Valley Of Flowers Tourism (2024) - India > Trek, Travel Guide

"Serene valley of Flowers"

Valley of Flowers Tourism

Valley of Flowers is located in Chamoli district (near Badrinath) of Uttarakhand, approximately 300 km to the north of Rishikesh. Valley of flowers is a World Heritage Site for its wild untamed blooms surrounded by white peaks. It is open from June to September every year.

At the meeting point of the Himalayan ranges, Zanskar and Western and Eastern Himalayas, the valley of flowers discovered by Mountaineer Frank S Smith in 1931 has been declared a world heritage site for its wild untamed blooms surrounded by white peaks. Famous for its exotic varieties of medicinal herbs, it is also believed that Hanuman brought Sanjivani to the ailing Lakshmana from the valley of flowers. A perfect place to laze around the umpteen number of Himalayan water-falls, streams and paddocks and let the beauty of the place sink in.

1. Valley of Flowers National Park

Resting in the Western Himalayas, the Valley of Flowers in Uttarakhand is a lively and beautiful national park famous for its meadows of alpine flowers. Combined with Nanda Devi National Park, the two (Read More) of them together constitute the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve. It was also included in the list of the World Heritage Sites by UNESCO in 2005. Initially known as Bhyundar Valley, its name was changed to Valley of Flowers by the British mountaineer Frank S Smythe in the year 1931. Gifted with a diverse range of flora and fauna, this picturesque beauty is one of its kind. Situated high in the lofty Himalayas of the Garhwal region, this enchanting valley is also considered as the place from where Hanuman collected Sanjeevani Buti to cure Lakshmana.

Himalayan snow leopard is the major attraction of Nanda Devi National park amidst the valley of flowers and mountain ranges. Other animals found here are the endangered Asiatic black bear, blue sheep, (Read More) and brown bear.

This area is home to several rare and endangered species including the Snow leopard, Asiatic black bear, musk deer, flying squirrel, tahr, brown bear, red fox and blue sheep.

Valley of Flowers Travel Packages

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9 Days / 8 Nights

10 Days Group Trek Tour to Valley of Flowers & ...

Delhi(2N) → Rishikesh(1N) → Joshimath(1N) → Ghangaria(3N) → Srinagar(1N)

$487/person

7 Days / 6 Nights

Valley Of Flowers Trek Group Tour

Haridwar(1N) → Govindghat(2N) → Ghangaria(3)

$186/person

8 Days / 7 Nights

Valley of Flowers Package for 7 Night 8 Days

Haridwar(2N) → Pipalkoti(1N) → Ghangaria(3N) → Badrinath(1N) → Valley Of Flowers(0N)

$271/person

6 Days / 5 Nights

Monsoon Trek Package to Valley of Flowers & Hem...

Joshimath(2N) → Ghangaria(3N)

$102/person

5 Days / 4 Nights

Valley Of Flowers National Park Package Ex Hari...

Govindghat(2N) → Ghangaria(2N) → Valley Of Flowers(0N)

$162/person

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Top Hotels In Valley of Flowers

Faraway Cottages, Auli

Auli Ski Resort

9.4 (40 reviews)

$ 108 onwards

Aaryam Resort, Auli

Auli Ski Resort

9.2 (106 reviews)

$ 60 onwards

Amritara The Avadh

7.8 (45 reviews)

$ 121 onwards

Buddy Hikers Stay Badrinath

7.4 (26 reviews)

$ 28 onwards

Himalayan High, Auli, By Himalayan Eco Lodges

Auli Ski Resort

7.5 (22 reviews)

$ 67 onwards

Casa Himalaya, Auli

Auli Ski Resort

9.2 (13 reviews)

$ 156 onwards

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More on Valley of Flowers Travel

History of Valley of Flowers

The inaccessibility of this place did not allow people to know much about its presence. However, in 1931 3 British mountaineers Frank S. Smythe, Eric Shipton and R.L. Holdsworth happened to discover this place when they lost their way, returning from a successful expedition to Mt.Kamet. The valley which was full of flowers was named ‘Valley of Flowers’. The Valley of Flowers was declared as a national park by the government in 1980. In 1982, the park was renamed as Nanda Devi National Park. In 1988, when the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve was established, this location was declared to be its core zone. The Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve has been a part of UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves since 2004 and Valley of Flowers is now a World Heritage Site.

Fauna

Valley of Flowers has a rich fauna coverage, though the density is not too high. All the animals found are of rare and/or endangered species. Among the most commonly found animals are the tahr, while serow, goral, musk deer and bharal, blue sheep are rarely found. Other names include Snow Leopard, Musk Deer, Red Fox, Common Langur, Bharal, Serow, Himalayan Black Bear, Himalayan Brown Bear and Pica (Mouse Hare). Professor C.P. Kala’s research recorded 13 species, but only 9 of them were sighted by him- namely the northern plains grey langur Semnopithecus entellus, flying squirrel Petaurista petaurista, Himalayan black bear Ursus thibetanus, red fox Vulpes vulpes, Himalayan weasel Mustela sibirica, Himalayan yellow-throated marten Martes flavigula, Himalayan goral Naemorhedus goral, Himalayan musk deer Moschus leucogaster, etc. The bird population include names such as Himalayan Golden Eagle, Griffon Vulture, Snow Partridge, Himalayan Snow Cock, Himalayan Monal, Snow Pigeon and the Sparrow Hawk. The more commonly spotted birds are lammergeier Gypaetus barbatus, Himalayan vulture Gyps himalayensis, yellow billed and red billed choughs, etc. Reptiles such as Agama tuberculata, Himalayan ground skink and species of butterfly such as lime butterfly Papilio demoleus demoleus, common yellow swallowtail Papilio machaon, common Mormon Papilio polytes romulus are also found.

