Trek To Valley Of Flowers: A Must Have Experience For 2020
Valley of Flowers- An Amazing Trek
Uttarakhand is one of the beautiful states of India. It is naturally enriched with valleys, trees & high snow-capped mountain peaks. Region-wise this state is divided into two parts one is Kumaon and one is Garhwal. The Valley of Flower is situated in the Chamoli district of the Gharwal region. Chamoli is a very beautiful place surrounded by a lush green valley and mountains.
Every year many tourists visit this beautiful valley. The history of this valley is very interesting. Actually, this valley is an accidental discovery by British citizen Frank S Smith in 1931. Mr, Frank with his two teammates were returning from the expedition of Mt. Kamet then they lost their way and reached this valley. After experiencing its beauty they named it as “Valley of Flowers”. It is the world heritage site declared by UNESCO in 2002. It comes under the core area zone of the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve.
Itinerary
Day 1: Rishikesh – Joshimath
- Reach Rishikesh in the Morning
- Rest for a while after night-long journey and board on the bus or hire a cab.
- Enjoy the picturesque journey until Joshimath arrived
- After 9-10 hrs drive, reach Joshimath and check-in at hotel/guest house/homestay.
- Have some rest and enjoy the evening beauty of Joshimath
- Enjoy dinner and overnight stay at Joshimath hotel
Day 2: Joshimath – Govindghat- Ghangaria
- Wake Up early in the morning, enjoy the sunrise, have breakfast and drive towards Govind Ghat.
- As you reach there, start the trek towards Ghangharia.
- After 6-7 trekking you will reach Ghangharia
- Check-in at the hotel and enjoy the serene Ghangharia village.
- Night rest at Ghangharia Hotel.
Day 3: Ghangaria – Valley of Flowers – Ghangaria
- Rise before the sun and enjoy the sunrise with tea/coffee
- Get ready by having breakfast and trek towards the Valley of Flowers.
- The total trek is 7.5 km where the time duration is 2-3 hrs for one side of the trek.
- After getting entry pass from the counter at the gateway of Valley of Flowers. Start exploring the most picturesque valley which you have never seen before.
- After visiting valley head back to Ghangharia and have some rest at the hotel
- Dinner and night rest at Ghangharia hotel
Day 4: Ghangaria – Hemkund Sahib – Ghangaria
- Rise early in the morning, get ready and start trekking towards the most serene and sacred site that is Hemkund Sahib Gurudwara and lake.
- The total distance you have to cover is 12 km.
- If your body & weather temperature allows then take a holy dip in the lake and seek blessings in Gurudwara.
- Head-back to Ghangharia and overnight stay.
Day 5: Ghangaria – Govindghat – Joshimath
- Get ready early in the morning, Pack your all bags and head back to Joshimath
- Check-in at the hotel and take rest
Day 6: Joshimath – Rishikesh
- Say Goodbye to this beautiful location.
- Head back to Rishikesh and board on the bus for an ongoing journey with sweet memories of the trip.
How to Reach
By Train:
Rishikesh is the nearest railway station to Joshimath. The Joshimath is 255 km far away from Rishikesh. This railway station is well connected with all major railway stations throughout India. From Rishikesh, you can board on the government/private bus or hire a cab to reach Joshimath.
By Road:
By road connectivity between Rishikesh and Joshimath is strong. To reach Joshimath from Rishikesh by road requires 9-10 hrs drive either by bus or cab. In Rishikesh, you can hire a private taxi/cab from the service providers if you feel uncomfortable to travel in a bus.
By Air:
The Jolly Grant Airpor is the main airport in the Garhwal region. It is situated in Dehradun. There are regular flights from Delhi airport to reach there. From the airport, you can hire a taxi/cab to reach Joshimath.
Best Time to Visit
The best time to visit the Valley of Flowers is the first week of June to the month of October. This valley remains closed after 31 October by the Forest Department of Uttarakhand. This valley is a part of the national park so timings for entry and exit are fixed. Camping is also not allowed.
This is all about the Valley of Flowers. So -” Stay Blessed, Keep Trekking”
