Valley Of Flowers - A Travel Guide to Flowery Heaven

19 Jun 2021 by Sandhya Singh

Valley of Flowers resembles a lovely bunch of Flowers from nature which is situated in the western Himalayan district of Uttarakhand. To reach there you need to do traveling and cross the Pushpawati waterway, spans, ice sheets, thick woodlands, and cascades. Valley of Flowers is additionally a UNESCO world legacy site and it was announced so in the year 2005. Here one can track down the endemic elevated Flowers, numerous glades bloom, and other assorted fauna. Valley of Flowers is additionally proclaimed as National Park in the year 1982.

It is situated at a rise of 3658 meters in Bhundar valley. This valley of Flowers is spread over the space of 87.5 sq km in the Chamoli region of Uttarakhand. The length and width of the public park are 8km and 2 km separately. Valley of Flowers is additionally considered as the subsequent center zone of Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve. Ghangaria is the journeying way which is at a distance of 14 km from Govindghat. From Ghangariya there is a journey of 3 km towards Valley of Flowers. There are in excess of 500 types of blossoms that sprout in the Valley of Flowers as per their sprouting months.

Valley of Flowers was found by three youthful British mountain dwellers named Frank S. Smythe, Eric Shipton, and R.l. Holdsworth in the year 1931. They found this lovely valley of Flowers while dropping from Mt. Kamet. These three were stunned to see the lovely covered valley with elevated Flowers in general. They named this spot with an assortment of colorful Flowers "The Valley of Flowers". Later a book was composed by S. Smythe for portraying this valley which was named "Valley of Flowers".

According to the folklore Valley of blossom was consistently a known spot among local people and around then they use to accept that this spot is possessed by divine beings and pixies. They additionally accepted that assuming any human will visit this spot, they will be caught by pixies and won't ever return back.

About Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve

Nanda Devi biosphere reserve was established in the year 1982 and was discovered in 1931. This biosphere reserve is spread in an area of 87.5 square kilometers. Nanda Devi biosphere reserve is the combination of Valley of Flower National Park and Nanda Devi National Park. This place is located at an altitude of 3658 m above sea level. This biosphere reserve is having and exotic species of animals, birds, and flowers that attract many tourists from all around the world. There are different layers of surprise in this biosphere reserve which offers a beautiful trip in the lap of nature. Displace does not only gives you peace in serenity but also helps you in getting some knowledge about the National Park.

Important Information about Valley of Flower

Location

Chamoli district, Uttarakhand

Entry fee

Indian: INR 150, Foreigner: INR 650

Entry time

Morning: 7 A.M., Evening: 5 P.M.

Opening Date

1st June

Closing Date

4th October

Total trek Time

6 to 7 days

Best months to explore

June, July, and August

Difficulty level

        Easy to Moderate                              

Starting and Ending point of Trek

Ex Haridwar


Why do we visit the Valley of Flower?

Valley of Flower can satisfy the motive of visitors to spend some time in the lap of nature. There are many recreational activities that can be enjoyed in this valley of flowers National Park. Here is the list of some interesting activities that you can enjoy in the Valley of Flowers:

Astonishing Nature

Nature is surely one of the best gifts that humans are blessed with and in the Valley of Flowers, one can read to such a space where the beauty of nature can be absorbed in your soul. This place can provide that calmness and satisfaction to your soul and your mind. After visiting the Valley of Flower you will be relaxed and go back with a fresh mind.

Trekking

One of the best enjoyed and adventure activities in the Valley of Flower is trekking. You need to track if you want to see this magnificent place. The best time to enjoy this track is during the mountain month when along with an adventure trip you can also interact with the beautiful nature of this place.

Heritage Sites

Valley of Flowers National Park is a part of the Nanda Devi biosphere reserve which is a Heritage site. The beauty of this place is so mesmerizing that it should be visited by each person at least once in their lifetime. This place has made its face in the itinerary of all national and international travelers who visit Uttarakhand.

Discover Flora

Valley of Flower as the name suggests is famous for its unique flora. If you want to have the mesmerizing sight of this place then you should visit this place during the monsoon months as at this point of time one can also see the fascinating flowers such as from Kamal that generally blooms during the monsoon.

Witness Endangered Species

This National Park is blessed with a huge variety of fauna. Some of the animals which you may come across in this National Park are blue sheep, red fox, snow leopard, musk deer, Brown bear, etc.

View of Might Himalaya

The Valley of Flower also allows its storage to have the view of Snow covered Himalayan ranges. You feel like you are sitting very close to the Himalayan ranges as the view is so clear that even tho carvings and cuts are clearly visible from the space.

Bird Watching

One of the most enjoyable activities in Valley of Flower is bird watching. This National Park is home to various exotic species of birds such as Himalayan Monal. This National Park is having birds of vivid colors which give the feel of diversifying wildlife.

Pilgrimage Tour

Valley of Flower is located in proximity to the Sikh pilgrimage site that is Hemkund Sahib and thus this place serves the purpose of both adventure and religious tours at the same time.

Photography

Valley of Flower offers ample opportunity for a photographer to have the different colors of nature captured in their digital camera. Hair one can capture wildlife in their Natural Habitat with their camera lens and can keep it as a memory forever.

