Kalpa Courtyard
Hotel
Days 1, 6
Spiti Ice: two climbing days (Shimla, Kalpa, Nako, Tabo & Kaza)
Seven days at −25 °C with two days on frozen waterfalls. Seven days with a certified instructor, all ice hardware, an acclimatisation day at Kaza and homestays with proper heating.
The Monsoon Ledger
Runs this trip
Ice climbing
Seven days at −25 °C with two days on frozen waterfalls
Group Tour
Join a fixed-date departure with other travellers
Top Highlights
NarkandaThis is the only road into Spiti in winter — Kunzum La is closed from October and does not open until June. Khab confluenceNako lake is solid ice by January and the villages run on Bukhari stoves and stored fodder. KazaKaza sits at 3,800 m and the January night temperature runs to −25 °C.
Itinerary
This is the only road into Spiti in winter — Kunzum La is closed from October and does not open until June.
Shimla, KalpaHow the day runs
- 9 hrs6:00 AM — the Hindustan-Tibet road, snow-cleared daily
- MealsDinner
- AccommodationKalpa Courtyard
Included Activities
- Winter-spec vehicle with chains
- Guesthouse night
- Kit issue
LANDMARKS Narkanda Sutlej gorge Kalpa Kinner Kailash Start point Shimla, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh 05:00 - 07:00Nako lake is solid ice by January and the villages run on Bukhari stoves and stored fodder.
Kalpa, Nako, TaboHow the day runs
- 4 hrs7:00 AM — up past Khab into the cold desert
- 4 hrs12:30 PM — the frozen Spiti valley to the monastery
- MealsBreakfast, Dinner
- AccommodationTabo House
Included Activities
- Inner Line Permits
- Monastery guesthouse with a Bukhari stove
- All meals
LANDMARKS Khab confluence Nako Lake, frozen Tabo Monastery Kaza sits at 3,800 m and the January night temperature runs to −25 °C. The rest day is for altitude and for the cold.
Tabo, KazaHow the day runs
- 2 hrs9:00 AM — up the frozen valley
- 2:00 PM — kit fitting: boots, crampons, axes, harness
- MealsBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- AccommodationKaza Courtyard
Included Activities
- Homestay with heating
- Technical kit on loan
- All meals
LANDMARKS Kaza Spiti river, frozen Key Monastery Spiti's side nallahs freeze into vertical ice from January, and there are now bolted top-rope anchors on the easier lines.
Kaza, Shilla NallahHow the day runs
- 1 hrs8:30 AM — out to the frozen falls
- 9:30 AM — ice technique: front-pointing, axe placement, screws
- MealsBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- AccommodationShilla Nallah Lodge
Included Activities
- Certified ice-climbing instructor
- Axes, crampons, screws, ropes and helmet
- Homestay night
LANDMARKS Shilla Nallah ice falls Spiti valley Langza at 4,400 m in January is about as cold as an inhabited village in India gets, and the homestays are warm.
Shilla Nallah, LangzaHow the day runs
- 8:30 AM — a second ice day, leading for anyone ready
- 1 hrs2:30 PM — up to the fossil village at 4,400 m
- MealsBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- AccommodationKaza Courtyard
Included Activities
- Second full ice day
- Homestay night at Langza or Kaza
- All meals
LANDMARKS Shilla Nallah Langza Buddha Chau Chau Kang Nilda Roads here are driven in the morning; by afternoon the melt refreezes and the black ice starts.
Kaza, KalpaHow the day runs
- 9 hrs7:00 AM — back down the valley before the afternoon ice
- MealsBreakfast, Dinner
- AccommodationKalpa Courtyard
Included Activities
- Winter vehicle
- Guesthouse night
Keep a buffer day — the Kinnaur road closes for snow and landslide several times each winter.
