Valley Of Flowers- Uttarakhand
the Valley was included in the UNESCO World Heritage sites
The Valley of Flowers is a National Park located in the upper hills of Uttarakhand at a height of about 3800 metres above sea level. This park was not known to the outside world for a very long time. It was discovered accidentally by an English mountaineer named Frank S. Smith, while he was returning from a trip to the mountains. He later wrote a book titled “The Valley of Flowers” with complete details of the valley. The locals had been aware of this beautiful valley right from the ancient times. Local Sadhus and Yogis have always been visiting this valley for worship and meditation. Some locals believe that this valley is inhabited by fairies and other mystical creatures. They therefore generally avoid going inside the valley. The valley has been very popular among foreign tourists and recently many domestic tourists have also started visiting here in large numbers.
Read our Latest Uttarakhand Travel Blog- Click Here
The valley is full of a wide variety of flowers and other medicinal plants. It is famous for its vibrant flowers and rare herbs and plants. According to legends, it is believed that it is the same place where Lord Hanuman came for the “Sanjivani Booti” during Ramayana. The whole valley is spread over an area of 87.50sq km and is almost entirely full of wild flower species. There are more than 300 species of wild flowers which bloom across the valley and include extremely rare species of Orchids, Poppies, Cobra Lily, Blue Poppy, and Brahmakamal. The approach route to the valley is full of many small waterfalls, streams, glaciers and snow covered mountains, which make the trip a truly memorable one. Because of the abundance of its natural beauty it has gained a lot of popularity among domestic as well as foreign tourists and trekkers.
Valley of Flowers Opening Hours
The Valley of flowers was declared as a National Park in 1980 and in the year 2000 it was included in the core zone of Nanda Devi National Biosphere Reserve. In 2004, the Valley was included in the UNESCO World Heritage sites. There are several restrictions which have been imposed to protect the endangered species inside the valley and to preserve the delicate ecological balance of the valley. Entry to the Valley of Flowers is restricted and is only allowed after 7.00 a.m. One has to leave the park before 5 pm as overnight camping and stay inside the park is not allowed. Because of many restrictions imposed on the movement of man and animals in the valley, the entire area has remained completely untouched by human destruction and the whole valley seems to be a place directly from the fairy tale movies.
Valley Of Flowers Location
Valley of Flowers National Park is located in the Chamoli District and is close to the Nanda Devi National Park. It is about 500 kilometers from New Delhi by road and 300 kms from Rishikesh. One has to trek for 2 days (including an overnight stay) to reach the park as there is no road connectivity. It lies close to the famous Hemkund Sahib Gurudwara and therefore helicopter options are also available. There is a helipad at Ghangaria, which is close to the park.
Best Time to Visit Valley Of Flowers
The best time to visit the valley is from July to September because the flowers are in full bloom during this time. In the winter months, the park is closed for tourists due to heavy snowfall.
Book Chopta Tungnath Trek- Click Here
In the months of May and June, only a few varieties of flowers can be seen. Towards the end of September, most of the flowers start to wither. The real beauty of the park can be appreciated in the monsoon months only.
Weather and Temperature:
The temperatures here can easily fall below zero because of the high altitude. Despite the high altitude, the air is very fresh and most trekkers don’t feel any difficulty in breathing and in fact feel fresh and invigorated. The visitors need to carry waterproof shoes, raincoats and caps along with warm clothes to complete the trek. The trek up to the valley is of moderate difficulty and can be easily done by people who are of average fitness levels.
Trek Details
The journey to the Valley of Flowers starts from Govindghat, about 22 kms from Joshimath . Govindghat can be reached by shared taxis from Joshimath. From Govindghat, there is a trek of about 10 kms to Ghangaria, which is a small village and the base camp for trek to Hemkunt Sahib and Valley of Flowers. The settlement of Ghangaria is very picturesque and has decent stay facilities. The valley of flowers is another 3.5 Kms from the settlement of Ghangaria. A number of waterfalls and beautiful streams can be seen across the trekking route. The route meanders across thick forests and mist covered mountains. It is a must-visit place for all those who love bird watching and are nature photographers. The place provides a number of scenic beauties and vantage points to capture in their lenses.
Valley of Flowers Trek Itinerary :-
Day 01: Delhi to Joshimath (Drive)
Leave early at 3-4 AM and drive to Joshimath. Along the way, pass through Devprayag to witness the holy confluence of Bhagirathi and Alaknanda Rivers or stop at Rudraprayag to witness the confluence of Alaknanda and Mandakini rivers. Arrive at Joshimath by evening, from where Badrnath is mere 60 km.The entire journey can take 12-13 hours. There are number of private hotels and lodges all across the route.
Day 02: Joshimath to Ghangaria (Drive: 22km &Trek: 10 km)
After an early breakfast, drive to Govindghat from Joshimath. One can also take a shared taxi to Govindghat, which is just 22 kms. This is the starting point of the trek. Ghangaria is also known as GOVIND DHAM and is the base camp for all trekkers to Hemkund Sahib and Valley of Flowers. The trek is 10 kms long and is nicely paved. One can also take a shared Taxi to Pulna village , from where Ghangaria is about 9 Kms.The whole trek is very scenic and is full of majestic views of valleys, mountains, and waterfalls. Ghangaria also is a very picturesque settlement situated at a very high altitude. The village has all the basic necessities required for trekkers and travellers. Overnight stay in hotel/guest house at Ghangaria.
*Ghangaria has a Helipad. One can use helicopter service or hire a mule to reach Ghanghria.
Day 03: Ghangaria to Valley of flowers and Back to Ghangaria (Trek)
After breakfast, trek to Valley Of Flowers (3858 m) from Ghangaria. The journey to Valley of Flowers is at a distance of 3.5 km. The valley is 6-7 km long and 2 km wide. Valley of Flowers is divided by the Pushpawati stream, into which several tiny streams and waterfalls merge. One can spend 3-4 hrs exploring different areas of the valley and take pictures of the valley. One must remember to start the return journey by late afternoon to reach Ghangaria before dark. Dinner and overnight stay at Ghangaria.
Day 04: Ghangaria to Hemkund Sahib and Back (11km)
Get ready early in the morning to start trekking for “HEMKUND SAHIB”. Hemkund Sahib is said to be the religious site where Guru Gobind Singh meditated in a previous life. This place is really beautiful and magical and is visited by a large number of Sikh pilgrims. The Hemkund Sahib, the World’s highest Gurudwara, is situated at an altitude of 4,329 meters. In the afternoon trek down to reach Ghangaria for overnight stay in hotel/guest house.
Day 05: Ghangaria back to Joshimath
In the morning take the same trek route to return back from Ghangaria to Joshimath. On arrival, check into the hotel. Rest of the day is free to explore the area.
*Trips to Badrinath, Auli and Mana can be explored if time permits.
Day 06: Joshimath to Delhi
After an early departure from Joshimath, you can have breakfast and lunch on the way to Delhi.
*Trip ends here.
Contact for planning your trip -
So when are you planning your trip for the Valley of Flowers? You can comment below for your queries or feedback. You can also tell me what you like about this post and which other treks you would like me to write about in future.
Hope a visit here is in your bucket list.
Thanks.
-Neeraj Tiwari
Agency
Partners
About Us
- Himalaya Resort
- Copyright