Kaza is the administrative centre of Spiti, a town of low buildings spread across a broad plain beside the Spiti river at about 3,800 metres. The landscape around it is staggering, a desert of pale rock, deep gorges and bare mountains, with a few green patches of barley and peas where villagers have brought water down from the snow. Tibetan culture runs deep here, and the name Spiti means the middle land, a reference to its position between India and Tibet.
Kaza is the largest place for a long way, so you can rely on finding fuel, a bank, small hotels, simple restaurants and workshops, although supplies sometimes run short in the busy season. The pump is a vital fixture for anyone riding the circuit, and queues can form. A Buddhist monastery sits above the town, and the famous Key Gompa lies a short ride away, a stack of mud-brick buildings piled on a hilltop, with a tradition going back about a thousand years. Painted walls, butter lamps and the sound of horns and cymbals fill the prayer hall, and young monks study here.
The valley is also known for its high villages, including Kibber and Langza, where fossil seashells can be found in the rocks, a reminder that this land was once a seabed, lifted up by the collision of India with Asia. Snow leopards live in the surrounding mountains, and wildlife tours in winter draw visitors, though sightings are rare. Ibex are easier to spot.
The roads around Kaza are the real attraction, wide valley tracks with mountain views, but also steep climbs to remote villages on gravel and rock. Surfaces vary, and water crossings appear after warm afternoons. The weather is dry and bright but cold, and the wind can be fierce. Temperatures at night are often below freezing. Try thukpa, momos and butter tea in the town, and look for the small bakeries that cater to travellers.