You have planned your Spiti trip. Chandratal is the highlight. And then you find out the camps are full. Or not open yet. Or shut for the season. Or the weather just wrecked the road and nobody is setting up tents this week.
Now what?
This is the question we get on WhatsApp more than almost any other between June and October. And the answer depends entirely on where you are coming from, who you are travelling with and how flexible your plan is.
We have helped hundreds of travellers rework their Chandratal night when the original plan fell apart, and this guide is everything we tell them.
If you are coming from Kaza or the Spiti side, your best backup is Losar. It keeps you close to Chandratal without the risk of being stranded at a high-altitude dead end. If you want proper comfort, fall back to Kaza instead. It is farther but it has real rooms, real food and real support.
If you are coming from Manali or the Lahaul side, your best backups are Sissu, Jispa, Keylong or Manali depending on how far the route is open and how late in the day it is.
Batal is the closest backup to Chandratal, but calling it a "stay" is generous. It is a couple of tin-roof dhabas on a barren stretch of road. It works for bikers and backpackers in a pinch. It is not where you want to bring your family.
The worst idea is reaching Chandratal late in the evening without a confirmed camp booking and hoping something works out. At 14,100 feet, with no phone network and no backup shelter, that is not adventure. That is bad planning.
👉 Don’t rely on last-minute options at Chandratal. WhatsApp us and sort your stays in advance
Chandratal camps are seasonal. They do not exist year-round. Operators set up tents after the road clears and take them down when the season ends. Between those two dates, availability depends on weather, demand and logistics.
Camps usually come up after early to mid June once road access improves. In a heavy snow year, this can push later. In October, most camps shut down around the 10th and the window closes fast.
During July and August, popular weekends and long holidays can fill camps weeks in advance. If you are planning a peak-season visit and have not booked, you may find everything taken.
And then there is the unpredictable stuff. A landslide blocks the road. A storm rolls in. The camp operator delays setup because the ground is still soggy. None of this is rare. It is just how things work at this altitude.
The point is simple: do not depend on last-minute luck at Chandratal. Have a backup before you leave. We covered the full opening timeline in our Chandratal opening 2026 guide.
A lot of people search for "hotels near Chandratal Lake." We understand the instinct. But there are no hotels. No guesthouses. No lodges. Nothing with a reception desk, a hot shower or a room you can lock.
What exists near Chandratal are seasonal camp setups in designated zones away from the lake. Camping directly beside the water is not allowed. The lake is a protected Ramsar wetland, and overnight stays at the shore have been restricted for years.
The camps sit around 2 to 4 km from the lake depending on the operator's location. From the parking area, you walk about 1.5 to 2 km to reach the lake itself. That walk takes around 30 to 45 minutes at 4,337 metres because the altitude makes everything slower than you expect.
So when camps are unavailable, the question is not "which hotel is nearby?" It is "which settlement on my route gives me the safest and most practical place to sleep?" That is what this guide answers.
If you are curious about why Chandratal sits at a strange administrative boundary between two valleys, our piece on whether Chandratal is in Lahaul or Spiti explains the geography.
If you are coming from Kaza or anywhere in Spiti, Losar is your most practical nearby backup.
It is a small village on the Kaza to Kunzum Pass road, around 43 km from Chandratal. It is not fancy. The stays are basic village-style rooms and homestays.
But it keeps you much closer to the lake than retreating all the way to Kaza, and it gives you a real roof, a warm meal and a safer night than anything you will find closer to the lake.
In our experience, travellers who stay at Losar and do a Chandratal day trip the next morning have a perfectly good experience. You leave early, spend time at the lake, and come back without the stress of wondering where you will sleep.
Kaza is where you go when comfort matters more than proximity. It is the main town in Spiti, around 80 km from Chandratal. That is a long way for a day trip, but the road from Kaza to Kunzum and the Chandratal diversion is the same road Spiti circuit travellers use every season.
Kaza has proper guesthouses, homestays, restaurants, a market, a hospital, ATMs and phone network. If you are travelling with family, if someone in your group is not feeling well from the altitude, or if you just want a proper night of sleep before attempting the lake, Kaza is the right call.
It works especially well as an itinerary reset. Instead of forcing one uncomfortable night near Chandratal, you stay in Kaza, rest well and drive to the lake the next morning with a full tank and a full stomach.
If you want to explore Spiti Valley trips that build Chandratal as a flexible day visit rather than a fixed overnight, we plan those regularly.
Let us be straight about Batal. It is close. Around 14 km from Chandratal. And that is about the only good thing you can say about it as a place to sleep.
Batal is a couple of tin-roof dhabas on a flat, cold, windy stretch of road. There is no proper accommodation. What you get is a basic shelter, some blankets, chai, dal and rice. The toilets are rough. The wind at night cuts through everything.
