Kaza, Himachal Pradesh
Snowline Lodge
Above the treeline in Spiti, where the snow arrives in October and stays.
From ₹3,200 / night 4.8 · 4 reviews
The hosts
We are Dorje and Pema, and we have wintered in Kaza our whole lives. Snowline is built the way houses here have always been built — thick mud-brick walls, small deep windows, a bukhari in every room — because at 3,800 metres that is what keeps you warm. We run on solar and a generator, the water is hot, and the sky at night is the reason people come.
Guest love
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Warmest house in Kaza in January, and Pema's thukpa is the best I have had.
Tenzin W. · Leh -
Minus eighteen outside and I slept without a jacket. The night sky is unbelievable.
Marta K. · Warsaw -
Extraordinary place. Do read their note about altitude — take the first day slowly.
Aditya R. · Pune -
Dorje drove out to meet us when the road was bad. That is who they are.
Sonam D. · Manali
Where you will be
Kaza
Himachal Pradesh
Kaza, Himachal Pradesh
About Kaza, Himachal Pradesh
Kaza is the administrative town of the Spiti valley, at 3,800 m on the river of the same name — a cold desert, treeless, and about as far from the postcard Himachal of pine and waterfall as India gets. Key monastery is thirteen kilometres away and a thousand years old; Langza, Komic and Hikkim sit above at over 4,000 m. Two roads reach here: Manali over Kunzum, open roughly June to October, and Shimla via Kinnaur, open most of the year and much longer.
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Getting here
Nearest airport: Bhuntar (250 km) or Chandigarh (450 km) — both a long way, and that is the point. By road there are two ways in: Manali over the Kunzum pass, roughly June to October and spectacular, or Shimla through Kinnaur, longer but open most of the year. In winter the Kinnaur road is the only one. We will tell you honestly which is running before you set out.
When to come
Mid-June to early October if you want the Manali road and warm afternoons. Late September and October for the clearest light of the year. Winter here is January to March: minus twenty at night, the valley almost empty, and the reason some people come. July brings some rain but far less than the rest of Himachal — Spiti sits in the rain shadow.
Nearby
Key Monastery
13 kmA thousand years old, stacked up its own hill.
Langza
16 kmThe Buddha, the fossil fields, and the highest post office road.
Hikkim
18 kmThe world's highest post office; send a card home.
Chandratal
95 kmThe moon lake, open only when the Kunzum road is.
Facilities
What you can use while you are here
- Hot water
- Wi-Fi
- Parking
- Garden
- Bonfire
- Power backup
A look around
Moments from the house
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2 ways to spend your days
Packages & experiences
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2 nights / 3 days
Winter Snow Walk
₹9,500
Two nights in January with a mountain guide, bukhari going all night.
- All meals
- Guided walk
- Bukhari heating
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3 nights / 4 days
Stargazing Nights
₹12,500
Three nights at 3,800 m with a telescope and no light for fifty miles.
- All meals
- Telescope evening
- Late checkout
Arranged by us, run by people we know
Things to do
Run by local operators we work with. Ask us and we will arrange it for you — nothing is charged here.
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Langza to Hikkim and Komic, on foot
Spiti High Village Walks
The three high villages by the old footpath: the Buddha, the post office and the monastery, with the jeep back to Kaza. Rest a day before you go.
If you cancel: The guide and the return jeep are booked the evening before.
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Chandratal by jeep, a long day
Spiti High Village Walks
Over Kunzum to the moon lake and back in a day, June to September when the road is open. A shared jeep, a driver who knows the river crossings, a packed lunch.
If you cancel: Called off for the road at no charge; inside a day, a quarter, because the jeep is turned away from other work.
Food & drink
From our kitchen
Cooked in our own kitchen, from what the market and the garden have.
Restaurant
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Butter tea (included)
Included
Salted, churned, and an acquired taste we will not apologise for.
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Thukpa
Hand-pulled noodles in broth. The house dinner most nights.
Vegetable ₹220 Mutton ₹320 -
Thenthuk
₹240
Torn noodle soup, thicker than thukpa, for the cold evenings.
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Momos, steamed
₹180
Ten to a plate, with a chilli sauce that means it.
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Tsampa breakfast (included)
Included
Roasted barley flour, butter tea, apricot from Tabo.
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Seabuckthorn juice
₹120
Grown wild along the river. Sharp, orange, full of vitamin C.
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Chhang
₹150
Local barley beer, served warm. One glass is plenty at this altitude.
Dishes change with the season and what the market has. Tell us about allergies or preferences when you book.
Good to know
What time is check-in?
From 12 noon; early check-in on request.
Do you serve meals?
Yes — all meals; the kitchen runs on what the road brings in.
Is it family friendly?
Yes, but take the altitude seriously: rest the first day.
How do we reach you?
Kaza is the last town; from Manali in summer, from Shimla year-round.
House rules
- Quiet hours after 10 pm
- Carry a valid photo ID
- Rest the first day — 3,800 m is higher than it feels
- Water is heated on a schedule; we'll tell you when
Snowline Lodge
Book your stay
Request your dates and we will share payment details to confirm your booking.