30 June,2011 07:44 AM IST | | The Trip
As the snow melts and the Manali route opens up, July through September is the best time to head to Spiti Valley for a mountain biking adventure
What they call a moderately challenging bike trip lasts a week and takes you past the Rohtang Pass, which connects the Kullu Valley to the Lahaul and Spiti Valley, to the crescent-shaped lake called Chandertaal or Chandrataal. On the easiest mountain biking trip in this region, for seven long days you cycle through alpine forests and meadows until you reach the arid Lahaul Valley. Most tour operators mark a detour at Gramphoo, where you get onto the road to Spiti Valley. After crossing Chatru you reach Chandrataal, a popular destination for trekkers and campers. Here, a vehicle waits to take you back to base in Manali.
If you insist on a higher adrenaline rush, then sign up for the longer 10 to 14 day trips that take you from Manali to Lahaul and Spiti Valley, returning via the Kaza route, or those that head from Manali to Shimla, via Kinnaur. These two are the popular routes that take you to Spiti Valley and beyond. Spiti is located quite close to the Indo-China border and is said to be the cultural and religious mirror of erstwhile Tibet. It is
still dotted with ancient monasteries.
Be prepared to spend most of your days in a tent, without a shower. Your physical fitness matters a lot on this trip and you also need to take precautions against high altitude sickness. Once you've tucked these achievements in your kitty, perhaps, you could give the much-longer (therefore even tougher) route that
goes all the way to Leh from Manali.
