India > Special Interest Tour >Valley of Flowers
The Valley of Flowers… A fairyland situated high in the Himalayas.
The very phrase invokes up images of rippling meadows, carpeted with flowers of riotous colours and hues. The Valley is rolling over mountains, dotted with gurgling streams and even a glacier! It is like something out of make-believe, too beautiful to be true.
At 3352 – 3658 mts above sea level, the calm landscape of the Valley of Flowers National Park accompaniments the rugged mountain wilderness of Nanda Devi National Park to the east between the mountain ranges Zanskar and Great Himalaya.
The Valley is believed to have around 520 species of plants, out of which 498 are flowering plants. The Valley stretches over an expanse of 87.50 km square, and it is about 8 km long and 2 km wide.
The Valley was acknowledged as a national park in 1982 and a World Heritage Site in 2005.
British mountaineers Frank S. Smythe, Eric Shipton, and R. L. Holdsworth discovered the beauty of the area In 1931 and named it the “Valley of Flowers.”
This richly varied area is also home to rare and endangered animals, including the Asiatic black bear, snow leopard, musk deer, brown bear, red fox, and blue sheep.
The Valley of Flowers is open from June until the beginning of October. The best time to visit is mid-July to mid-August when the flowers are in full bloom after the first monsoon rain.
This fantastic tour is a feast for nature lovers and trekking enthusiasts. It is complemented by visiting Kumkund Sahib and short encounters with very prime religious sites like Haridwar, Rishikesh & Panch Prayag.
On arrival in Haridwar/Dehradun, you will be received by a member of our local team. Or an appointed driver who will take care of your transfer and check-in at the hotel.
Haridwar is the place to perform ritualistic bathing on the banks of the river Ganges to wash away the sins to attain Moksha. Brahma Kund, at Har ki Pauri (“footsteps of the Lord”), is the spot where the Amrit felled and is considered the most sacred ghat of Haridwar.
We shall watch the evening Aarti (prayer) at twilight offered to Goddess Ganga at Har-Ki-Pauri, a captivating experience for any visitor. A sight of sound and color is seen after the ceremony. When devotees float diyas (the floral floats with lamps) and incense on the river, remembering their deceased ancestors is a memorable experience. Overnight stay in Haridwar.
Stay: Haridwar.
Rise and shine at early hours. After an early breakfast, we shall drive to Joshimath on a mountainous road.
The nine-hour drive to Joshimath will surely be long and arduous, but you are never going to run out of mesmerizing views. You will drive along the river Ganga & later by the river Alaknanda. The great river running with us on parallel will get wilder and more fascinating as we hike uphill. We will be passing by the four of the five Prayag. These are the holy confluence of Ganga – Devaprayag, Rudraprayag, Karnaprayag, and Nandaprayag. So, it is better to keep your cameras ready for most of the journey.
On arrival in Joshimath, we shall get an opportunity to visit ‘Jyotirmath’, which is a Jyotirlinga of Lord Shiva. Adi Guru Shankaracharya founded this peeth, and it is one of the four peeths (centres) for saints and sages. It is also a halting-place for the pilgrims going to Badrinath. Hindus believe Badrinath (The God Vishnu) resides here during winter. Overnight stay in Joshimath.
After an early breakfast, at 7 am, we drive to Govindghat; En route, we can take a photo stop for the 5th of the Panch Prayag – Vishnuprayag. We should be in Govindghat by 8 am, and then we drive 4 km to Pulna, which is the starting point of our trek to Valley of Flowers. It will be a 9 km uphill route along the river Pushpavati to Ghangaria. At the altitude of 3049 m, this place is the base camp for the Valley of Flowers & Hemkund Sahib. The trail to Ghangaria is usually crowded with the pilgrims who are headed for Hemkund Sahib. There are trees of Apricot alongside the path. It takes about 6 hours to reach Ghangaria. This entire trail is dotted with small snack shops, serving the beverages, hot snacks, noodles, egg preparations with bread, parathas…. So you will not go hungry. And it’s a stone-paved path with stairs, milestones and side railings.
