Winter Spiti: snow, snow leopards and the Kinnaur road
Plan Spiti in winter: the only open route via Shimla and Kinnaur, temperatures below −20°C, Kibber snow leopard spotting, Key, Dhankar and Langza, and costs.
By the Agrima Holidays Team · Updated October 2026 · 2 min read
Why winter Spiti
In winter Spiti turns white and silent. Monasteries stand above frozen rivers, villages live on stored food, and snow leopards come down to lower slopes after blue sheep. It is a hard trip and a remarkable one.
The route
Kunzum pass and the Manali side close in winter, so the only route runs from Shimla through Kinnaur: Shimla, Sarahan or Sangla, Kalpa, Nako, Tabo and Kaza. The road stays open most days, but fresh snow can close sections for a day or two. Our plans keep spare days.
Cold
Night temperatures fall below −20°C in January and February. Homestays use bukhari stoves. Water pipes freeze, so bathing is with heated buckets. Bring proper down jackets, thermal layers, insulated boots and gloves.
What to see
- Kibber and Chicham: snow leopard spotting with local trackers
- Key monastery above the Spiti river
- Dhankar monastery on its cliff
- Langza and its Buddha statue, Hikkim post office and Komic
- Tabo, the thousand-year-old monastery with its murals
Health
Kaza sits at about 3,800 m. Acclimatise slowly, with nights at Kalpa and Nako on the way up. Travellers with heart or lung conditions should consult a doctor first.
What it costs
Our Winter Spiti trip of eight nights starts from the price on its package page, with homestays, meals and a 4x4 vehicle with an experienced driver.
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