Valley of Flowers in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand is one the most mesmerizing and photogenic parks in India. The valley was declared a national park of India in 1982.
Bestowed with a stunning backdrop of Himalayan ranges, untouched beauty and exotic flora, the Valley of Flowers offer a whole new experience to travellers.
This guide covers how to reach the valley, timings, suggested itineraries, accommodation options and everything you need to know to explore this beauty!
VALLEY OF FLOWERS
Situated at an altitude of 12,654 feet i.e. 3858 meter, and 300 different varieties of flowers, makes Valley of Flowers, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The tall wildflowers are a magnificent sight on a sunny day, rippling in the breeze and outlined by beautiful glaciers.
Image Credit: Travel Triangle
STORY BEHIND THE VALLEY OF FLOWERS
There is a very interesting story behind the discovery of Valley of Flowers. British mountaineers Frank Smythe, R Holdsworth and Eric Shipton lost their way in the region (while returning from Mount Kamet) and stumbled upon the Valley of flowers, in 1931.
Mesmerized by the beauty of this region, they decided to name it Valley of Flowers. In fact, Smythe, after his return, authored a book called “The Valley of Flowers”.
HOW TO REACH VALLEY OF FLOWERS
Image Credit: India Hikes
When a place is so beautifully natural, it is always a little difficult to reach. The closest you can reach the Valley of Flowers “by road” is Pulna Village. Pulna village is about 3 km from Govind Ghat (starting point of the trek) towards the Ghangaria (base camp) route.
By Air: The closest airport is Jolly Grant, Dehradun, and the airport is well connected by daily flights from Delhi. However, the motorable roads are connected only up to Govind Ghat.
By Train: The nearest railway station is Rishikesh, but the motorable roads are connected only up to Govind Ghat. You’ll find taxis and buses from here to reach Govindghat.
By Road: The closest you can get to Valley of Flowers by road is Govind Ghat. This requires a drive to Joshimath from Dehradun/Haridwar, then another one hour to Govind Ghat.
From Govind Ghat, there is about a 13 km trek along a steep with a base camp at Ghangaria. Now, from Govind Ghat, a new motorable road of about 4 km leads up to Pulna village. So, now the trek cuts down to about 4 km.
Let’s dig a little deeper and understand how to get there:
ROUTE FROM DELHI TO HARIDWAR (approx. 237 km) / DEHRADUN (approx. 275 km):
You can opt for a bus/ taxi. The fare for Volvo buses start from INR 500, and private taxis from INR 2500.
ROUTE FROM HARIDWAR TO JOSHIMATH:
The distance is approx. 290 km and takes about 10-11 Hours. You can opt for a bus/ taxi. The fare for buses start from INR 700, and private taxis from INR 4000.
ROUTE FROM JOSHIMATH TO GOVIND GHAT:
The distance is about 20 km, and it takes about 1 hour. You can opt for a bus /taxi.
The bus fare is about INR 20 and private taxis about INR 800.
GETTING TO GOVINDGHAT
Govind Ghat is reachable only by road. Govind Ghat is a starting point of the trek. However, now that there is a new motorable road from Govind Ghat to Pulna village, you can choose to hire a shared taxi for INR 350-400 instead of walking 4km.
Those who travel via car or bikes can park their vehicles in Pulna.
There are usually a lot of porters, mules available at the starting point of the trek. It is best to leave your luggage at Govind Ghat and carry only essential items with you for your Trek.
Remember, Govind Ghat is the place where you hire a porter or mule. So if you need someone to carry your backpack or send back luggage, do it at this spot.
GOVIND GHAT TO GHANGARIA (VIA PULNA)
There are two options.
Either you trek from Govind Ghat to Ghangaria, 14 km or
Trek from Pulna to Ghangaria (base camp) for about 10 km, 5 hours. There is now a 4 km motorable road from Govind Ghat to Ghangaria via Pulna village. So you can choose to trek from Ghangaria and cut down a few kilometres of the trek.
