Valley Of Flowers National Park 2024 | Uttrakhand Tourism | Valley Of Flowers National Park 2024 | Valley Of Flowers Trek 2024 | Uttrakhand Tourism | Valley Of Flowers Uttrakhand | History | Best Time To Visit | Things to do | How to Reach | Entry Fees

Valley Of Flowers National Park 2024

Although Uttarakhand is more famous all over India and the world because of the pilgrimage sites located here. (Kedarnath, Badrinath, Chhota Chardham, Panch Kedar Mandir) Therefore it is also called Devbhoomi. But being located in the Himalayas, the wildlife and botanical diversity attract tourists from all over the country and abroad.

There are a total of 06 national parks in Uttarakhand, out of which the smallest and most beautiful national park is the Valley of Flowers National Park, which has an area of only 87.50 square kilometres (08 kilometres long and 02 kilometres wide).

The Valley of Flowers National Park was established on 06 September 1982, at an altitude of 3352 m (10997.38 ft) to about 3658 m (12001.31 ft) above sea level. And in the year 2005, this national park was included in the Nanda Devi National Park and given the status of UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Now it is not that this small national park is more famous for the wildlife found here, but this national park is more famous for the more than 500 species of flowers found here. And among all these flower species, some flower species are used by residents in religious works, such as Brahmakamal, which is found only at 3500 meters (11482.94 feet) above sea level.

Apart from this, wildlife like snow leopards, musk deer, Asiatic black bears, brown bears and blue sheep are found mainly in this national park, while Himalayan monal pheasant is primarily found in birds. Being situated at the highest altitude, the Valley of Flowers National Park is open only from June to October in a year. The national park remains closed to tourists due to heavy snowfall for the rest of the month.

History of Valley Of Flowers 2023

In 1931, some British climbers Frank S Smith, RL Holdsworth and Eric Shipton lose their way while returning from a successful expedition to Mount Kemet and ended up in a valley full of flowers. This group of British climbers are mesmerised by the beauty of this valley and give the name of this place “Valley of Flowers”.

Later one of these climbers, Frank S. Smith, also writes a book called “Valley of Flowers”. For more than a century after this event, the Valley of Flowers has been one of the favourite destinations of mountaineers, tourists, botanists, photographers and literary figures.

It is no longer as if the Valley of Flowers was discovered only a century ago. According to the residents, the Valley of Flowers has been the place of worship of saints and yogis for several hundred years ago. Apart from this, some such species of flowers are found at this place, which is used by the residents for religious functions at their homes.

According to mythology, Hanumanji came to this place in search of Sanjeevini Booti during the war of Ramayana. After 1931, in 1939, a botanist named Joan Margaret Legge was sent by the Royal Botanic Gardens to the Valley of Flowers to study the species. But he dies after slipping off a cliff. After this, his younger sister goes to the Valley of Flowers to get a memorial built for him there.

In the year 1993, the Wildlife Institute of India appointed botanist Prof. Chandra Prakash Kala was sent to Uttarakhand to study the flowers found in the Valley of Flowers. He then made a list of 520 alpine plants found in the Valley of Flowers National Park for about 10 years.

Prof. Chandra Prakash Kala also wrote two important books on this place – “Valley of Flowers – Myth and Reality” and “Ecology and Preservation of the Valley of Flowers National Park, Garhwal Himalaya”.

Geography of Valley of Flowers

The Valley of Flowers is situated in the Pushpavati river valley which is believed to be the upper extension of the Bhuyander Ganga river. And when the same Bhuyandar Ganga river passes through the Valley of Flowers and reaches down to Govindghat, then its lower extension is known as Bhuyandar Valley.

There is also another valley parallel to the Valley of Flowers which is known as the Hemkund Valley. The Valley of Flowers, which is covered with snow for about 06 to 07 months a year, was declared a National Park in the year 1982. Still, in the year 2005, it was included in the Nanda Devi National Park and declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

It was declared a National Park in the year 1982. Still, in the year 2005, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site by being included in Nanda Devi National Park. This national park is located at an altitude of 3352 meters (10997.38 feet) to about 3658 meters (12001.31 feet) above sea level, to reach which you have to trek about 17 kilometres.

Although the track of the Valley of Flowers’s track starts from Pulna, 04 km away from Govindghat, the nearest big city is Joshimath. Which is located at a distance of about 270 kilometres from Haridwar, Rishikesh and Dehradun of Uttarakhand. During the Valley of Flowers trek, there is a place called Ghagharia from where the routes to the Valley of Flowers and the Hemkund Sahib Gurdwara, one of the holiest shrines of the Sikh community, diverge.

And for this reason, you usually find Sikh pilgrims on the way up to Ghagharia.

The climate of Valley of Flowers

Being located in the interior of the Himalayas and being a part of the Nanda Devi basin, the Valley of Flowers has a mild climate. By the way, the annual rainfall here is very less, due to which the climate here is generally dry. But due to the rains that occur here during the monsoon from the end of June to the first week of September, the mist and humidity increase here.

