Valley of Flowers

The inaccessibility of this place did not allow people to know much about its presence. However, in 1931 3 British mountaineers Frank S. Smythe, Eric Shipton and R.L. Holdsworth happened to discover this place when they lost their way, returning from a successful expedition to Mt.Kamet. The valley which was full of flowers was named ‘Valley of Flowers’. The Valley of Flowers was declared as a national park by the government in 1980. In 1982, the park was renamed as Nanda Devi National Park. In 1988, when the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve was established, this location was declared to be its core zone. The Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve has been a part of UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves since 2004 and Valley of Flowers is now a World Heritage Site.

Valley of Flowers has a rich fauna coverage, though the density is not too high. All the animals found are of rare and/or endangered species. Among the most commonly found animals are the tahr, while serow, goral, musk deer and bharal, blue sheep are rarely found. Other names include Snow Leopard, Musk Deer, Red Fox, Common Langur, Bharal, Serow, Himalayan Black Bear, Himalayan Brown Bear and Pica (Mouse Hare). Professor C.P. Kala’s research recorded 13 species, but only 9 of them were sighted by him- namely the northern plains grey langur Semnopithecus entellus, flying squirrel Petaurista petaurista, Himalayan black bear Ursus thibetanus, red fox Vulpes vulpes, Himalayan weasel Mustela sibirica, Himalayan yellow-throated marten Martes flavigula, Himalayan goral Naemorhedus goral, Himalayan musk deer Moschus leucogaster, etc. The bird population include names such as Himalayan Golden Eagle, Griffon Vulture, Snow Partridge, Himalayan Snow Cock, Himalayan Monal, Snow Pigeon and the Sparrow Hawk. The more commonly spotted birds are lammergeier Gypaetus barbatus, Himalayan vulture Gyps himalayensis, yellow billed and red billed choughs, etc. Reptiles such as Agama tuberculata, Himalayan ground skink and species of butterfly such as lime butterfly Papilio demoleus demoleus, common yellow swallowtail Papilio machaon, common Mormon Papilio polytes romulus are also found.

Valley of Flowers is the core zone of Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve. About 520 high altitude plants are found here, including a variety of flowering plants, and rare medicinal herbs.The medicinal plants, namely Aconitum heterophyllum, A. falconeri, Arnebia benthamii, Dactylorhiza hatagirea, Gymnadenia orchides, Megacarpa polyandra, Picrorhiza kurroa, Podophyllum hexandrum and Taxus wallichiana dominate the area. A research nursery for promoting these rare medical herbs has been set up near the entrance, at Musadhar. Among the flowering plants that are found in this area are Orchid, Marigold, Poppy, Daisies, Primulas, Anemone. Parts of Valley of Flower are covered with sub-alpine forests birch and rhododendron. Flowering plants account for about 490 of the 520 species found in this national park.

INR 150 for Indian and INR 450 for foreigners, respectively. The ticket is valid for 3 days from the date of purchase.

June 1 to October 4

Day 1- Reach Govindghat (20 km before Badrinath), the last motorable point to reach Valley of Flowers. From here, the trek is for about 16 km (8-10 hours) up to Ghangaria alongside the bank of river Pushpavati for the first 9 km. The next 4 km is a  slightly steep trek. However, once you reach the beautiful valley, the exhaustion will vanish in a jiffy on seeing the beauty of the blooming flowers in the once snow-clad valley, especially in the summer months.
This trek can be skipped as pony, helicopter, palanquin rides are available from Govindghat to Ghangaria. However, helicopters are available as per weather conditions.
Since you cannot stay at Valley of Flowers, Ghangaria which serves as the base camp has several private lodges and hotels for accommodation.

Day 2- Start from Ghangaria to reach Valley of Flowers. The distance is approximately 14 km (7-8 hours). Entry starts at 7 AM in the morning and closes at 5 PM. Hence, an early morning start is necessary. Come back to Ghangaria on the same day. 

Depending on the speed and stamina, one might also cover the Pushpavati River Bed point for lunch.

Day 3- Start at Ghangaria to reach Shri Hemkund Sahib point, the highest Gurudwara in the world with a lake beside. The distance is approximately 12 km (8-9 hours), half of which is a difficult but worthy steep. Start early and return on the same day.

Day 4- Ghangaria to Govindghat.

Valley of Flowers is not connected by any motorable road. The nearest place which is connected to rest of the world is Govindghat (near Joshimath) which is approximately 17 km from Valley of Flowers. This distance can be covered by trekking. On nearing Gangaria (which is roughly 3 km from the valley), the perfume of the flowers start coming and visitors are mesmerised by the experience. The visitors need to take a permit from Gangaria to enter Valley of Flowers. The permit is for 3 days and you can trek only during daytime. Reaching Joshimath is not a tough task as it is connected from rest of the places in Uttarakhand and New Delhi.
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The area does not offer many choices in food and hence it is best to pack some food for your trip here or make personal arrangements. Some hotels and lodges nearby might serve typical Indian food.
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The valley opens on June 1 each year and shuts in October. The best time to visit the Valley of Flowers is between July to September when you can see the valley at this bloom with flowers. August is the best time to see the flowers bloom; however, it might get difficult to reach there due to landslides and heavy rainfall. 

It remains accessible for the rest of the year because of heavy snow. Keep in mind that entrance to the Valley is restricted to daytime - you can enter the Valley only between 7:00 AM and 2:00 PM, and you will have to leave before 5:00 PM. Overnight camping is prohibited.
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Almost tailor-made for nature lovers and fearless trekkers. Suitable for backpackers touring nearby sites like Dehradun, Mussoorie etc. 

Difficult to reach. Hostile in winters.

A heavenly abode of nature in Garhwal. A delight for a flower lover.