Trek to Ghangaria is an easy to moderate trek. The path is well laid, and ascent is gradual, so do not worry. The trail is alternatively sunny and shaded.
GHANGARIA TO GORGEOUS VALLEY OF FLOWERS
Image Credit: Flickr
Ghangaria is the base camp for the mesmerizing Valley of Flowers trek. The gorgeous Valley is accessible from here with a short trek of 3-4 km. It takes about 6-7 hours two ways.
A kilometre into the gate, there is a scenic bridge across a stream flowing below. Trek a couple of kilometres on a flat path, and to your right opens up the valley. The scenery is magical from any direction you see!
HEMKUND SAHIB TREK
Image Credit: Chardham Tours
There is a 6 km trek from Ghangaria that leads to Hemkund Sahib, which is perched at a height of 4,329 meters above sea level.
Surrounded by misty mountains and Glacier Lake, Hemkund Sahib is the highest Gurudwara in the Sikh community.
If it is difficult to trek, you can hire mules, available in Ghangaria.
HELICOPTER AND PONY SERVICES
There is a helicopter service from Govind Ghat to Ghangaria. The drop point is at Ghangaria, and you can trek for about 4 km to reach the Valley of Flowers. The charge for a helicopter ride is about INR 3000 per person, one way.
PERMIT AND ENTRY FEES
Permit: It is a World Heritage Site, so one has to register the name in the register. Thereafter, take a permit from the forest department to enter the Valley of Flowers. The ticket counter is at the entrance.
Fees: The fee for Indian citizen is INR 150, and for foreign nationals, INR 650. Both are valid for 3 days.
Extra days: If you are unable to complete the visit in 3 days, then for Indian Citizens, additional charges of INR 50 and foreign nationals INR 250, will be applicable.
OPENING AND CLOSING DATES (2021)
Valley of Flowers is accessible to travellers from 1st June 2021 to 4th October 2021.
OPENING AND CLOSING TIME FOR VISITORS
Entry to Valley of Flowers is from 7 am every day. The last entry is open till 2 pm.
All visitors need to exit the park by 5 pm. Ideally, it requires you to start trekking back to the camp by 1 pm and touch the base safely by 5 pm.
BEST TIME TO VISIT
The rest of the year, the region receives extreme cold temperature, and treks are covered with snow, making it difficult for travellers to trek.
July and August mark the perfect time to visit when flowers are blooming, and the place remains at the peak of its beauty.
TEMPERATURE AND CLIMATE
The region is extremely pleasant for most of the tourists. Post-summer, it is not very cold. The trek is during the monsoon season. Expect 8-10 degrees throughout the day and about 3-5 degrees at night.
During July, you can witness melting snow off the bridges, making it a beautiful sight to behold.
IS STAYING ALLOWED?
Being situated in a protected wildlife area, staying overnight is not allowed, and hence, there are no accommodation options in the national park.
One has to either trek back to Ghangaria or Govind Ghat to stay overnight.
CAMPING AT GHANGHARIA
Camping in Ghangaria is allowed. Ghangaria is a base camp for the Valley of Flower and Hemkund Sahib trek.
HOW MANY DAYS DO YOU NEED FOR THIS TREK?
Ideally, you should keep 6-7 days minimum, Delhi and back.
SUGGESTED ITINERARY FOR 8 DAYS (OPTION 1)
- Day 1: Reach Delhi. Overnight in Haridwar/Dehradun.
- Day 2: Haridwar – Joshimath – Govind Ghat (9-hour drive + 1-hour drive with mesmerizing views).
- Day 3: Govind Ghat – Ghangaria trek (Trek 14 km).
- Day 4: Ghangaria – Valley of Flowers (4 km + 4 km trek, return).
- Day 5: Ghangaria – Hemkund Sahib (Optional) 6km + 6km return.
- Day 6: Ghangaria to Govind Ghat (Trek 14 km).
- Day 7: Govind Ghat – Joshimath – Hardiwar/Dehradun.
- Day 8: Haridwar/Dehradun – Delhi.
