Beyond Kaza, the road keeps climbing until the Spiti Valley opens into a high, treeless plateau where villages sit above 4,000 m and the sky feels close enough to touch. Three of them — Langza, Komic and Hikkim — make one of the most rewarding day loops in all of Spiti. There are ancient fossils, a giant Buddha, a working monastery and the highest post office on Earth, all within a short drive of one another. From a Naggar base, it is the crowning half-day of a Spiti trip.
Langza: Buddha and the fossil fields
At around 4,400 m, Langza is watched over by a large golden Buddha statue that gazes down the valley — a ten-minute walk above the parking area and a magical spot at sunrise or sunset. Langza is also known as the fossil village. Millions of years ago this land lay under the ancient Tethys Sea, and the hillsides are scattered with ammonites, the coiled shells of long-extinct marine creatures. Local children often offer fossils for sale, but the responsible thing is to look, photograph and leave them where they lie.
Hikkim: a postcard from the top of the world
A few kilometres on sits Hikkim, home to the world's highest post office at about 4,400 m, running since 1983. You can buy a postcard, write it on the spot and drop it in the box — it really is collected and delivered, though it may take a few weeks to reach home. It is one of those small, joyful things that make Spiti special.
Komic: the monastery above the clouds
Higher still is Komic, at roughly 4,587 m, often described as one of the highest villages in the world connected by a motorable road. Its Tangyud Monastery is centuries old, fortress-like and startlingly remote. The drive up is stark and beautiful, and the silence at the top is total.
Practical tips
- The loop: Langza, Hikkim and Komic form a circuit of roughly 40–50 km from Kaza; a half-day is enough, though a full day lets you linger.
- Getting around: Hire a local taxi in Kaza or drive a sturdy vehicle; there is no public transport on the loop.
- Altitude: These are serious heights. Acclimatise in Kaza first, walk slowly, and do not attempt the loop on your first day in Spiti.
- Best season: June to September for open roads and clear skies.
- Respect: Carry your rubbish out, ask before photographing people, and leave the fossils in place.
Reaching the high villages from Naggar
In summer the road from the Kullu valley climbs past Manali and the Atal Tunnel, over the Kunzum Pass and down to Kaza — around a day's travel, best broken into two. From Kaza, the three villages are an easy add-on. Give yourself a couple of nights in Spiti so the altitude has time to settle before you go this high.
Because Spiti sits so high, many travellers like to start and finish in the gentler Kullu valley. Ghar in the Hills is a warm homestay in Naggar village, a good place to rest before the long drive up and to recover from the thin mountain air on the way back.
Dreaming of posting a letter from the roof of the world? Plan your Spiti loop, take the heights slowly, and make Naggar your soft landing at both ends — book your stay and begin the adventure.