All You Need to Know About Lahaul -- the Most Emerging Tourist Destination of 2022

On the other side of Atal Tunnel is a whole new world - a world of beautiful mountains, a world of surreal landscape, a world of hanging glaciers - the world of Lahaul. If this a picture that makes your heart skip a beat, read on to plan your next trip to Lahaul.

About the region

Sometimes known as mini-Ladakh, Lahaul -Spiti is geographically the largest districts of Himachal and also the coldest with temperatures diving below minus 20 degree Celsius in winters. Lahaul and Spiti are divided by Kunzum pass. Though a lot of people visit Spiti valley, Lahaul is often ignored.

How to Reach?

Public Transport- Once you reach Manali, there are multiple buses running to Keylong in the first half of the day. Keylong is the district headquarters and the main town of Lahaul Valley.

Self-Drive or Taxi- Before the opening of the Atal tunnel, Lahaul was reachable via Rohtang Pass or Rohtang La. But now it is easily approachable through the Atal tunnel. Lahaul valley starts from the northern end of the Atal tunnel which is the bridge between Manali and Lahaul. Unless you are confident about driving on winding roads, find yourself a good rental car with a local driver (who is mostly the best guide as well )

What to Do?

Lahaul valley is divided into four sub valleys- Ghar Valley which is Keylong, Jispa up to Darcha, Todh valley which is all of Darcha area up to Sarchu and Shinku La, Tinan or Ranglo Valley which is Khoksar, Sissu up to Tandi, and Pattan valley from Tandi to Udaipur.

Your guide to Ghar Valley

You have entered the Keylong area, the main town of Lahaul valley.

- Visit the many beautiful gompas around Keylong. The view from these monasteries will blow your mind. To name a few- the oldest one Guru Ghantal Gompa, one of the largest one Shashur Gompa and Kardang Gompa.

-Visit the 108 room fort Khangsar Khar in the village of Khangsar. It used to once be the glorious seat of Thakur family of Lahaul.

-If you are someone who loves camping, then you cannot miss Jispa. This place is more than just a pit stop on your way to Ladakh.

Your guide to Todh Valley

- Around 80 km from Keylong and at an altitude of 16,000 ft, is the most scenic spot on Manali to Leh route- Baralacha Pass. This offers a majestic view of three mountain ranges- the Pirpanjal, the Zanskar and the Himalayas. Stop at the Deepak Tal on the way to Baralacha.

- Trek to the beautiful alpine lake Suraj Tal. This thirdhighest lake of India, 21st highest in the world, surrounded by bare beautiful mountains is a breathtaking place. You must hire a guide as the trek trail is not well marked.

- Drive to Shingo La which is now a motorable pass.

Tinan or Ranglo Valley

- Drive or hike up to the Sissu Waterfall. It is an hour hike and can be done on your own. But when in doubt ask the locals for the direction.

- Visit the Labrang Gompa particularly for the breaktaking views.

- Trek to the beautiful Ghepan Lake. This one is for more seasoned trekkers and its advisable to take a local guide.

- Offer your prayers to the most worshipped deity of Lahaul valley at the Ghepan Raja Temple.

- If time allows, take a small detour to the village of Gondhla and spend some time at the Gondhla Fort.

Pattan Valley

This is one of the most scenic and probably the least explored valley of Lahaul.

- Visit the quaint little village of Udaipur (yes, we are not talking about Rajasthan) and don't miss the beautiful apple orchards there.

- Fall in love with the wooden carvings at the Mrikula Devi Mata Temple.

- At an altitude of 2700 meters, Trilokinath Temple is the vantage point for a birds-eye view of the entire valley.

- Depending on the time you have, drive ahead to Miyar Valley for an undisturbed break with nature. You can engage in various treks but most of these are for seasoned trekkers.

Where to Stay?

There is a plethora of options ranging from hotels, homestays, guest houses and camping sites to choose from. Keylong, Jispa, Sissu and Udaipur are the preferable places to stay.

You can also choose to stay in Manali and do day trips from there. But the best way to explore Lahaul is to stay in a homestay in the villages you visit.

Where to Eat?

There is no fancy restaurant in Lahaul valley. Go nuts trying their local food like thukpa, momos, butter tea, thungpa. Do try Chang (a locally made beer) and Arkah (a locally made whiskey) if you get a chance.

Mobile Connection

Depending on the village you are in, either BSNL or Airtel works in Lahaul. You might get wifi in the hotels in Keylong, but other than that there will be limited network.

Hope you have a great trip to Lahaul valley. Happy exploring Lahaul valley!