A virtual paradise and a world heritage site, the valley of flowers unfurls the charisma of nature. Initially known as the Bhyundar Valley, this fairy-tale land is situated at the converging point of the Eastern and the Western Himalayas, located in the Chamoli district of the state of Uttarakhand. Unspoiled by human invasions this decorated land is surrounded by snowy mountains and its glittering glaciers. A scenic territory where nature blooms and glistens like a colorful carpet, the valley shows its floral capabilities with its greatness of many species of flora. However to visit, one must have to take a sufficient stroll of distance to access the entire vista of this natural boutique. The cascading glaciers, small gushing streams and the flowery meadows always awaits for the visit of the spectators of nature.
A trek for the hikers amidst a crowd of colors and scent, the valley of flowers is a pleasant walk through the lush greenery and the hill side hamlets. The entire stretch of this valley is a blanket of flowers of numerous colors and types. The flowers here though rare in worldwide occurrence, grow in abundance in this valley changing its view every few days. With the flowers providing a scenic delight to the eye, the sacred and the undisturbed area providing a platform to attain peace for your spirit; the valley is pristine.
Situated at approximately 5 Kms away from the busy and the last human settlement of Ghangaria, the region remains deposited with snow during the winters and with monotonic blooming of the flowers in the period between June to October. To reach this remotely located colossal empire of the nature, one might need 3 days with breaks in between. 300 Kms from Haridwar, 420 Kms from Chandigarh and some 450 Kms from Delhi; the journey to this paradise is stuffed with worthy memories.
Route map for the Valley
Nestled with the abundance of flowers and creepers, this alluring place is also home for a couple of rare and endangered species of animals. The list includes the Asiatic Black Deer, Snow Leopard, Musk Deer, Red Fox, Brown Bear and the Blue Sheep.
The valley of flowers start welcoming the tourist form 1st June every year till the season becomes harsh and starts to block the pavements preventing the tourists from visiting the valley towards the end of October. However the best time will depend on what you would opt to see and how challenging you can be to experience your choice of satisfaction.
In June, the floral distribution is limited to few specific flowers but one can see the huge glaciers. From July onwards the snow starts melting and new plants starts to sprout out. The best time to see these flowers blooming and sparkling the valley is from mid-July to mid-August. The month of September sees the coming of autumn season, where the plants starts drying up. The last official trip to this valley is generally organized in the last week of September. Form October onward snow starts covering up this land and the valley is cut-off from the public access.
The tourists coming here shall make arrangements of their accommodation at Ghangaria, since it is prohibited from staying overnight at this valley. Ghangaria acts as the Base Camp for the trek to the valley of flower.
With other hill stations and tourist destinations becoming a common option for vacations, the valley of flowers is emerging as a popular choice for the foreigners and the adventure groups.