About Keylong

Keylong Himachal Pradesh is situated at the main trading routes of Baralacha pass and Rohtang pass just above the Bhaga river. Lahaul and Spiti’s main administrative place for the district resides in Keylong. The altitude of Keylong above sea level is 3156 m (10354 ft). During the earlier times, Keylong was the hometown of Moravian missionaries. The valley of Keylong is a green grassland with dry barren land with snow-covered peaks all around the place. Gemur and Tayul are important monasteries near Keylong. Keylong falls on Leh-Manali highway with the prominent religion of Buddhism followed in the region. One can visit the Suraj Taal, and the Himalayan high altitude pass of Baralacha pass, and explore one of the oldest monasteries of Drukpa lineage which is about 900 years old with a variety of options to go around the Lahaul valley. One can relax and enjoy the valley of Lahaul and Spiti.

Geography of Keylong

The destination of Keylong lies at the elevation of 3156 m (10,354 feet) above sea level. Keylong is situated at the Manali-Leh Highway and is the main administrative unit of the Lahaul and Spiti region. During the summer season, the Keylong becomes a land with fresh grassland, dry barren brown mountains with snow-covered mountain peaks. A river named Bhaga flows through the Keylong. Due to the high altitude, the temperatures remain low in the destination. Most of the government offices are located in Keylong for the Lahaul and Spiti districts. The town of Keylong is the central hub for all commercial activities and with a regular bazaar. Keylong is one of the most populated villages in the Lahaul valley. Telephone exchange services and postal services are available throughout the valley.

Plan My Package Recommends: Places To Visit In Keylong

Shri Triloknath Temple

The temple of Shri Triloknath is situated at the Udaipur sub-division of Lahaul and Spiti in Himachal Pradesh. The temple of Triloknath carries equal importance for both Hindu and Buddhists. The Hindus consider Triloknath as Lord Shiva and the Buddhists consider the deity as ‘Arya Avalokiteshwar’. The people speaking Tibet call  ‘Arya Avalokiteshwarr' as ‘ Garja Fagspa’ and is regarded as the most sacred site after Kailash and Mansarovar.

Gondhla Castle or Fort

The house of the Thakur of Gondhla is called the Gondhla castle. According to the present-day Thakur, Fateh Chand believes that the fort is 20 generations old, but according to the government the fort was built in 1700 AD by Raja Man Singh of Kullu whose kingdom was beyond the plains of Baralacha Pass. The Gondhla castle is a 7 story high building that can fit more than 100 people at once. Raja Man Singh married the daughter of the Gondhla family to have stronger ties with the family. Inside the fort, one can find several weapons which include bows, arrows, quivers, guns and canons, and many that could be easily seen resting at the castle of Gondhla.

Shashur

The Gompa of Shashur was founded in the 17th century by Lama Deva Gyatsho of Zangskar who initially was the missionary of Nawang Namgyal, the king of Bhutan. The lams of the Gompa( also known as the monastery) are the Drugpa sect (red hat sect). Namgyal who the person who founded this sect of Buddhists and the name originates from Dug which is in the Bhoti language which means Bhutan. The monastery has the biggest Thanka painting which is over feet and an invaluable painting that can be found in the monastery which shows 84 Siddhas of Buddhism.

Ghemur

Ghemur gompa or monastery is one of the well-known monasteries in Keylong. The Ghemur monastery is located in the small village of Ghemur which is 18 km from the Keylong as it falls on the Manali - Leh Highway and it is easily accessible for anyone visiting the destination. The gompa is famous for the devil dance that Lamas enact in the month of July.

Kardang Monastery

The Kardang Monastery of Keylong is one of the oldest monasteries of the Drukpa lineage founded around 900 years ago. Kardang which was once the capital of Lahaul makes the monastery more special. The monastery is located 3500 M above sea level on the river banks of the Bhaga river. The Kardang monastery is famous for its architecture and religious values all around the world. The Kardang monastery has amazing collections of Thangka paintings, paintings, horns, drums, and flutes.

The library of the Kardang monastery is the best thing to visit in the monastery as the monastery has Kangyur and Tangyur books of Buddhist scriptures that are written in the Bhoti language. One can find the secret strips of paper on which the sacred mantra is written as “ Om Mani Padme Hum” for 1 million times. Know More

Places To Visit Near Keylong

Sissu

A small town of Lahaul that is located 40 km away from Solang valley, Sissu is famous for its high mountains with dry and barren lands covered with snow-covered mountain peaks, one of the top-visited in Sissu of Lahaul is the Sissu waterfall popular for its white water and amazing views. Sissu is located at 3120m (10,235 ft), for adventure lovers, a trek that starts from the Sissu is the Raja Ghepan trek at 4146 m (13,602 ft) above sea level. From Sissu national highway 3, leads to Spiti valley where one can enjoy the amazing view of Spiti valley and relax in the beautiful views of the destination.

