Geologically located in the Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau, Lahaul and Spiti district is connected to Manali through the Rohtang Pass.

[4] To the south, Spiti ends 24 km (15 miles) from Tabo, at the Sumdo where the road enters Kinnaur and joins National Highway 5.

[5] Spiti is barren and difficult to cross, with an average elevation of the valley floor of 4,270 m (14,010 ft).

Under British rule, Lahaul was made into a 'waziri' of the Kullu sub-division of the Kangra district of the Punjab Province.

At that time, Lahaul had three 'jagir kothis' that pre-dated British rule: Kolong, Gumrang, and Gondhla.

Alongside agriculture and pastoralism, trade was an important occupation for Lahulis in the pre-Independence days.

Alexander Diack noted in the late 19th century that at least one-third of the proprietors in Lahaul were engaged in trade.

A major Central Asian trade route passed through Lahaul, connecting the plains of Punjab and the Kullu valley with Ladakh and Yarkand.

[15] Patseo, near Darcha (the last village in northern Lahaul) used to be the site of an important annual wool mart in the colonial period.

It used to witness participation from traders and herders from Lahaul, Changthang, Tibet, Zangskar, Spiti, and Kullu, alongside Khampas and Gaddis.

But they are remembered for introducing several crops (including potatoes, turnips, lettuce, spinach, and cauliflower), the practice of knitting, newspapers, kerosene stoves, and flue pipes to Lahaul.

[7] In 1972, Lata Thakur from Lahaul became the first-ever female Scheduled Tribe MLA in the Himachal Pradesh Government.

[22] The harsh conditions of Lahaul permit only scattered tufts of hardy grasses and shrubs to grow, even below 4 km (13,000 ft).

Some of the most common species of flora found in the Valley of Spiti include Cousinia thomsonii, Seseli trilobum, Crepis flexuosa, Caragana brevifolia and Krascheninnikovia ceratoides.

Several species of juniper grow in the valley, noted for their adaptation to the cold desert climate conditions.

Snow leopards are protected within the Pin Valley National Park and Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary.

Over-hunting and a decrease in food supplies have led to a large reduction in the population of the Tibetan antelope, argali, kiangs, musk deer, and snow leopards in these regions, reducing them to the status of endangered species.

The district has a Himachal Pradesh state legislative law in place to curb antique looting by travelers, given past incidents.

The district has close cultural links with Ngari Prefecture of Tibet Autonomous Region.

Houses are constructed in the Tibetan architectural style, as the land in Lahul and Spiti is mountainous and quite prone to earthquakes.

While the religion flourished, animal and human sacrifices were regularly offered up to the 'Iha', a term that refers to evil spirits residing in the natural world, notably in the old pencil-cedar trees, rocks, and caves.

Vestiges of the Lung Pe Chhoi religion can be seen in the behavior of the Lamas, who are believed to possess certain supernatural powers.

At the start of the festival, two or three persons from every household will walk in the procession holding burning incense.

The monastery houses more than 60 lamas and contains a collection of rare scriptures, pieces of art, and wall paintings - Thankas, and Stucco.

Built-in the 12th century, this monastery houses a large library of Buddhist literature including the main Kangyur and Tangyur scriptures.

It is possible to access Spiti from Kinnaur (along the Sutlej) all through the year, although the road is sometimes temporarily closed by landslides or avalanches.

To-do-Trails: The Spiti Valley is popular with trekkers due to the challenging nature of its treks.

These treks take people to remote areas including rural villages and old Gompas, as well as wildlife trails.

Popular trekking routes in the area include Kaza-Langza-Hikim-Komic-Kaza, Kaza-Ki-Kibber-Gete-Kaza, Kaza-Losar-Kunzum La, and Kaza-Tabo-Sumdo-Nako.

From the confluence of the Chandra and Bhaga rivers at Tandi to Chamba district border downstream of Udaipur, Lahaul From the confluence at Tandi to Kunzum La separating Lahaul and Spiti From Kunzum La to the border with Kinnaur district at Sumdo, Spiti.