Spiti valley is a research and cultural centre for Buddhists. Highlights include Key Monastery and Tabo Monastery, one of the oldest monasteries in the world and a favourite of the Dalai Lama. It was the location of the scenery and cinematography in the Indian filmsPaap, Highway and Milarepa, a biographical adventure tale about one of Buddhism's most famous Tibetan saints. The Buddhist monastery in the valley served as the locus of the set and some of the monks appeared in the film. The Pin Valley of Spiti is home to the few surviving Buchen Lamas of the Nyingmapa sect of Buddhism. The small town of Manali was the beginning of an ancient trade route to Ladakh and, from there, over the Karakoram Pass on to Yarkand and Khotan in the Tarim Basin. Spiti is summer home to hundreds of semi-nomadic Gaddi sheep and goat herders who come to this valley for grazing their animals from the surrounding villages and sometimes as far as 250 km. They enter the valley during summer as the snow melts and leave just a few days before first snowfall of the season.
Transport
Spiti valley is accessible throughout the year via Kinnaur from Shimla on a difficult road. Tourists from outside India need inner line permits to enter Spiti through Kinnaur. Spiti's border starts at Samdo which is quite near to the India–China border. In summer it can be reached via Manali through the Rohtang Pass and Kunzum Pass. Manali is 201 km from Kaza, headquarters of the Spiti subdivision. The road joining Manali to Spiti is treacherous and in bad condition as compared to the Shimla to Spiti road. A strategic 8.8 km tunnel under the Rohtang Pass will give all-weather access to Lahaul and reduce the travel distance by 48 kilometers. Due to the high altitude one is likely to feel altitude sickness in Spiti. The Shimla to Spiti route is advised for travelers coming from lower altitudes as it gives them enough time to get acclimatized to the high altitude. This is because the road runs parallel to the Sutlej river initially, climbing steadily to at the confluence of the Spiti and Satluj near Khab. From Khab, the road runs along the Spiti River, climbing steeply up to Nako before continuing to Kaza.
Geography
The Spiti River originates from the Kunzum range. Tegpo and Kabzian streams are its tributaries. Water draining the famous Pin valley area is also a part of the Spiti river system. Its position across the main Himalayan range deprives it from the benefit of the South-West monsoons that causes widespread rain in most parts of India from June to September. The river attains peak discharge in late summers due to glacier melting. After flowing through Spiti valley, the Spiti River meets the Satluj near Khab and Namgia in Kinnaur district traversing a length of about 150 km. from the North-West. Steep mountains rise to very high altitudes on either side of the Spiti River and its numerous tributaries. The mountains are barren and largely devoid of vegetative cover. The main settlements along the Spiti River and its tributaries are Hansi and Dhankar Gompa.
