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Valley Of Flowers Trek

(3 Reviews)

Duration – 5N6D

Max Altitude – 14,107 ft

Level – Easy

Distance – 37 km

Base Camp – Govindghat

Stay Type – Lodge

Season – Jul-Sept

Min Age – 10+

 

₹ 8,250 per person

5N/6D Ex Haridwar | 5% GST applicable
  • All veg. meals (From Day 1 Dinner to Day 6 Breakfast)
  • lodge accommodation for 5 nights (quad sharing)
  • safety / first-aid gear etc.
  • forest trekking permits (if any)
  • services of trek guide, cooks & support staff
  • transport from Haridwar to Govindghat & vice versa (Ex Haridwar package only)

Upcoming Departures

Jul-Sept 2024

Jul : Daily departures  Open  
Aug : Daily departures  Open  

Custom dates available for a group of 5 or above !

Interested ? Lets plan your trip !

Quick Itinerary

Day 1 to Day 6
  • Day 1 Arrive At Govindghat Reach Govindghat; 11 hours drive from Haridwar. Early morning bus / shared jeeps available from Haridwar to Joshimath. Take a taxi from Joshimath to Govindghat (20km/50 mins).
  • Day 2 Govindghat to Ghangaria Trek from Govind Ghat (6,300 ft) to Poolna (7,200 ft) further to Ghangria (9,843 ft); 5-6 hours, 10 km
  • Day 3 Ghangaria to VOF & back Ghangria (9,600 ft) to Valley of Flowers (11,500 ft) and back; 6 hours, 3.7 km each way
  • Day 4 Ghangaria – Hemkund – Ghangaria Ghangria (9,600) to Hemkund Sahib (14,107 ft) and back; 8-9 hours, 6 km each way
  • Day 5 Ghangaria – Govindghat Trek from Ghangria (9,600 ft) to Poolna (7,200 ft) further to Govind Ghat (6,300 ft); 4 hours, 10 km drive
  • Day 6 Depart from Govindghat Depart from Govind Ghat. You will reach Haridwar between 6.00 pm and 7.00 pm.

Please note: The stay on all days of this trek will be in lodges. You will not be camping in tents.

It is mandatory for trekkers to carry a copy of their photo id for entry at forest check posts on the trek.

Valley Of Flowers Trek

05 Nights 06 Days, Uttarakhand, India

Valley Of Flowers trek takes you to the beautiful flowered valley which is also known as “Bhyundar Valley”. Valley Of Flowers is a UNESCO world heritage site known for its seasonal blossom of more than 500 different type of flowers every monsoon season.

Valley Of Flowers was discovered by Frank Smythe and his team of mountain explorers. In 1931, Frank S. Smythe was one of the six British mountaineers who climbed Kamet Peak. On his return to the plains, he crossed the Bhyundar Pass, standing at 5,086m, “with the intention of exploring the mountainous region at the sources of the two principal tributaries of the Ganges, the Alaknanda and Gangotri rivers.” The next day, Smythe descended to “lush meadows . . . embordered amidst flowers. The Bhyundar Valley was the most beautiful valley that any of us had ever seen. We camped in it for two days and we remembered it afterwards as the Valley of Flowers” (The Valley of Flowers, Frank S. Smythe, Hodder and Stoughton, 1947).

Who can do Valley Of Flowers trek ?

Valley Of Flowers is an ideal Himalayan multi-day trek for trekkers looking for a moderate level trail. On most parts, its just an easy gradient valley walk except for some patches. On the whole, its suitable for people with average fitness level, for beginners and even kids ( 10+ years ).

