Traditional houses in Losar Village, Spiti Valley.jpg

Stunning valley view of Losar Village in Himachal Pradesh.jpg

Losar Village in Spiti Valley at around 4,080 metres, the first village after Kunzum Pass from the Manali side

Mud and stone houses of Losar village with fields and bare mountains in Spiti

The road from Kunzum Pass descending to Losar and onwards to Kaza in Spiti Valley

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Losar Village

Name: Losar Village
Address: Lahaul and Spiti, Himachal Pradesh, India

The first village of Spiti from the Manali side, at around 4,080 metres, where the cold desert really begins

Village~4,080 mKaza · ~56 kmKunzum Pass · ~18 kmJun to Oct (Manali side)

What makes it special

Losar is where most travellers coming from Manali first understand what Spiti actually looks like. You cross Kunzum La at around 4,551 metres, lose altitude for about 18 km on rough road, and then the valley opens out into wide gravel flats, a thin river, and a small village of maybe 70 to 80 mud and stone houses with prayer flags on every roof. Population is small, generally cited at around 240 to 250 people. A primary school, a post office, a health sub centre, a couple of dhabas, a few guesthouses, and that is basically the whole place.

It is not a destination in the Key Monastery or Chandratal sense. No single famous landmark. What Losar offers is a softer version of Spiti before the valley goes full moonscape near Kaza. Barley fields in summer, green peas in July and August, yaks grazing on the flats, and a genuine pin drop silence at night that the bigger Spiti towns have started to lose.

Worth knowing: most travellers pass through Losar without stopping, which is a small mistake. Spending one night here before pushing on to Kaza does two useful things. It breaks a brutal Manali to Kaza drive into something humane, and it gives your body a proper night at altitude before you start hopping between 3,800 and 4,500 metres for the next few days.

Is it worth visiting?

Yes, as a halt rather than a destination. If you are driving Manali to Kaza, stopping a night at Losar breaks a long rough drive, helps with acclimatisation, and gives you a quiet Spitian village with almost no tourist noise. Skip a night here only if you are short on days and already acclimatised.

How much time do you need?

Most travellers spend one night. Half a day is enough to walk the village, visit the small gompa and sit by the Spiti river. If you want to hike around or ride up towards Kunzum for photography, stretch it to a second night.

Can you stay here?

Yes. Losar has a handful of homestays, a couple of small guesthouses like Samsong and Nomad's Cottage, and a PWD rest house. Nothing luxurious. Expect basic clean rooms with heavy blankets, bucket hot water on request, and simple Spitian meals. Book ahead in peak July to September.

Have a question about Losar Village?

Our team has visited 50+ times. We're happy to help plan your trip.

Quick facts

Everything you need to know at a glance

On the ground

Mobile network

Network is thin. BSNL is the traditional standby and still the most dependable, though patchy. Travellers have reported Jio working in parts of Losar more often than it used to, but do not plan around it, and assume no data. Weather can knock out any network at this altitude.

ATMs

None in Losar. Nearest reliable ATMs are in Kaza, and even those are often out of cash. Carry enough cash before leaving Manali.

Food

A couple of small dhabas and the guesthouse kitchens. Maggi, thukpa, rajma chawal, omelettes. Do not expect menus, eat what the homestay cooks.

Fuel

No fuel pump at Losar or Batal. Fill up at Manali before leaving and at Kaza on the way back. Carry a spare 5 litre can for peace of mind if self driving.

Permits

Indian travellers need no special permit for Losar. Foreign nationals should carry an Inner Line Permit for the Spiti region, usually issued at Kullu or Reckong Peo.

Drones

Losar sits in a sensitive high altitude border zone and ITBP presence is common. Drone use is not welcome. Avoid it.

Washrooms

Available at your homestay or guesthouse. Public washrooms are basic. Carry tissue and a small sanitiser.

Walk

Flat. You can walk the whole village in 30 to 40 minutes.

