Komic: One of the world’s highest villages with road connectivity

The surreal Spiti valley in the state of Himachal Pradesh in India is home to some of the world’s highest villages. Each of these villages come with their very own tag line. Hikkim boasts of the world’s highest post office. Tashigang is home to the world’s highest polling booth. Langza is the high altitude fossil village.  Dhankar village enjoys one of the highest river confluence views. And Komic at 4,587 meters is one of the world’s highest villages with a motorable road.

In this article, we are going to be talking about the remote high altitude village of Komic. This village whose name literally means ‘eye of a snow cock’ is home to a simple monastery, an absolutely serene atmosphere and surreal mountain views. But, it is the journey from Kaza to Komic that is even more amazing. This journey through some of the world’s highest villages located in rarefied atmosphere and surrounded by a 360 degree mountain panorama makes for a heady experience. It doesn’t matter whether you are on foot, on a bicycle, on a motorcycle or in a car or jeep, you are bound to be mesmerized and captivated by this beautiful mountain route.



Depending on the time of the year, the landscape could either be brown, slightly green or white. Most of the year it is brown on the ground, white on the mountains and blue in the skies. The Komic Lundup Chemmo or Tangyud monastery is the heart of this high altitude village. One of the oldest monasteries in the Spiti valley, it is also one of the highest monasteries in India. Sipping hot butter tea made by the monastery monks in front of the monastery while staring at the spectacular mountain panorama is an experience to be had here. It is also the perfect excuse for a tea time conversation with the monks who share stories of the monastery, their personal lives, the wildlife (ibex, snow leopard, etc.) that frequents here and much more.

At about 18 kms from Kaza, the main town in Spiti Valley, Komic, which is one of the world’s highest villages with road connectivity also happens to be part of my favorite Spiti high altitude village circuit. I highly recommend that you visit this village the next time you head to the mountains of Himachal Pradesh.