The Valley of Flowers receives snowfall from about October to March. And for these 06 to 07 months, this valley is covered with many feet of snow, due to which this place remains open for tourists only for a few months. The snow starts melting in the Valley of Flowers in the last week of May, after which the flowers start blooming gradually.

After this, when tourists start coming here in June, at the same time devotees also start coming to Hemkund Sahib. Because of this staying near the valley becomes a bit expensive. Monsoon arrives here in the last week of June, due to which the beauty of this place increases manifold and you get to see many very beautiful waterfalls here.

But as soon as the monsoon comes here, the possibility of landslides also increases a lot here. The monsoon season lasts only till the last week of July but it is the time of the year when you get to see about 650 species of flowers here. For this reason, the time from the last week of July to the second week of September is considered the best time to visit the Valley of Flowers.

Because after the last week of September, the cold starts increasing here, by the time of October, snowfall also starts here.

Flora of the Valley of Flowers

The vegetation found in the Valley of Flowers can be divided into three parts. Because this park starts from an altitude of 3200 meters (10499 feet) and extends up to an altitude of 3700 meters (12140 feet). And as there is a difference in the height of the mountains, there is also a difference in the vegetation there.

According to research, after an altitude of 3200 meters (10499 feet) to 3500 meters (11483 feet), trees do not grow in the mountains. Apart from this, as far as the height of 3700 meters extends to the Valley of Flowers, you get to see alpine meadows and different types of flower species.

Apart from flowers, you can also see rivers, valleys, small forests, grasslands, sloping areas, plateaus, stone deserts, marshes and caves in the Valley of Flowers. In the lower part of the park, which is also its buffer zone, you can find dense forests.

In the year 1992, the Forest Research Institute recorded 600 species of angiosperms and 30 species of pteridophytes in the valley and its surrounding area, in addition to this, 58 new species were also discovered, which were not known to anyone before, and out of these 04 species were found. Which was seen for the first time in these mountains of the Himalayas.

Research conducted at that time found that 05 of the 06 globally threatened plant species (A. balfouri, blue Himalayan poppy (Meconopsis aculeata), Aconitum Falconeri, Saussurea Atkinson and Himalayan maple (Acer caesium)) It is found only in Nanda Devi National Park or Uttarakhand. In the year 1998, 31 new plant species of endangered and rare species were seen in the Valley of Flowers.

After this, when the study was started, here again, it was found that the most prominent species found in the valley is Asteraceae, in which about 62 types of plants are found here. Out of the plants found in the Valley of Flowers, 45 are such plants which are used medicinally by the residents.

Apart from this, Brahmakamal is considered to be the most sacred plant here, which is used most in the religious works done here. Due to the many species found in flowers and plants here, this place is also considered the centre of floral diversity.

Flowers found in the Valley of Flowers

Various organizations in the country have conducted surveys from time to time on the species of flowers found in the Valley of Flowers. Firstly, in the year 1987, the Botanical Survey of India and then in the year 1992, the Forest Research Institute and in the year 1997, the Wildlife Institute of India also surveyed the plants found here.

During the survey, scientists found that five species of flowers have not been known to date. According to the survey conducted here, most of the species of flowers found in the Valley of Flowers are poppies, marigolds, orchids, primulas, daisies and anemones. Apart from this, the sub-alpine forest area of the park is covered with vegetation consisting of birch and rhododendron.

In the year 1993, C.P. Kala, after studying the garden for nearly a decade, concluded that the Valley of Flowers is home to about 520 plant species, of which 498 are flowering. Apart from flowers, many types of plants with medicinal properties are also found in the Valley of Flowers like – Polygonatum, Picrorhiza kurroa, Dactylorhiza hatagiria, Multiflorum, Aconitum violaceum, Podophyllum hexandrum and Fritillaria royali etc.

Wildlife of Valley of Flowers

The Valley of Flowers is more famous for the variety of flora found here than for the wildlife. Anyway, no more wildlife is found here too, but most of those found are either rare or endangered species of wildlife. C. P. Kala has done research on the flora of the Valley of Flowers for almost a decade.

During his research, he found that a total of 13 species of mammalian wildlife are found here, out of which he had seen 09 species by himself. Mammalian wildlife found in the Valley of Flowers include flying squirrels, Himalayan black bears, grey langur, red fox, Himalayan goral, Himalayan tahr, Himalayan weasel, Himalayan musk deer, Himalayan yellow-throated marten and Indian spotted chevrotain.

But are visible. And the sighting of sero, musk deer, bharal, goral and blue sheep is extremely rare. According to a survey conducted in the year 2004, there is a presence of snow leopards here but it is very difficult to see it. Apart from this, the sighting of a common leopard in the lower part of the park has been reported several times by the residents to the forest department.

Apart from all these, many species of reptiles are also found in the Valley of Flowers, such as Himalayan Ground, Himalayan Pit Viper and lizards found at higher altitudes. Due to the species of flowers found here, many species of butterflies and bees are also found in the park, which needs to be researched.

