Description

(Includes All Costs Of The Trek From Govind Ghat To Govind Ghat) Service Tax At 9% Is Payable On The Trek Fee

Nestled in the west Himalayan region, Valley of Flowers covers a vast expanse of 87.50 sq kms with myriad alpine flowers. Valley of Flowers is situated in Bhyundar Valley at an elevation of 3658 mts above sea level. The Valley of Flowers National Park is the second core zone of theNanda Devi Biosphere Reserve.  You will encounter numerous cascading waterfalls, Glaciers, Jungles on the route to Valley of Flowers.

ABOUT VALLEY OF FLOWERS

The region of Valley of Flowers is rich in varied flora and fauna. The valley of flowers was declared as the National Park of India in the year 1982 and it is now a UNESCO world heritage site. The virgin beauty of this mystical valley has always lured botanists, nature lovers and adventure lovers.

Ghangaria is the last human habitation centre on the way to Valley of Flowers. It is a scenic hamlet, situated 13 kms from Govindghat at a height of 3046mts above the sea level. Valley of Flowers lies in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand state offering diversified beauty of nature. The region remains completely covered with thick blankets of snow during winters and with blooming flowers from June to October. The Valley of Flowers is the home of over 500 species of wild flowers of unique design and colours.

VALLEY OF FLOWERS SEASON AND BEST TIME TO VISIT

The Valley of Flowers National park remains open for visitors from 1st June to 4th October.
The best time to visit Valley of Flowers is during July, August and  September.

HISTORY OF VALLEY OF FLOWERS

The credit for the discovery of the Valley of Flowers goes to the British mountaineers Franks S. Smythe and R.L. Holdsworth who incidentally reached this valley after a successful expedition of Mount Kamet in 1931.

VALLEY OF FLOWER SEASONS

• In May: The Valley of flowers becomes accessible in the last week of May when snow starts melting. In the month of May you will see a lot of snow but very less number of flowers. Advantage in visiting in May is that there will be no to less rain as the rainy season starts in the last week of June.
• In June: This month is flooded by a lot of pilgrims for Shri Hemkund Sahib, resulting in high cost of Food, Stay and transport facility. Also the availability of rooms gets affected. But, still certain specific flowers can be seen in this month. Also you can enjoy watching huge and beautiful glaciers, waterfalls in the valley of flowers. The biggest benefit in visiting in this month is that there will be very less to no rain. (Rain triggers landslide in this area and your plan may be affected). Rainy season starts only in June end or in first week of July.
• In July and August: As snow starts melting in May and new plants starts germinating and grow up till now. You will see a lot of flowers blooming till mid July. There are almost 650 varieties of flowers in total that can be seen in Valley of Flowers. The Best time to see maximum number of flowers is mid July to Mid August.
• In September: The September is the Autumn season of Valley of Flowers. This is the last month for visiting valley of flower. The plants starts drying up and put their seeds on the earth for the next season. Slowly at the end of the month and in the Next Month snow starts falling and the valley becomes inaccessible. The Last official trip to Valley of Flowers is generally taken in the last week of September.

The pristine water of Pushpawati River divides this enchanting valley into two parts. Capture thick dew drops on the vivid flowers, listen to the chirping of birds and enjoy the salubrious air of the Himalayas. The locals always knew about the existence of the valley and believed that it was inhabited by fairies. The region is also rich in varied fauna and you might encounter Himalayan bear, snow leopard, musk deer, blue sheep and several colourful butterflies.

Note: Tourists are not allowed to stay overnight in the Valley of Flowers and therefore there is no accommodation in the Park. You can stay at private lodges and hotels at Ghangaria, the base camp for your trek to the Valley of Flowers.

VALLEY OF FLOWERS IS FAMOUS FOR?

Valley of Flowers is famous among tourist as Trekking, Flowers and Vegetation.

Valley of Flowers is recommended destination for Corporates, Foreigners, Groups, Solo.

Valley of Flowers is popular destination for following activities/ interests – Adventure, Emerging Destinations, Trekking, Wildlife Tourism.

