We had just finished the Batal stretch on one of our Spiti trips when the group finally reached Chandratal for our first Chandratal lake camping night. Everyone was tired. Dusty. Running on whatever was left after three days of mountain roads. The walk in from the parking point is about two kilometres and by the end of it the energy was purely functional, just enough to get there. The first ten minutes were predictable. Photos, reels, drone footage, everyone trying to get the

Spiti does something to your appetite. Maybe it is the altitude. Maybe it is the cold that sets in the moment the sun dips behind a ridge. Maybe it is just that after a day of bad roads and stunning views, you really, really want something hot. Whatever the reason, finding a good cafe in Spiti feels like finding shelter. And the good news is that Kaza, for a town of its size, has more than a few places that genuinely deliver. We have been taking groups through Spiti for years

Spiti does not forgive bad packing. There is no quick run to a pharmacy in Kaza after 8 PM. No backup charger sold around the corner. No ATM you can rely on once you are past Tabo. What goes into your bag before you leave Shimla or Manali is what you have for the next seven to ten days, and the gaps show up exactly when you do not want them to. We run Spiti road trips and bike expeditions every season. This Spiti Valley packing list comes from what our groups have forgotten,