Miyar, is a very remote and fairly inaccessible valley at the extreme western corner of the large district of Lahaul and Spiti, in the state of Himachal Pradesh in India. Miyar Nala, as it is often known, is an exceptionally long valley, with the Miyar River running down into the Chandra Bhaga River at Udaipur over 50 kms below the Miyar Glacier. This glacier stretches a further 24 km up to the high Kang La Jot (5468m) and beyond it to Zanskar valley in Ladakh. Above a narrow gorge at the bottom of the valley, the Miyar Nala widens to support twelve small farming villages at altitudes between 9,300 and 11,500 feet, with about 3,000 current inhabitants in total. Most of the people of the Nala are Buddhists and there is a small gompa (monastery) at the village of Urgos. Cultivation of grains and peas ceases in the valley at nearly 12,000 feet, where the beautiful Himalayan meadows begin. Here Gaddis (shepherd tribe) graze their flocks in the late summer. There is also a much-loved high-altitude cricket-ground with a sensational view of 15 or more snow-covered peaks. The meadows and the steep rocky side valleys feature the full variety of Himalayan high-altitude flora, which can take some serious clambering to find. At Phalpu, the bottom of the Miyar Glacier, the audacious can bathe in Kesariyong Chu, seven icy sacred pools. On all sides snow-covered peaks abound, many of them unclimbed. Some of the most beautiful and most jagged ones are in Chhudong valley. You can only see these after a stiff hike up the side valley above Phalpu to the base of dominant Castle Peak and then perhaps up the incredible Chhudong/Tawa Glacier to Neverseen Tower at nearly 6,000m. Starting in Miyar valley, the trek to Kang La (pass) involves traversing over the 24 km long Miyar glacier and a climb up to 5450m. This pass forms the route to cross over into the Zanskar Valley which lies north of the Great Himalayan range.

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