DETAILED TREK ITINERARY

Many tales are spun around the valley of flowers – usually about trekkers falling unconscious from the heavy scent of flowers on the valley floor. Whatever the stories, they do have a grain of truth in them, in a good way! It is rare to find a valley so full of flowers. Flowers bloom everywhere in a riot of colours – purple, yellow, white, pink… they blanket the valley in such a way that sometimes, you can’t see the valley floor at all!

Yet, to see the flowers, you need to time your trek correctly. In july and august, during monsoon, is the best time to do the trek. There might be a day or two of rain on the trek but the sight of flowers in full bloom makes up for any discomfort.

DAY 1:   GETTING TO BASE CAMP, GOVIND GHAT

ALTITUDE:     6,233 FT

Time taken: 11 hours drive to govind ghat. Pick up from haridwar railway station at 6:30 am.

The trek to Valley of Flowers (VOF) and Hemkund starts a little beyond Joshimath at a pilgrim hamlet called Govind Ghat. Leave Haridwar or Rishikesh early in the morning and travel along River Alakananda on the Badrinath highway. The roads are dangerously cut on mountains edges and at times, you only see the river flowing in the gorge deep below. The journey from Rishikesh to Joshimath takes about 10 hours. Plan to stay at Joshimath for the night. There are a couple of private lodges and a GMVN to choose from.

Take a shared taxi to Govind Ghat (20 km and 45 minutes away). The treks to VOF and Hemkund have a common trail till Ghangria. Deposit any extra luggage at the Gurudwara in Govind ghat.

Do not carry food with you as there are plenty of eateries on the way. As a trekker, there is no need to hire porters or mules on this trail but if you need one to carry your backpack, Govind Ghat is the place to hire a porter or mule.

DAY 2:   GOVIND GHAT TO GHANGRIA

Altitude: 6,233 ft to 9,843 ft
Time taken: 7 hours, 13 km
Trek gradient: easy – moderate. Gradual ascent throughout on a well- defined trail
Water sources: carry sufficient water. You can refill your water bottles at any of the several dhabas that you will find on the trail.

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Start the day’s trek by walking past the eateries and shops selling trinkets. Cross the bridge over Alakananda. The water below is sparkling blue and crystal clear. The trekking route starts immediately after the bridge.

Take a shared taxi to Govind Ghat (20 km and 45 minutes away). The treks to VOF and Hemkund have a common trail till Ghangria. Deposit any extra luggage at the Gurudwara in Govind ghat.

The trail is well-defined. It is usually full of Sikh pilgrims walking up and down. Notice the cleanliness on the trail despite hundreds treading upon it every day. It’s a heartening and motivating sight. All thanks to volunteers who sweep the trail every day.

The 13 km trek from Govind Ghat to Ghangria goes all the way along the river. Stop by any roadside dabha for a drink or a bite to eat. The trail is alternately sunny and shady. At around the midpoint of the day’s trek, you cross the river and go to the other bank. After this, you no longer trek alongside the river.

The trek takes 6-7 hours and you approach a tabular land. This is when you know you are close to Ghangria. Ghangria has a helipad and some space for camping. Half a kilometer from the helipad is the one-street village of Ghangria, lined with hotels, restaurants and a Gurudwara. The Gurudwara offers free accommodation and food to all.

DAY 3:   GHANGRIA TO VALLEY OF FLOWERS AND BACK

Altitude: 9,843 ft to 11,483 ft and back
Time taken: 6 hours, 10 km
Trek gradient: easy. Flat walk in the valley
Water sources: carry 2 litres of water. You can refill your water bottles from streams that you will find in the valley, after a couple of hours of trekking.

Leave Ghangria early (6 am) to give yourself the whole day to spend at Valley of Flowers. The trail splits in less than a kilometre and there is a gate to buy entry tickets to the valley. Walk inside and notice the small flowering plants springing up on either side.

A kilometre into the gate, there is a scenic bridge across a stream gushing below. Tall rocky mountains rise before you. Notice that the well-laid-out trail has now become a small footway along the side of the valley. The stream flows below you and there are small, hard snow patches by the side. On the trek inside Valley of Flowers, it’s most likely that you and your group will be the only ones around. This may come across as a big and welcome contrast to the previous day’s trek, where there were hundreds. The scenery has also taken a drastic turn for the better and any direction you turn to looks picture-perfect.

