Tabo, Himachal Pradesh

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10 Monastaries of the Himachal Pradesh Buddhist Tribal Circuit Tour
Hidden away in the remote desolation of Himachal Pradesh, away from dense urban populations or the distractions of modern India, lies a road less traveled.

How to Get an Inner Line Permit for Himachal Pradesh
When traveling along the restricted area of Himachal Pradesh, in North India, an area that hugs the India-Tibet border, foreigners are required to apply for an Inner Line Permit.

WHEN TO GO

Best: May – October
Spring fever brings tourists out of hibernation along with Tabo’s population. Many of the town’s guest houses remain closed until now. Cool winter temps finally rise to a comfortable level even in the peak of summer. Diwali marks the end of the season just as cool temps and hints of snow threaten to close what remains open.

Good: October – December

If you feel like braving frosty mornings as well as the possibility of drudging through slush and snow to reach the monastery, then this is the perfect time to visit Tabo. You might struggle to find decent accommodations other than the monastery hostel.

Skip: January – April

Tabo’s high altitude brings winter’s furry including snow and cold temperatures. Locals go indoors as the fall harvest has long been completed and little else can be done.

MONEY EXCHANGE/ATM

Hit the ATM in Shimla, Recong Peo, or Kaza. Tabo will force you to beg, borrow or steal if you arrive without enough cash to pay your bill.

Tabo For Beginners | Next Steps | Deep Finds

A single lane road flanked by the Satluj River leads you through towering mountain ridges to Tabo. High up in the Himalayas, elevation 10,000 ft, the monastery located here is the lifeblood to this quiet farming town nestled in lower Spiti Valley. Indian and foreign tourists make their way down this desolate stretch of road to visit the 1000 year old monastery, a registered World Heritage Site.

Small shops sell the most basic of requirements, however don’t expect to stock up on the latest and greatest of anything else. A single internet cafe keeps varied hours leaving tourists to use the few STD/ISD phone lines found in town to call home.

WHAT’S HERE

Tabo Monastery & Caves
Tabo Monastery, founded 996 A.D., Spiti Valley’s pride, is said to be one of the Dalai Lama’s favorites. Unlike other more glorious monasteries nearby, Tabo is very understated in appearance. As Frommer’s Guide states, “ Don’t arrive expecting some cathedral-like masterpiece; Tabo Gompa (monastery) is a rustic center that is more spiritually than architecturally engaging.”

NEXT STEPS

Mountain Bike Tours
Several travel agencies conduct one day or multi week group trips throughout Himachal Pradesh. Tabo is included as a destination site.

Motor Bike Tours
As with cycling, many travel agents conduct motor bike tours of Himachal Pradesh. Ride single or within a group.

Trekking
Travelers with a fondness for trekking will enjoy the easy terrain of the Tabo region. An endless list of travel agents can organize single or group expeditions around this area.

DEEP FINDS

Diwali
Scores of Indian tourists make their way through the Spiti Valley leading up to India’s Festival of Lights. Packed vehicles bring entire families in search of the numerous Shiva temples of Himachal Pradesh. Guest houses fill to maximum capacity while restaurants are overrun by crowds, the size of which are only seen during this time of year. Actual Diwali festivities are better celebrated in larger areas. For tourists who like to meet a broad cross section of new people, Diwali season in Tabo is the time and place to be.