The best time to visit this isolated yet spectacular region of Himachal Pradesh is during the summers from May to October. Yes, the roads especially Manali Kaza is worse than Ladakh roads. You should not expect much from facilities in Spiti valley in these months. But I want to explore whole beauty of Himachal and Leh-Ladakh. Kunzum Pass will be open during that time. We set up the cameras and started the timer. Capturing the Milky Way is tricky. Its a vault where star clusters and nebulae and 30,000 additional faint stars spring into view for anyone slowly sweeping its path with ordinarybinoculars. considered the best time to view the Milky Way. Avoid full Moon nights if stargazing is high on your agenda as the lunar light can obstruct views of the Milky Way and other constellations. Shooting during a new moon can significantly reduce light pollution your shot. We might increase a bit further to avoid the bad patches and protecting her more. First we stopped and visited the World's Highest Post Office. I am planning to do the Spiti circuit, in mid October. NPS/Brad Sutton. The park hosts public sky viewing nights and provides a . The opening of Kunzum Pass and the further road towards Manali from Kunzum Pass takes more time. All the stars you can plainly see in the sky are part of our galaxy. Just one side would do Can I have an itinerary.. Day 1 : Reach Manali and stay overnight at Solang Valley as preferred for acclimatization Hotels start to come out of hibernation, and things, including fruits/vegetables, start to arrive in Spiti Valley frequently. Camping at Chandrataal lake:- Winter Nights Here are our top picks for early evening times to see the Milky Way: From 7pm, between 13th April - 24th April. Tuesday, March 14 2023: March's dark sky window opens. Moon Deluxe is a great app for showing the phases of the moon. thank you , Well, you should read about 10 Tips for a Trip to Spiti Valley in Monsoons, Day 01 : Reach Manali and stay overnight at Solang Valley as preferred for acclimatization Please suggest me any precautions due to rains and landslides Day 30 | Sangla/Chitkul (if you cannot extend, skip) So decided to go to Kaza and then turn back to Pin Valley. We had booked the room with balcony so we could shoot the Milky Way and the peaks. We, five couple with children, wants to visit spiti valley during next May, 2018. In this article of the series, Comprehensive Travel Guide for Spiti Valley, I will try to share my inputs on the best time or season to travel the road to Spiti Valley or in other words what is the best time to visit Spiti Valley. This took lot of crop even after 300x zoom. We reached Chitkul just past 5pm. Have read your post on separate itinerary. The best place to see the milky way in the US lower 48 states is in the designated dark skies parks of Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park. Once your eyes adjust to the darkness, simply taking fifteen minutes to be alone with the Milky Way during these moonless nights, is rejuvenating. So, even the Spiti Valley weather is somehow becoming unpredictable nowadays. After photographing them we climbed a bit more towards the edges. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Gompo went ahead in search of Blue Sheep while we had our breakfast by the pond, rested, and took photographs. Dates seem to be OK, if you extend the trip by a couple of days, You can check a very balanced and most common itinerary for Spiti Valley followed by many travellers including me at the link here for 10-11 days: Most Common Itinerary for Spiti Valley. First check a sky chart (sorry can't ind my link) and see if you have a full moon, new moon and what time the moon rises/sets. Overnight at Pangong Tso (Spangmik), Day 17 | Pangong Tso Lake Shey Thicksey Leh But the Milky Way is not merely a glow crossing the sky. +91 9618769083, +91 8008633354 Home About Reviews Photo Tours Courses Blog Buy Prints Subscribe Contact Or you want to have travel to Shimla and Manali also included in these 4 days? The main options in this section are: When there is a value going from positive to negative (Ex. food at Kargil Sham Valley include Alchi, Likir, Basgo Palace, Magnetic Hills, Confluence at Nimmu, Gurudwara Pather Sahib I salivate at an opportunity to capture the night sky, the Milky Way, the millions-billions of stars against the back drop of the crescent lake. Then leave for Pin valley..Kungri, Sangnam, Tailing, Mud village. But it was not to be. I have the Milky Way to capture. We were unaware, but one could stay at the monastery for around Rs.200 a night - would have been an amazing opportunity but we were hard pressed for time. Traveling to Spiti Valley via Manali side, by and large, depends first upon the opening of Rohtang Pass and then opening of the route from Gramphu to Kunzum Pass and Kunzum Pass in itself. The darker the better. Finally at 6.41pm i took this snap: We start our hike back to the car. Includes a slender crescent phase, too. In my honest opinion, March is one of the best time to enjoy winter Spiti trip. My husband and I just returned from a wonderful week visiting the five national parks in Utah and saw the dark sky in several