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Nako Tabo

Nako Tabo

Published on June 18, 2025

Perched above serene lakes and etched with millennium-old murals, Nako and Tabo are two of Spiti’s most mystical and culturally rich villages. Whether you're opting for a Spiti tour package from Delhi, a Winter Spiti Tour Package, a Spiti tour package for family, or a rugged Adventure tour to Spiti Valley, both Nako and Tabo deserve a highlight in your Spiti tour itinerary.

Let’s begin the journey with their charm, context, and why they’re essential in every Spiti Valley itinerary, including Best Spiti Valley Tour Packages, Spiti Valley Group Tour Packages, and more.

1. The Tale of Two Villages

  • Nako, resting at 12,000 ft near the Indo-China border, centres around a stunning high-altitude lake and a small ancient monastery.

  • Tabo, at 10,000 ft, houses the renowned Tabo Monastery—a 1,000-year-old living museum of Buddhist art, frescoes, and spiritual life.

These spots represent transitions—from the cold desert’s raw beauty to the spiritual stillness that makes Spiti Valley world-famous.

2. Nako & Tabo in the Spiti Valley Itinerary

Most 7-day Spiti Valley tour itineraries or longer treks include both villages. A popular Spiti tour itinerary flows: Delhi → Shimla → Reckong Peo → Kalpa → Nako → Tabo → Dhankar → Kaza → Chandratal → Return via Manali.

This sequence ensures proper acclimatisation while delivering diverse landscapes, culture, and altitude.

3. Featured in Spiti Tour Packages

  • Spiti tour package from Delhi always schedules at least a night in Tabo, and preferably Nako.

  • Winter Spiti Tour Packages cut off at higher altitudes but often include Tabo if roads are open.

  • Spiti tour package for family travelers appreciate the calm villages, gentle treks, and cultural immersion here.

  • Best Spiti Valley Tour Packages from Delhi highlight these villages for their heritage value and photo-op beauty.

  • Spiti Valley Group Tour Packages and Adventure tour Spiti Valley itineraries often allow group photo sessions, community rituals at the monastery, and night walks amid a starlit desert sky.

4. Camping in Spiti Valley: Nako & Tabo Style

Want to experience camping in Spiti Valley with a cosy lakeside or heritage backdrop? Night camps near Nako Lake are a silent dream. In Tabo, camping under ancient walls is unforgettable—the sound of desert wind and distant chanting becomes part of the experience.

These are included in the budget Spiti tour package, Spiti Valley bike tour, and solo trip to Spiti Valley plans, but always check the inclusion details.

5. Adventure & Solitude Await

  • Adventure tour Spiti Valley often includes short hikes around Nako Lake, monastery trails, and desert road cycling.

  • Spiti Valley bike tour riders love the smooth stretch from Pooh to Nako and onwards to Tabo.

  • Solo trip to Spiti Valley travelers find Nako and Tabo perfect for meditative solitude and creative retreats.

6. Cultural & Spiritual Significance

  • Tabo Monastery is called “the Ajanta of the Himalayas”—a spiritual treasure trove recognised by UNESCO as one of the most important Buddhist sites.

  • Nako’s small gompa and lake are linked to local legends and Lama lineages, offering a reflective counterpoint to Spiti’s bigger monasteries.

Your Spiti Valley travel guide should stress spending time learning from local monks and witnessing pujas (rituals) that happen daily in Tabo.

7. Why Every Best Spiti Valley Tour Package Includes Them

  • No Spiti experience is complete without a visit to the 1,000-year-old Tabo Monastery.

  • Nako offers Himalayan lake tranquillity and photo-perfect serenity at a lesser altitude.

  • They offer milestones in elevation—key to managing acclimatisation in your Spiti tour itinerary.

  • They satisfy a range of travellers: families, bikers, solo adventurers, spiritual seekers.

Village Life, Homestays & Cuisine

Local Flavours

In Nako, hospitality is humble but heartfelt. Families invite guests into warm, wood-panelled homes where meals include thukpa, momos, tsampa, and locally grown barley bread. Sweet butter tea and apricot oil add an authentic Himalayan touch. These meals are often featured in Spiti tour packages, including Spiti tour packages from Delhi, and are especially valued by Spiti tour packages for family travellers.

Cozy Homestays

From basic rooms to rustic cottages, homestays in both Nako and Tabo are staples in budget Spiti tour packages and Best Spiti Valley tour packages. They offer warmth, local insight, and a deeper experience than anonymous hotel rooms. Shared meals and storytelling sessions around traditional fireplaces often become highlights of the journey.

Culture, Heritage & Monastery Art

Exploring Tabo Monastery

Tabo’s 1,000-year-old monastery is a cultural treasure. Its courtyard hosts vestiges of ancient royal flags, prayer wheels, and manifest sacred energy. The monastery houses dozens of Buddhist relics, painted murals spanning eras, and scriptural halls. Whether booked on a Spiti Valley Group Tour Package or a solo trip to Spiti Valley, visiting Tabo feels like stepping into living history.

Nako’s Spiritual Tranquility

Nako’s small gompa retains rustic charm, with slender monks chanting as peace settles over the lake. It’s a spiritual haven included in most Spiti tour itinerary—particularly in Best Spiti Valley Tour Packages from Delhi and Spiti tour package from Delhi. Pilgrims gather here for quiet reflection and simple rituals.

Hiking, Sanctuaries & Scenic Trails

Nako Lake Trail

A picturesque 2km hike around the high-altitude Nako Lake offers a meditative start to the day. Layers of colour—from turquoise lake to verdant shores to snowy peaks—make it perfect for spiti valley travel guide highlights.

Caves & Devil’s Dance

Climb to caves perched above the village and listen to stories of local legends and landscapes. Small rock forests and petrified fossils—a signature of Spiti geology—appear near the trails, giving insight into the valley’s prehistoric past.

Tabo Village Walks

Explore narrow alleys, mud-walled traditional houses, and centuries-old chortens. This easy walk allows Spiti tour package for family visitors and solo travelers to absorb village life. Photography, birdwatching, and local chats are daily options.

Adventure Extensions

Thrill-seekers can hike beyond caves and monastery grounds into ridge-top trails overlooking the Spiti riverbed. While these are optional, they add richness to Adventure tour Spiti Valley and help connect with off-the-beaten-path experiences in spiti tours.