Renting out your home in Kaza

Our advice for Kaza

Kaza is the main town of Spiti, in Lahaul and Spiti district, at about 3,650 metres. It is a cold desert: summers are short and bright, and in January temperatures can fall to around minus 30°C. Key Monastery lies about 12 km away, and villages such as Kibber, Langza and Hikkim are within a day's drive. Kaza also has the only petrol station in the Spiti valley.

Two roads, two calendars

From Manali, the road crosses Kunzum Pass and is closed for much of the year, typically opening only in early summer and shutting again with the first heavy snow. The Kinnaur route from Shimla, via Reckong Peo and Tabo, stays open through the year except when landslides or snow block it. For an owner, that means a main season from roughly June to September, and a smaller, growing winter market of travellers who come for snow, frozen streams and wildlife.

Building for altitude

• Traditional mud-brick houses hold heat far better than cement boxes; respect local construction methods.
• Water pipes freeze in winter. Plan an indoor source, insulated storage and a realistic winter plumbing routine.
• Heating is the largest running cost; solar gain, good insulation and heavy bedding are essential.
• Guests arriving from the plains feel the altitude; a gentle first day and plenty of water are part of hosting.
• Mobile data and power are less reliable than in the lower valleys; say so honestly in the listing.