Only since 1977 have visitors been permitted to cross the Rohtang Pass to Keylong in Lahaul. Only 117 km from Manali this is a Tibetan region, quite unlike the Kulu Valley. The Rohtang Pass has the same 'gateway' nature as the Zoji La pass does between Kashmir and Ladakh. The region is bounded by Ladakh to the north, Kulu to the south and Tibet to the east. All of Spiti and a large chunk of Lahaul is off-limits to visitors. You cannot continue up the jeep road from Keylong to Leh in Ladakh but you can make the long and difficult trek from Keylong to Padum in the Zanskar Valley and from there into Ladakh.

The 3915 metre Rohtang Pass only access into Lahaul and it is open only from June to September each year although trekkers can cross the pass a little before it is open for vehicles. During the short season it is open there are regular buses from Manali to Keylong. The tourist office operates a daily Rs 35 bus up to the Pass, mainly for tourists to 'see the snow'. It's a very spectacular trip over the pass.

The main town in the Lahaul and Spiti region; there are a number of interesting monasteries within easy reach of this oasis-like town. The old Kharding Monastery, formerly the capital of Lahaul, overlooks Keylong, only 3.5 km away. Other monasteries include Shashur (three km), Tayal (six km) and Guru Ghantal (11 km).

Gondhla, with its eight storey castle of the Thakur of Gondhla and the historically significant gompa, is a short distance before Keylong on the Manali-Keylong road. You can trek back to Gondhla from Keylong, cutting across the loop the road makes. Between Gondhla and Keylong is Tandi where the Chandrabagha or Chenab River meets the road. Following the Chenab valley to the north-west towards Kilar will bring you to Triloknath with its six-armed white marble image of Avalokitesvara. Close by is the village of Udaipur with a finely carved wooden temple from the 10th or 11th century which is dedicated to Mrikula Devi.

The 4500 metre Kunzam pass connects the Lahaul and Spit valleys. Eventually a road will be completed from Kaza, the principal Spiti village, south-east through Samdoh to meet the Hindustan-Tibet road. There are few settlements in this barren, high region. Kaza (or Kaja) is the main village and slightly north-west of this is Kibar (or Kyipur) which is at 4205 metres and reputed to be the highest village in the world. Tabo Kye and Dhankhar are two of the most important gompas.

Climate
As in Ladakh little rain gets over the high Himalayan barrier so Lahaul and Spiti are dry and, for the most part, barren. The air is sharp and clear and the warm summer days are followed by cold, crisp nights. Beware of the burning power of the sun in this region you can get burnt very quickly even on quite cool days. The heavy winter snow from September to May closes the passes except for a few months of each year.

Culture
The people of Lahaul and Spiti follow a Tibetan form of Tantric Buddhism with a panoply of demons, saints and followers. The monasteries, known as gompas, are colourful places where the monks or lamas lead lives ordered by complicated regulations and rituals. There are many similarities between these people and the Ladakhis, further north. The people of Spiti are almost: all Buddhists of Tibetan stock but Lahaul is split roughly 50:50 between Buddhists and Hindus.

Although the pass may be open by mid-May a safer date is mid-June. The bus trip takes eight hours and costs Rs 19. It's 475 km from Manali to Leh via Keylong but you need special permission to use this road.