places, especially at Capitol Reef N.P. Your mornings filled with mesmerizing lakes and beautiful landscapes, and your nights filled with glittery skies. Thanks for the suggestionwill look out for an alternative carcan you please suggest the itinerary. We reached the lake parking around 5.15pm. Go ahead with whatever maximum delay you can extend. Group of 3 people. When you do get to see the Milky Way on a dark, moonless night and in its full splendor, its very hard not to be in complete awe. Usually, driving inland away from a city is your best bet. Just another site. Hi Dhiraj, In the winter season, Lahaul & Spiti hides under the thick blanket of snow. I have prepared a tentative Itinerary for Spiti. walking very slowly on the side of the road in chilly weather. Ready to check the Milky Way off your bucket list? I could not sleep and kept a watch on the sky and our equipment from time to time. Thanks Like most galaxies, the Milky Way slowly rotates, and we go along with it. Snow starts around that time, but white Spiti or tons of snow can be seen in February March period. Generally speaking, the best time to see the Milky Way is during the Milky Way season, which goes from February to October, usually between 00:00 and 5:00, and on nights with a new moon. Get exclusive benefits and discounted fees for a limited time. O/n Kaza, Day 8 : 12th June : Kaza day trip to Langza, Hikkim, Komic & back. Thank you Tristan, Manali Kaza is surely expected to open early this season but personally, I have a feeling it will not open by mid-May to third week of May especially after the two spells of heavy snowfall recently. It was past 4pm as we left for Kaza. Monastery tour may include Hemis, Thicksey, Stakna and Shey monasteries. AFAIK Yuvraj, there is no new road. There are endless opportunities to see the Milky Way in Greece, due to [] Regards Ive seen a news that due to frequent landslides at malling nala, a new road has been built which connects Nako and Chango other than NH5.. Is that true? along with that infomation the darker the sky the better. In-person support no matter where the road takes you. Ever noticedthis? I am bone-weary from a seven-hour morning hike in Pin Valley, Himachal Pradesh and a rocky three-hour drive to Kaza, but I cannot retire to bed just yet. Has it even happened in the recent years? Joshua Tree National Park, California, USA (Image credit: Getty Images) Tonight the moon reaches its last quarter phase, rising after midnight to leave the night sky virtually moonless. If it would be heavy rainfall during this time then it would be difficult as there could be land slides . It takes about 1 1/2 hours after sunset for the sky to be really dark (if no moon). Happy to help with the Himalayas. Hey sir, i am planning spiti on a solo trip on 1st june right after my exams ends. On the way you can also see Gurudwara Pather Sahib, Magnetic Hills, Confluence at Nimmu how is american identity changed by the 20th century. I have been waiting for a clear night such as this one cloudless, moonless, crisp and dry for a week now while we toured from town to town taking in the awe-inspiring spectacles of Spiti Valley. See the, Check for clear skies. They come on the route of Pangong Tso but as you will be doing day trip, it will be a bit hectic to include them on that day only. Thankfully the spotters had kept track of it and it had moved to the right behind some bushes with only small part of its head or body visible. do mention Turtuk on the permits, Day 11 | Turtuk Hunder Seeing the Milky Way in all its glory should be on everyones bucket list. New article about Northern Lights photography in M, September Acadia Astrophotography workshop, Where can you see the Milky Way? Finally, you need clear skies. Summer season in Spiti begins from the month of April and runs till June, Spiti Valley weather in May marks the beginning of the tourist season as the route via Manali opens in this month. This was at following locations Mud village (Pin valley national park) Langza Chandratal camps I am not sure if this is this is the best time or I just got lucky with it. We have not visited Leh-Ladakh yet, instead we are visiting spiti valley first. Once you reach Spiti Valley, things remain mostly OK. Another viewpoint off the road. Secondly, you need the sky to be dark. So, tourists must know about the right time to travel to Spiti Valley. Hi Dheeraj The best time to catch the Milky Way is near midnight from June to early August. If possible postpone the trip by a week so that there is even higher chance of having the Manali Kaza road open. Since Im planning to take hiatus from work after April so number of days and dates wont be issue. . And of course, if you have company, stargazing is the perfect time for a great, in-depth conversation about life and the universe. We continued back on the main road stopping multiple times. I will be traveling with my partner so Im ok with self drive SUV or if it is good to hire bike in respect to road condition. Is it good thing ? Having said all that, it does not mean that it is not a season to travel to Spiti Valley. Day 02 : Manali / Solang Kaza One mystery we didn't want to solve. Just keep in mind