The Valley of Flowers National Park also comes under the Western Himalayan Endemic Bird Area, but no special research has been done about birds here. Birds commonly found in the valley include yellow-billed and red-billed, yellow-naped woodpeckers, pheasant, Himalayan vultures and Himalayan monal pheasant.

Best time to visit Valley of Flowers

The Valley of Flowers National Park opens for general tourists only in the last week of May or the first week of June and closes for general tourists in the last week of October or the first week of November. Overall, this national park remains open for tourists only for 05 months a year, the remaining 07 months this national park remains closed for tourists due to snowfall here.

At the end of May, when the snow starts melting in this national park. And after that in June new flowers start blooming here slowly. And by July, these flowers bloom completely, due to which this valley does not look less than a paradise. And you see such heavenly views in August and September as well.

But by the end of September, it starts getting cold here and snowfall also starts in October. Because of this the valley that looks like heaven is once again covered in a blanket of snow. Therefore, when you go to visit the Valley of Flowers, July to September is considered the best month for you. For the rest of the year, it rains here and there is also a possibility of landslides.

That’s why when you go trekking here, you must take full care.

The weather of Valley of Flowers

The Valley of Flowers situated in the Nanda Devi National Park has an altitude ranging from about 3352 meters (10997.38 ft) to about 3658 meters (12001.31 ft) above sea level. Due to this, the maximum temperature of the year remains at the lowest level here.

Apart from this, due to being located at the maximum height from the sea level, snow falls here for the maximum time of the year. Even in the summer season, the maximum day temperature here goes only up to 24°C and the night temperature remains around 08°C.

Valley Of Flower Weather in Summer

March to June – Max: around 16℃ / Min: around -12℃

Valley Of Flower Weather in Monsoon

From July to September Month – Max: about 24℃ / Min: about 6℃

Valley Of Flower Weather in Winter

October to February – Max: around 20℃ / Min: around -13℃ and lower.

Valley Of Flowers Opening Time

The Valley of Flowers National Park is open for tourists only for 05 months in a year. The rest of the time this park remains closed for tourists due to snowfall. In these months of the year, tourists can visit the tourist park from 08:00 am to 05:00 pm. Night is not allowed in the park.

Valley of Flowers Entry Fee

The entry fee for the Valley of Flowers National Park has been fixed at Rs.150/- for Indian tourists and Rs.600/- for foreign tourists. The entry ticket for Valley of Flowers National Park is valid for 03 days. For this Indian tourists have to pay Rs 50/- extra and foreign tourists have to pay Rs 250/- extra. For professional cameras, Indian tourists have to pay Rs.500/- per day and foreign tourists have to pay Rs.1500/- per day.

Valley of Flowers Local Food

If you like the local food of any place, then you can also enjoy the local food of Uttarakhand during your trip to the Valley of Flowers. In the local food of Uttarakhand, you can taste Kumauni Raita, Gulgula, Dubuk, Bhang ki Chutney, Chainsu, Aloo ka Jhol, Garhwal ka Panha, Kafuli, Arsa, Jhangora ki Kheer, Phanu, Singori and Badi.

Hotels in Valley Of Flowers

The nearest town to the Valley of Flowers is Govindghat where you will find homestays and hotels to stay in. With the help of some online hotel booking websites, you can book a hotel room for yourself in Govindghat. Apart from this, if you wish, you can reach Govindghat and book a room for yourself in the hotel. During the trek, you can also have a night’s stay at a place named Ghagaria.

How to reach the valley of flowers

How to reach Valley of Flowers by Air

Due to its high altitude, there is no direct air service available to the Valley of Flowers. Jolly Grant Airport of Dehradun is the nearest airport. The distance from Jolly Grant Airport to Govindghat, the nearest town to the Valley of Flowers, is only 303 km. From Dehradun, you can easily reach Govindghat with the help of buses, cabs, taxis and shared taxis.

Apart from this, Govindghat can also be reached from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi Airport with the help of taxis and cabs. The distance from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi Airport to Govindghat is only 528 km. Apart from this, a helicopter facility is also available from Govindghat to Ghagaria. Dehradun’s Jolly Grant Airport and Delhi’s Indira Gandhi Airport are well connected to all major cities of the country.

How to reach Valley of Flowers by Rail

Rishikesh and Haridwar railway stations are the nearest railway stations to Govindghat. Buses, taxis, cabs and shared taxis can be easily reached from Rishikesh and Haridwar to Govindghat. The distance from Rishikesh to Govindghat is just 266 km. And the distance from Haridwar to Govindghat is just 288 km. Rishikesh and Haridwar railway stations are very well connected to almost all the major railway stations of the country.

How to reach Valley of Flowers by Road

Govindghat, the nearest town to the Valley of Flowers, is very well connected by road to many major cities of Uttarakhand including Haridwar, Rishikesh, Dehradun and Srinagar. You can easily reach Govindghat by Uttarakhand’s government bus service and private bus service. Apart from this, you can easily reach Govindghat by taxi and cab from National Highway 58. Apart from this, you can also reach Govindghat by your private vehicle.

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