SPITI, A VALLEY THAT CALLS FOR ATTENTION TO THE 'DON'TS'

Like an old piece of rag, the topic of 'things to do' in Spiti has been drilled quite a several times. Try searching online about it and the number of results talking about an endless list of adventures awaiting your presence is massive.

But having said that, rationally it is all the more important to know what you should not be doing at a place that's not your dominion, to make sure your trip is safe and pleasant. Even though today Ladakh and Spiti have turned into a hub of tourists, they remain a remote spot missing the most basic amenities. The smallest forms of ignorance can lead you into some serious troubles.

In this blog, let me tour you through the number of things that you should not be doing in Spiti Valley, here are a few;

Ladakh vs. Spiti: This happens to be one of the most common though tourists process in their heads while travelling. People commonly believe that Spiti is comparatively easy if you have experienced a trip to Ladakh. No, it's not! Ladakh and Spiti are two completely different experiences in terms of travel and factually in certain ways, Ladakh would be far easier to manage than Spiti.

The roads to Spiti are far less travelled in comparison to Ladakh and hence the conditions are also in alignment with this fact. Even the kind of cars that can handle Ladakh roads are better than Spiti, Spiti demands a well-serviced car that can easily stay put to the rough road conditions that promise pebbles and a journey full of dust and dirt.

It's never about the distance: If you are one of those people who plan their travels depending upon the how far the place is, rethink that. Several people have the tendency to track distances through Google maps and comprehend if they can cover the travel in the least number of hours in the day, they will jump on the first chance given to travel to a destination that shows 200-300kms. But Spiti demands a different plan of the action thanks to the highly risky roads, the orchestration of time and distance in your head will go for a toll. The roads less travelled will offer you patches that would restrict your speed limit to 10-15kms per hour. So to be on a safer side, keep a buffer of at least a day with you in the plan you make for the trip.

Lahaul & Spiti: Yes, welcome to another common comedy of confusions. These two places commonly are coupled and tourists end up thinking that these two must be adjacent or even close which is not the case. The fact is that these places are at a decent distance from each other and two entirely different valleys. Lahaul stands surprisingly close to Darcha, Jispa, Keylong, and Udaipur whereas Spiti is close to Chandratal, Tabo, Kaza, and Dhankar.

No alcohol: Does this even need any explaining? The reason is pretty obvious. If you plan on having a safe trip, absolutely, at all costs say no to even the thought of drinking and driving. It'll prove to be not just fatal, but an invitation to a series of unfortunate events and there is no other straightforward way to say this.

Overconfidence is not cool: It's really not! Trying to put your life at risk for the sake of trying to impress your fellow travellers is a ridiculously bad idea, especially when the roads are screaming danger. Many people have had unmentionable experiences either with the ones they were travelling or themselves that have changed the way they look at life now and believe you me; no one would like to experience that. Trying to perform stunts while riding through these roads is a bad idea, the road has rough patches, stones that can push your right down the cliff, no mercy.

Don't be in a hurry: Any place is doable in a matter of 6-7 days, but it would be great if you spare Spiti some time. The least amount of time would be 9 days; running through places without enjoying to its full potential wouldn't do justice to the place and the trip, both. So make a plan for this city with time in hand and open window in your head for an unbelievable experience.

Spiti is a place where you can embrace the natural beauty, eat authentic food, take as many pictures as you fancy, meet new people, learn about the culture, and make memories. Hopefully, these tips will help you make your trip better than ever and make your experience an unforgettable one.