their attention spans can be a bit short. Just about any pair of binoculars is going to be a real eye-opener when viewing the milky way. does debt settlement affect security clearance. We took the turn towards Chitkul at Karcham Bridge. Coorg, Karnataka 5. Sure, feel free to ask any further questions too. Its because our eyes cannot distinguish the individual stars that make up the glowing band of light that it all appearsmilky.. On the way cover Suraj Tal, Deepak Tal which are on the road sides only The route via Manali, going through Rohtang Pass, Batal and Kunzum Pass is free of snow during these months. It is renowned for its magnificent view of the night sky. Rest mostly similar to Manali Leh Highway and at places good to average. Milky Way Calendar 2023 Best Milky Way viewing planner, best places to see the Milky Way in the world. For more stories from some of the world's most exciting destinations click here. In case you didnt know, the Milky Way is our home galaxy. (9 days trip ) is it safe to travel during monsoon time.Also tell me an alternative plan instead of Kinnaur since you wrote that there are more chances of landslides at that region . Indian Astronomical Observatory, Leh-Ladakh 7. June July is the beginning of the actual main season to travel to Spiti Valley when a large number of tourists make their journey over these. How can you make the most of your viewing experience. It will be monsoon season, you should read: 10 Tips for a Trip to Spiti Valley in Monsoons. Do not forget to check what things and clothes to pack for Spiti trip? CEF_Beasts, digitalnirvana, Dr.AD, Evyas, graaja, GTO, haisaikat, InControl, Kashish, mak.prasada, PetroNerd, Rehaan, Samba, Samfromindia, supertinu, veloce.95, Venkygupta, YanTra Makto. 2023Yankee Publishing, Inc., An Employee-Owned Company On the way we both got a scare as we saw an old lady(?) For stay options in Kinnaur and Spiti, check the link: Some Good Options of Stays in Spiti Valley / Kinnaur Valley. There's a shortcut as you leave and I had to take it. Are you looking for the CUSTOMIZED TOURS?? Cool, as long as you are confident of its working, you should be fine. By continuing to browse our website, you agree to our use of cookies. Ovid, a Roman poet, later wrote about the Milky Way in The Metamorphoses in 8 A.D. Its estimated that there are several billion stars in the Milky Way Galaxy. Catch it if you can. It can be a great thing to go look into the infinite in solitude. There are many water crossings active during this period as the snow melts, so it is always better to reach the destination well in the afternoon to avoid getting stuck either in one of those water crossings or behind it. Spiti Must places to visit. The western interior national parks are probably the very best places to view the Milky Way. 8. The state of the road remains bad and it is not just the Kunzum Pass that matters, actually the main problem lies beyond Kunzum Pass between Chatru and Batal where they BRO has to cut off the big giant walls of glaciers. How risky is the drive here on an SUV and what should we keep in mind while driving ? New 2023 AUSTRALIA ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY TOUR!! Thank you for sharing the contact details, will surely let you know whenever in future I will plan a trip. Gompo meets us at the homestay. We are only couple. See the Moon Phase Calendar for your area. With a long exposure, the camera sensor picks up millions more glittering stars (invisible to naked eye), it picks up the cobalt afterglow of twilight, it captures the nebular gases. It is estimated that the Milky Way contains 100 to 400 billion stars and the oldest are nearly as old as the universe itself. It will be hard to see much on a cloudy night. Its a beautiful sunset. Totally bucket list-worthy! if we are going in june will there be snow view? i m planning a trip to himachal . My first picture taking 13 seconds of exposure time looks great at first, but . Go very well prepared at this time of the year concerning mental levels, physical levels, and food to carry along with having some buffer days. The lower the lens' aperture the better, as you will be able to let in more light with a faster lens. What else is up this month? Adventure | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, Best Time to See the Milky Way + 2023 Milky Way Chart. Day 23 | Chandratal Kaza CEF_Beasts, DevilzzzzOwn, digitalnirvana, Dr.AD, Evyas, graaja, GTO, haisaikat, InControl, Jeash.vk, katoom, kiranknair, rahul1407, Rehaan, Samba, Samfromindia, supertinu, surajspai, thirugata, UD17, vattyboy, Venkygupta, Voodooblaster, YanTra Makto. I pack up and I collapse in my bed. Get in touch with our our handpicked & trusted Destination Specialists from the Himalayas who offer SPECIAL DISCOUNTED RATES to all the readers/followers of the Devil On Wheels website. It should be OK to travel in May but the problem is that you cannot do a full circuit of Spiti Valley in May because the road from Manali to Kaza opens in mid-June types. Awesome, then, in that case, look no further and plan the trip as defined below to include Zanskar Valley too in the plan. Day 5 : 9th June : Leave earlyChitkul to