Learn Traditional History

As we all know that Lord Hanuman took Sanjivani Buti to recover Lakshman who was the younger brother of Lord Rama. That's Sanjivani Buti was grown over this place and hence it attracts the mythological history lovers in huge amount.

Flora and Fauna of Valley of Flowers

The valley of flowers National Park is having more than 510 higher altitude plants that include several varieties such as medicinal Herbs and flowering plants. Some of the important medicinal plants that are present in this Valley are  Podophyllum Hexandrum, Aconitum Heterophyllum, Arnebia Benthamii, Dactylorhiza Hatagirea, Picrorhiza Kurroa, Gymnadenia orchids, A. Falconeri, Taxus Wallichiana, and Megacarpa Polyandra. Some of the beautiful flowering plants which can be seen in this Valley of Flower are  Orchid, Poppy, Daisies, Marigold, Primulas, and Anemone.

Valley of Flower is also having Magnificent fauna which includes endangered and rare wildlife species. Some of the animals that can be spotted in this National Park are Snow Leopard, musk deer, tahr, bharal, Goral, Himalayan Black Bear, Pica, blue sheep, Red Fox, and serow. This National Park also houses migratory birds which provide a wonderful opportunity for bird watching. Some of the colorful birds that can be seen in this National Park are Himalayan Golden Eagle, red-billed choughs, Snow Partridge, Himalayan Snow Cock, the Sparrow Hawk, Himalayan Monal, and  Griffon Vulture.

Opening and closing time of Valley of Flowers

In the valley of flowers welcome its tourist from the morning 7 a.m. till 2 p.m. in the afternoon and then again from 1:30 p.m. and afternoon till the 5:00 p.m. in the evening. If you want to get the ticket for entering the Valley of Flower on time then you should reach this place by 6:45 a.m. in the morning. You will be having the maximum time to explore this National Park if you are on time. The tracking difficulty level and the pace of each person are different so it is advisable to have some extra time so as to avoid any kind of bad experience while trekking.

Tips for Trekking in Valley of Flowers

  • Continuously keep yourself hydrated on the journey to abstain from swooning and weakness.
  • Carry your own lunch as there isn't any restaurant on the trip from Ghangaria to Valley of Flowers.
  • Start your visit to the valley promptly in the first part of the day so you can navigate more regions and furthermore discover the spot moderately quiet.
  • Remember to travel cautiously and gradually as there are many tight and steep paths where you may wind up harming yourself.
  • Do not remain close to the edges of the valley and take selfies as it very well may be very perilous in the event that you sneak off.

Things to carry on Trek

There are some necessary items that are needed to be carried along while going on the Valley of Flower trek. Here is the list of items that are important to be carried:

  • You need to carry a backpack along with you with all the essential items that will be required throughout the trek.
  • You need to carry warm woolen clothes with a pair of socks and water-resistant tracking trousers with some woolen caps, raincoats, and synthetic gloves.
  • You need to carry some trekking equipment such as a sleeping mattress, sleeping bag, tent, trekking pole, tent rain cover, and a pair of trekking shoes.
  • Some toiletries that are needed to be taken along are sunscreen, tissue paper, brush, toothpaste, moisturizer, sanitizer, and body wash.
  • You also need to carry a water bottle, dry food items, medicines, and a camera.

Weather conditions of Valley of Flowers

The temperature of this place remains pleasant and provides an excellent environment for tourists. This place is generally visited during the post-summer season that is in the monsoon season and hence the weather at this time remains very calming. During the monsoon month, the temperature remains from 10 degrees Celsius to 18 degrees Celsius during the daytime and during the nighttime, it goes down from 3 degrees Celsius to 5 degrees Celsius.

With changing months the weather of this place also changes. One can enjoy tracking during the monsoon month by wearing trekking gear. During the monsoon season, you can witness the mesmerizing beauty of this place as most of the flowers are at their full bloom that will provide a brilliant opportunity to witness the scenic beauty of this place.

How to reach Valley of Flowers

By Air: Jolly Grant airport in Dehradun is the closest air terminal to the valley of blossoms. From Dehradun, you can get any neighborhood taxi or taxi to arrive at Govindghat. The trip toward the valley of blossoms begins from Govindghat which is a 16 km long journey. Ghangaria is all around associated with Dehradun through a well motorable street.

Helicopter Service: If you need to cover both Hemkund Sahib and Valley of blossoms together, then, at that point you can likewise operation for helicopter administration or you can reach there by journeying as well. Helicopter administration will be given from Govind ghat to Ghangaria, however, from that point ahead there could be no other alternative except for you need to trip to arrive at your objective. Helicopter administrations are not given during awful climate.

By Rail: The nearest railway station is Rishikesh Railway station and from that point, you can arrive at Govindghat through a well motorable street. From Govindghat you need to cover a further distance of 17 km by journeying as it were. The distance of Govindghat from Rishikesh is 273 km. you can get a nearby taxi or transport administration from Rishikesh, Rudraprayag, Srinagar, Chamoli, Joshimath, and a lot more objections.