How to reach Losar Village

4 approach routes with seasonal access

From Manali

Generally mid June to October, depending on snow clearance at Kunzum and Rohtang. Dates move every year. Recheck before leaving Manali.

Dist~145 km via Atal Tunnel, Gramphu and Kunzum Pass

Time7 to 9 hours one way in current road conditions

Road

Tarred from Manali through the Atal Tunnel, then a mix of broken tar and long stretches of unpaved offroad between Gramphu, Batal and Kunzum Pass. Losar to Kaza section has been improving.

This is how most travellers first reach Losar. Leave Manali early, ideally by 6 AM. Take the Atal Tunnel to Sissu, follow the Chandra river valley east via Gramphu and Chhatru, stop for lunch or chai at Chacha Chachi Dhaba in Batal, then grind up to Kunzum Pass. From the pass it is about 18 km of downhill gravel to Losar. The stretch from Khoksar to Kunzum is the slow bit, plan for it.

Fuel stop: Fill up at Manali. No reliable fuel till Kaza beyond Losar. Chacha Chachi Dhaba at Batal sells small top ups in emergencies but do not depend on it.

From Kaza

Generally open most of the year on the Kaza side, though winter snow can close sections for short windows

Dist~56 km

Time1 hr 30 min to 2 hr one way

Road

Mostly decent tarred NH 505 with a few broken patches. Easiest approach to Losar by far.

The cleanest way to do Losar, especially if you want a night here without the battering Manali road. Leave Kaza after breakfast, cross the Spiti river, follow NH 505 west through Rangrik, Hull and Kyoto. The road opens into wide gravel plains as you approach Losar. Easy two hour drive in daylight.

Fuel stop: Fill up at Kaza. No fuel at Losar.

From Chandratal Lake

Same window as Kunzum Pass, roughly mid June to October

Dist~49 km via Kunzum Pass

Time2 to 3 hours one way depending on road

Road

Rough dirt road from the Chandratal camping area back to the NH 505 junction, then a steep climb over Kunzum, then gravel descent to Losar

A common move. Many travellers camp near Chandratal on the Manali side night, then drive to Losar the next day, overnight there, and continue to Kaza. Breaks the altitude jump and gives you two very different nights back to back. Start the drive early. Afternoon winds at Kunzum are no joke.

Fuel stop: None. Tank up in Kaza or Manali.

From Shimla (alternate approach)

NH 5 and NH 505 via Kaza are generally open most of the year. Only the final Kaza to Losar stretch can close briefly in winter.

Dist~475 km via Reckong Peo, Nako, Tabo and Kaza

Time3 days of comfortable driving, minimum 2 days hard

Road

NH 5 from Shimla, then NH 505. Landslide prone between Wangtu and Pooh in monsoon. Steadier road overall than the Manali side.

If Kunzum Pass is shut or the Manali side is flooded with landslides, this is the route people fall back on. Slower and longer, but the road is kinder and altitude gain is gradual. Typical stops are Sarahan or Sangla on day one, Nako or Kalpa on day two, then Tabo or Kaza on day three, reaching Losar on day four.

Fuel stop: Rampur, Reckong Peo, Pooh, Kaza

Best time to visit

Season-by-season breakdown to help you plan

Recommended

Late spring

Mid June to end June

The season technically opens here, snow still visible above the village

Day temperature

10 to 15 C

Night temperature

0 to 4 C

Roads

Kunzum Pass opens somewhere in this window, dates vary every year

Crowds

Light

Kunzum Pass usually opens some time between the second week of June and the end of June, depending on how much the BRO has managed to clear. Days in Losar are crisp and sunny, the fields start greening, and the crowds are still small because most travellers wait for July. Nights are genuinely cold, expect near freezing even in the village.

Summer

July to August

Peak green season for Spiti, but monsoon hits the approach

Day temperature

15 to 20 C

Night temperature

6 to 10 C

Roads

Manali side prone to landslides, Kaza side mostly fine

Crowds

Highest of the year

Losar itself is in rain shadow so direct rain is rare, but the Manali side road from Gramphu to Kunzum sees landslides and washed out nullahs in monsoon. Peas are ready in the fields, yaks are out, and the valley looks at its best. Book stays ahead in this window. If you are driving in from Manali, keep a buffer day in your plan.

