Spiti8 min read
When to visit Spiti Valley, month by month
Spiti is not one destination – it is at least three, depending on when you go. Here is what each season actually looks like on the ground.
Read the guideWhy the first day is non-negotiable
Leh sits at 3,524 m. Flying in from Delhi takes you from near sea level to that altitude in ninety minutes, giving your body no time to adjust. The standard medical advice is complete rest for the first twenty-four hours – no sightseeing, no walking uphill, no alcohol. Every itinerary we sell builds this in, and we will decline to run a trip that skips it.
What AMS actually feels like
Headache, nausea, breathlessness at rest, poor sleep and loss of appetite. Mild symptoms on day one are common and usually settle. Symptoms that worsen, confusion, or breathlessness that does not ease when you sit still are signals to descend immediately, not to push on to Khardung La.
Practical measures that help
Drink three to four litres of water daily, eat light and often, and avoid alcohol for the first forty-eight hours. Many travellers take Diamox starting a day before arrival – speak to your own doctor about this, we do not prescribe. Our vehicles carry oxygen cylinders and every driver has done high-altitude first-aid training.
Building the itinerary in the right order
Leh first, then Sham valley at a lower altitude, then Nubra over Khardung La, then Pangong. Going straight to Pangong on day two because the photographs look good is how people end up in the Leh military hospital. Overland from Manali gives your body four days of gradual gain and is the gentlest way in if you have the time.
Planning this trip?
We run it ourselves. Ask us anything about routes, permits or timing — no obligation.