About this Blog: Pin Valley is one of the most beautiful destinations in Spiti Valley. And in Pin Valley is Mud village whose natural beauty is raw and unadulterated. Read this blog to know more about this wonderful place in Spiti, how to get there, what to do and where to stay.

As we were traveling across Spiti Valley, we were simply amazed by how amazingly gorgeous the place was. This is one such place whose landscape simply makes you speechless. Each day in Spiti made us feel that this is perhaps the best I have seen in the trip. And just the next day we were proven wrong. We seemed to witness something even better. Pin Valley was one such place that totally captivated me.

After our wonderful stay at Dhankar village, we moved on to Pin Valley and stayed at Mud village (Mudh village) for the night. And what an experience that was!

Pin Valley

Spiti Valley is a cold desert known for its barren landscape. There is very little greenery you will witness while you travel across Spiti. Pin Valley, on the other hand, is like an oasis in this cold desert. You will see verdant greenery in this region and this contrast will definitely invigorate your senses. And Mud village will charm you altogether.

Pin Valley also is a national park and boasts of some breathtaking trekking routes. The Pin-Parvati Pass trek and the Pin-Bhaba Pass trek are the most popular ones. Both of these treks have their basecamp at Mudh village. There are other trekking trails across Pin Valley National Park as well.

Mud Village (Mudh Village)

Mud Village, located at an altitude of 12361 feet ASL (3850 m) is a part of the cluster of 17 villages in Pin Valley. It is the last village in Pin Valley having around 30 houses with 200 people residing there. One of the striking features of Mud is that it is verdantly green when you visit between July to October. We had visited during April and did not see the vibrant green Mud boasts of. It was just after the winter snow melted and the grass and crops were just growing. Even then, we could decipher the difference in vegetation and landscape in Mud compared to the rest of Spiti Valley. This is perhaps because the Pin River flows just beside the village nourishing the land and providing water for the crops.

Once you reach Mud village, the first thing you notice is the mountain ranges in front of you. They look absolutely mesmerizing.

Reaching Mud Village, Pin Valley

We started from Dhankar village in the afternoon after completing Dhankar Lake trek. While there is a road to Mud village from Dhankar without having to reach Kaza, we drove till Kaza because we had to get fuel for the vehicle. On our way, we stopped at Lingti village. Lingti waterfall is just beside the main road. While Lingti waterfall looked just like any other waterfall at that time, it looked quite intimidating during the winters. Lingti waterfall gets frozen in winter and looks entirely different from the frozen icicles.

We stopped at Kaza, had our lunch and got fuel for our car at the World’s Highest Petrol Pump. Yes, Spiti Valley seems to have a lot of these superlatives. And then started our journey towards Pin Valley.

The journey was beautiful. The Spiti River was flowing at one side and the mountain ranges seemed to loom in front of us.

After driving on these scenic roads for about 20 km, we reached a place called Attargoo, where you can see the confluence of the Pin and Spiti Rivers. Right before the confluence of the rivers, there was a right diversion that we had to take to go towards Pin Valley. We also crossed a bridge, drove for sometime and then saw the gate of Pin Valley National Park.

So long the Spiti River was keeping us company and now it was the Pin River. The roads were mostly dirt tracks. The view from the window seat was as usual just mind blowing.

After driving for another 16km we reached Gukking village. From there, we took a diversion to visit the Kungri Monastery.

Kungri Monastery

Kungri monastery is located on a small hillock in the village. The monastery was built in 1330 and is one o f the oldest monasteries of the region. This is the only monastery in Spiti Valley that follows the Nyingmapa sect of Buddhism. The monastery is believed to have been built by Guru Padmasambhava.

We entered the monastery through a narrow door to the central hall. There aren’t many paintings or images here, but the monastery wall is stacked with ancient manuscripts. In another room, there is a 10-feet high prayer wheel.

Adjacent to the old Kungri Monastery is the new monastery. This monastery has a statue of Tandupa, a form of Lord Buddha. The frescos on this monastery do not seem very old.

