When you travel to Florence, you will love to visit popular tourist spots and enjoy the local culture. Amongst other Things to do in Florence, you can surely explore some of the best things to do in Florence to make your trip a fulfilling one. On a trip to Florence things to do can include exploring Florence attractions and visiting the places of interest.
Located 20 km away from Kaza, greets every visitor with complementary tea. Although photography is prohibited inside the monastery, it is allowed in the outdoor area. The monks also give a guided tour of the monastery to visitors.
This monastery is located 40 kms away from Kaza and is on the way to Peo. Taxis are available to visit these monasteries that go all the way up to the mountain. The HP road transport corporation also provides buses till the junction between Dhankar and Shichling. It leaves at 7 am and returns from Shichling at 3 pm in the afternoon. One needs to trek up till the monasteries from the Shichling fork for 10 KMs via motorable roads. The monks here at the two Gompas are very friendly. One of these Gompas is an extremely popular thousand year old Monastery. It is one of the hidden treasures of Sipitian Mountains. There are little Dhankar boys here, studying to be future Lamas, who love to show the tourists around and are very friendly. It is strongly recommended that you include a visit to the Dhankar monasteries in your itinerary when visiting Kaza. It will surely be a memorable experience and to make it more special, try to meet the head Lama of the monastery, if possible.
His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, had recently inaugurated this newly constructed monastery, on the 9th of July, 2009.
There is a small museum slightly downhill from the Dhankar village that houses Buddhist religious objects, old costumes, saddles and instruments used by the locals.
This village is believed to be the highest point of this place by the locals.
This charming little village near Kaza is located at a height of 4275 meters. There is a small monastery in this village, but women are not allowed inside during prayer hours. Many fossils are found in this place which is an interesting feature of this village.
The neighboring towns and tourist spots near Kaza are Tabo, Kibber, Gette, Kunzum pass, Pin valley, Chandratal, Lhingti valley, etc. The numerous Kaza travel packages may also have these spots included in them.
This beautiful lake is at a dreamlike location that is about an hour’s trek away from Kaza and is a beautiful tourist spot. Its clear waters are transcendental in their beauty.
This joyous community festival is celebrated in the chilly December and January months and is a grand get together for the locals.The culture of Kaza is very similar to that of Tibet and it is geographically also comparable to Tibet and Ladakh in many ways. The native Khasa and Saka tribes are said to have migrated to Kaza or the Spiti valley somewhere in the 5th or 6th Century BC. This place has several popular colourful festivals that are celebrated throughout the year.
This is a popular trade fair which attracts numerous tourists to Kaza during the month of July. A variety of goods are bartered or sold at reasonable prices.
This vibrant festival is marked with ritualistic and energetic dancing by the local tribes, wearing colourful masks and costumes. It is celebrated in the month of February and commemorates the beginning of the New Year. It is also celebrated as the auspicious day of the assassination of cruel Tibetan Ruler Lang Darma in the previous century.
As for adventurous activities in Kaza, this is a popular base camp for trekkers and mountaineers. One can acquire permits to go for trekking around other places in the Spiti valley. Mountain biking is another popular adventure sport for tourists looking for some adrenaline rush on their trip. The numerous trek routes are still somewhat unexplored and offer a special experience in these mountainous routes.
Treks and visits to the Chandrataal River and Dhankar Lake are great for soaking in the pristine natural beauty of Kaza. An alumnus of the TISS, Ishita Khanna, has also turned this place into an ecotourism destination and heritage spot.
They serve baked foods and snacks. They have a solar powered oven which is a specialty at this joint.
This is a popular eatery and serves a better menu suited to tourists. It is located at the bazaar.
This is another eating joint in Kaza.
The popular dishes in Kaza are Thupka, curry made with fresh peas and potato, momos made mostly of pork, chicken and mutton. Beef is not allowed in Kaza. The local Tibetan Bread is also a popular food of this region. Siptian rotis which are made from barley and millet flour are another specialty of this region.
English Wine & Beer Shop: It sells local Indian whisky, Old Monk Rum and the usual choices of beer.
There are no departmental stores in the town of Kaza but one can find several useful items at the local shops and street markets. The State government handloom centre and various co-operative shops in the Keylong area is a good place to find trademark items like Chinese ceramic utensils, local jewellery, stones and gems, traditional clothing, etc.
The nearby Mud village close to Kaza is a great place for buying freshly cultivated green peas from the locals in the months of June to September. The specialty of this region is the popular Spiti tea that is made from dried seeds of the local fruits that grow here. The locals believe that this tea has a special ability to slow the ageing process. Bedroom slippers made of grass are a popular item found in this region.