Visiting Kibber Village ? Here are some important things you should know about this remote and historical village in lahaul spiti Himachal Pradesh. Just 19 Km from Kaza and at an altitude of 14,000 Ft, Kibber is home to an Endangered species of Snow Leopard. Snow leopard is the hardest to spot and is the state animal of himachal pradesh.

Kibber Khas or Khyipur is the last village on the Historical Trade route to Tibet and Leh Ladakh. Via Parang La pass At altitude of 18,300 Ft on Zanskar mountains annual trade fairs were held at kibber. Traders from Kullu, Chamba Tibet and Leh participated in Trade  of their products.due to the influence of traders visiting from various places. 

Earlier agriculture and trade was the main source of income for locals. Men were often travelling on trade to Tibet, Ladakh, and other parts of India, the women did the agricultural work. Nowadays Kibber is the base for many treks and people also come to visit Wildlife sanctuary. Tourism is also growing significantly and has become a side source of income for residents. People have started home stays and also provide services as a local guide for treks.

Kibber wildlife sanctuary is also a main attraction in spiti valley. Founded in 1999 this sanctuary is home to Snow Leopards and many other species like red fox, ibex and about 30 species of birds including snow pigeon and yellow billed chough. Snow leopards are rarest to spot, only If you are lucky enough you can spot one in their natural habitat. Photographers and animal lovers from all over the world visit kibber in winters to spot and capture a glimpse of these shy and marvellous animals.

Another attraction is kibber village itself, stone house construction in kibber village is completely different from traditional mud construction in spiti valley. In spiti, only kibber village has this kind of construction. Historical Exposure to different cultures during trade fairs might have resulted in the same.

Kibber village is just 19 Km from kaza on the newly constructed route of Losar Via chicham Bridge. It is very well connected by a paved road and a bus service also connects it to kaza in summers.. Most tourists stay in kaza and take a day trip to visit the kibber, chicham and Kye Monastery on this route. Kibber is also a base camp for many treks like Kanamo and Parang La. in winters it’s very tough to reach as the road gets blocked by heavy snow and it becomes impossible to drive.

Kibber is always cold and winds add a bit more chill. Due to the high altitude of 14,000 ft, the temperature is always on the lower side, in summer’s hottest month is July with average day temperature of around 11 degrees. Nights are always freezing, but exposure to sun at this altitude can do some serious damage to your skin if exposed.. So it’s always advised to carry and wear enough warm clothes and apply plenty of good sunscreen. Winters in kibber are very extreme and temperature can go down to -20 degrees also and snowfall can continue for many days resulting in road blockage and villages becoming inaccessible to the outside world.

Kibber is a very small village and provides very limited options. Homestays are the only place to stay if you are planning to spend a night at kibber. Charges of these homestays are very nominal and you can enjoy local food and drinks. Staying at kibber is only advised if you are a frequent traveller to mountains or you are very well acclimatised to high altitudes. If you are looking for a bit more luxury and comfort, choose to stay in kaza city. You can find some good hotels and properties to stay in with all the facilities.

Chicham Bridge

Key Monastery

Wild Life Sanctuary

Parang La Trek

Do’s And Dont’s for your next trip To Mountains.

• Carry a refillable water bottle- due to scarcity of drinking water in these villages, its better to carry your own water, and avoid packaged drinking water to minimise plastic waste.
• Buying food and Beverages from locals – local food and drinks can also help you to acclimatise to high altitude weather, and can provide support to the livelihood of locals.
• Use Dustbins to dispose of garbage- The government of himachal pradesh and some local NGOs have set up dustbins at every important location for proper waste management. So use these dustbins and help to keep mountains clean.
• Acclimatise yourself – Before visiting such high altitudes. You should get yourself acclimatised with the harsh weather and high altitude. Due to lack of air pressure and thin oxygen it can result in altitude sickness and spoil your trip. 
• Carry and wear enough warm layers- Before you plan, The first thing you should do is buy some warm layers of clothes. Weather on mountains can be very harsh and cold and it is very unpredictable.

Dont’s.

• Don’t interfere with the lives and privacy of local residents- surviving in these harsh mountain conditions is already very tough. So try to avoid interfering and disturbing the locals. Respect their feelings and culture.
• Don’t Click pictures without permission– try to ask politely before clicking pictures of any person or place. If they agree you can do so. At Some of the religious places photography is prohibited, so respect the feeling and emotions of people living there. 
• Avoid single Use plastic- Waste management is a bigger concern in the mountains. Try to avoid single use plastic, and carry reusable bottles and tiffin boxes. if you have some plastic waste try to dispose of the same at designated places or dustbin.
• Do not drink liquor – Try to avoid drinking while you are visiting these destinations. Some of them are also of religious importance. it is also dangerous for your health to drink at high altitudes. It may cause dehydration and result in AMS.
• Avoid Self Medication- Don’t consume any medicine before consulting a qualified physician. As conditions in mountains are very different to plains. Human body reacts differently at high altitudes.