Gue village is tucked away in Spiti valley at 10,000 feet. It is a small hamlet consisting of less than 20 houses. So what makes Gue unique? Because it is home to the Indian mummy. The word “mummy” alone is sufficient to arouse one’s curiosity. Another reason for visiting Gue is its unrivalled beauty. Imagine driving along a narrow road with sharp edges jutting out on one side and wild roses and a river on the other. Also, the chocolate brown mountains create a striking contrast against the white-washed houses.

In this Gue village post, I will cover the following topics.

• HOW TO REACH GUE VILLAGE?
• THE ROUTE TO GUE
• BEST TIME TO VISIT
• GUE MUMMY
• FOLKLORE AND LEGENDS
• WHAT IS SELF-MUMMIFICATION?
• WHERE TO STAY?
• WHAT AND WHERE TO EAT?
• HELPFUL TIPS

THE ROUTE TO GUE VILLAGE

You can travel to Gue via Shimla or Manali. From Manali, Gue is 264 km, and from Shimla, it is 356 km.

VIA MANALI

Manali – Solang – Atal tunnel – Chatru – Batal – Losar – Kaza – Dhankar – Tabo – Hurling – Gue.

VIA SHIMLA

Shimla – Kufri – Narkanda – Rampur Bushahr – Sarahan – Tapri – Karcham – Rekong Peo – Ribba – Pooh – Khaab – Nako – Gue.

The route via Shimla is longer but the preferred choice. Also, you can visit several villages en route to Gue from Shimla.

The route via Manali is open only for six months, from June to September. The road remains closed due to heavy snowfall. But, the Shimla route is accessible all year round

I was going to keep driving to Ladakh and then Kashmir, so I chose the Shimla route. Are you curious as to how I planned a month-long trip? I recommend reading my “Spiti valley, Leh and Kashmir guide”.

HOW TO REACH GUE VILLAGE?

Gue is a small village in the Spiti and Lahaul district. It is accessible only by road.

AIR

Chandigarh airport is 110 km from Shimla and takes 3 hours. Bhuntar Airport is 50 km from Manali and takes 1 hour. But Chandigarh airport has more connectivity than Bhuntar. Therefore Chandigarh airport is the preferred choice.

From either airport, you can hire taxis to take you to Gue. Or board the buses en route to Manali or Shimla.

TRAIN

Chandigarh and Kalka stations are near Shimla. From the Kalka train station, take the toy train to Shimla. Or you can hire a taxi or board the bus to Shimla. Joginder Nagar train station is close to Manali. However, there is no direct train to Joginder Nagar. Either take the bus from Chandigarh station or board the direct train from Pathankot station. It is more hectic and tiring compared to travelling via Shimla.

BUS

From Chandigarh, there are regular buses to Shimla and Manali. There are regular buses from Shimla to various villages in Spiti valley. From Manali, board the bus to Kaza. The next day, from Kaza, take the bus towards Nako. Ask the driver to drop you off at the Gue Nallah. From here the village is 10 km away. You can either walk or hitchhike.

ROAD

The route varies depending on your hometown. But Chandigarh is a common point for all. Chandigarh onwards, the road is the same for everyone when travelling to Shimla or Manali.

BEST TIME TO VISIT GUE VILLAGE

The best time to visit Gue is from March to June and September to October.

March to June are the summer months and the peak season. Tourists flock here during summer vacations. The climate is pleasant. During these months, only the Shimla route is operational. The Manali-Kaza road is closed due to heavy snowfall. The Kunzum Pass and Rohtang Pass open in June.

From July to August, Spiti valley experiences rainfall. There are frequent landslides and flooded roads during the monsoons. It makes driving difficult. The Manali to Kaza road is a dirt road and gets washed away. Therefore avoid travelling to Gue or any other Spitian villages during these months.

September to mid-October are the autumn months. The temperature drops. It is the best time to visit Gue before winter. In October, you might experience light snowfall. The Manali – Kaza road slowly starts closing. Kunzum La and Rohtang Pass receive snowfall from September onward. But the Shimla route is open.

From December to February, Spiti valley experiences heavy snowfall. The Manali-Kaza route is closed until June. But the Shimla route is operational. Sometimes roads might close due to snowfall.