By Road: To reach the Valley of flowers you can get the well motorable street up to Pulna town which is 4 km away from Govindghat. A further journey of 13 km is should have been done to arrive at The Valley of bloom. you can get a nearby taxi or transport administration from Rishikesh, Rudraprayag, Srinagar, Chamoli, Joshimath, and a lot more objections.

Best time to visit Valley of flowers

The best time to reach the Valley of flowers is from the month of June till the month of August as this is the time when most of the flowers bloom there and the valley looks really heavenly at that time.

In June Month: June is the month of course summer so at this point of time the snow begins to melt and the seed from plants of the previous year starts germinating. Some of the flowers which can be witnessed during the June months in the Valley of Flower are Oxalis Corniculata, Marsh Marigold, Thymus Linearis, Berberis Aristata, Fragaria Nubicola, Gagea Lutea, Viola Pilosa, Wild Rose, and Reinwardtia Indica.

In July Month: During July month, the area becomes like a colorful carpet of blooming flowers. At this point of time, you can find huge colonies of Epilobium.

In August Month: During the August month the bloom goes to its peak and one can witness the different varieties of flowers till the August end. During this time period, the landscape becomes truly breathtaking and mesmerizing.

Entry charges of Valley of Flowers

Here is the char that categorize the entry charges of Valley of Flowers

Entrance charge

First 3 days

Indian: INR 150, Foreigner: INR 600

Extra day

Indian: INR 50, Foreigner: INR 250

Camera Charge

Still Camera

Non-Professional: Free

Professional: Free

Movie - Video

Non-Professional: Free

Professional: INR 500 (Indian)

INR 1,500 (Foreigner)

Filming Charge

Feature films/day

Indian: INR 1,00,000

Foreigner: INR 2,00,000

Documentary films/day

Indian: INR 10,000

Foreigner: INR 30,000

Security charge

Feature films/day

Indian: INR 1,00,000

Foreigner: INR 2,00,000

Documentary films/day

Indian: INR 50,000

Foreigner: INR 1,00,000

Where to stay in the Valley of Flowers?

Here is the list of some amazing accommodation options that are available in the Valley of Flowers:

Nanda Inn Homestay

Nanda in homestay a is located in the region of Joshi Mutt which is a peaceful Homestay that enables the tourist to have a home-like experience. One can have the Mountain View from this property E and is suitable for mid-range accommodation.

Grand Ishwari Narayani Hotel

Grand Ishwari Narayani Hotel is located in Auli ski Resort and is a good place for accommodation for family and friends. Here you can get a variety of accommodations from deluxe double, Deluxe budget, Deluxe triple To Deluxe single, and also a superior family room with an attached washroom.

Himalayan Abode Homestay

Himalayan Abode Homestay is located on the Badrinath Highway and is a luxury accommodation facility. This property provides a well-furnished room with a private bathroom and a view of lush Green Fields Alaknanda river and high mountains.

Hotel Shiva Palace

Hotel Shiva Palace is a three-floor elegant Hotel that provides cozy rooms. Hotel Shiva Palace is having all types of modern facilities and is located in the heart of Joshimath.

Sri Nanda Lokpal Palace

Sri Nanda Lokpal Palace is located in Ghangaria and is having 14 super deluxe rooms where one can spend their cozy stay. Also, there is a multi-cuisine restaurant which serves homely Fresh Food.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I go to Valley of Flowers?

Valley of Flower remains open for its tourist from June till October month and for the rest of the Year, It remains covered with a thick sheet of snow. So one can explore this place at any time from June month till October month but if you want to have the best view of this place then you should visit it in the month of July and August as during this time period flowers are in full bloom and the view is really fascinating.

What is the valley of Flowers famous for?

Valley of Flower is famous for its magnificent wearing flora and fauna. This Valley is having more than 500 species of flowers and it also houses some of the rare and endangered species of animals and birds.

When do Flowers bloom in the valley of Flowers?

The flower blooms during the monsoon month in the Valley of Flower. During July and August month you can witness the beauty of this place as during this time the Bloom will be at its peak.

Which is the most famous flower in the Valley of Flowers?

The valley of flowers is having some of the rare and vibrant species of flower that blooms during the monsoon months but the rarest flower is Brahma Kamal which looks really magnificent when it blooms.

What is the difficulty level of the valley of Flowers trek?

The Trek to Valley of Flower is not that difficult as the difficulty level ranges from easy to moderate. Hence this track can easily be done along with friends and family members.

How do you plan the valley of Flowers trek?

The Trek of Valley of Flower can be completed in the time span of 6 to 7 days from Rishikesh to Rishikesh. From Rishikesh will be taken to Joshimath and from Joshimath, your night halt will be at Govindghat. The next day you will be transferred from Govindghat to Ghangaria and a halt will be provided there. On the third day, you will be tracking from Ghangaria to Valley of Flower. On the fourth day, you will be tracking to a Sikh pilgrimage site that is Hemkund Sahib from Ghangaria. On the fifth day, you will be transferred from Ghangaria to Joshimath, and the night halt will be at Joshimath itself. On the last day of your trip, you will be transferred from Joshimath to Rishikesh.

Share Post