Valley of Flowers

Valley of flowers is a fairy-land situated high in the Himalayas of the Uttaranchal, at an altitude of 3,600 meters above the sea-level, protected by snowy mountains. Unknown to humans, for centuries this is enchanting valley lay frozen during the colder months, and burst into its youthful beauty every year, as the snow melted with the advent of summer.

Nature had designed this valley (3,658 m. to 3962 m) for the dedicated outdoors person .It is a 13 km trek from Govindghat to Ghangharia. where there is a tourist bungalow. No one is allowed to camp in the Valley of Flowers. From Ghanghria its another 4 km trek to the valley. Nealy 10 km long and almost 2 kms wide, the valley is ringed with snow-capped mountains and watered by streams rising in the mountains. its accessible from late April, but grandest from late July to the end of August. Literally hundreds of wild flowers bloom in this valley including the rare Himalayan Blue Poppy .Tread with caution because your visit should not endanger the things you have come to see. Also carry a little salt. The valley is infested with leeches in the wettest weather when the flowers are at their best. It is 36 Km from Joshimath.,A naturalist's delight,the valley is reputed to be the largest repository of the wild flowers in the natural surroundings in the world over 300 species have been identified.Only day visits are permitted.Night halt accommodation is available at Ghanghria.

Flowers mostly orchids, poppies, primulas, calendulas, daisies and anemones carpet the ground. Alpine forests of birch and rhododendron cover a part of the area, and are home to tahr, snow leopard, musk deer, red fox, common langur, bharal, serow, Himalayan black bear and a huge variety of butterflies.

There is no settlement in the national park and grazing in the area has been banned. The park is open only in summers between June and October, being covered by heavy snow during the rest of the year. The Government of India has now declared the valley a National Park. It is a unique park, perhaps the best in the whole world. May and June is the time to see rhododendrons. Ju ne and July is the time for lilies and orchids. July and August is for primulas, also called primrose. It is a common name for a medium-size family of flowering plants most abundant in the North Temperate Zone.

Area : 87.5 sq km
Languages : Hindi, Garhwali
Altitude : 3,250 to 6,750 m above sea level
Rainfall : 1800.2 mm
Maximum Temperature : 17°C
Minimum Temperature : 7°C
Best time to visit : July-August