Langza, Hikkim and Komic: a half-day loop above Kaza
Three of the highest villages you can drive to: a giant Buddha and fossil beds at Langza, a working post office at Hikkim, and a cliff-edge monastery at Komic — with the route, timings and what the altitude means for you.
- ~4,400 m Hikkim
- ~4,500+ m Komic
- ~15–20 km from Kaza
- PIN 172114 Hikkim post office
Photo: Sumita Roy Dutta, CC BY-SA 4.0
Updated November 2026 · HP Tourism registered travel agent · Reg. No. DTO-MND-11-243/2022 · certificates
Langza, Hikkim and Komic are three high villages on the plateau above Kaza in the Spiti valley, joined by a single loop road that most travellers drive in half a day.Langza is known for its tall Buddha statue facing Chau Chau Kang Nilda and for marine fossils found in the surrounding slopes. Hikkim (about 4,400 m) has one of the highest post offices in the world (PIN 172114), open since 1983, where you can post a letter or card home. Komic, a few kilometres on, is often described as one of the highest villages connected by a motorable road and has the old Sakya-school Tangyud Monastery on the edge of a canyon. All three are roughly 15–20 km by road from Kaza. Go between June and October; in winter the road is often snowbound and the post office closes.
- WhereOn the plateau above Kaza, Spiti valley, Lahaul & Spiti district.
- HeightHikkim about 4,400 m; Komic about 4,500 m or more.
- From KazaAbout 15–20 km; the full loop takes 3–5 hours with stops.
- Post officeHikkim, PIN 172114; carry stamps’ worth of cash, closed in winter.
- Best timeJune – October; winter only with a local driver and a clear forecast.
Kaza and Tabo weather today
Kaza (about 3,650 m) is the base for the loop; the villages above are 700–900 m higher and noticeably colder. Current temperature and the next days’ high, low and snow.
Forecast data: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0), refreshed about once a day — last update —.
What to see in Langza, Hikkim and Komic
Langza sits on a wide grassy bowl below the peak of Chau Chau Kang Nilda. A large, colourful statue of the Buddha looks out over the valley from the edge of the village, and the slopes around it are known for fossils of ammonites and other sea creatures from the time this land lay under the ancient Tethys sea. Fossils are part of the landscape and the local economy — look, photograph, but do not dig or carry them away.
Hikkim, at about 4,400 m, is a small farming village famous for its post office — one of the highest in the world, with PIN code 172114, run by the same postmaster since it opened in 1983. Visitors post cards to themselves and their families; letters go down the valley on foot or by vehicle, so they take time. Hikkim was also once listed as the world’s highest polling station.
Komic, about 4 km beyond Hikkim, is one of the highest villages in Asia reached by road. Its Tangyud Monastery (also called Komic Lundup Chemmo) belongs to the Sakya school — one of only two Sakya monasteries in Spiti — and sits on the lip of a canyon with wide views of the plateau.
How to visit: route, time and distances
Most people drive the loop from Kaza as a half-day trip: up to Langza, across to Hikkim and Komic, and back down to Kaza (or the other way round). Allow 3–5 hours with stops. Distances are approximate and the road is narrow, partly unpaved and steep in places.
| Stop | Approx. height | What to do | Time to allow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kaza | ~3,650 m | Base town: hotels, fuel, ATM. Kaza guide | — |
| Langza | ~4,400 m | Buddha statue, fossil slopes, views of Chau Chau Kang Nilda | 45–60 min |
| Hikkim | ~4,400 m | Post office (PIN 172114), village walk | 30–45 min |
| Komic | ~4,500+ m | Tangyud Monastery, canyon views | 45 min |
| Back to Kaza | — | Drive down via the other side of the loop | ~1 hour |
Combine with Key Monastery and Kibber on a second morning, and with Tabo Monastery on the way in or out. Full valley guide: best time to visit Spiti · Spiti trip cost.
Altitude, weather and winter access
At 4,400–4,500 m the air holds much less oxygen than in Delhi. Spend at least one night at Kaza (or two nights in the valley) before driving up, walk slowly, drink plenty of water, and come down if you get a severe headache, breathlessness at rest or confusion.
June to October is the season: dry, sunny days and cold nights. From about November to April snow often blocks the loop road, the post office closes for the winter, and Spiti itself is reached only from the Shimla–Kinnaur side. Winter trips are possible with a local driver used to snow, but plan for closed roads. See Spiti in winter and the 2026-27 winter guide.
Langza, Hikkim and Komic in pictures
The Langza Buddha, the Hikkim post office, Komic’s monastery and the plateau above Kaza — real photographs, each credited to its photographer.
More to see around Kaza
Easy to add to the same trip.
Key Monastery
Spiti’s best-known monastery on its cone-shaped hill. Key Monastery guide →
Kibber and Chicham
A high village and the gorge bridge on the way to Chicham. Kibber guide →
Dhankar
A fort-monastery on a crumbling ridge above the river confluence. Dhankar guide →
Reaching Kaza
Via Shimla and Kinnaur (open most of the year): Shimla – Rampur – Reckong Peo – Nako – Tabo – Kaza, usually over 3–4 days with stops, which also helps you acclimatise. Via Manali (about June to mid-October): over Atal Tunnel, Kunzum Pass and Losar — shorter but higher. See Spiti via Shimla or Manali.
We plan Spiti trips with experienced local drivers and stays in Kaza and the villages: Spiti valley tour packages · Spiti tour from Delhi.
Plan Spiti with us
Hotels or homestays, meals and a private car with a mountain driver, in one quote.
Planning Spiti?
Tell us your dates, where you are starting from and how many of you are travelling. We plan the route for safe acclimatisation, check the roads and send a written quote with stays and a private car. Suzu Travels is a travel agent registered with HP Tourism, based in Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh.
Langza, Hikkim and Komic: frequently asked questions
Is Hikkim the highest post office in the world?
It is one of the highest in the world, at about 4,400 m, with PIN code 172114. It has been open since 1983 and closes in winter.
How far are Langza, Hikkim and Komic from Kaza?
Roughly 15–20 km each by road; the loop through all three takes 3–5 hours from Kaza with stops.
Can I send a postcard from Hikkim?
Yes, in season. Post travels down the valley slowly, so expect it to take days or weeks.
Is Komic the highest village in the world?
It is often described as one of the highest villages reached by a motorable road, at about 4,500 m or more.
Can I take fossils from Langza?
No — look and photograph only. Removing fossils damages the site and the villagers’ heritage.
When can I visit Langza, Hikkim and Komic?
June to October is best. In winter the road is often blocked by snow and the post office is closed.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Hikkim (post office, PIN 172114, since 1983)
- Being Himalayan: Komic village and Tangyud Monastery
- MET Norway Locationforecast (CC BY 4.0) — live forecast data
Photo credits
The Buddha statue at Langza — Photo: Sumita Roy Dutta, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Hikkim post office — Photo: Nrr1729, CC BY-SA 4.0 · The post box at Hikkim — Photo: Shrey.ashi, CC BY 4.0 · Tangyud Monastery, Komic — Photo: Mike Shaw, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Chau Chau Kang Nilda from Langza — Photo: Avantikac98, CC BY-SA 4.0 · The Spiti valley from Langza — Photo: Mike Shaw, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Langza village — Photo: Sumita Roy Dutta, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Komic monastery building — Photo: Mike Shaw, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Night sky over Langza — Photo: Rajarshi MITRA from Mumbai, India, CC BY 2.0