Trek along for a couple of kilometers on the flat path and to your right opens up the valley. Cross another rickety bridge and collect water to drink from below. The entire valley is generally a carpet of colours – green, yellow, red, blue. It is surrounded by mountains with trees at lower levels, brown and grey soil in the middle and bright snow at the top. A bright sunny day will ensure deep blue skies completing the picture and taking it beyond your imagination.

The valley is really a botanists’ dreamland! One can find flowers, leaves, buds of various shapes, sizes, colours, all growing together. Notice various types of bees and insects hovering on these strange flowers. Walk further into the valley and you will be engulfed with an amazing scent, which unfortunately cannot be captured but can only be felt. The valley stretches 5-7 km further, until it ends with a glacier visible at a distance. The stream flows all the way through the valley. Take off your shoes and dip your feet into it to experience the icy cold water.

Carry packed lunch from Ghangria on the Valley of Flowers trek day. There is no food available in the valley and overnight camping isn’t allowed either. Plan your return along the same path by early afternoon.

The afternoon sun falling on the valley from a different direction, gives a whole new perspective to the same place you saw in the morning.

DAY 4:   GHANGRIA TO HEMKUND SAHIB AND BACK

Altitude: 9,843 ft to 14,107 ft and back
Time taken: 8 hours, 12 km
Trek gradient: moderate – difficult. Steep ascent for about 4 hours to reach hemkund sahib and steep descent all the way back.
Water sources: carry sufficient water. You can refill your water bottles at the hotels that line the trail.

Start your day early. The weather can be impulsive in the afternoon and sudden cloud cover and rain can get you stranded if you do not get down on time. The thought of getting up before 5 am can be daunting but the Gurudwara makes it easy. Their day starts at 4 am with singing of bhajans. By 5 am, you hear people outside the gate of the Gurudwara chanting in chorus and the horses being readied to go up to Hemkund Sahib. Get up and grab a hot drink of chai. A poncho (light rain coat) and a trekking pole can be handy on the trek to Hemkund. Pass the deviation to Valley of flowers. Continue to trek up the steep path slowly but steadily. Spot a pretty water fall on your right falling through the rock walls on the right.

After about 2 hours of walking, you are higher than the tree line and the views begin to get better. Mark the route to Valley of Flowers on the mountain in front across the river gorge. After another hour of slow walking with numerous breaks, you begin to feel reduced oxygen levels in the air. A melting glacier lies on the way.

Take generous breaks while climbing up the steep path. These breaks are important as going up very fast could only mean inviting altitude sickness. Do not sit down during these breaks. Sitting down causes your muscles to relax and getting back on track can be very difficult. An hour of stiff climbing brings you to Hemkund Sahib Gurudwara. The lake lies just behind it. The Hemkund Sahib lake remains frozen for six months. Warm yourself in the Gurudwara and have generous helpings of hot tea and khichdi.

Walk around to the other side of the Hemkund Lake. The lake exudes an aura of peace and serenity. It’s crystal clear, undisturbed and reflects mountains in it. The lake with crystal clear water , set amidst tall mountains and reflecting them and the Gurudwara is some sight to watch. Around Hemkund, the Himalayan flower, Brahma Kamal grows abundantly. This flower grows only at heights of 10000 ft to 15000 ft. Leave Hemkund by early afternoon. The walk down can be strenuous on the knees and toes. It takes 4- 5 hours to walk down the 6 kms.

DAY 5:   GHANGRIA TO GOVIND GHAT

Altitude: 9,843 ft to 6,233 ft
time taken: 5 hours, 13 km
trek gradient: easy descent to govind ghat on the same trail that you trekked on earlier.
Water sources: carry sufficient water. You can refill your water bottles at the several dhabas that line the trail.

The trail back to Govind Ghat is on the same path that you took on Day 1. Start after breakfast and reach Govind ghat by 2.00 pm.