Recommended

Autumn

September to mid October

The quiet sweet spot, if you can catch it

Day temperature

10 to 15 C

Night temperature

-2 to 5 C

Roads

Generally the best of the year. Watch for early snow on Kunzum after end September.

Crowds

Low to moderate

If you ask regular Spiti drivers when they prefer to go, most will say September. Skies are sharp, slopes turn gold, the peas are harvested, and the crowds thin out sharply after the first week of September. Nights drop to near freezing and the first fresh snow on Kunzum usually falls in the last week of September or first week of October. Aim for the first three weeks of September for the best balance.

Winter

Late October to April

Kunzum closes, Losar becomes a Kaza side village only

Day temperature

-5 to 0 C

Night temperature

-25 to -10 C

Roads

Kunzum Pass shut, Losar to Kaza road open most days but occasionally blocked by fresh snow

Crowds

Almost nobody

Kunzum Pass generally shuts by mid to end October after the first heavy snowfall and does not reopen till June. The Manali route is off the table for those months. Losar itself becomes accessible only from the Kaza side, and the village sits under deep snow for weeks at a time. Unless you are on a specific winter Spiti trip and know what you are doing, treat Losar as closed in winter.

Things to see & do

8 experiences at Losar Village

Stay a night and actually sleep at altitude

One night

The single best reason to stop at Losar. Sleeping here at around 4,080 metres before you head to Kaza, Chandratal or Kunzum the next day makes a real difference to how your body handles the trip. Take it easy on arrival, drink water, skip alcohol, eat light and warm.

Walk through the village in the evening light

30 to 45 minutes

Losar is small enough to walk end to end. Stone lanes, small mud houses, prayer flags snapping in the wind, barley drying on roofs in August and September. Say a soft julley or namaste to anyone you meet and do not peer into courtyards. Sunset light on the bare mountains behind the village is worth the cold.

Visit the small village gompa

15 to 20 minutes

There is a modest Buddhist gompa in the village, much smaller than Key or Tabo. No grand murals, just a quiet prayer hall, a butter lamp altar and usually a caretaker who is happy to talk in broken Hindi. Remove caps, walk clockwise, drop a small contribution.

Sit by the Spiti river flats

30 to 60 minutes

The river here is thin, braided, and cold. Walk down from the village onto the gravel flats and sit for a while. The sound of water, wind and absolutely nothing else is the thing people remember from Losar after they leave. Do not wade in, water is glacial and current is deceptive.

Drive or ride up to Kunzum Pass for sunrise

2 to 3 hours round trip

Leave Losar by 5 AM, drive 18 km up to Kunzum Pass at 4,551 metres, and catch the light hitting the Chandra Bhaga range. Fewer people than doing it from the Manali side, and you are back in Losar for breakfast. Go slow on the way up, the road has loose gravel and blind curves.

Use Losar as a Chandratal overnight base

Full day

If Chandratal camping is closed, overpriced, or you want a real roof over your head, base at Losar and do Chandratal as a day trip. Drive up over Kunzum, down to the Chandratal turnoff, walk the last kilometre to the lake, and return to Losar for the night. Long day, but civilised.

Chat with a homestay family over dinner

30 to 60 minutes

Most Losar homestays serve a simple shared dinner, usually dal, rice, a sabzi, and sometimes thukpa or chilli chicken if they have ingredients. The real value is the conversation. Ask about winter here, about the school kids going down to Kaza in summer, about how the road has changed in ten years. Honest answers, zero performance.

Watch the village work in the fields

20 to 30 minutes

In July and August the peas are in. Whole families harvest together from morning to early afternoon. Watch from a respectful distance, do not stick cameras in people's faces. Ask before photographing anyone. A nod and a smile usually get you a better photo than a zoom lens ever will.