As Smith explored the Valley Of Flowers trek, the first flower that he noticed in some profusion was the primula, coloured “a blue so intense it seemed to light the hillside . . . At the most it stood six inches high, but its flowers were enormous for its stature, amd ample in number – sometimes as many as thirty to the beautifully proportioned umbel.” His camp, he recalled was surrounded by flowers – white anemones, golden nomocharis (which resemble lilies), marigolds, globe flowers, delphiniums, violets, eritrichiums, blue coridalis, wild roses and rhododendrons. Higher up, near the moraine, were saxifrage, yellow and red potentilla, geranium, asters and gentians, so many that “it was impossible to take a step without crushing a flower.”(Frank S. Smythe)

The valley had long held a place in local legend, and was called Nandan Kanan – the garden of Lord Indra. But Smythe’s name stuck, and the Valley of Flowers trek, as it’s known today. Though the Himalayas are home to countless alpine meadows, called bugyals” in Uttarakhand and “thatch” in Himachal, the Bhyundar Valley has come to occupy the popular imagination as the place to see alpine blossoms in the Himalayas. If you stand at the foot of the valley, grassy meadows run down to the cleft of the stream, which, even in August, is still fringed by ice. On both sides, green slopes turn to dark rock as they vault into deep blue skies. Rising gently, the valley ends as a notch on the horizon, crested by the snows of the Rataban (6,166m) and Nilgiri (6,474m) peaks. And underfoot, the flowers that give the valley its name.

Mercifully, you don’t have to climb Kamet Peak to get to the valley – the next time Smythe visited the region, it was via Joshimath, which is today a major army station, and on Badrinath route.

Start / End Point

Govindghat (8 hrs from Haridwar)

Nearest Roadhead

Govindghat

Nearest Railhead

Dehradun Railway Station

Nearest Airport

Jolly Grant near Dehradun

Price Inclusions

  • all veg snacks & meals during trek
  • lodge accommodation for 5 nights (standard quad sharing)
  • camping equipment (tents, mats, sleeping bags etc.) if any
  • forest camping & trek permits (INDIANS ONLY)
  • services of trek leaders, trek guides, cook, helpers
  • transport from Dehradun to Govindghat & vice versa ( Ex Dehradun package only)

Price Exclusions

  • any kind of personal expense on food or medicines
  • any kind of travel, lodging or medical cost incurred in case a trekker decides to drop out of the trek
  • any kind of hotel or lodge stay
  • porter charges apply in case a trekker is unable to carry his / her backpack & wants to offload it on mule / porter (approx. ₹ 500-600 onwards per backpack per day) to be paid directly to the local porter
  • any thing which is not mentioned in the inclusions
Itinerary

Itinerary

Suggested trek itinerary for Valley Of Flowers trek starting from Govindghat, the closest road head to Valley of Flowers. Ideally, this trek should be done in 5 days i.e 4 nights 5 days from Govindghat. TrailHikers recommends that you should stay a day at Govindghat on arrival to acclimatize and a day on return to rest so the trek requires a week to undertake. So it becomes a 5 Nights 6 Days itinerary from Dehradun.

Day 1 Dehradun to Joshimath / Govindghat

Drive from Dehradun to Joshimath / Govindghat. Overnight at lodge / guest house.

Day 2 Govindghat-GhangariaDistance: 13 km Time: 4-5 hrs Level: Moderate

Govindghat (1,828m) is a humongous parking lot, catering to the thousands of Sikh pilgrims threading up to the Hemkund Lake (locally known as Lokpal). The pilgrim traffic, and those catering to it, completely dominate the landscape and the walk is unending ribbon of stalls, providing tea, refreshments, full-fledged meals, phone calls and, as you climb higher, even massages ! Leave your transport on the right bank of the Alaknanda. The ascent begins as soon as you cross, and join the cheerful groups heading up to Ghangaria – now also known as Govind Dham. Tracing the path of Laxman Ganga, the mule track climbs past the terraced fields and vegetation, to the hamlet of Pulna (3km).

From here, the trail is a little wider, and more forested, with occasional glimpses of snow peaks, and of the cascading waters that feed the Alaknanda. The 7 km from Pulna to Bhyundar Village are a steady ascent and, mercifully, the altitude is moderate, so your lungs should have no problem coping.

Shortly after Bhyundar, the trail crosses the Laxman Ganga, over a bridge elevated by giant boulders. The going is somewhat harder now, but Ghangaria is only 3 km away. During the short season ( Jul-Sep ), Ghangaria (3,050m) can be enormously crowded. You can always find a place to shelter – including a Forest Rest House, gurudwara, and associated dharamshalas. But if you want some solitude, there is ample camping spots both before and after Ghangaria.