For bikers and backpackers who have been on the road all day and just need somewhere to crash before an early morning lake visit, Batal does the job. We have had plenty of travellers stay there and come out fine.
But for families, senior travellers, honeymooners or anyone who expects warmth and a decent night of rest, Batal is not the answer.
Treat it as an emergency halt, not a planned stay.
If you are coming from Manali and the Chandratal camp situation is uncertain, Sissu is one of the smartest places to stop.
It is in the Lahaul Valley, about two hours from Manali through the Atal Tunnel. It has proper guesthouses, green surroundings, better food options and a mobile network that actually works.
It is comfortable enough that you will not feel like the trip is ruined just because you did not make it to the lake that day.
What we usually suggest to our travellers: stay in Sissu, check the Chandratal road status the next morning, and make a fresh decision with daylight and information on your side.
Pushing late toward Gramphu, Batal or Chandratal when you are not sure about the road is how bad situations happen.
Sissu works especially well for families and first-time mountain travellers.
Jispa and Keylong are further into the Lahaul Valley and serve as good overnight halts if your group has crossed into Lahaul but should not push toward Chandratal that day.
Both have official PWD rest houses along with private guesthouses. Keylong is the district headquarters with slightly better facilities. Jispa sits along the river. Not exciting stops, but safe and reliable.
Sometimes the right call is to not push at all. If the Chandratal route is not open, camps are closed, weather is poor or your group is not ready for rough high-altitude travel, Manali is where you regroup.
Manali has everything. Hotels at every budget, hospitals, fuel, ATMs and restaurants. Reworking the plan from Manali is always better than getting stuck near a remote high-altitude stretch with no backup.
Your first choice should be Losar if you want to stay closer to Chandratal and attempt the lake visit next morning. Your second choice is Kaza if you want proper comfort and facilities.
Use Batal only if you are already nearby, conditions are safe and you are prepared for a very basic night. Do not drive late toward Chandratal without a confirmed camp.
Start with Sissu if you want a safer, more comfortable Lahaul-side backup. Jispa or Keylong work if your itinerary allows a deeper Lahaul halt.
Manali itself is the safest fallback if the route ahead is uncertain. Use Batal only as a rough backup if you are already too far ahead to turn back and conditions allow a basic overnight.
Keep Chandratal flexible in your itinerary. If camps are unavailable, stay in Losar or Kaza and visit the lake as a day trip. One skipped night does not ruin a 9 or 10 day Spiti circuit. Forcing a miserable night near a closed camp zone absolutely can.
In our experience, the travellers who enjoy Spiti most are the ones who treat Chandratal as a bonus, not a make-or-break. The lake is extraordinary, but the rest of Spiti is extraordinary too.
Stick with Kaza, Sissu, Jispa, Keylong or Manali. Skip Batal entirely. Families should avoid last-minute camp hunting, late-evening drives and emergency-style stays at dhabas that have no heating, no proper bedding and no medical support nearby.
Comfort, warmth, food and road safety matter more than staying closest to the lake. The lake will be there tomorrow morning.
You can probably handle Batal better than most, but do not be careless about it. Warm layers are not optional.
Carry offline maps, cash, backup food and enough fuel to reach the next fuel point. There is no reliable mobile network around Chandratal, and if something goes wrong, help is hours away.
One thing bikers consistently underestimate: the cold after sunset at Batal. Even in July, the temperature drops hard once the sun goes behind the mountains. A riding jacket is not the same as a sleeping-in-a-cold-dhaba jacket. Pack a proper warm layer you can sleep in.
From the Spiti side, stay in Losar or Kaza. From the Manali side, stay in Sissu, Jispa, Keylong or Manali.
Do not drive to the camp zone expecting walk-in availability during busy weekends or holiday periods. At 14,100 feet with no phone signal, discovering that everything is full after dark is a genuinely stressful situation.
Early June is uncertain. Camps may not be set up. The road itself may still have snow patches or water crossings. Stay in Losar or Kaza from the Spiti side and Sissu, Jispa or Manali from the Manali side.
Check live road status before leaving. We covered the full timeline in our Chandratal opening 2026 guide.
Most camps shut down around October 10. After that, do not plan an overnight stay near Chandratal. Losar or Kaza can work if the road is still open and safe.
Do not assume Batal has reliable food or shelter late in the season. October weather at this altitude is unpredictable and a sudden snowfall can close Kunzum Pass without warning.
Turn back to the nearest safer settlement. Do not wait it out near a high pass hoping the sky clears. Keep a buffer day in your itinerary for exactly this reason. At Chandratal, safety should always come before ticking off the lake.
What we always tell our groups: if the mountain says no, listen. You can come back next season. You cannot undo a bad decision at 15,000 feet.
If safe shelter is available at one of the Batal dhabas, take it for the night. If shelter is not available, do not continue toward Chandratal in the dark.
The road is rough, there are no lights, and the altitude makes everything harder. Call your driver, your operator or any local contact and choose the nearest safer halt, even if that means going back the way you came.