If you are at Kungri monastery, do visit both the old and new monasteries.

Towards Mud Village, Pin Valley

Leaving Kungri Monastery, we drove on towards our destination – Mud village. After driving for another 20-30 minutes, we came across Sangnam, the largest village of Pin Valley. This village also has a PWD Rest house.

Driving further, we came across a rickety hanging bridge over the Pin River. This looked like a photo stop for the tourists because several people were on the bridge taking photographs. We also stopped there for some time. The wooden bridge across the Pin River is quite tottering. With the strong winds blowing, the bridge was shaking and your heart might flip a bit as you walk over the bridge. The Pin River flew with mighty force below the bridge.

We walked over the bridge, went to the other side of the river, took some pictures and spent almost half an hour there. It was getting colder and windy. We then started our journey towards Mud. It is about another 10 km from this point.

Reaching our Homestay at Mud Village

We reached Mud village at around 5 PM. It is a small village with a few houses. We could see the villagers returning with their flock of cattle during that time. we could also see a few homestays in the village. We already had our homestay booked. Our homestay was a quaint one with a cosy room. The best part was the view from the room. From the window we could see the vast expanse of the valley and the snow covered mountain ranges in front of us.

Since it was still not dark, we went out to roam around the village. There was a small chorten in the middle of the fields that we visited. We could see the Pin River at a distance. We decided to visit the river bank the next morning. So, in the evening we simply roamed around the village and talked with the local villagers.

Life at Mud Village

The main occupation of the villagers is farming and cattle rearing. The fertile land of Mud village is ideal for potato and peas farming. When we visited Mud, the seeds were just being sown. There were patches of green on the fields.

Life at Mud village is hard. Everyday, a few of the villagers take all the cattle in the village for grazing in the nearby mountains and villages. They leave early in the morning and return in the evening. They have cows, sheep and yaks as cattle. I did not see any yaks and asked a villager about it. He said that the yaks are left grazing in the mountain. Just before the winters they are brought down to the village. This is quite similar to what I had heard at Zanskar as well. Though I wonder how the yaks stay at the same place and the shepherd gets them all back in one piece!

Winters are harsh at Mud village. They often get as much as 30 feet of snow during the winter season. They store grains and food for the winter months. Even for medical emergencies, they have to travel to Kaza. And to get to Kaza, they have to travel to Sangnam village which is almost 12 km from Mud. And often they carry the patient on their back.

The villagers are so hospitable and warm. The children we met were so friendly and talked to us at length. One little girl was very curious about our cameras. And she posed for us in so many different ways! She was quite the model!

And then we watched another wonderful sunset from our homestay!

Morning at Mudh Village, Spiti

We woke up quite early to an amazing view. The valley and mountains in front of us looked ethereal. The valley had so many colors – shades of green, yellow and purple. And the mountains looked somber and majestic. We were simply spellbound to see the vistas in front of us.

After admiring the views, we decided to explore the Pin river bank. We walked down the fields towards the river bank. We saw a few villagers taking their cattle for grazing in the mountains. A couple of dogs kept us company (or rather showed us the way) as we hiked towards the Pin River.

By the Pin Riverside

We hiked along the river bank admiring the views. We spent some time sitting by the river and enjoying the burble of the Pin River. It was such a beautiful moment. We seemed to have attained our zen by the Pin River.

We did not realize how time went by. It seems the essence of time is not felt if you are admiring a thing of beauty. Nevertheless, we traced our steps and returned back to our homestay. Breakfast was ready and we had a sumptuous breakfast of aloo paratha and thukpa. Quite a diverse combination, isn’t it?

There is not much to do at Mud village. You can explore the place on foot and go near the river bank. There are small trekking trails (mainly the shepherds’ trail) that you can explore if you have time.

Trekking at Pin Valley National Park

Other than that, Mud village serves the base camp for a few treks. The Pin Parvati Pass trek and the Pin-Bhaba Pass trek starts or ends at Mud. But for these high-altitude treks, you need more time and preparation.

