenses
- Additional costs from road closures, landslides, snowfall, weather, local strikes or any other circumstance beyond our control
- Anything not listed under inclusions
✓What to pack
- A 40-60L rucksack plus a small daypack
- Warm layers — thermals, fleece and a windproof jacket; Chandratal drops below freezing at night
- Sturdy shoes with grip
- Sunglasses, sunscreen and lip balm — the sun at this altitude is brutal
- A power bank; there is no charging at the Chandratal camp
- A torch or headlamp
- Personal medication, plus anything your doctor advises for altitude
- Original government photo ID
?Still deciding
Tell us when you want to go and we’ll send the exact dates with seats left.
!Good to know
- The route runs roughly June to early October. Kunzum Pass is under snow outside that window and the trip does not operate.
- Chandratal is at 4,250 m and the camps have no electricity, no mobile signal and shared washrooms. That is the standard for the lake, not a downgrade.
- The two nights in Kaza are deliberate. Do not ask to shorten them — they are what acclimatises you before Chandratal.
- Roads here close at short notice for landslides, snow or river crossings. The itinerary can change on the ground and the trip captain's call is final.