Yes. And honestly, a lot of travellers do exactly this.
Losar is the most practical nearby base from the Spiti side. Stay the night, leave early, drive to the Chandratal parking area, walk to the lake, spend your time there and drive back. It makes for a long but very doable day.
Kaza works too, but it is a longer day because of the distance. You need an early start and a driver who knows the road well.
Manali to Chandratal and back in one day is technically possible, but it is exhausting and we do not casually recommend it. The drive alone is 5 to 9 hours each way depending on road conditions.
For families, this is a bad idea. For fit travellers with an experienced driver and an early start, it can work, but it will not feel relaxed.
The final lake visit still needs that 1.5 to 2 km walk from parking, so factor that into your day trip timing. Reaching the parking area at 3 PM and rushing to the lake is not the Chandratal experience you want.
This is the best slow and safe Spiti-side backup. Drive from Kaza to Losar in the afternoon. Rest. Leave early the next morning for Chandratal. Spend time at the lake and continue toward Manali or return to Kaza. This keeps the lake in your trip without the camp stress.
This is the comfort-first option. You sleep in a proper room in Kaza, drive to Chandratal for the day and come back to the same room. Long day, but you do not sacrifice comfort at all. Works well for families and senior travellers.
This is the best Manali-side backup when road status is unclear. Drive from Manali to Sissu or Jispa, check the Chandratal road status the next morning and decide with fresh information. If the road is open, push ahead. If not, you have not wasted a day driving toward a dead end.
If you are on a fixed-date plan and forcing the Chandratal overnight feels risky, skip it. Add one more night in Kaza, Langza or Kibber instead. An extra night in Spiti is never wasted. You can still attempt a Chandratal day trip if conditions allow.
This works especially well in early June, late September and October when camps and roads can be uncertain. Build your Spiti circuit as a complete trip without depending on Chandratal.
If the road is open and camps are running when you get to that part of the circuit, add it. If not, your trip is still great.
Our summer Spiti circuit with Chandratal is built exactly this way. Chandratal is in the plan, but the plan does not collapse if it has to be skipped.
Losar is basic but practical. Village homestays with simple rooms, warm bedding, home-cooked meals and no frills. Enough for a comfortable night and an early departure. Do not expect attached bathrooms or hot water in every stay.
Kaza is the best you will get in Spiti. Proper guesthouses and hotels with rooms you can lock, restaurants with menus, a market for supplies, a hospital and ATMs. This is where you come when you need to feel normal again after days on the road.
Batal is closest but roughest. Tin-roof dhabas with basic food, shared sleeping areas, limited blankets and cold wind all night. No electricity, no attached bathrooms, no backup. Treat it as survival, not hospitality.
Sissu is a good Lahaul-side comfort backup. Green valley, proper guesthouses, decent food, phone network that works. A genuine relief after rough mountain stretches.
Jispa and Keylong are safer Lahaul night halts with PWD rest houses and private options. Reliable and functional.
Manali is your full reset point. Hotels at every budget, hospitals, fuel, ATMs and restaurants. If the mountains said no today, Manali lets you try again tomorrow.
Do not pitch a tent beside Chandratal Lake. The lakeshore is a protected Ramsar wetland. Camping there is not allowed and you risk damaging a fragile ecosystem that took thousands of years to form.
Do not arrive after dark without a booking. At 14,100 feet with no phone network, discovering that everything is full or closed after sunset is dangerous, not just inconvenient.
Do not assume your phone will work. There is no reliable mobile network at Chandratal. BSNL catches a faint signal in a few random spots. That is it. Download offline maps. Tell someone your plan before you lose signal.
Do not force Manali to Chandratal to Manali in one day with family. The road conditions make this exhausting even for experienced travellers. For families with kids or elderly members, it is a genuinely bad idea.
Do not trust booking platforms blindly. Some listings show camps "near Chandratal" that are actually in Batal or even further. Check the actual location with the operator before paying.
Do not skip the permit. The Himachal e-Aagman portal requires an E-Permit per vehicle for the Atal Tunnel Rohtang-Koksar-Chandertal circuit. Checkpoints check.
After years of helping travellers sort this out, here is what we tell everyone.
Best nearby Spiti-side backup: Losar. Close enough to do a morning day trip. Real enough to sleep comfortably.
Best comfort backup: Kaza. Farther, but you will actually rest. And rested travellers enjoy the lake more than exhausted ones.
Best Manali-side backup: Sissu or Jispa. Safe, comfortable and gives you a fresh start the next morning.
Best emergency backup: Batal. Only if you are already there, conditions are safe and you can handle a rough night.
Best full reset: Manali. No shame in it. The mountains will wait.
Worst idea: reaching Chandratal after dark without a confirmed camp. We have seen this go wrong enough times to be blunt about it. Do not do it.