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A motorcyclist rides a cleared road through snow near Kaza, with white mountains and a blue sky

Spiti Motorcycle Tour from Dharamshala

8 nights · 9 days · Spiti Valley

  • Motorcycle tour
  • Up to Kunzum Pass, ~4,550 m
  • June – September
  • Back-up vehicle
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Overview

A riding loop of Spiti that starts and ends at our hotels in Dharamshala. We ride in through Kinnaur, which climbs slowly and helps you acclimatise, spend two nights at our own Spiti Villa in Kaza, then come out over Kunzum Pass, past Chandratal and through the Atal Tunnel.

A ride captain leads, and a back-up vehicle with a mechanic carries your luggage, spares and fuel. Ride your own motorcycle or hire one of our Royal Enfields.

  • Two nights at our own Spiti Villa in Kaza
  • The cliff roads of Kinnaur and the climb to Nako
  • Key, Kibber, Langza and Komic on a loop above 4,000 m
  • Kunzum Pass and the gravel run to Chandratal
  • Back-up vehicle, mechanic and spare fuel all the way
  1. DharamshalaStart
  2. SanglaDay 2
  3. NakoDay 4
  4. KazaDays 5–6
  5. ChandratalDay 7
  6. ManaliDay 8
  7. DharamshalaDay 9

Day-by-day itinerary

  1. Day 1

    Dharamshala to Narkanda

    Night: Narkanda

    Bike handover and a briefing at breakfast, then the longest tarmac day of the trip, about 250 km through Mandi to the apple country of Narkanda.

    Night stay
    Narkanda
    Altitude
    Narkanda, about 2,700 m
    Meals
    Dinner
  2. Day 2

    Into Kinnaur: Narkanda to Sangla

    Night: Sangla · Kinnaur

    Down to the Sutlej at Rampur, then the cliff roads of Kinnaur and up the Baspa valley to Sangla. About 165 km.

    Night stay
    Sangla · Kinnaur
    Meals
    Breakfast and dinner
  3. Day 3

    Chitkul and Kalpa

    Night: Kalpa

    A short ride up to Chitkul, the last village on the Baspa, then back down and across to Kalpa, facing Kinner Kailash. About 90 km.

    Night stay
    Kalpa
    Meals
    Breakfast and dinner
  4. Day 4

    Kalpa to Nako

    Night: Nako

    Upper Kinnaur, past the Sutlej–Spiti confluence at Khab and up the hairpins to Nako village and its lake. About 105 km.

    Night stay
    Nako
    Altitude
    Nako, about 3,660 m
    Meals
    Breakfast and dinner
  5. Day 5

    Tabo, Dhankar and Kaza

    Night: Spiti Villa, Kaza

    Into Spiti past the check post at Sumdo, with stops at Tabo and the cliff-top gompa at Dhankar. Fill up at Kaza, the valley’s only pump. About 120 km.

    Night stay
    Spiti Villa, Kaza
    Altitude
    Kaza, about 3,650 m
    Meals
    Breakfast and dinner
  6. Day 6

    Key, Kibber, Langza and Komic

    Night: Spiti Villa, Kaza

    An unloaded loop above Kaza: Key Monastery, Kibber, the Chicham bridge, the fossil village of Langza and Komic. About 70 km.

    Night stay
    Spiti Villa, Kaza
    Altitude
    Above 4,300 m
    Meals
    Breakfast and dinner
  7. Day 7

    Kunzum Pass to Chandratal

    Night: camps near Chandratal

    West along the Spiti river to Losar, over Kunzum Pass and down to the camps near Chandratal. Walk to the lake for sunset. About 100 km.

    Night stay
    camps near Chandratal
    Altitude
    Chandratal, about 4,300 m
    Meals
    Breakfast and dinner
  8. Day 8

    Chandratal to Manali

    Night: Manali

    The roughest stretch: gravel and stream crossings from Batal to Gramphu, best ridden early. Then the Atal Tunnel and down to Manali. About 125 km.

    Night stay
    Manali
    Meals
    Breakfast and dinner
  9. Day 9

    Manali to Dharamshala

    Trip ends in Dharamshala

    Down the Beas through Mandi and back to Dharamshala, about 240 km, where the trip ends.

    Meals
    Breakfast

The Manali side is usually open from June to mid-October. Outside those months we return the way we came, through Kinnaur.

What’s included

Included

  • A ride captain who knows the route
  • Back-up vehicle with a mechanic, spares and your luggage
  • Stays as listed, twin sharing
  • Breakfast and dinner daily
  • Permit help and route briefings each evening
  • Help on WhatsApp throughout the trip

Not included

  • Motorcycle hire (ask us, or ride your own bike)
  • Fuel for your motorcycle
  • Lunches, snacks and personal expenses
  • Riding gear and travel insurance
  • Extra nights caused by road closures

Where you’ll stay

  • Narkanda

    Hotel

  • Sangla

    Riverside guesthouse

  • Kalpa

    Hotel with Kinner Kailash views

  • Nako

    Village guesthouse

  • Chandratal

    Basic camp, shared facilities

  • Manali

    Hotel

Before you go

  • Licence

    A licence with a motorcycle category. Foreign riders also need an International Driving Permit that covers motorcycles, plus a passport and visa.

  • Riding experience

    You should be comfortable on gravel, water crossings and long days in the saddle. If you are new to mountain roads, start with a shorter ride.

  • Fuel

    Pumps are far apart above the tree line. The back-up vehicle carries spare fuel, and the ride captain tells you where to fill up each day.

  • Gear

    A full-face helmet, riding jacket, gloves and boots, rain gear, and warm layers for the high passes even in summer.

  • Permits

    Indian citizens need only photo ID. Foreign nationals need an Inner Line Permit for the Kinnaur stretch, checked at Sumdo.

FAQ

Can I hire a motorcycle for this tour?

Yes. We hand over a Royal Enfield in Dharamshala on day 1 and take it back on day 9. You can also ride your own bike; the back-up vehicle and mechanic look after everyone.

Why ride in through Kinnaur and not over Kunzum first?

Kinnaur climbs gradually, so you sleep at about 2,700 m, then 2,960 m and 3,660 m before Kaza. Going the other way puts you near 4,300 m on the second day out of Manali.

How hard is the riding?

Most of it is tarmac with broken stretches and landslide zones in Kinnaur. The hardest part is the gravel and stream crossings between Chandratal and Gramphu, which we ride early, when the streams run lower.

Where do we get fuel?

In Kinnaur and at Kaza, which has the only pump in Spiti. The back-up vehicle carries spare fuel for the run from Kaza to Manali.

Worth reading first

Read our cancellation policy before you confirm.

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