Overview
Himachal holds some of the most important Tibetan Buddhist sites outside Tibet. This twelve-day journey links them in one loop: the Dalai Lama's temple and the Norbulingka Institute in Dharamshala, the sacred lake of Rewalsar associated with Guru Padmasambhava, the thousand-year-old murals of Tabo, the cliff-top monasteries of Key and Dhankar in Spiti, and the village gompa of Nako. You cross Kunzum La into Spiti from Manali and leave through Kinnaur, so the route never repeats. Hotels, homestays, a private SUV with driver and permits for foreign nationals are all included.
Best for: Visitors interested in Tibetan Buddhism, monastery art and the high Himalaya
- Tsuglagkhang and Norbulingka in Dharamshala
- Rewalsar's lake and Padmasambhava statue
- Three nights in Kaza for Key, Kibber and Langza
- Tabo monastery, founded in 996
- Dhankar's cliff-top gompa
- Nako village and its monastery
Day by day
- Day1
Kangra airport to McLeod Ganj
Local sightseeing, short drivesOvernight: McLeod Ganj
Arrive at Gaggal airport and drive up to McLeod Ganj. An easy afternoon walking the kora around the Tsuglagkhang complex, where the prayer wheels and fluttering flags set the tone for the journey.
Road guide: Kangra Airport to McLeod Ganj → - Day2
Tsuglagkhang and the Tibet Museum
Local sightseeing, short drivesOvernight: McLeod Ganj
A full day in McLeod Ganj: the main temple, the Tibet Museum and the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, where visitors can sit in on some classes. Evening at a Tibetan restaurant.
- Day3
Norbulingka and Gyuto
About 40 kmOvernight: McLeod Ganj
The Norbulingka Institute, where Tibetan thangka painters, sculptors and woodcarvers train, and the Gyuto monastery at Sidhbari, the seat of the Karmapa in exile, with its view of the Dhauladhar.
- Day4
McLeod Ganj to Rewalsar
About 150 kmOvernight: Mandi
East through Palampur and Baijnath to Rewalsar, a small lake sacred to Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists. A giant statue of Padmasambhava, who is believed to have meditated in the caves above, looks over the water. Overnight near Rewalsar or Mandi.
- Day5
Rewalsar to Manali
About 135 kmOvernight: Manali
Up the Beas into the Kullu valley to Manali. Visit the Himalayan Nyingmapa Gompa near Mall Road in the afternoon and rest before the high crossing to Spiti.
Road guide: Mandi to Manali → - Day6
Manali to Kaza over Kunzum La
About 200 kmOvernight: Kaza
Through the Atal Tunnel, along the Chandra river and over Kunzum La at about 4,550 m into Spiti, with a stop at the pass's stupa. Arrive in Kaza, at about 3,650 m, in the evening and rest.
Road guide: Manali to Kaza → - Day7
Key monastery and Kibber
About 50 kmOvernight: Kaza
Key monastery, the largest in Spiti, with its maze of rooms and its morning prayers, then the high village of Kibber. A short day, to help you acclimatise.
- Day8
Langza, Hikkim and Komic
About 50 kmOvernight: Kaza
Three of the highest villages in Asia: Langza with its giant Buddha statue, Hikkim with its high post office, and Komic's monastery. Back to Kaza by afternoon.
- Day9
Dhankar and Tabo
About 50 kmOvernight: Tabo
Down the valley to Dhankar, whose monastery clings to a cliff above the confluence of the Spiti and Pin rivers, then on to Tabo. Its main temple, founded in 996, has some of the finest surviving early murals in the Himalaya.
- Day10
Tabo to Kalpa via Nako
About 160 kmOvernight: Kalpa
Morning at Tabo's cave shelters, then Nako village and its old monastery beside a small lake. Continue into Kinnaur, past the Khab confluence, to Kalpa, facing the Kinnaur Kailash range.
- Day11
Kalpa to Shimla
About 230 kmOvernight: Shimla
Sunrise on Kinnaur Kailash, then the long drive down the Sutlej to Rampur and up to Shimla. Timings are flexible: tell your driver in the morning if you'd like to linger somewhere, skip a stop or add one along the way.
Road guide: Shimla to Kalpa → - Day12
Shimla to Chandigarh
About 115 km
A short final drive down to Chandigarh for your flight or train, with time in Shimla in the morning if you'd like a last walk on the Ridge.
Road guide: Shimla to Chandigarh →
Two kinds of Himalayan Buddhism
Dharamshala is the centre of Tibetan Buddhism in exile, shaped by the Dalai Lama's arrival in 1959. Spiti and Kinnaur, by contrast, have been Buddhist for more than a thousand years, with monasteries that grew out of the second spread of Buddhism to Tibet in the tenth and eleventh centuries. This trip lets you see both.
Monastery etiquette
Walk clockwise around temples, stupas and prayer wheels. Remove shoes and hats inside prayer halls, and ask before taking photos; flash is often banned to protect murals. Small donations are welcome, and you can join morning prayers if you sit quietly.
Altitude planning
The route climbs gradually for the first five days, then crosses into Spiti at about 3,650 m. Three nights in Kaza let your body adjust before you visit the higher villages. On the way out, Kalpa and Shimla are much lower, so you recover quickly.
Route and price at a glance
The Buddhist Himachal trip covers about 1,210 km by road over 12 days, with overnight stops in McLeod Ganj, Mandi, Manali, Kaza, Tabo, Kalpa and Shimla. The car is priced on the same basis as our private car tours: 3,000 billable km (the larger of the real distance and 250 km a day) at the vehicle's per-km rate, plus 11 nights of driver allowance, with fuel, tolls and parking included.