We spent some wonderful moments at Mud village in Pin Valley. We are almost halfway on our trip. From Mud, we will be heading towards Kaza and visit the attractions near Kaza. I hope you read our next blog that will talk about them.

Some Practical Information on Mud Village, Pin Valley

How to reach Mud village?

 To reach Mud or Mudh village, you have to reach Spiti Valley first. If you are traveling from Kaza, then take the road towards Dhankar Monastery. After a drive of about 20 km, you will reach the confluence of Spiti and Pin Rivers at a place called Attargoo. Just before the confluence, there is a right turn that you have to take to reach Pin valley. After taking the right turn, you will cross the Attargoo Bridge and then you have to drive for another 30 km to Mudh village. The Pin River will  keep you company this time.

A visit to Mud village in Pin Valley will probably be a part of your Spiti Valley trip and you will probably have a car at your disposal. Or you might be riding your own motorcycle or bike.

Local Transport to Mudh Village, Pin Valley

There is a daily bus from Kaza towards Mud village. The bus leaves Kaza at around 4 PM and reaches Mud village at around 6.15 PM. The same bus leaves for Kaza the next morning at  around 6.30 AM.

You can also hire a private taxi from Kaza for a day trip to Mud village. It will cost you around INR 3,000 to 4,000.

What is the best time to visit Mud in Pin Valley?

The best time to visit Pin Valley is between June to September, just like that in Spiti Valley. Nevertheless, I am sharing month by month the weather of the village.

January to March

This is the winter in Spiti Valley as well as Pin Valley. Winters are harsh in Mud in Pin Valley. Temperature can go as low as – 30 degrees Celsius and there can be quite an amount of snowfall. Local vehicles usually do not run during this time as the road gets blocked due to snow. If you wish to visit Pin Valley during this time, I think you have to hike your way through the snow.

April and May

This is the time of changing seasons. Snow starts melting and a little greenery is seen. This is also the shoulder season for visiting Spiti and Pin Valley. The day temperature is pleasant. The evenings and nights can get cold, Jackets, scarves and socks are needed. Sometimes you might feel the need for gloves as well. If you wish to visit, we would recommend visiting in the second half of April onwards.

June to September

This is the peak season. Mid-May to June are the summer months. Weather is best for outdoor activities. July and August are the monsoons. Although Spiti Valley receives less rain, there are chances of rainfall. However, the landscape will be verdant green and extremely soothing to the eyes.

October

This is again the shoulder season. The fall season starts from the end of September and stays till October. You will enjoy the colors of the valley at this time. Weather will be similar to that in April and May.

November and December

November is the beginning of winter and in December it is fully cold there. It will be just like that in January to March.

Where to stay at Mud village?

Mud or Mudh village has a few homestays. We stayed at Tara Homestay which is quite cosy and comfortable. Here are a few homestays that you might consider.

• Tara Guest House – +91 898806229
• Ibex Homestay – +91 9459420373

I think there are a couple of other homestays also in Mudh village. I could not get their contact numbers. 

How is the mobile network at Mud village?

There are almost no signals of any network in Mud village. We had no network in our Airtel and Jio numbers when we had visited. 

Is a permit required to visit Mudh Village in Pin Valley?

Indian tourists do not require any permits to visit Pin Valley. However, foreign Nationals are required to obtain a permit from the District Magistrate in Reckong Peo or SDM office in Kaza to visit Pin valley.

Are there any ATMs in Mud village?

Mud village does not have any ATM. You have to carry cash for all your payments. You will get ATMs in Kaza town, Shimla and Manali. As mobile network is an issue there, UPI payments are also out of question at Mudh village.

In Conclusion

We spent quite a wonderful time at Mudh village in Pin Valley. It was relaxing and explored the village and met some wonderful kids. We do hope to come back here again, specifically for a trek1 Keeping our fingers crossed!

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