This seemingly dull village of mud huts holds beautiful attractions. It is situated in a bowl-shaped flat valley with the Tabo Monastery lying at the bottom of the valley, unlike other monasteries which are usually perched atop hills. One will find galleries of wall paintings and stucco statues here, earning it the title of 'Ajanta of the Himalaya', inspired by the Maharashtrian destination which has caves full of art. Founded in 996 AD, Tabo is the largest monastic complex in Spiti Valley. Also called Tabo Chos-Kor Monastery, it is said to have been founded by the Tibetan Buddhist Iotsawa (translator) Rinchen Zangpo on behalf of Yeshe-O, the king of Guge in the western Himalayas.

It boasts nine temples, 23 chortens, and chambers for monks and nuns. Besides, it has many caves carved into the cliff face where monks used to meditate. Alongside are some contemporary structures. One will also find thangkas or scroll paintings and manuscripts here. For Himalayan Buddhists, Tabo is second to Tibet's Tholing Monastery in terms of its religious sanctity. Several Indian pundits have, over the years, visited the Tabo monastery to learn Tibetan language. After the earthquake in 1975, the monastery had to be rebuilt and a new Assembly Hall or Du-kang was also constructed. The Kalchakra ceremonies, a process of initiation and rejuvenation, in 1983 and 1996 were held here by the 14th Dalai Lama. It is being protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) as a national historic treasure and the ASI encourages heritage tourism to the Tabo Monastery.