There are two road routes into Spiti Valley. The northern route from Manali crosses the Rohtang Pass (3,978 metres) and then the Kunzum Pass (4,551 metres) — roughly 200 kilometres to Kaza, taking a full day. The Rohtang Pass requires a permit for non-Himachal Pradesh vehicles (obtainable in Manali the day before); the route is open mid-June to mid-October. Shared jeeps and buses run this route in season, though the road is rough and delays are frequent.
The southern route from Shimla follows National Highway 5 through Kinnaur, along the Sutlej River gorge to Reckong Peo, then up through Nako and along the Spiti River. This route is nominally open year-round but is subject to landslides, particularly in monsoon season. The distance from Shimla to Kaza is around 412 kilometres — allow two days with an overnight in Rekong Peo or Nako. Bus services cover the route but are slow; a hired vehicle gives more flexibility.
There is no airport or railway station in Spiti. The nearest airports are Kullu (Bhuntar Airport, 230 kilometres from Kaza) and Shimla (Jubbarhatti Airport, 430 kilometres). Bring cash: ATMs in Kaza sometimes run out, and nothing outside Kaza accepts cards.