About the Blog: Langza is one of the most beautiful, yet remote villages in Spiti Valley. Known for its gigantic Buddha statue, Langza can be visited as a day trip from Kaza. However, we recommend you to stay one night at this picturesque village. Read this blog to know about Langza, how to reach there, where to stay and what to do. Did you know that Langza also houses millions of years old marine fossils?

Each day in Spiti Valley is getting better and better. Just when we think that ‘what can be better than this’, we witness something that once again takes our breath away. And this time it was Langza. It was a truly magical place.

Stretches of meadows lay in front of us and beyond them we could see the Chau Chau peaks. And in the middle of the village, stood the gigantic Buddha statue that could be seen even from a great distance. We were glad that we decided to stay at Langza for the night. For we sensed the peace and calm of the place and it also reflected in us.

And the night sky there! It has a life of its own.

Reaching There

We started from Mud village in the morning, drove through Kaza and then stopped at Hikkim and Komic. Langza is about 10 km from Komic. We were driving through breathtakingly beautiful roads. With every bend and turn on the road, we were introduced to the amazing beauty of the Spiti roads. You can only be happy when you see such diverse beauty at every angle.

Soon we could see a gorgeous white mountain peak in front of us. It is the Chau Chau Kang Nilda mountain peak standing at an altitude of 6300 meters. The Langza village dotted with a few houses appeared to our left. We did not see a single soul around as we drove towards Langza.  

We did not drive to the village first, but towards the gigantic Buddha statue that Langza is so famous for. It was almost evening when we reached the Langza Buddha statue. Once we were in front of the statue we could only look at it in awe. We were quick to click a few photographs when we saw another miracle of nature. There was a beautiful rainbow just above the Buddha statue!

So, after admiring and gazing at the Buddha statue for a long time, we started towards our homestay. It was also starting to get colder by then.

Langza

Langza is located at an altitude of 4420 metres (14500 feet) and is one of the remotest villages in Spiti Valley. The entire village has about 30 houses built in Tibetan architecture style – mostly white colored huts with a flat roof. Surrounded by brown hills and green fields, the place looks enchanting. The surrounding snow-capped mountain peaks complete the view of Langza.

Like most other villages in Spiti Valley, this village is also divided into upper and lower parts. Upper Langza is known as Langza Gongma and the lower part is termed Langza Yongma. The Buddha statue is located in Upper Langza and so is the ancient local temple known as Lang. The locals believe that Buddha protects the village from any evil spirits.

The villagers cultivate barley, potatoes and peas in the fields at Langza. During the winter season, the village receives heavy snowfall and often gets cut off from the rest of the valley.

Archaeological Significance of Langza

Langza is also known as the fossil village of Spiti Valley. For in this village, you can find millions of years old marine fossils. This means that Langza and the surrounding region must have been an ocean long ago!

Well, for those who are well versed in ancient geology can say that the Himalayas is a fairly young mountain range. It was formed only 50 million years ago. Earlier, this place was occupied by the Tethys Sea. Around 50 million years ago, the Himalayan range and the Tibetan plateau emerged as result of a tectonic collision between two supercontinents. This also made the Tethys Sea disappear.

Fossils of the marine animals are found at Langza and the neighboring villages. Even today, if you go around digging and looking for fossils, you might find a few.

I hope you understand that finding a marine fossil at a Himalayan village is quite unexpected as well as exciting. These fossils show the archaeological importance of the place and paints a picture of the past linking it with the present.

What to do at Langza?

To be honest, you cannot put Langza into the bracket where you can find several attractions and top things to do. It is a beautiful and peaceful village that needs to be savored. The best thing to do there is actually do nothing and enjoy your time lazing around. Yet, if you want a guide, here are a few things that you can do at Langza.

Marvel at the Langza Buddha Statue

The Langza Buddha statue is the prime attraction of the village. You can see the statue as you arrive from Kaza. The huge statue of Lord Buddha sitting in a meditative position seems to be watching over the entire village. The locals too believe that the Buddha wards off all the evil spirits and keeps the village safe.