Flora

Valley of Flowers is the core zone of Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve. About 520 high altitude plants are found here, including a variety of flowering plants, and rare medicinal herbs.The medicinal plants, namely Aconitum heterophyllum, A. falconeri, Arnebia benthamii, Dactylorhiza hatagirea, Gymnadenia orchides, Megacarpa polyandra, Picrorhiza kurroa, Podophyllum hexandrum and Taxus wallichiana dominate the area. A research nursery for promoting these rare medical herbs has been set up near the entrance, at Musadhar. Among the flowering plants that are found in this area are Orchid, Marigold, Poppy, Daisies, Primulas, Anemone. Parts of Valley of Flower are covered with sub-alpine forests birch and rhododendron. Flowering plants account for about 490 of the 520 species found in this national park.

Entry Fee

INR 150 for Indian and INR 450 for foreigners, respectively. The ticket is valid for 3 days from the date of purchase.

Opening and Closing Dates

June 1 to October 4

An abode of flowers

The Valley of Flowers is a beautiful destination situated in the Joshimath area of the Garhwal region, almost next to the Nanda Devi National Park. Accessible from June onwards, this beautiful valley is filled with blooming flowers of rare varieties, especially the endemic alpine flowers such as golden lily, which make it a place worth visiting. Now a World Heritage Site, this site was accidentally discovered in 1931 by three tourists, Frank Smythe, Eric Shipton & RS Holsworth, while returning from a successful expedition to Mt. Karmet. So if you're touring the Garhwal region, be sure to visit this place.

Suggested Itinerary for Valley of Flowers

Day 1- Reach Govindghat (20 km before Badrinath), the last motorable point to reach Valley of Flowers. From here, the trek is for about 16 km (8-10 hours) up to Ghangaria alongside the bank of river Pushpavati for the first 9 km. The next 4 km is a slightly steep trek. However, once you reach the beautiful valley, the exhaustion will vanish in a jiffy on seeing the beauty of the blooming flowers in the once snow-clad valley, especially in the summer months.
This trek can be skipped as pony, helicopter, palanquin rides are available from Govindghat to Ghangaria. However, helicopters are available as per weather conditions.
Since you cannot stay at Valley of Flowers, Ghangaria which serves as the base camp has several private lodges and hotels for accommodation.

Day 2- Start from Ghangaria to reach Valley of Flowers. The distance is approximately 14 km (7-8 hours). Entry starts at 7 AM in the morning and closes at 5 PM. Hence, an early morning start is necessary. Come back to Ghangaria on the same day.

Depending on the speed and stamina, one might also cover the Pushpavati River Bed point for lunch.

Day 3- Start at Ghangaria to reach Shri Hemkund Sahib point, the highest Gurudwara in the world with a lake beside. The distance is approximately 12 km (8-9 hours), half of which is a difficult but worthy steep. Start early and return on the same day.

Day 4- Ghangaria to Govindghat.

Best Time to Visit Valley of Flowers

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Valley of Flowers Photos

Valley of Flowers - National Park in North Chamoli

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FAQs on Valley of Flowers

What are the places near Valley of flowers?

The top places near to Valley of flowers are Auli which is 22 km from Valley of flowers, Nainital which is located 150 km from Valley of flowers, Badrinath which is located 10 km from Valley of flowers, Rishikesh which is located 146 km from Valley of flowers, Joshimath which is located 20 km from Valley of flowers

What is the best way to reach Valley of flowers?

Valley of Flowers is not connected by any motorable road. The nearest place which is connected to rest of the world is Govindghat (near Joshimath) which is approximately 17 km from Valley of Flowers. This distance can be covered by trekking. On nearing Gangaria (which is roughly 3 km from the valley), the perfume of the flowers start coming and visitors are mesmerised by the experience. The visitors need to take a permit from Gangaria to enter Valley of Flowers. The permit is for 3 days and you can trek only during daytime. Reaching Joshimath is not a tough task as it is connected from rest of the places in Uttarakhand and New Delhi.
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What is the local food in Valley of flowers?

The area does not offer many choices in food and hence it is best to pack some food for your trip here or make personal arrangements. Some hotels and lodges nearby might serve typical Indian food.
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What is the best time to visit Valley of flowers?

The valley opens on June 1 each year and shuts in October. The best time to visit the Valley of Flowers is between July to September when you can see the valley at this bloom with flowers. August is the best time to see the flowers bloom; however, it might get difficult to reach there due to landslides and heavy rainfall.

It remains accessible for the rest of the year because of heavy snow. Keep in mind that entrance to the Valley is restricted to daytime - you can enter the Valley only between 7:00 AM and 2:00 PM, and you will have to leave before 5:00 PM. Overnight camping is prohibited.
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Who should visit Valley of flowers?

Almost tailor-made for nature lovers and fearless trekkers. Suitable for backpackers touring nearby sites like Dehradun, Mussoorie etc.

What is not so good about Valley of flowers?

Difficult to reach. Hostile in winters.

What is famous about Valley of flowers?

A heavenly abode of nature in Garhwal. A delight for a flower lover.

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Valley of Flowers Reviews

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Sunil Sehrawat

6 years ago

Best Place in uttrakhand. Scene changes in every 10 minutes. Its 16 km trek from govind ghat. 13 km ghagria village than 3 km from there.

Angelina Dsouza

6 years ago

We did valley of flowers with "name hidden" it was very well organized trip to this beautiful place. We were mesmerized by the sheer beauty of valley of flowers.

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"Serene valley of Flowers"