For two travellers on standard hotels, that comes to ₹41,000 for 11 hotel nights with breakfast and dinner, ₹1,00,400 for the car and driver and a ₹21,210 service fee: ₹1,62,610 in all, or ₹81,500 each. Larger groups share the car and pay less per person.
- Day 1: Kangra airport to McLeod Ganj (short local drives, overnight McLeod Ganj)
- Day 2: Tsuglagkhang and the Tibet Museum (short local drives, overnight McLeod Ganj)
- Day 3: Norbulingka and Gyuto (about 40 km, overnight McLeod Ganj)
- Day 4: McLeod Ganj to Rewalsar (about 150 km, overnight Mandi)
- Day 5: Rewalsar to Manali (about 135 km, overnight Manali)
- Day 6: Manali to Kaza over Kunzum La (about 200 km, overnight Kaza)
- Day 7: Key monastery and Kibber (about 50 km, overnight Kaza)
- Day 8: Langza, Hikkim and Komic (about 50 km, overnight Kaza)
- Day 9: Dhankar and Tabo (about 50 km, overnight Tabo)
- Day 10: Tabo to Kalpa via Nako (about 160 km, overnight Kalpa)
- Day 11: Kalpa to Shimla (about 230 km, overnight Shimla)
- Day 12: Shimla to Chandigarh (about 115 km)
Buddhist Himachal price
Per person, by hotel tier and group size. Prices last calculated 21 October 2026 from current rate cards and hotel listings.
3-star hotels, standard camps and homestays
| Travellers | Per person | Group total | Vehicle |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | ₹82,000 ≈ US$965 | ₹1,64,000 | Innova |
| 4 | ₹53,000 ≈ US$625 | ₹2,12,000 | Innova |
| 6 | ₹55,000 ≈ US$645 | ₹3,30,000 | Tempo Traveller |
Per person, twin sharing, all-inclusive of the items listed below. Dollar prices are approximate (₹85 = US$1). Your exact price is confirmed in writing before you book; it depends on dates, hotel availability and group size.
Where the money goes: 2 travellers, standard hotels
- Hotels and camps (breakfast and dinner)₹41,000
- Private car and driver for the whole trip₹1,00,400
- Our service fee (15% on hotels and transport)₹21,210
- Total for both₹1,62,610
Included
- 11 nights in McLeod Ganj, Mandi, Manali, Kaza, Tabo, Kalpa and Shimla, twin sharing, with breakfast and dinner
- Private car with driver for all 12 days (sedan or Innova for two, Innova for four, Tempo Traveller for six), including fuel, tolls, parking, state taxes and the driver's allowances
- Pickup from Kangra airport (Gaggal) and drop at Chandigarh
- Protected Area Permit for foreign nationals, arranged on the way
Not included
- ×Train, bus or flights to Kangra airport (Gaggal)
- ×Lunches, drinks and snacks
- ×Entry fees, ropeways, activities and snow gear hire
- ×GST on the package, travel insurance and tips
Good to know: roads, permits and safety
- Kaza is at about 3,650 m and Kunzum La at about 4,550 m. Take it slowly, drink plenty of water and avoid alcohol; descend and get help if you have severe headache, vomiting or breathlessness at rest.
- Foreign nationals need a Protected Area Permit for the stretch between Kaza and Jangi, usually issued at Kaza; it's included in the foreign-national price.
- Dress modestly at monasteries, ask before photographing monks and never touch or point at murals.
When to go
Plan by month
Where to go in October
☀At their best3
•Fine, check the weather1
Off-peak: quieter and cheaper stays; check the forecast before you set out.
The whole year at a glance
- Best time
- Snow likely, roads can close
- Monsoon, landslide risk
- Fine, check weather
Kullu, Manali and the Parvati valley
- Manali2,050 mManali: Best: Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov; Snow: Jan–Feb, Dec; Monsoon: Jul–Aug
Kangra valley
- McLeod Ganj2,004 mMcLeod Ganj: Best: Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov; Monsoon: Jul–Aug
Kinnaur and Spiti
- • The route needs Kunzum La to be open, usually from about mid-June to early October.
- • July and August are the main season in Spiti, which stays dry while Manali and Kinnaur are in monsoon.
- • September is often the clearest month, with festivals at some monasteries.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Buddhist Himachal package cost?+
About ₹54,500 per person for six travellers on standard hotels, or ₹81,500 per person for a couple, for all 12 days. Comfort hotels cost more, and foreign nationals pay a little extra for the Protected Area Permit; the price table shows every option.
Why go from Manali to Spiti, not the other way?+
Either works. This direction suits the season when Kunzum La is open and keeps the long Kinnaur stretch at the end.
How old is Tabo monastery?+
It was founded in 996 by the translator Rinchen Zangpo, and its murals are among the oldest in the Himalaya.
Can we attend prayers at the monasteries?+
Usually, yes, at Key and Tabo in the early morning. Sit quietly at the back.
Is this trip physically hard?+
The walking is light, but altitude and long drives make it tiring. Talk to your doctor if you have heart or lung conditions.
Which car do we get on the Buddhist Himachal trip?+
A Toyota Innova for two travellers, an Innova for up to four and a Tempo Traveller for six, with the same driver for the whole trip.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Dharamshala and McLeod Ganj guide
- Manali to Kaza taxi
- Spiti Valley travel guide
- Altitude sickness in Spiti and Ladakh
Price and route sources: Wikipedia: Tabo Monastery · Wikipedia: Key Monastery · Wikipedia: Rewalsar Lake · The Thrill Himalaya: Spiti package prices
