Heavenly blooms : Exploring the valley of flowers

Introduction

Valley of flowers also known as the floral symphony is located in the chamoli district of uttarakhand in the himalayas. Back in 1931, few mountaineers lost their way and ended up in this beautiful valley. This was initially found by a mountaineer named Frank S Smythe. They were taken aback at its beauty and named it the valley of flowers and later it became the valley of flowers national park. This place is home to endangered animals, endemic alpine flowers and a wide variety of flora and fauna. In 2005 UNESCO declared this place as a world heritage site. The ideal time to visit the valley of flowers is between June and October when the flowers are in full bloom and the valley will be magical.

This valley is home to 520 different plant species out of which 498 have beautiful flowers. In the month of june you will mostly find marigold, wild roses, thymus linearis etc. in july you will get to witness the beauty of Epilobium flowers. The valley of flowers has breathtaking views, countless butterflies and a scenic meadow. Some of the popular activities that you can do when you are visiting the valley of flowers is

Trekking

To trek the valley of flowers, first you will have to cover a distance of approximately 8 kilometres from Ghangaria and then 12 kilometres to reach Hemkund Sahib. This trek is moderately easy but you need to be physically fit as this stands at a height of 15,201 feet above the sea level. This trek is open for visitors and is recommended in the months between may and october. You will get to see the famous blue poppies during the rainy season in the slopes of hemkund sahib. It is not just flowers that you will get to see on the trails, there are numerous streams and an amazing waterfall on the way. All you need to complete this trek is good stamina and determination. Include workouts in your daily routine months prior to the actual trek to make your body in good shape. It is not just physical fitness that you need to complete a trek, you have to mentally prepare yourself for a trek like this. mental preparation is equally important as physical fitness.

Walk through the exotic flowers

If you are a nature lover then you are going to love this trip. Mountain adorned with flowers is a site to see for sure. When you visit this place a wide collection of flowers like orchids, daisies, primulas, poppies etc will greet you. The valley of flowers is also a dream destination for photographers because of the amazing and picture perfect backdrop it provides.

Bird watching

The valley of flowers is part of the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve. This place is home to a wide range of endangered animals. You can spot snow leopards, blue sheep, musk deer, himalayan black bear etc. If you are somebody who enjoys bird watching then this is the right destination for you. You will find a lot of exotic bird species here including himalayan snowcock, himalayan golden eagle, monal pheasant and other high altitude birds.

golden eagle, snow pigeon, Himalayan monal pheasant, and other high altitude birds. You will enjoy this trip if you love animals and birds and won't regret this trip at all.

Pilgrimage

The trek to the valley of flowers starts from Govindghat and to reach here you need to reach Rishikesh which is a famous pilgrimage town and one of the holiest places for the Hindus. The valley of flowers is also close to the Sri Hemkund Sahib Gurudwara. On the way you will come across one of the most sacred lakes known as the Hemkund lake. This lake is also known as the lake of snow. For more insightful discussions on environmental conservation and sustainable development, visit Guest post website.

Valley of flowers is scheduled to open on the 1st of June 2024 and will close on 4th October 2024. It is recommended to reach the gate by around 6.45 am to get the tickets. The trekkers will have to reach the given point by 5 pm, so you will have to start your trek back to the camp around 1.30 pm or maximum 2.00 pm. This is advised inorder to avoid accidents or any kind of mishaps since everyone has their own pace. Regarding the entrance fees and tickets, the prices vary for Indian citizens and foreigners. For the Indian citizen the ticket costs up to 150 rupees and for foreigners it is 600. One ticket is valid for three days. There are additional charges for carrying a camera and other filming equipment.

The valley of flowers is a testament to the awe inspiring beauty of nature and it shows us the wonders of earth. It is a floral paradise and it is a much preferred destination by many botanists and photographers. It is one of the hidden gems in the Himalayas. So pack your bags and get ready to lose yourself in the lap of floral paradise