The valley of flowers is a world heritage site and is part of the famous Nanda Devi Biosphere. This national park in the far interiors of Garhwal Himalayas (Uttarakhand) is spread over 87.5 sq. Kms. This hidden jewel is a truly unique habitat, home to many endemic varieties of alpine flowers and plants. This valley is at an altitude of 3250 m and above. Over the years many nature lovers from across the globe have been visiting the valley only to be left spell bound by its beauty.
This region also plays home to many rare & endangered species of animals like Asiatic black bear, brown bear, snow leopard, blue sheep and more We offer a very special & flexible itinerary not seen before where people are going to get the option of spending many more extra hours inside and around the valley instead of just a couple of hours, if they were to take the regular itinerary.
Our trip will have you walking large parts of the valley and climb up to a beautiful vantage point to observe the colossal beauty of this natural wonder. We will also explore higher reaches around the valley and retrace the steps of Frank Smythe, the legendary mountaineer who discovered this valley by chance while coming down after a successful summit of Mt. Kamet IN 1931. Not many people have walked this route.
We will meet at Haridwar railway station at 7 a.m and from here board a vehicle (arranged by us) and be driven up to Auli. This is a long but interesting drive. You will for most part of the journey drive along the Ganga & Alaknanda rivers. En route you will be crossing the holy towns of Rishikesh, Dev Prayag & Rudra Prayag. Evening relax at the beautiful lodge set up in an apple orchar
Early morning drive for about an hour or so to reach Govindghat, our starting point for the trek. We start the trek by crossing the river Alaknanda over a bridge at Govindghat and from there walking towards the Bhyundar valley through forest area and a few villages. There are numerous waterfalls and absolutely lush green landscape all around. The gradient of the trail is moderate. The 14 kms trek to reach Ghangria takes about 4-5 hrs, one can also hire a mule or use the helicopter service to reach Ghangria. Overnight in GIO’s Camp Valley of Flowers, Ghangharia.
It's a delightful and short ascent to the valley. Gradient is moderate and the landscape extremely soothing to the eye. It will take about a couple of hours to reach the valley. The beauty of this world renowned valley totally lives up to its reputation. There are unending meadows laden with varieties of alpine flowers, network of streams and big mountains all around.
At the entrance of the Valley stands the snow-clad peak of Ratban Parvat, towards the left is Nar Parvat, which separates the Badrinath valley from this valley, and to the right is dense Birch forest on the hillsides. We will spend 3-4 hrs exploring different corners & vantage points of the valley and towards late afternoon head back to the camp at Ghangria.
Today's climb to Hemkund Sahib is steep at places and will take about 3 - 4 hrs. Hemkund Sahib is a popular Sikh Shrine built next to the beautiful lake. The lake is surrounded by wild flowers with Brahmkamal being the most popular. Pilgrims take a dip in the freezing cold waters of the lake, not an easy task. The hot tea served in the Gurudwara (shrine) is divine to say the least. We will also visit the Laxman mandir next to the Gurudwara. Towards afternoon head back to Ghangria. Overnight in the camp at Ghangharia.
Today we trek back to Govindghat and from there drive for about an hour to reach the beautiful temple town of Badrinath. Situated on the banks of holy Alaknanda and with the backdrop of
Neelkanth peak, an ancient temple with hot sulphur water pools and crisp and clean air, Badrinath is a wonderful destination to visit. For the spiritually inclined, there can be no better place. Later in the evening we return to Himalayan Eco Lodge, Auli where a hot shower followed by a sumptuous meal awaits us. Overnight in H.E.L, Auli.
After breakfast drive down to Haridwar. Trek ends here
Transport Options (Delhi – Dehradun – Delhi)
For travel to Dehradun and back one can choose between air, rail & road. For air travel, the closest airport is the Jolly Grant Airport DED, and is well connected to Delhi and other parts of the country by Indigo , Alliance Air , Spice Jet , Air India and Vistara Air.
There are frequent Public Transport buses including Volvos available from Delhi to Dehradun that cost about Rs. 1200- 1500 per person. These buses depart from ISBT Delhi every 30 mins. or so and take about 8 hrs to cover the distance. The same is also applicable on the return journey. A private vehicle could also be arranged for if you require the same.
Weather Details
Located at an elevation of 2189.31 meters (7182.78 feet) above sea level, Uttarakhand has a Temperate highland tropical climate with dry winters climate (Classification: Cwb). The city’s yearly temperature is 23.67ºC (74.61ºF) and it is -2.3% lower than India’s averages. Uttarakhand typically receives about 92.31 millimeters (3.63 inches) of precipitation and has 110.55 rainy days (30.29% of the time) annually.
Please keep in mind that the above information is not exact and does not account for sudden changes. Whatever the temperatures and conditions rest assured we will be prepared to handle it with ease as we use equipment of very high specifications
The ideal time is from July to early September, when the valley is in full bloom and the weather is pleasant.
The trek is considered moderate. It’s suitable for beginners with basic fitness, as the trails are well-marked but involve gradual ascents.
The trek spans about 38–40 km in total and typically takes 6 to 7 days, including travel and acclimatization.
Yes, a permit is required and can be obtained at the entry gate in Ghangaria. It is valid for a few days.
Yes, many trekkers combine their Valley of Flowers trek with a visit to Hemkund Sahib, which is a day hike from Ghangaria.