Day 5

The road out of Nako dropped back into the Spiti Valley. The tarmac gave way to dirt, the dirt gave way to loose rock, and at some point the track simply crossed the river and kept going.

After detouring off the main road, the first stop was at the Gue Monastery. It houses a 500-year-old mummified monk, preserved and still venerated, draped in yellow and white offering scarves with brass bowls lined up in front of him. 

The second stop for lunch was in Tabo, announced by an ornate gateway arch. The monastery complex, established in 996 AD, is one of the oldest continuously functioning Buddhist monasteries in the world. Standing in front of a towering golden deity surrounded by vivid murals, it was difficult to hold onto the idea that this place has been here for over a thousand years.

Between the monasteries we rode through dusty village streets, lined with shops selling momos and Tibetan handicrafts. Then we exited the town to a landscape resembling something from the moon, with monolithic stone pillars towering over the roadway.

We hit our first few water crossings at the end. Camp was yellow tents in a grove of trees beside the giant river, sandstone cliffs catching the last of the evening light. 

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