Kalpa, ShimlaHow the day runs
- 9 hrs6:00 AM — the last long day on the Hindustan-Tibet road
- MealsBreakfast
- AccommodationNot included — onward travel
Included Activities
- Transport to Shimla
- Kit handback
- Day 1Winter-spec vehicle with chains
- Day 1Guesthouse night
- Day 1Kit issue
- Day 2Inner Line Permits
- Day 2Monastery guesthouse with a Bukhari stove
- Day 2All meals
- Day 3Homestay with heating
- Day 3Technical kit on loan
- Day 4Certified ice-climbing instructor
- Day 4Axes, crampons, screws, ropes and helmet
- Day 4Homestay night
- Day 5Second full ice day
- Day 5Homestay night at Langza or Kaza
- Day 6Winter vehicle
- Day 7Transport to Shimla
- Day 7Kit handback
- Day 1 · 1 nightKalpa Courtyard
- Day 2 · 1 nightTabo House
- Day 3 · 1 nightKaza Courtyard
- Day 4 · 1 nightShilla Nallah Lodge
- Day 5 · 1 nightKaza Courtyard
- Day 6 · 1 nightKalpa Courtyard
- Day 1Shimla to Kalpa6:00 AM — the Hindustan-Tibet road, snow-cleared daily
- Day 2Kalpa to Nako7:00 AM — up past Khab into the cold desert
- Day 2Nako to Tabo12:30 PM — the frozen Spiti valley to the monastery
- Day 3Tabo to Kaza9:00 AM — up the frozen valley
- Day 4Kaza to Shilla Nallah8:30 AM — out to the frozen falls
- Day 5Shilla Nallah to Langza2:30 PM — up to the fossil village at 4,400 m
- Day 6Kaza to Kalpa7:00 AM — back down the valley before the afternoon ice
- Day 7Kalpa to Shimla6:00 AM — the last long day on the Hindustan-Tibet road
Where you'll stay
All accommodations are subject to change
Tabo House
Hotel
Day 2
Kaza Courtyard
Hotel
Days 3, 5
Shilla Nallah Lodge
Lodge
Day 4
What you'll eat
6 breakfasts, 3 lunches and 6 dinners across 7 days, at camp. It opens with dinner on day 1 and closes with breakfast on day 7.
- DinnerServed on days 1–6
- BreakfastServed on days 2–7
- LunchServed on days 3–5
15 meal services named in the itinerary. Vegetarian and vegan covered; Jain, gluten-free and allergies on notice at booking
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Customer reviews
Overall rating
4.6/5
Based on 16 reviews
Review summary
Food4.5/5
Guide4.5/5
Itinerary4.4/5
Transport4.5/5
Accommodation4.4/5
Tour operator4.4/5
Sort by:Recommended
5
D
Daniel Okafor – Amsterdam2026-06-18 · Verified booking
The route is beautiful and the pacing was sensible — nobody was rushed on the climb. Accommodation was a notch better than the price suggested. Worth every rupee.
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5
F
Farah Qureshi – Bengaluru2026-06-18 · Verified booking
Second trek with this operator and they've kept the standard up. Accommodation was a notch better than the price suggested. Worth every rupee.
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4
O
Owen Clarke – Berlin2026-06-18 · Verified booking
Himachal Pradesh in the right season is something else, and the team knew exactly where to camp.
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5
A
Ananya Gupta – Ahmedabad2026-06-18 · Verified booking
Himachal Pradesh in the right season is something else, and the team knew exactly where to camp. Rooms were comfortable and the locations meant we could walk most evenings. Meals were good throughout and the vegetarian options weren't an afterthought. Worth every rupee.
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5
I
Ishita Ghosh – Indore2026-03-15 · Verified booking
Well organised from the pickup onwards. The daily distances were honest about what they'd be. Hotels were clean and central, which saved a lot of time. Food was plentiful and hot, which counts for a lot at altitude. Solid operator.
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5
T
Tara D'Souza – Pune2026-03-15 · Verified booking
Well organised from the pickup onwards. The daily distances were honest about what they'd be. No complaints about any of the hotels — all of them well placed. Solid operator.
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4
S
Sofia Marchetti – Amsterdam2026-03-15 · Verified booking
The route is beautiful and the pacing was sensible — nobody was rushed on the climb. Worth every rupee.
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5
T
Tara D'Souza – Indore2026-03-15 · Verified booking
Did this over 7 days and it was the best walking I've done in years. Whoever planned the days knew what they were doing. Solid operator.
Reply from The Monsoon Ledger
Appreciate the honest feedback; we're looking at the pacing on that section.
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Questions people ask
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