Valley of Flowers

The Valley of Flowers National Park is located in Chimoli district of Garhwal in Uttarakhand state of North India. Bordered by Nepal and Tibet, it is about 595 kilometers from Delhi and has an altitude that varies from 10,500 feet to 21,900 feet above sea level. The stunning Landscape of Valley of Flowers has around 300 different varieties of alpine flowers which are in full bloom after during the monsoon season. Frank S, Smith -a mountaineer, botanist and explorer encountered this place in the monsoon of 1931 and wrote a book, "The Valley of Flowers" which unveiled the beauty and floral splendors of the valley and made this fairy land known to the world. It was declared a National Park in 1982, and now it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The locals, of course, always knew of the existence of the valley, and believed that it was inhabited by fairies.

Situated in the lap of Himalaya, this fairy land is at an altitude of 3,600 meters above the sea-level, protected by snowy mountains. The Valley of Flowers requires a strenuous hike but you'll feel on top of the world in this magical and enchanting place. Exotic flowers and foliage can be found all along the route from Ghangria to the main valley.

To reach the valley one has to trek from Govindghat on the route to Hemkund Sahib upto Ghangharia, 12 kms ahead. From Govind Ghat it’s a 13 kilometer (8 mile) trek along a steep, narrow, but well defined mountain trail to base camp at Ghangaria. This will take between 4 to 8 hours, depending on your fitness! The start of the main valley, where all the flowers are, is a further 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) from Ghangaria. Govind Ghat and Ghangaria get quite crowded from July to September with Sikh pilgrims on their way to Hem Kund. Hiring a porter at Govind Ghat to carry your luggage to Ghangaria is also recommended to make the trek easier.

Getting to The Valley of Flowers:
By Air: The nearest airport is in Dehradun, 295 kilometers (183 miles) away.
By Rail: The nearest railway station is in Rishikesh, 276 kilometers (170 miles) away.
By Road: The closest you can get to The Valley of Flowers by road is Govind Ghat. This requires around a 10 hr drive to Joshimath, then another one hour to Govind Ghat. From Govind Ghat it’s a 19km trek to valley of flowers. Helicopter service, and ponies are also available. Buses or taxis can be taken from rishikesh upto govind ghat.

Best Time to Visit The Valley of Flowers is only open from April to October as it's covered with snow the rest of the year. The best time to visit is from July to August, when the flowers are in full bloom just after the first monsoon rain. You will watch a spectacular sight innumerable variety of flowers bloom and present a spectacular sight. If you go before July, you’ll find hardly any flowers at all.

To prevent trekkers and livestock from taking too much of a toll on the park, access to The Valley of Flowers is restricted to daylight hours (from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.) and camping is prohibited. The last entry to the park is at 3 p.m. You’ll need to go from, and return to, Ghangaria on the same day.

Tour Itinerary

Day 1: Delhi
Arrive at Delhi International Airport. Our representative will escort you to hotel. Overnight stay in Delhi.

Day 02: Delhi-Rishikesh (230 Kms)
After breakfast drive to Rishikesh. Overnight stay at Rishikesh.

Day 03: Rishikesh-Joshimath (250 Kms)
After breakfast leave for Joshimath. The earlier you leave, the better it is. Lunch enroute in Rudraprayag. Overnight stay at Joshimath. Joshimath is the winter home of Sri Badrinathji. It is situated on the slopes above the confluence of Alaknanda and Dhauliganga. It is one of the 'maths' established by Adi guru Shankaracharya.

Day 04: Joshimath-Govindghat-Ghangria (25 Kms drive + 14 kms trek)
After an early breakfast, leave for Govindghat - eat well before leaving - you will need all the energy you can muster. Thereafter 14 km trek to Ghangria. Overnight stay at Ghangria.
Govindghat is the confluence of Alaknanda and Laxman Ganga Rivers. It has an imposing Gurudwara named after Guru Govind Singh. Ghangria is the base camp for treks to Valley of Flowers and Hemkund, where lodging and boarding facilities are available. Rivers Pushpawati and Hem Ganga meet here to form Lakshman Ganga.

Day 05: Ghangria - Valley of flowers - Ghangria (7+ km trek)
After breakfast, leave for Valley of flowers with packed lunch. Return back to Ghangria. Overnight stay at Ghangria.
High in the Himalayan ranges of Garhwal hills of Uttaranchal lies an enchanted valley. Here flowerful pastures with clear running streams are set against silver birches and shining snow peaks - a must see for all nature lovers.

Day 06: Ghangria - Hemkund (5 Kms steep climb)
After breakfast, leave for Hemkund with packed lunch. Return back to Ghangria. Overnight stay at Ghangria
Hemkund is a beautiful lake at a breathtaking altitude of 4,300 m, and has a Gurdwara, Hemkund Sahib, which a holy place for the Sikhs.

Day 07 : Ghangria-Govindghat-Joshimath (14 km downhill trek + 1hr drive)
Start after breakfast and trek to Govindghat. Lunch on the way. From Govindghat, by car to Joshimath. Overnight stay at Joshimath.

Day 08: Joshimath - Rishikesh (250 kms)
Early morning leave for Rishikesh by car. Overnight stay at Rishikesh.

Day 09: Rishikesh - Delhi (230 kms)
Early morning Departure for Delhi. Same day catch flight from Delhi to hometown.