Not every day, you wake up to find your husband surprising you with a road trip through India’s very own cold desert. But one morning in May, that’s exactly how the decision for us to travel to Spiti was made.

My husband and I aim to dream of driving to Ladakh. But before embarking on that journey, we decided to test the waters by going to Lahaul and Spiti. Choosing to travel with Adventures Overland on one of our first road trips through the cold desert was an easy choice. We were looking for someone who could offer us a seamless experience on this adventure, and we found it with Sanjay, Tushar, Akshay and the entire Adventures Overland team.

Covering almost 1000 km, our eight-day journey through Lahaul and Spiti had us traversing through constantly changing terrain, experiencing life-defining moments and also bestowed us the joy that one finds only when driving long distances with oneself.

Exploring the vastness of Himachal Pradesh

Located at 4,270m above sea level, this tour had us driving our Toyota Fortuner through the valleys, mountains and villages of Himachal Pradesh. The route selected for this tour had us spellbound throughout, highlighting nature’s raw beauty that one rarely gets to revel in within city limits. Hailing from Mumbai, driving without traffic was another enjoyable experience.

Though the drive was challenging, travelling in a convoy reassured us that we were never alone. Driving for hours without modern-day infrastructure does become a tad bit lonely. However, as we were travelling together, we never truly felt alone – I felt secure throughout the trip. And the Adventures Overland team was always there, ensuring everyone was alright and the journey was progressing smoothly.

Traversing through foreign lands offers one the unique opportunity to immerse oneself in another’s culture. The road we took from Kinnaur to Spiti offered us a glimpse into a new culture, and a visual treat as the colorful Buddhist flags and prayer wheels at regular intervals broke the monotony of the Himalayan wayside. Most of the houses we crossed were made of stones and mud, as this combination of elements effectively safeguards its inhabitants from the harsh weather of the lower and trans-Himalayan areas.

Covering almost 1000 km, our eight-day journey through Lahaul and Spiti had us traversing through constantly changing terrain, experiencing life-defining moments and also bestowed us the joy that one finds only when driving long distances with oneself.