DAY 6:   GOVIND GHAT TO HARIDWAR

Drive down to Haridwar. It is advised that you keep a buffer day because the weather in the mountains is unpredictable. Rest at Haridwar for the night. You can explore Haridwar the next day and take a train to Delhi when convenient.

ADDITIONAL OPTIONS

Having come all the way to Govind Ghat, there are two options that you could explore if you add a day to your trip.

OPTION 1:  GOVIND GHAT TO MANA VILLAGE AND VASUDHARA FALLS VIA BADRINATH

From Govind Ghat, Badrinath is just 36 km away. It takes around two hours to cover this distance. The scenery en route can take your breath away. Do not fail to read the boards along the road put up by the border roads organization. They are meaningful and humorous.

From Badrinath, take a shared cab to Mana (3 km), which is the last village within Indian territory across the border from Tibet. It’s a very picturesque village, with small streams and a small waterfall. The views from here of Neelkant peak are gorgeous. The village also has a lot of folklore associated with. The Pandavas are said to have rested here during their exile. Befriend a localite here and chat him up to learn more about the village.

From Mana, you could also trek to Vasudhara Falls, which is an easy 6 km trek that takes around 2 hours. Vasudhara is a milky-white waterfall that plunges from a height of 400 ft. The best part about it is that if the water isn’t too forceful, you could go stand underneath it and enjoy a refreshing shower.

Trek back to Mana or Badrinath from here before sunset.

OPTION 2:  VISIT AULI FROM GOVIND GHAT VIA JOSHIMATH

If you’re looking for a more relaxing excursion after your trek to Valley of Flowers, you could visit Auli. Auli is a popular ski destination. It is stark white with snow in winter and full of green meadows in summer. It’s also called Auli Bugyal. It’s more of a leisurely holiday to Auli and it’s a tad bit expensive.

After reaching Govind Ghat, drive down to Joshimath, which is an hour’s drive away. Auli is situated above Joshimath and is accessible via a cable car. This ride in the cable car is a wonderful experience..

Auli is situated at a height of 3,049 m. It is surrounded by lovely oaks and coniferous forests. It offers are 270 degree view of Mt. Nandadevi, Kamet, and even Neelkant.

From Auli you can head back to Badrinath the next day or the same day.

HOW TO REACH

By Air: Jolly Grant Airport is the airport serving Dehradun, located about 48 km from the Haridwar. There is a daily flight from Delhi for Dehradun.

By Train: An excellent rail network connects Haridwar to other important cities like Delhi,
Mussoorie, Mumbai, Varanasi, Lucknow, and Kolkata.
From Delhi -DDN NZM AC EXPRESS (2205)
From Kolkata- Doon Express (13009)
From Mumbai- Dehradun Express (19019)
From Chennai- Dehardun express (12687)

By Road: From ISBT New Delhi direct buses to several Kumaon regions are available like Champawat, Almora and Tanakpur from where you can hire local taxis to Dharchula or if you want to spend less then public transport is the best option for you.

TERMS & CONDITIONS

CANCELLATION POLICY

Cancellation: If a trek is called off at the last moment due to a natural calamity/unforeseen circumstances (like rains, earthquake, landslides, strike, bandh etc), Indiahikes will issue a trek voucher for the full amount. The voucher can be redeemed for the same trek or another trek in the next one year.
In case, you wish to cancel your trek, please e-mail us at info@www.panchtattva.com Cancellation requests are not taken over phone.

The cancellation charges are as under.
Cancellations prior to 30 days from the start of the trek — full refund.
Cancellation between 30 days and 20 days to the start of the trek — 50% refund.
Cancellation less than 20 days to the start of the trek — no refund.
Please note: In case of refund, there will be a deduction of 4% (bank charges) from the total fee you have paid.

REFUND POLICY

 The applicable refund amount will be processed within 10 business days

REFUND POLICY

 The customer receives a confirmation voucher via email within 24 hours of successful booking
 In case the preferred slots are unavailable, an alternate schedule of the customer’s preference will be arranged and a new confirmation voucher will be sent via email.
 Alternatively, the customer may choose to cancel their booking and a full refund will be processed.