About Valley of Flowers National Park
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.
How to go Valley Of Flowers(Trek Information)
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 the Govindghat there are two options one is public transport and the second is - to book the cab direct to Govindghat.
Here are the steps by which you can follow to reach Valley of Flowers National Park -
Step-1: To reach Valley of Flower, the nearby railway station is Rishikesh Railway station and nearby Airport is Dehradun JollyGrant Airport.
Step-2: Once you reach Haridwar/Rishikesh/Dehradun you can book a direct cab to Govindghat by any Transport Operator. This option is for those who don't like to travel on public transport. If you want to travel in public transport then you can take a direct GMOU bus or any shared taxi to Govidghat, which mostly runs early morning. If you didn't get the direct bus to Govindghat, then you can also take the bus to Joshimath. Once you reach Joshimath, you'll easily get the local transport for Govindthat.
Step-3: Govindghat is the place from where the treks start. This day you have to trek approx 14 km, to reach the Ghanghriya. It would take approx 4-5 hours to reach Ghanghriya, depending on your trekking speed & skills. Till Bhundyar, the trek is easy, but the last 3-4 km is a bit steeper. So plan accordingly and take the brake at a regular interval.
Trek Route- Govindghat- 4Km - Pulna - 4Km - Bhyudar - 6km - Ghanghriya(basecamp)
Step-4: After reaching Ghanghirya book your accommodation and stay for that night. Ghangariya 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 guest house with basic and budget facilities, a gurdwara, a helipad and a couple of dhabas and small restaurant where you can enjoy the food.
Step-5: After spending the night in Ghanghriya wake up early, take breakfast if you want, and start your trek till 7-8 am. A few hundred meters from the Ghanghriya, the trek is divided into two trails one for Hemkund Sahib Trek Trek and the other for Valley of Flower. After following the Valley of Flowers trail, there is an entry gate to Valley, where you have to pay the nominal entry charges and after filling information and paying charges, you can continue your trek( for so don't forget to carry your wallet and any identity card). From the entry gate to Valley the distance would be around 3-4 km.
The Valley opens for the trekkers in the morning from 7 to 12:00 pm. After 12 no one's entry is allowed to the Valley. And it is advised to come back from the valley before 4:00 Pm. After 4, roaming in the valley is not safe.
In the Valley, 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.
Timing of entry In the Valley & Ticket Price
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 1.30 pm 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).
Valley of Flowers trek Best time
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 2020
Opening Date of Valley of Flowers 2020 - In 2020 the valley open for tourists on 1 June 2020(Tentative).
Accommodation Options
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. Click to see the best-staying option in Ghangaria Hotels in Ghangaria Uttarakhand
Short -Itinerary
Day 01: Haridwar – Govindghat (10 hrs drive)
Day 02: Govindghat - Ghangaria Trek (14 Kms/07 Hrs)
Day 03: Ghangaria – Valley of flowers - Ghangaria (Trek- 5 km /4 hrs -one way)
Day 04: Ghangharia – Govindghat (Trek 14 Km/ hrs) Govindghat - Joshimath (Drive 22 Kms)
Day 05: Joshimath to Haridwar/Rishikesh
Click here for Valley of Flowers Uttarakhand Package 2020.