Look for Marine Fossils

As stated previously, Langza is known for its marine fossils. Most of the houses in the village have some fossils preserved in their houses. You can ask them to show these fossils to you. The fossils found at Langza are mostly ammonites, a spiral shaped fossil dating back to the Jurassic era. There is a chaudua (local name for fossils) in the village that you can visit.

Zama Pottery

Zama pottery is an ancient form of pottery that was once the main occupation of Langza village. This ancient art form had originated in Spiti Valley because of the presence of yellow and black clay in the region. Decades ago, Langza used to be the main region where these pottery was produced. With time, metals and plastics replaced the clay wares and agriculture became the main occupation of the village. These days, the craftsmen have diversified their products into decorative pots, lamps and other artifacts. They also make replicas of the fossils using Zama pottery.

Night photography at Langza

The village is a haven for landscape photographers, especially for those who love to capture the night skies. You can see millions of stars and with patience can click the perfect star trails.

Experience the Spitian Way of Life

Enjoy the serenity and the simple life of a Spitian village.  Stay at a homestay and talk to the local people. Just relax and appreciate the wonders of nature here. In fact, that is what we did there. After our hectic travel on the road and exploring the wonders of Spiti Valley, a day at Langza was just what we needed. We simply relaxed at our homestay, walked around the small village and sat by the Buddha statue looking at the meadows and the mountain peaks. It was rejuvenating and cleansing.

So, stay at a homestay, talk to the locals, delve into their culture, try a local dish and enjoy nature at its best in Langza.

Climb the Chau Chau Kang Nilda Peak

Chau Chau Peak is one of the highest peaks in Spiti Valley and being near to Langza village, you can start your climbing expedition from Langza. However, to climb the Chau Chau Peak, you need professional guides and porters and yourself need to be an experienced climber.

Where to stay at Langza?

Langza can be done as a day trip from Kaza along with Hikkim and Komic. But it is also a great place to stay for the night. There are a few homestays in the village.

We stayed at Lara Homestay, which is one of the best homestays in the village. The homestay is located just near the Buddha statue, about 200 metres away and we had a view of the statue from our room. The rooms were cozy, food was good and the hosts were warm and welcoming.

There are also a few other homestays in the village.

Langza Homestay Contact Number

• Lara Homestay : +91 9418537689
• Tanzi homestay : +91 9459566627 / 9459492865
• Cho cho homestay : +91 8988209554 / 9459214648

How to reach Langza?

Langza is located about 16 km from Kaza town. Since it is a remote village there are not many options to reach there. You have to reach there by hiring a car. In most probability visiting the village will be a part of your Spiti trip and you will either have a car at your disposal or be driving your own vehicle.

For those looking for public transport, there is a HRTC bus from Kaza at 5 PM that goes to Komic via Langza and Hikkim. You can avail this bus, but I am not sure of the days on which this runs. You can also hitchhike. There are many travelers who hike from Kaza to Langza as well.

What is the best time to visit Langza?

The best time to visit Langza is the same as the best time to visit Spiti Valley, which is between June to September. At this time, the weather is at its best. Even during the monsoon months of July and August, Spiti Valley receives very less rainfall. However, the roads leading to Kaza from either Manali or Shimla can witness heavy rainfall and landslides.

April and May are the shoulder season with lesser tourists. The winter snow starts to  melt, the landscape is still barren and rough. Greenery can be seen only from June. October also is a shoulder season and you can see the fall colors at Spiti Valley during this time.

Winters (December to almost March) are harsh. December and January can see temperatures as low as -20 degrees. Roads might get blocked due to snowfall.

Final Words…

Langza is a world of its own – beautiful and charming. A visit to this Spitian village is definitely going to be one of the best experiences in your trip.

Hope this blog will help you plan your trip to Langza. If you liked this, please share it with your family, friends and neighbours.