Being in a village in Spiti Valley on a clear new moon night requires some planning (and a lot of luck), and it was only when a billion colourful stars were shining above me did I realise the true essence of that moment. Imagine endless snow capped mountains reassembling chocolate mudpies topped with a frosting of sugar getting enveloped slowly in the darkness as dusk sets in and the sky lights up in surreal ways. But exploring Spiti the right way takes more than a week at least, and if you are short on time, take a trip to Kinnaur instead. The majestic mountains around Kalpa on a star studded night or at the break of dawn are a sight to behold. Add some snow in there, and you get an view stolen from the pages of a fairy tale. Talking of snow, it's a white paradise during the months of January to March, when majority of the places are covered in a pristine white sheet. Some remote and higher areas might be inaccessible during these months, but if you are willing to brave the cold and the lack of worldly amenities, the experience is surely worth it. My favourite seasons in Himachal are winter and autumn. On one hand as things turn into white gold in winter, on the other, autumn paints the valley in fiery colors, just as the leaves are about to fall. If you aren't a fan of the snow or the extreme cold, autumn might just be prefect for you. That's the thing about Himachal. There is something for everyone, for summer and for winter, for the traveler and the tourist alike, from sitting in the sun sipping tea and doing nothing to braving blizzards and trekking to mountain peaks.