There are road trips, and then there are journeys that feel like they belong to another world. The 10-day Spiti Escape with Mahindra Adventure sits firmly in the latter. It began the way most Himalayan stories do, with a quiet sunrise flight into Chandigarh and that unmistakable sensation of stepping into something larger than yourself. Waiting in the parking lot was a grey Mahindra Thar Roxx that would be my transport, shelter, and at times, my only companion through the days ahead. I expected chaos, delays and the usual unpredictability that defines Himalayan travel, but what followed was an expedition so seamlessly organised that it caught me by surprise.
Warming up to the Himalayas
Our journey began with a 140km drive to Shimla, a gentle warm-up for both driver and machine. Joining me was Autocar India photographer Sundesh, starved for adventure after two months of recovering from a broken foot. His excitement was understandable, though it also meant I had to drive carefully because the last thing I needed was a man with a freshly healed limb yelling at me in the middle of the Himalayas. So, as we eased out of the airport parking lot, I did what any supportive colleague would do and told him to break a leg.
The roads were calm, the air grew cooler as we climbed, and the Thar Roxx settled into its stride immediately. Shimla was its usual busy self, but our quiet perch in Kufri helped us unwind and prepare for the days ahead. The first briefing by DriveTech India laid out the expedition’s tone. Everything from safety to sustainability was explained with clarity, and our group mostly consisted of couples from the Inner Wheel Club.
Day Two kept things easy, with a late start and a short 50km drive to Narkanda. The route wound past pine forests, sometimes broken, sometimes butter smooth, as if the mountains were warming up before revealing their true temperament. We visited Hatu Temple at sunset, perched high above the valley, before turning in for the night, knowing that the gentle days were coming to an end.
The long road to Sangla
The journey on Day Three was the first real introduction to the mountains’ mood swings. What began as a beautifully paved riverside stretch soon narrowed into single-lane sections shaped by recent landslides. A couple of collisions and broken roads along the way slowed progress, but the Thar Roxx felt reassuringly composed through it all. By the time we reached our stay inside an apple orchard, the scenery had changed dramatically, and so had the air. Everything we ate was sourced from the property itself, and the faint scent of apples made the place feel like a cocoon away from the world.
Stargazing at the edge of the world
Day Four took us to Chitkul, India’s last inhabited village. The distance was short, but the broken road ensured we arrived with a sense of accomplishment. Snow-capped peaks flanked the Baspa River, the DriveTech team had set up a picnic inside the pine forest, and the entire setting felt straight out of a postcard. Back in Sangla that night, the sky opened up in a way urban residents forget is possible. A meteor shower lit up the darkness, and I even watched one burn up as it entered the atmosphere. For someone from Mumbai, it was quietly emotional.
Into the belly of Spiti
The drive to Tabo on Day Five was among the most varied stretches of the journey. The rugged mountains softened into occasional pockets of green only to return to their stark, sculpted forms. We stopped at Nako village for a rather tasty lunch in the local cuisine before continuing to Gue to see a remarkably preserved 500-year-old mummy of a Buddhist monk. As the light faded and the temperature dropped, we entered Tabo with the kind of tired satisfaction earned only on the road.
Day Six felt like the essence of the Spiti Escape. The drive through Pin Valley to Mud was spectacular, with scenery that constantly shifted between dramatic emptiness and surprising colour. The locals welcomed us with a riverside lunch and folk music, adding warmth to an otherwise lunar landscape. By evening, we rolled into Kaza, the unofficial capital of the valley and our base for the next day.
Day Seven was spent exploring the region around Kaza. It began with a scenic section peppered with water crossings and riverbeds. The Thar Roxx handled everything with a sense of assuredness that belied its size. Key Monastery stood regal and timeless as always, and higher up, Hikkim waited with its claim to fame as the highest post office in the world. Sending postcards from there has an oddly grounding effect, especially when you can tease some of your friends about what they’re missing out on. A quick stop at Komic for a mountainside sunset gave us one of the most scenic views of the trip, as we watched the sun dip behind a range of snow-capped peaks. Another night of stargazing, and I was once again fortunate enough to capture and spot the Andromeda galaxy, which is truly a breathtaking sight.
Snow and Silence
The drive from Kaza to Manali on Day Eight was easily the most visually striking day of the trip. Fresh snowfall had turned the entire valley into a shimmering blanket of white. Rivers glowed blue, frozen pools sparkled, and the entire landscape looked unreal.
At Kunzum Pass, I convinced Sundesh to make some snow angels “for the story”, and a few snowball fights later, we indulged in a bit of harmless mischief with the Thar, reassured by the recovery vehicle trailing us. A detour to Chandratal was off the table due to roadblocks, but the route we took made up for it. The descent toward Manali was a demanding stretch that resembled an old rally stage. Here, the Thar Roxx truly shone. Its traction, stability and comfort made even the roughest bits enjoyable. By the time the valley widened and the vegetation thickened, the lonely beauty of Spiti had already begun to feel distant.
The Descent
Our Ninth Day was spent slowing down in Manali with its cafes, forests and relaxed tourist buzz. It offered a gentle transition back into normalcy before Day Ten – the long return to Chandigarh was reflective rather than exciting, a gradual descent from the rawness of the mountains to the familiarity of the plains.
Across the 10 days, the Thar Roxx proved itself as a dependable and surprisingly refined partner. Its creature comforts made the harshest days feel manageable. The panoramic sunroof, leatherette seats and the impressive sound system brought a layer of modern comfort to places where modernity barely exists. Not everything went perfectly, though. Slow-moving traffic tested our patience, and the Roxx occasionally refused to maintain Android Auto connectivity, which meant getting lost more than once in network-dead zones. And the -14deg mornings, combined with cold baths, were punishing in ways that still feel unnecessary.
The journey had its fair share of humourous moments too, some of them unique to this setting. One of the funniest was an argument with Sundesh over who would get the washroom first in the morning, only to discover the pipes were frozen solid.
What made the Spiti Escape truly special was how meticulously organised it was. DriveTech India functioned like a military unit. Every halt, every meal, every recovery plan was already in place before we arrived. It made the journey feel effortless without ever losing its sense of adventure.
Would I do this again? Absolutely. Partly because Spiti has a way of pulling you back with its vastness and silence, and partly because few road trips manage to balance adventure and comfort the way this one does. The mountains stay the same, but each journey reveals something new. That alone is reason enough to return.