After a walk of around 4.5 km, you will reach Bhyundar village, a fantastic viewpoint of the Hathi Parvat site. Once we cross the Pushpavati river bridge, it’s a steep climb to reach the Helipad area of Ghangaria. It is a small village lined with food joints & a Gurudwara. Upon arrival in Ghangaria, we do check into the guest house for dinner and overnight stay.
Note: you can either trek 9 km or take a pony/porter up to Ghangria. Also, you can reach Govindghat by Helicopter (subject to weather conditions)
After an early breakfast, we start our trek to the Valley of Flowers from Ghangaria. We shall begin to have more time to spend in the Valley early. After walking around 30 minutes on a relatively flat trail, we reach a gushing waterfall called Laxman waterfall. Another 20 minutes gradual walk into the greenery, and the next furious attraction comes. At this point, the Pushpavati river flows furiously below a wooden bridge. It is quite a familiar yet unique and mesmerizing capture. After crossing river Pushpavati, the climb to the Valley is steep. Fortunately, the rise is only around 1.5 Kms long till you reach a rock-cut shelter at the 1 km mark of the Valley. From there, it’s an easy flat walk into the Valley. The Valley is thousand times spectacular than you might have imagined. The Valley is an enchanting sight with an impressive array of rare wildflowers. The Pushpavati river bed is considered the most beautiful spot in the Valley with the maximum bloom of flowers. To reach here, you have to walk 4 km inside the Valley of Flowers. These awesome colourful blossoms end after a 5 km stretch at a glacier if the weather is clear, the mighty Himalayan peaks of Nilgiri Parvat, Bhyundar Khal, Rattaban, Gauri Parvat etc. in the background.
Around 2 pm, we start our return journey to Ghangaria to reach back to the base by 5:30 pm. Dinner and overnight stay in Ghangaria.
Note: Ponies are not allowed in the Valley, but you can get porters & there are no shops on the trek, so we must carry essentials.
Rise and shine at early hours. After a cup of tea/coffee, we start our trek to Hemkund Sahib. Today’s trek is beautiful but at the same time steep & arduous. Since it’s a steep climb, it is advised to stroll with generous breaks to avoid altitude sickness. There are two small shops on this trail where you can find snacks and tea. It takes approx. 4 hours to reach Hemkund Sahib Lake.
Hemkund Sahib, the highest Gurudwara, located at an altitude of 4329 mts, is an important pilgrimage for Sikhs, Hindus and people from other faiths. This holy shrine got its name from the glacial lake Hemkund (Lake of Snow) adjacent to the Gurudwara. Brahma Kamal, a Himalayan blue poppy, can be seen on the way to Hemkund Sahib. There is a Sikh Gurudwara & Lakshman temple built on the banks of the lake. Once you reach Hemkund Sahib, help yourself with tea and langar in Gurudwara. After enjoying the captivating beauty of Hemkund Sahib, at 2 pm, we start to descend to base Ghangaria. Be careful on our way back. Climbing down on steep slopes is strenuous on the knees. Take your time and don’t rush. The rest of the evening is to relax and unwind. Dinner and overnight stay in Ghangaria.
Note: Ponies and porters’ services are available from Ghangaria on this trail.
Note: Ponies are not allowed in the Valley, but you can get porters & there are no shops on the trek, so we must carry essentials.
Today, we will trek back 13 km to Govind Ghat on an easy downhill trail in 4-5 hrs & drive back to Joshimath. On arrival, we check-in the hotel & relax. Overnight stay in Joshimath.
After breakfast, we drive to Rishikesh. On arrival, check into the hotel. After enjoying some rest, in the evening, we visit Parmarth Niketan Ashram for a sunset Aarti. We get involved with the actual Aarti and delight in the phenomenal sight of lights, the aura, the chanting and a unique feel-Perfect photo opportunity. Overnight at Rishikesh.
Today, after breakfast, we can visit Laxman Jhula, Ram Jhula, Geeta Bhawan & some important temples & ashrams if you have some free time. Later you will be dropped at the train station / Airport for your journey to your hometown. On arrival, transfer to the Airport. It’s time now to say goodbye!
Note: The tour can be customized further with the interest of the traveller. Please do write to us to know more options and special interest tours.
