Fast Facts
Location : Garhwal Hills, Uttaranchal.
Area : 87.50 sq. km
Major Attractions : Tahr, Musk Deer, Himalayan Bear, Snow
Leopard.
Best Time To Visit : August to September, open only from
June to October.
Introducing Valley of Flowers
Situated high in the Garhwal Himalayan range, the Valley of Flowers is a
land of enchanting beauty. Set against birches and gleaming white snow peak,
the Valley of Flowers is the place where flowers - some 500 species, romance
with clear running water streams. The Pushpawati river, emerging from the
glacial deposits, meanders through the Valley of Flowers and divides it into
two parts. The major portion of the Valley is on the right bank of the
river, which attracts large number of trekkers.
Legend goes that, this valley is the area from where Lord Hanuman collected
'Sanjeevani' herbs to revive Laxmana, the younger brother of Lord Rama. Far
from the world of civilization, earlier this valley was known to the
inhabitants as the Bhyundar Valley, the playground of fairies and nymphs.
Way back in the year 1931, the Valley of Flowers was first introduced to
the world by English mountaineer Frank S. Smith, who was on his way back
from an expedition to Mount Kamet. In 1982, the Valley of Flowers with an
area of 87.50 sq. kms was declared a National Park.
Today, with thick dew covered flowers, birds singing in the surrounding
forests and the clean pure air filled with floral aromas, the Valley of
Flowers makes a beckoning treat for naturalists, environmentalists,
ornithologists, trekkers, tourists and pilgrims.
Flora of the Park
The Valley of Flowers remains snow-covered from November to May, but in the
month of June when the ice envelope thaws, the beautiful flowering plants
cover the whole valley. Some of the important flowering plants found in the
valley are Aquilogia, Aconite, Anemone, Aster, Anaphalis Bistorta,
Codonopsis, Campanula, Corydalis, Cypripedium, Delphinium, Dactylorhiza,
Geum, Geranium, Himalayanblue poppy, Impetiens, Inula, Lobelia, Lilium,
Ligularia, Marsh, Marigold, Morina, Pedicularis, Primula, Potentilla,
Ranunculus, Rhododendron, Saxifraga, Saussurea abvallata, Straw berries,
Trysimum, Thermophis, Trolises etc.
Fauna of the Park
Of
course, the Valley of Flower is known mainly for its flowering plants, but
it is also home to a variety of wild animals. You can see wild animals like
Musk Deer, Himalayan Bear, Mountain Goats, Red Fox, Common Langur, Bharal,
Serow, Snow Leopard etc. Other wildlife attractions are Himalayan Birds,
Phigents, Butterflies and Tail Less Rat.
Activities You Can Take Part In
Trekking : A trek from Govindghat to the Valley of Flowers
is an adventurous activity, which you have to take to reach the park. While
you trek on this route, you get a close look of the beautiful countryside
and also get a chance to meet the people of the nearby areas.
Where to Stay
Accommodation facilities are not available within the park and visitors are
not allowed to stay overnight in the park. The nearby places have a wide
range of accommodation facilities, but none of them are luxurious. You can
stay at state-run tourist resthouses in Joshimath and Ghangharia. In
addition to these, there are several private tourist lodges and resthouses
in both these places.
How to Reach
Nearest airport is Jolly Grant airport at Dehradun (306 kms) which is
well-linked by flights with Delhi. Rishikesh (289 kms) is the nearest
railhead, which has several trains from different parts of the country. From
Rishikesh, take the road route to reach Valley of Flowers. Joshimath in
Garhwal is the nearest major town from Valley of Flowers. Joshmiath has
convenient road connections with the towns of Dehradun and Haridwar. From
Joshimath, hire a vehicle to reach Govindghat (17 kms), beyond which you
have to take a trek of about 17 kms to reach the gate of the park.