Day 3 Ghangaria-Bhyundar Valley-GhangariaDistance: 8 km Time: 7-8 hrs Level: Easy

Leave Ghangaria with the stream of pilgrims heading to Hemkund. You need to veer left (north-west) as they climb east to the lake. The trail is well marked, and is a delightful ramble as it climbs gently through a coniferous forest, before dropping down to a bridge, shack and check-post that mark the official beginning of the Valley of Flowers trek (Bhyundar Valley, 3,858m). Pay your entry / permit fee (Indians: Rs150, foreigners: Rs650 – for 3 days) here and climb up a rocky trail.

The forest is now behind you, and the flowers begin to appear. As the trail levels out and turns right (east), you begin to get a sense of the valley. To the right, just below the trail, a marble slab marks the death of Margaret Legge, a botanist from Edinburgh who fell to her death here in 1939: “I will lift mine eyes unto the Hills from whence cometh my strength.”

The Valley Of Flowers is exquisite and it seems a shame not be able to spend the night here – depending on the weather, snow bridges may still span the river below, and scrambling up-valley, crossing its numerous feeders, is a delight. In any case, do try and reach there early – both to catch the morning dew on the blossoms, as well as to make the most of the day.

Day 4 Ghangaria-Hemkund-GhangariaDistance: 6 km Each way Time: 4 hrs each way Level: Hard

Crossing the bridge over the Hem Ganga once again, head east up the heavily trafficked path. It is a challenging ascent, but derive some strength from the perseverance of the thousands of pilgrims who make the climb uncomplainingly. And if you have done the Valley of Flowers the previous day, you will be better acclimatised than most others. If you nevertheless feel drained when you reach the glacial lake (4,329m), you could try joining the more abiding in faith, who swear by the restorative powers of a dip in its clear waters.

Day 5 Ghangaria-Govindghat

Return the same way !

Day 6 Govindghat / Joshimath to Dehradun

Drive back from Govindghat / Joshimath to Dehradun.

Getting There & Out

From Rudraprayag to Joshimath, it’s 114 km/4 hrs by car or 6 hrs by bus, on the Badrinath Road via Chamoli.

Joshimath to Govindghat is another 20 km/45 mins by taxi or 1 hr by bus on this route.

Return the same way from Govindghat. This narrow road from Joshimath to Govindghat is one-way only and traffic is governed by ‘gates’, time slots that regulate departure in each direction, so look for the earliest time which you can leave. Direct buses (13 hrs) to Haridwar between 4 and 7 am. Taxis take 11 hr

FAQs

Is it necessary to hire a guide on this trek ?

Yes, it is absolutely essential to take a guide for this trek whether you are trekking solo or in a group.

What is the best season for this trek ?

The best season for Valley Of Flowers trek is Jul to Sept.

Is this trek suitable for kids ?

Yes, It is ideally recommended for 10+ age kids.

Is this trail safe for women & solo travelers ?

Yes, in fact all the Himalayan trails are quite safe for women & solo travelers. People of the region are very warm, caring & hospitable in nature.

What type of accommodation is available during this trek ?

Camping tent accommodation (2-3 per tent).

Do we have to give tip money to guides / porters ?

Guides & porters in the region will never demand any tip money from you. They just need their daily wages paid by the trek operator. However, it is always encouraging if one can give a little tip to them if they provide good services.

Which currency is accepted during transit or in nearby villages on this trek ?

Indian currency is accepted

3 Reviews
Sort By:RatingDate

Sumit Dikshit

Family Traveller

Witnessing the Valley of Flowers in full bloom was a surreal experience for us. We did find the trek a little challenging because of the rains, but it was worth it. The scenic trail to Hemkund lake offered some great views on the trek. Thanks to the extremely warm, supportive & professional trek staff of TrailHikers !

July 7, 2023

Paritosh Mitra

Group Traveller

A memorable, adventurous & awe inspiring trek to Valley of Flowers. Everything was well organized, be it stay, food, trek guide services on the trail. A BIG thanks to TrailHikers team !!!

July 1, 2023

Neeta Gupta

Family Traveller

Most memorable & enriching trek to Valley of Flowers for all our family members. Thanks team TrailHikers !

July 15, 2019