There are many scenic places in the world where you can see, nature blooms, waterfalls, small streams, etc but no other majestic place in the world like the Valley of Flowers. Thanks to Mr.Frank S. Smythe who discovered this place and bring it in front of the World.

Valley of Flowers is a vibrant and splendid national park which the world knows very well today. This beautiful place is famous for the charming meadows of alpine flowers, the richness of flora and fauna and the wonderful view of snow-clad peaks. More than 300 species of flowers are found here. You will find anemones, geraniums, marsh marigolds, primulas, asters, Brahma Kamal, blue poppy, cobra Lilly and many other species of flowers. The Valley remains blooms with flowers and paints the valley with delightful colors and the river stream name Pushpavati makes this scenery masterpiece which you don’t want to compare with any other place of this world. Apart from flowers, you see the butterflies, birds and if you are lucky, you may even spot the blue sheep, musk deer, black/brown bear, snow leopards and many other lovely and species of animals and birds.

Before 1931 nobody was friendly about the word “Valley of Flowers” but yes this place exists in the pages of Hindu epic Ramayana. It is believed that Lord Hanuman brought Sanjivani from this valley to revive the Lord Lakshmana. And of course, the local people know about the valley, but they rarely venture into it because of some kind of superstition. They usually called this place Nandan Kanan which literally means - the garden of Lord Indra. But Smythe makes it popular by giving a new identity, which you all know - The Valley of Flowers. In 1980 the Indian government declared it as the National Park and later in 1982 it was renamed as Nanda Devi National Park and it came under the core part of the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve. And n 2004 UNESCO designated it as the World Heritage Site.

The Valley of Flowers National park located at an altitude of 3352 to 3658 meters above the sea level which is in the district of Chamoli, of state Uttarakhand. Govindghat is the pilgrimage hamlet beyond Joshimath which is 285 km far away from the nearest Jolly Grant Airport. Govindghat is the last motorable road and it is the place from where the trek starts for both Hemkund Sahib & Valley of Flower. To reach Valley of flowers you have to trek a total 17 km from Govindghat to Valley of Flower. During your trek, at the distance of 4 km, you will first reach the Pulana Village. You can also take any cab/vehicle to reach this village which reduces the distance of the trek and this is the last point where the vehicle can come. After this village, the trek is full of nature’s beauty and after 3 km you’ll reach Bhundar Village.

Now you have to trek 7 km to reach Ghangariya village which is the base camp for all the tourists and Sikh devotees. This is the place where you can stay in basic budget hotels, with limited facilities. In winter this region is prone to heavy snowfall that’s why this place is closed from November to April. Here you’ll find a few hotels and a guest house with basic and budget facilities, a gurdwara, a helipad and a couple of dhaabas and a small restaurant where you can enjoy the food.

After Ghangaria the trek is divided into two trails one for Hemkund Sahib and other for Valley of Flowers. To enter in Valley of Flowers you have to first pay for the entry ticket. After a hundred meters away you’ll see a small bridge, standing in the gushing stream which is flowing below the bridge. You can see high mountains, the chirping of birds, the humming of bees, butterfly, greenery all around, you can feel the peace of the place and when the cold breeze hits you it makes you delighted and fill you with energy. After a few kilometers, you can see another small bridge after crossing it, a beautiful colorful valley welcoming you with its flowers and strong scent which is flowing in the air. The clear sky and the great glaciers view to turn this portrait into a masterpiece. Camping is not allowed in the valley so it is mandatory to walk back to Ghangaria and reach before 5 pm.

The entry started for Valley at 6:45 A.M and entry is allowed till noon 12. After that, you are not allowed to enter the Valley. So it is better to wake early and reached the entry gate at 7 Am It is also advised that your return trek should start at 1.30pm so as to reach back by 5.00 pm. The entry fee for Indians is 150 rupees per person and 600 rupees per person for Foreigners and don’t forget to take you any identity card (Voter id/ Passport/ Aadhar Card).

Best Time to visit Valley of Flowers

The Valley opens for tourists for only three months from June/July to September/October. In June snow starts melting and flowers start appearing. Some species of flowers bloom only for a fixed duration of time. But you can see flowers in Valley for July to August and maximum September first week. In September you cannot see the flower bloom but you can see the green meadows. Even without the flower the valley still has its own charm and beauty. After September due to the heavy snowfall region, the valley is closed for the next 8 to 9 months.

Opening Date of Valley of Flowers 2019 - In 2019 the valley opens for tourists on 1 June 2019.

Ghangaria is the base camp for all the pilgrims and tourists. It offers basic and good budget staying option where you can take a break and refuel your body. All the hotels or guest houses are equipped with basic facilities and you cannot expect luxury facilities at the height of ten thousand feet. To see the best-staying option in Ghangaria click here.

For a detailed itinerary, you can Click Here