GUE MUMMY

It is a 500-year-old mummy of Sangha Tenzin, a Tibetan monk who came to India for meditation. They discovered Sangha Tenzin’s mummified body in Gue in 1975. The villagers then built a tomb for him. But, during an earthquake, the temple got buried. In 2004, ITBP officials rediscovered the mummy while constructing roads. They moved the body to its current location.

We all think of Egypt when talking about mummies. But you don’t have to travel so far to see one. The mummy in Gue village is 500 years old. But this mummy is different from the Egyptian mummies. How? The Egyptians embalmed and wrapped the dead bodies of their kings and queens in white bandages. But the Gue Mummy is due to self-mummification. Sangha Tenzin’s willed himself to death through meditation and starvation. Thus the mummy still has its skin, teeth and hair intact.

The Gue mummy is in a glass case further away from the village. Sangha Tenzin’s body is sitting, with one hand wrapped around his bent knee. Upon closer inspection, you can see the teeth and hair.

Next to the mummy, there is a gompa. They will move the mummy there once construction is complete.

NOTE:- Sometimes, the tomb of the mummy is locked. Look around for locals. They have the key and will open it for you.

FOLKLORE AND LEGENDS OF THE GUE MUMMY

There are a few folktales and legends of the Gue mummy.

One tale states that Sangha Tenzin sacrificed himself to protect Gue from scorpions. As the soul left his body, a rainbow appeared across the sky. Since then, Gue has seen no scorpions.

Another tale states that Gue was facing hardships. So Sangha Tenzin sacrificed his life for the prosperity of Gue and its people. It is due to him that this tiny hamlet is known to people.

Locals believe the mummy is alive. They claim its nails and hair are still growing. So it is known as the “Living Buddha“.

The villagers offer daily prayers to Sangha Tenzin.

WHAT IS SELF-MUMMIFICATION?

“Sokushinbutsu” is a Japanese word meaning “self-mummification”. Many Japanese monks practised self-mummification, but only a few succeeded. Sokushinbutsu is a long process. In medical times, Japanese monks completed the process over 3000 days.

The monks followed a strict diet. They refrained from eating cereal or any fatty food. They had to survive on seeds and plants found in the forest. It eliminated all the fat in the body.

The monks then increased periods of fasting and meditation, which resulted in starvation. Gradually they reduced water intake and eventually stopped. The organs shrank due to dehydration. The monks would keep chanting mantras until they died and the bodies were self-mummified. You can see the skin, teeth, nails and hair still intact.

The monks included tiny doses of poisonous nuts and lacquer tree sap in their diets. It helped remove moisture from the body and prevented decay. Therefore the mummy has been well-preserved without artificial preservatives.

WHERE TO STAY IN GUE VILLAGE?

Many people visit Gue on a day trip from Nako or Tabo. Few visitors stay in Gue. Therefore there are limited accommodations.

I don’t remember seeing any boards during my visit to the gompa. You could ask the locals for a spare room.

According to google maps, there are two accommodations —

• Neema Homestay
• The Nomad’s cottage, Gue.

Whether they are open, I don’t know. There are no pictures or reviews of both places. So it’s better to stay in Nako or Tabo.

You can also refer to my posts on Nako and Tabo.

WHERE AND WHAT TO EAT IN GUE VILLAGE?

There are hardly any restaurants or food stalls in Gue. However, you can try your luck at one of the homestays.

Most homestays have simple food. It is better to stop in Tabo or Nako for food. They have more options than Gue. You can find Indian, Chinese and local cuisines in Tabo and Nako. Try some local dishes like Thukpa, momos, salt tea or butter tea.

Or you could pack food and enjoy a picnic on the river bank near the village.

TIPS TO REMEMBER WHEN TRAVELLING TO GUE VILLAGE

It is the last segment of the Nako guide. Below you can find helpful tips that will ensure a hassle-free trip.

• Carry warm clothes no matter the season.
• Carry cash because cards don’t work. Many hotels don’t have internet, so online payment is unavailable.
• Download offline maps or carry map books. BSNL and Jio might work, but no guarantees. Therefore don’t rely solely on Google maps.
• Kaza has a petrol pump. So fuel up before travelling.

CONCLUSION

There is limited information about Gue village on the internet. That’s because Gue became popular much later than other Spitian villages.

The drive to Gue is thrilling. Stop by this hamlet and see the Indian mummy. Enjoy the vistas while taking a walk around the village.

I have tried to cover all the information needed for planning a trip. If I have missed something, please let me know in the comments.

I hope this ignites your wanderlust because

The world is yours to explore.

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