Atal Tunnel

Atal Tunnel is one of the recently built attractions in Solang Valley as it attracts a lot of people due to its reason that Atal Tunnel is the world's longest highway tunnel and also this tunnel made Lahaul and Spiti more accessible, through this tunnel one can save around 4 hours to reach Sissu in Lahaul via Atal Tunnel but before the tunnel, the route used to be from Rohtang La which attracts a lot of people to directly dip in the paradise of the Himachal Pradesh beauty. Manali to Keylong via Atal Tunnel is about 80 km approx.

Manali

Manali is one of the perfect destinations to spend holidays and relax and enjoy the mountains to the fullest, one can enjoy the hippie vibe of the destination, the local Himachali culture, food, and amazing places and can try a lot of things to do in Manali. Manali is always full of things to offer for one visiting the destination. Whether it be the adventure activities or the places of Manali that change color in each season which makes the destination more special. Manali to Keylong by road can be easily accessed by bus, car, or cab.

Solang Valley

One of the best destinations to experience adventure sports and enjoy the view of the Himalayas whether it may be about skiing, paragliding, zorbing, or ATV rides even the Rohtang and the Atal tunnel adds more touch to the adventure aspect of the Solang valley. Solang valley is also the gateway towards the Lahaul and Spiti valley via Atal Tunnel, which attracts a lot of people to the destination and beyond.

Baralacha Pass

Baralacha pass is located 75 km away from the village of Keylong it takes around 2 hours 10 minutes to reach the Baralacha pass to Keylong. Baralacha is a high-altitude pass connecting the Lahaul district of Himachal Pradesh to Leh highway through the pass. The pass is situated at 4850 m above sea level. One can enjoy the high pass and the views from the top and enjoy the snow all around.

Jispa

The beautiful village of Jispa is located 22  km away from Keylong. The village of Keylong is located at the Manali - Leh highway at an elevation of 3200 m above sea level. One can visit the village for the extraordinary views from the village that one can get and can also visit the Jispa Monastery in the destination. From Keylong to Jispa 20 villages come between the passage. One can enjoy the beautiful views of the Lahaul valley with the Bhaga river that flows through the village.

Suraj Tal

The third highest lake in India with one of the most magnificent views of the high snow-covered Himalayas is the Suraj Tal. Suraj Tal is located approximately 72 km away from the Keylong which takes around 2 hours to reach Keylong. It is believed that whoever takes a dip in the water washes off the sins. Suraj Tal has one of the best views that one can experience from the Suraj Tal also the locals consider this lake holy.

Best Time To Visit Keylong

Keylong in Winters (November - April)

During this season the destination remains closed due to heavy snowfall and winters that continue for 5 to 6 months for the reason the destination is not accessible and opens up when the summers when the snow melts and the roads are opened by the road authorities. The Keylong snowfall is also one of the most beautiful places to see but it is barely possible to move in or out of the village due to heavy snow that closes the entire valley.

Keylong in Summers (May To Mid- October)(Best Time To Visit)

Keylong’s, best time to visit is in the summer season when the road authorities clear up the heavy snow at Keylong for easy moments that happen every year because of the Keylong elevation. From the month of May to the month of Mid October the weather in Keylong is sunny with cold winds. One can easily visit the destination, but then even too, due to the high altitude and snow all around, the temperature in Keylong stays between -2 degrees Celsius and 18 degrees Celsius, one needs to wear good warm clothes while visiting the destination. After or in the month of October the pass has a high possibility that heavy snowfall or snowstorm could be there which would close the destination.

Keylong in Monsoon (July - September)

Due to the heavy rainfall and risk involved with the mountains like landslides and flash floods, it is not recommended to visit Keylong in the months of July, August, and September. During this time the Lahaul valley sightly turns green with a brown shade of mountains. Know More

How To Reach Keylong

Keylong By Air

The airport near Keylong India is in Bhuntar is 120 km away which takes around 3 hours 30 minutes to reach Keylong for which one hires a cab, car, or travel by bus via Manali. Bhuntar has regular flights from Delhi the distance between the two places is 411 km and the travel time is approx 1 hour 30 minutes. The cheapest flight that one can get will cost about 3800 INR. The total distance is about 531 KM that one covers from Delhi to Keylong by flight and road.

Keylong By Train

Keylong's nearest narrow gauge railway station is in Joginder Nagar for traveling to Keylong via train. From Joginder Nagar to reach Keylong one can hire a cab or bus to travel. The distance between the two is about 215 km which takes around 7 hours to reach the Keylong going through national highway 3 and the Nearest Broad gauge Railway station is Chandigarh which is 377 Km which takes around 11-12 hrs to reach.

Keylong By Road

The road is the easiest way to travel without changing to any other mode of transport. One can travel by car or cab from Delhi to Keylong. Keylong’s distance from Delhi is around 610 km it takes ideally 15 hours  30 minutes to reach Keylong going through the national highway 44. One can also travel in private buses with a  variety of options to travel, on overnight journeys of the semi sleeper bus type which cost approximately 1000 INR for travel that will drop one at Manali and from Manali one needs to travel to Keylong which takes 2 hours 1 minute to reach while covering the distance of 70 km going through national highway 3. Manali to Keylong taxi fare is about 4500 INR to and from Manali.

