If you’ve been following my travels in Spiti you’ll be well aware of what a scenic little corner of the world it is. Postcard worthy views stretch out in all directions from pretty much every inch of high altitude earth. One of the best things to do in Spiti is a day hike in the Pin … Read more
If you’re looking for a scenic day hike in Spiti then you won’t do much better than the walk from Kibber to Tashigang (and back again). The path takes you up over rocky hills, past a tiny village, through crops, above tiny ponds and eventually to an ancient hillside monastery located 4500 metres above sea … Read more
Chances are that if you’ve seen photos of Spiti, the remote, high altitude region in northern India, Ki Monastery would have caught your attention. It’s the largest monastery in Spiti, housing over 300 monks. The stacked white buildings stand out amidst the sharp serrated edges of the surrounding hills, while a seemingly endless row of giant … Read more
My first stop in Spiti (after a week in the equally awesome Kinnaur region) was Tabo, a midget of a town surrounded by rocky cliffs and distant snow-capped mountains. I arrived on a bus from Nako, an ancient village in the bordering Kinnaur province, and it was a rugged ride. The bus was completely packed … Read more
If you’re travelling from Reckong Peo to Spiti you’ll pass by Nako. Some people breeze right by without sampling what this little town has to offer, but that would be a big mistake. Nako is surrounded by amazing scenery (most villages in this region of Himachal Pradesh are), but it’s the traditional stone houses of the old … Read more
Travelling by bus from Reckong Peo to Chitkul is about as frightening as modern motoring gets. Narrow gravel roads, cut into the sides of mountains, wind their way thousands of feet above the rivers and valleys below. I genuinely feared for my life at some points, especially when the bus I was on had to maneuver to within … Read more
For me, one of the highlights of travelling in Asia is seeing history embodied in elaborate ancient temples and ruins. Here are some of my favourite temples and ruins in Asia, including Angkor Wat, the erotic temples of Khajuraho and the ancient city of Ayutthaya. Bagan, Myanmar (Burma) Do you watch romantic comedies and think … Read more
“I see a mountain in my way It’s looming larger by the day I see a darkness in my fate I’ll drive my car without the brakes” That was a quote from the song “Mountain at My Gates” by Foals, and it kind of sums up my time in Kalpa (although I wasn’t feeling quite … Read more