Kaza has the only petrol station in the Spiti valley. Drivers heading for Chandratal, Pin Valley or the Kinnaur road fill up here, because the next pumps are far away in Reckong Peo, Tandi near Keylong, or Manali.
Source: Kaza, Himachal Pradesh
Town in Spiti & Lahaul
Kaza
Spiti's only town, base camp for every village loop
Kaza is the subdivisional headquarters of Spiti at 3,650 m and the only real town in the valley. It has the bus stand, the taxi union, ATMs, the only petrol pump and most of the cafes. Use it as a three-night base for Key, Kibber, Langza, Hikkim and Komic, and as your first acclimatisation stop.
Photo: Rodmantyler · CC BY-SA 4.0 · CommonsKaza sits on a wide gravel plain beside the Spiti river, 3,650 m up. It has two halves: Kaza Khas, the old village of flat-roofed mud houses, and Kaza Soma across the stream, where the government offices, hospital and newer hotels stand. Between them run a market street, a few dozen cafes and the yellow and red Sakya Tangyud monastery built in 2009. About 3,200 people live here year-round, and for half the year it is the only place in Spiti where a shop is open after dark.
For travellers, Kaza is where Spiti works. HRTC buses arrive from Manali and Reckong Peo, the taxi union posts its fixed rates outside its office, and local buses run up to Key, Kibber and Mudh. You can change money at the ATMs if they have cash, buy a woollen cap, refill water at cafes, and arrange a Pin Valley or Chandratal transfer. Zostel, Hotel Deyzor, Sakya Abode and The Grand Dewachen at nearby Rangrik cover every budget.
Use your first day here to do very little. Kaza is high enough that headaches and poor sleep are common on night one, particularly if you came from Manali in a single day. Walk to the monastery, drink water, eat early and sleep. On day two the village loops begin: Key and Kibber to the north, Langza, Hikkim and Komic on the plateau above town. Come back to Kaza each night until your body has adjusted.
Say it like a local · TibetanThukpa
noodle soup with vegetables or meat, the everyday dinner in Spiti
What to do in Kaza
Sakya Tangyud monastery
The large Sakya monastery in Kaza was built in 2009 and its courtyard is the town's open space for prayers and ceremonies. Walk around it clockwise, look at the painted entrance hall, and ask before photographing monks.
Old Kaza Khas lanes
Behind the market, Kaza Khas still has whitewashed mud houses with firewood stacked on the roofs for winter. Walk it early in the morning when families are drying grain and the light is low and gold across the valley.
Taxi union board
The Kaza taxi union posts fixed rates for every route, from the Key and Kibber loop to Chandratal and Manali. Check the board before you bargain, and come at 6–7 pm to find people to share a car with the next day.
Cafes and sea buckthorn juice
Kaza's cafes are where travellers swap road news. Order the local sea buckthorn juice, sharp and orange, and a bowl of thukpa. Many places close by 9 pm and most shut from November to April.
Rangrik and the river plain
Across the Spiti river, Rangrik village has fields, a small gompa and the clearest night sky close to town. It is a short taxi ride or an hour's walk over the bridge, and home to Spiti's best-known boutique hotel.
Field notes
What most guides miss about Kaza
Kaza is really two settlements. Kaza Khas is the old village, and Kaza Soma, across the stream, is the newer side where the government buildings of the Spiti subdivision were built.
Source: Kaza, Himachal Pradesh
The Sakya Tangyud monastery in Kaza town is new, completed in 2009, but it takes its name from the much older Tangyud Gompa near Komic village, which dates to the early 14th century.
Source: Kaza, Himachal Pradesh
Experiences
Three days worth having in Kaza
Photo: Nrr1729 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Kaza · 2 hours
Old Kaza and Sakya Tangyud morning walk
An easy first-morning walk through the mud-walled lanes of Kaza Khas to the Sakya Tangyud monastery, perfect for acclim…
Free; small donation at the monastery
Photo: Kirechko · Public domain · Commons
Kaza · 2–3 hours
Spitian kitchen supper with sea buckthorn
Eat what Spitian families eat: thukpa, tsampa, barley bread, peas from the fields and sea buckthorn juice. Best done in…
Included with homestay dinner; café meals ₹300–600
Photo: Ksuryawanshi · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
Kaza · 2 hours
Night sky over the Spiti river at Rangrik
Cross the river to Rangrik, away from Kaza's lights, and watch the Milky Way rise over dry mountains. Clear, thin air a…
Taxi ₹500–800 return, or walk from Rangrik stays
Real prices
What things cost in Kaza
ItemIndicative 2026
HRTC bus, Manali–Kaza₹400–600
Shared taxi seat, Kaza–Manali₹1,200–1,800
Homestay with dinner and breakfast₹1,200–2,500 per person
Hostel dorm bed₹600–1,200 a night
Taxi for the Key, Kibber, Langza, Hikkim and Komic loop₹3,500–5,500 per car
Plate of thukpa or momos in a cafe₹120–250
Local prices change with season and fuel costs. Check current status before you travel.
Getting there
How to reach Kaza
Air
Bhuntar airport near Kullu is the closest, then Manali and the Atal Tunnel road: allow a full day from Bhuntar to Kaza. Shimla and Chandigarh airports serve the Kinnaur approach, which takes two days.
Bus
HRTC runs a Manali–Kaza bus in season, leaving Manali around 5 am and reaching Kaza in the evening. From Shimla, take a bus to Reckong Peo and change for the Peo–Kaza bus next morning. Check current timings at the bus stand before you travel.
Road
Shared taxis leave Manali for Kaza early each morning from June to October. Private cars take 9–11 hours from Manali or two days from Shimla via Kinnaur. Fill fuel in Kaza for onward trips.