Keylong To Leh Distance - 357 KM via NH 03 will take around 9 hours and 30 minutes to reach where one crosses through Himachal Pradesh and enter the Ladakh union territory.

Manali To Keylong Distance - 70 KM via NH 03 will take approximately 2 hours 10 minutes from Manali to reach the beautiful village of Keylong. One can either go from Atal Tunnel or from Rohtang pass.

Keylong To Jispa Distance  - 23 KM via NH 03 will take around 40 minutes to reach one can explore all the monasteries while going to Jispa from Keylong and enjoy the beautiful valley road with high snow-covered mountains.

Keylong To Kaza - 186 KM via NH 505  it takes around 5 hours to reach Kaza from Keylong, through the journey one will cross through places like Key village, Losar, Batal, and many more beautiful villages of Lahaul and Spiti.

Shimla To Keylong - 318 KM via NH 03 will take around 10 to 12 hours to reach from Shimla to Keylong. The route passes from Manali where there is a possibility of traffic jams and landslides that one could encounter.

Keylong To Sarchu - 98 KM via NH 03 it takes around 2 hours 15 minutes from Keylong To Sarchu one can experience the high Himalayan pass of Lachulung at 16,000 feet and gata loops at Sarchu.

Keylong To ChandraTal - 55 KM one needs to have a car or cab till Batal and then one needs to trek towards the Chandra Tal. The lake is fed by the glacier and is also part of Chandra Tal wildlife sanctuary.

Places To Stay In Keylong

There are very less little of options in Keylong because of the harsh and unpredictable climate of the destination. The maximum number of hotels can be only found at Manali and Solang Valley which is approximately 70 km away from Keylong. Some cheap stays and comfortable accommodations can be easily found at the destination of Keylong. Have a glimpse at the Keylong Hotels -

Sky Hills

One can visit the destination of Keylong and can stay in Sky Hills hotel and enjoy the magnificent views of the mountains of the Lahaul and Spiti. One can stay at the hotel at a cost of 1,350 INR per night and enjoy the facilities of paid transportation, restaurant, cafe, and bar with services of free parking, room service, and power backup. The check-in at the hotel is at 1 PM and check-out from the hotel is at 11 AM in the morning.

Juniper Valley Camp

One can enjoy the stay of Luxury camps in Juniper valley camp at Keylong and stay in the campsite for just 1000 INR per night. The campsite offers the facilities of free parking, room service, laundry, with special services like a bonfire. The check-in at the hotel is at 12 PM and the check-out from the hotel is at 12 PM. One can enjoy the beautiful views of the high snow-covered peaks from the base camp and experience the star gazing in the Juniper Valley Camp.

Dekyid Keylong

The hotel Dekyid Keylong is registered with the HPTC ( Himachal Pradesh Tourism Cooperation) and the hotel offers basic facilities of room service, power backup, bathroom, telephone, WiFi, child friendly, housekeeping, and, restaurant. The check-in at the hotel is at 12 PM and the check-out from the hotel is at 12 PM.

Places To Eat In Keylong

One does not get many options to try the food from the restaurants or experience the cafes in Keylong. One can experience and try the local and authentic cuisines of Keylong and enjoy the views of the high mountain region. If one wishes to try cafes and restaurants in nearby places one can try cafes and restaurants in Solang valley and Manali.

Cafe 1947

One of the top-rated restaurants in Manali is the Cafe 1947 restaurant. The cafe 1947 restaurant deals with food ranging for Vegans, Gluten-free food, Vegetarian food, and nonvegetarian food. The food cost ranges from 400 to 800 INR. The restaurant opens at 12 PM and closes at 11 PM.

Ride Inn Cafe

One of the must-try restaurants that fall on the way of Rohtang-pass from Manali. The restaurant of Ride Inn Cafe is based on motorcycle themed lifestyle. The restaurant deals with cuisines of Italian, Thai, Chinese, Indian, and the local food of Himachal Pradesh. The restaurant food ranges from 200 to 500INR. The restaurant opens at 9 AM in the morning and closes at 10:30 PM in the night.

Johnson Bar and Restaurant

One of the perfect restaurants to spend your evening and enjoy the food and the vibe. The Johnsons bar and restaurant offers live music, bar facilities with cuisines like Indian, Asian and Italian. The food cost ranges from 222-666 INR. The restaurant opens at 8 AM in the morning and closes at 11 PM in the night. 

Do’s And Don’ts At Keylong

Do’s In Keylong

• Respect the locals and their culture.
• Carry a small daypack with all essential items.
• Carry government ID proofs while traveling.
• Carry warm clothes and sunglasses.
• Maintain local distances and follow the covid norms.
• Stay hydrated so that you do not hit AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness)
• Carry a good pair of shoes.

Don’ts In Keylong

• Do not litter, use dustbins.
• Do not get involved in any narcotics-related activity.
• Do not try any adventure activity without guidance.
• Do not push yourself if feeling not well, it could turn into AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness).
• Don’t go without government permission.