Khab, Nako, Sumdo, Geu, Tabo. There are many tools for this. However, some of us, like myself, whose house is in a state park where the nearest village has a population of 153, can get the experience by merely turning off the house lights and stepping into thebackyard. To deal with city lights, you need to get out into a rural area, and the more remote the better. And the Milky Way is just one galaxy amongst hundreds of billions in the universe! Capturing the Milky Way is tricky. Both of these cameras are exceptionally good setups for the Milky Way and can produce stunning images from RAW files at ISO 6400 or even 12,800. Kaza Manali. Posted on July 3, 2022 by . Take a look at what the naked eye sees compared to the camera. Gompo spotted a pair of Ruddy Shelducks nearby a small pond but were quite far away. If you visit Spiti Himachal between June to July, you will be able to witness the tremendously spectacular Milky way galaxy in Spiti Valley night sky. Binoculars are especially cool for kids so they can appreciate that they are looking at many stars, not just a light in the sky. Have a travel question?? please which time will be best this year for bike trip. Then, the sky offers only a smattering of stars to see. Two things tend to cause problems: city lights and the moon. Can I spend Day 4 night at Chitkul or would you recommend a day trip only to Chitkul and go over to Kalpa to spend the night. Here are ten of the best locations in the United States to see the Milky Way in all her splendor. Camera settings. The next morning we leave for Chandra Taal, a crescent shaped lake, at 14100 feet altitude even higher, and with no human habitation except a campsite. In this period, the roads leading to Spiti Valley are almost in a horrible state as compared to the rest of the year, especially in Kinnaur Valley. From above, its that enormous spiral which spans 100,000 light years.) Enjoy Zangla, Stongde, Karsha, Day 6 | Padum Zongkhul Monastery Penzi La Pass Rangdum Spiti Valley is located at an altitude of (9680 - 13450 ft) above sea level. Its 8.45pm when we finally are on the main road. You may get Altitude sickness, carry camphor. It's a high altitude trek, so make sure we wear the grippiest shoes. With just 4 days, it is possible but like, Manali Kaza The ever-reliable weather.com can get you a forecast for any given location. Not only are they incredibly dark, but there is almost never any cloud cover. In September 2022, the New Moon is on Sunday the 25th. People in Spiti virtually experience only two seasons summers and winters. I can stay at Sangla on Day 3. In order to protect migrating birds, no lights are allowed in this parkwhich also makes for some fantastic stargazing. But, keep in mind that you will not be able to do the complete circuit from Shimla to Kinnaur to Kaza to Manali as the road from Kaza to Rohtang Pass to Manali does not get open. Its come across, on the way to Spiti, Just after cr. They say the Roads to spiti are worse than those to Leh. You should also check my article on the best time to visit Ladakh if you are planning a trip to Leh Ladakh and Spiti Valley together. You can start from: Spiti Valley to Ladakh from Manali Most Common Itinerary. There is very little humidity in the high-desert. Day 27 | Pin Valley Tabo Nako Keep in mind that more than 30% . Day 25 | Kaza/Langza Homestay (Hikkim, Koumik, Langza) It's also. Overnight at Hanle, Day 19 | Hanle Loma Nyoma Mahe Korzok / Tso Moriri Lake OR Hanle Salsal La Tso Moriri Lake Just make sure you are more or less alone before you get too passionate! Mundial best time to see milky way in spiti I grab the camera and hurriedly move out of the way. Cool, in that case best month to travel will be September but if you need adventurous trip then mid June to mid July will be ideal. I need a help planning whole Spiti and Leh-Ladakh itinerary. Overnight at Tso Moriri lake, Day 20 | Tso Moriri Tso Kar Debring (Manali Leh Highway starts) Moore Plains Pang / Sarchu O/n Tabo. Will i 20 be suitable for the trip ? Best Time To Visit Spiti Image Source May end to the beginning of October is considered the best time to visit Spiti because that's the time when Shimla - Kinnaur highway is open, which makes the valley accessible to the rest of the world. Sourav, it is possible to make Spiti Valley trip in winters but only from Shimla Kinnaur side. The clouds suddenly came out and blanketed the sky, it poured all day, and not a single star was to be seen. Today, the light pollution in nearly any city makes the Milky Way all but invisible. How, where ll get bike. Where: Bickley, 35 kilometres (22 miles) east of Perth. Cheers for such a wonderful post. Hence, running water is a luxury at this time of the year. The roads aren't great with worse parts yet to come tonight. It was 7.30pm as we left the monastery parking. When you see the visible Milky Way, you are looking toward the center of the galaxy. If you want the whole circuit with Spiti and Ladakh, the roads open in June only. I should have topped up the tank at Reckong Peo after leaving Kalpa. Fall and winter are the best times to go stargazing in Georgia as temperatures drop, skies become more clear and nights are longer.