Where to stay
Sleeping in Kaza
Kaza has the widest choice in Spiti. Saver: Zostel Spiti has dorms and private rooms, and family homestays in Kaza Khas charge ₹1,200–2,500 a person with meals. Comfort: Sakya Abode near the monastery and Hotel Deyzor behind the BSNL office are long-running, warm and well run. Signature: The Grand Dewachen at Rangrik, across the river, is the most comfortable hotel in the valley, built with rammed earth and local stone. Nothing here is a five-star resort; expect good rooms, hot water and simple restaurants.
Photo: Rupak Sarkar · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Budget
Hostel · Kaza
Zostel Spiti, Kaza
The Kaza branch of the Indian hostel chain is where most solo travellers and students land in Spiti. Dorm beds and…
₹600–1,200 for a dorm bed; ₹2,500–4,500 for a private doubl…
Photo: Prof Ranga Sai · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Mid
Guesthouse · Kaza
Sakya Abode, Kaza
A long-running family hotel in Kaza near the Sakya Tangyud monastery. Warm rooms with attached bathrooms, a dining…
₹3,500–6,500 a night for a double (indicative)
Photo: This Photo was taken by Timothy A. Gonsalves. … · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Mid
Guesthouse · Kaza
Hotel Deyzor, Kaza
A well-known small hotel in Kaza, behind the BSNL office, with warm rooms, attached bathrooms and a restaurant pop…
₹3,500–6,000 a night for a double (indicative)
Photo: Deepank Ranka · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Luxury
Boutique hotel · Kaza
The Grand Dewachen, Rangrik
The most comfortable hotel in the Spiti valley, at Rangrik village across the river from Kaza. Built in the local …
₹10,000–18,000 a night for a double with meals (indicative)
Trips that stop here
See Kaza on a trip
Photo: Sumita Roy Dutta · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Comfort
Spiti & Lahaul · 9 nights · sleeps to 4,420 m
Spiti circuit: Kinnaur in, Kunzum La out
Private SUV with driver
From, per person₹72,000Jul · Sep
Photo: Sumita Roy Dutta · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Saver
Spiti & Lahaul · 7 nights · sleeps to 4,270 m
Spiti by HRTC bus, the slow Kinnaur way in
HRTC and local buses, with one shared taxi loop from Kaza
From, per person₹19,500Jun · Sep
Photo: Sumita Roy Dutta · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Saver
Spiti & Lahaul · 9 nights · sleeps to 4,420 m
Spiti village homestays: Dhankar to Langza
Shared car to Kaza, then local buses and short taxi transfers
From, per person₹25,500Jun – Jul · Sep
Photo: Sumita Roy Dutta · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Signature
Spiti & Lahaul · 8 nights · sleeps to 4,270 m
Gompas of Spiti, in and out by Kinnaur
Private SUV with driver, private guide
From, per person₹1,45,000May – Jun · Sep – Oct
Photo: Sumita Roy Dutta · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Signature
Spiti & Lahaul · 11 nights · sleeps to 4,420 m
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Slow Spiti and Lahaul with a private guide
Private SUV with driver, private guide
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Questions
Kaza, answered
How many days should I spend in Kaza?
Plan three nights in Kaza. The first night is for acclimatisation at 3,650 m, and the next two days cover the two big loops: Key Gompa and Kibber, and the Langza, Hikkim and Komic plateau. Add a night if you want Pin Valley or Dhankar as day trips rather than overnight stops.
How do I get from Manali to Kaza by bus?
HRTC runs a Manali–Kaza bus in season, usually from June to October, leaving Manali around 5 am and reaching Kaza in the evening, through the Atal Tunnel and over Kunzum La. The fare is about ₹400–600. Buy tickets at the Manali bus stand the day before and check current status before you travel.
Are there ATMs in Kaza?
Yes, Kaza has ATMs, but they can run out of cash in July and August or stop working when the network fails. Carry enough cash for your whole Spiti stay. UPI works in many Kaza shops and hotels when the signal is good, but homestays in villages often want cash.
Does mobile network work in Kaza?
BSNL and Jio work in Kaza and the main villages around it, and Airtel has improved. Data is slow in the evenings when everyone is online. Many cafes and hotels have Wi-Fi. There is no signal on the Kunzum La stretch towards Manali, so download maps before you leave Kaza.
Is Kaza too high for altitude sickness?
Kaza is at 3,650 m, high enough for headaches, breathlessness and poor sleep on the first night. Rest on arrival, drink water, skip alcohol, and do not go up to Langza or Komic until you have slept in Kaza. If symptoms get worse, go down. Talk to your doctor before you travel.
What does a taxi from Kaza cost?
The Kaza taxi union sets fixed rates. The full loop of Key, Kibber, Langza, Hikkim and Komic costs about ₹3,500–5,500 for a car, a Kaza–Chandratal drop around ₹6,000–8,000, and Kaza–Manali about ₹12,000–15,000. Rates are indicative for 2026; check the union board.
Is Kaza open in winter?
Kaza is inhabited all year, but most hotels and cafes close from November to April. Winter access is only from Shimla via Kinnaur. A few homestays and operators host winter travellers, mainly for snow leopard trips from Kibber. Water pipes freeze, so expect bucket baths.
Is Kaza safe for solo travellers?
Yes. Kaza is small, friendly and used to backpackers, and Zostel and homestays make it easy to meet others for shared taxis. The main risks are altitude and roads. Tell your host where you are going each day, especially if you walk to villages.
Where can I eat in Kaza?
Kaza has the largest choice of food in Spiti: Tibetan cafes serving thukpa and momos for ₹120–250, bakeries, and a few cafes with pasta and pizza. Most close by 9 pm and shut from November to April. Homestays with dinner included are cheaper and often better.