KEYLONG PASS MANALI

   Keylong, 115km north of Manali, is the capital of Spiti and Lahaul. You may come here while going between Leh and Manali, or stay here while visiting places in the area. There are some basic shops here where you can get trekking supplies.

There are some nice walks in the area.

Travel
There are public buses to Manali (2 daily), Kaza (1 daily) and Leh.

During the season there are private buses going between Manali and Leh (the price is different according to the quality of the bus). The HPTDC luxury buses goes from Keylong to Leh and to Manali. It can be difficult to get a seat on a bus to Leh during the season because they are usually totally full when they reach Keylong. People often have to ride on the roof of the bus.

You can usually get a ride with a truck. They usually like to depart at daybreak.

Around Keylong

Shashur Gompa
This gompa, 3km from Keylong, belongs to the Gelukpa order and is dedicated to a Zanskari lama. It was built in the 16th century and it has a famous 5m long thangka. It has an important festival in June or July, which is known for its mask dancing.

Khardong Gompa
This gompa was established in the 12th century by the Gelukpa order. It has a big statue of the Buddha, some nice paintings, some old prayer drums and a library with ancient manuscripts in it. Khardong is the former capital of Lahaul. On the other side of the Bhaga River is a path that comes here.