SUGGESTED ITINERARY FOR 5 DAYS (OPTION 2. If you are not on a tight budget)
- Day 1: Reach Delhi. Overnight in Haridwar/Dehradun.
- Day 2: Haridwar to Govind Ghat.
- Day 3: Govind Ghat to Ghangaria (via helicopter) to Valley of Flowers.
- Day 4: Ghangaria to Govind Ghat (via helicopter) to Haridwar.
- Day 5: Haridwar to Delhi (Night train or Volvo) Or Haridwar to Dehradun by road and take a flight back to Delhi from Dehradun.
ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS
Govind Ghat:
Hotel Bhagat: This simple and clean hotel offers unpretentious views of the Himalayan Mountains and is just a kilometre away from the Alaknanda River. Moreover, the helicopter rides to the valley begin from here. Contact details: 9412936360.
Ganga Resort Govind Ghat: This homely stay is a serene place and a getaway to the Valley of flowers and Hemund Trek.
Ghangaria:
There are plenty of accommodations available at Ghangaria. There 20-30 private hotels with a few camps and a GMVN Guesthouse. It has a sizeable Gurudwara, which can easily accommodate 5000 people.
The hotels in Ghangaria offer basic accommodations with basic facilities and there’s also a regular power cut and water issues in this area. Check these options – Hotel Nanda Lokpal, Hotel Kuber, Blue Poppy Swiss Cottage Camps and GMVN Guesthouse.
WHAT TO EAT?
Ghangaria offers a good amount of eateries. Before you begin your trek, ensure you have eaten. Do carry some packed food for your journey. Please note that the Valley of Flowers does not allow eating anything inside the park. The same is to maintain the natural beauty of the park, and hence we request you strictly follow the rules.
THINGS TO CARRY
Here are some suggestions as to what should you carry during your trek to Valley of Flowers:
1. Backpack (AMAZON?)
Backpack tops our list! A good, sturdy backpack to carry your essential items required for the trek.
2. Footwear / Shoes (AMAZON)
Invest in good quality shoes, which are lightweight with substantial grip. A good option is to have ankle-high shoes with some waterproofing capabilities. Moreover, do not forget to carry slip-on/slippers/floaters to wear at a campsite for relaxed movements.
3. Medicines
Carry primary medicines – like headache pills, indigestion, vomiting pills, Band-Aids, sprays/balms, mosquito repellent.
If you are prescribed a specific medicine, please carry the prescription as well.
Please note that there is only one medical shop in Ghangaria. Unless it is an emergency, it is better to carry your medicines instead of the end-minute of buying.
4. Clothing
It is crucial to carry the right clothes as the temperatures in the mountain region vary a lot. Here’s a brief list of what clothing to carry:
– Two pairs of light clothing – one for the trek and one for the night at the camp. Of course, you can carry more if you want.
– A good quality warm jacket and a light windcheater
– Gloves
– Scarves
– Socks
– A cap/hat
5. Trekking stick/pole (for Hemkund trek)
Trekking stick/ pole will help you to climb steep paths. However, there is no need to buy a stick, as the same is available for not more than INR 100.
6. Water
Carry sufficient water. You can refill water bottles at hotels/shops on the hotels on the way to your trail.
7. Miscellaneous items such as Sunglasses, sunscreen, torch.
ROAD DISTANCE CHART TO GOVIND GHAT (VALLEY OF FLOWERS)
- Delhi to Govind Ghat: 525 km
- Chandigarh to Govind Ghat: 510 km
- Haridwar to Govind Ghat: 289 km
- Dehradun to Govind Ghat: 305 km
- Auli to Govind Ghat: 28 km
- Shimla to Govind Ghat: 599 km
CONCLUSION
High in the grand Himalaya Mountains with captivating scenery, Valley of Flowers is a place that ticks all the boxes of a traveller. The best part is that the trek is moderate and is enjoyable for everybody, and is budget-friendly (if you decide to trek).
Just as you set your foot into the Flower of Valley, the place will steal your heart away with a glimpse of some of the rarest found flowers on earth.
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