The Valley of Flowers National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2005, opened its doors for tourists on Saturday, June 1. Located within the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, this enchanting location is spread over 87 square kilometres and perfectly captures the essence of natural beauty and biodiversity.
The best part is that you can escape the current heatwave being faced in other parts of the country as the temperature as of June 2, is -2 degrees Celsius. The Valley of Flowers National Park is belived to have been discovered back in 1931, when three British mountaineers — led by Frank S Smythe — had lost their way and accidentally reached this haven on earth. They were mesmerised by its beauty and named it the "Valley of Flowers”.
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Upon entering the national park, visitors can experience a visual treat as scenic as Switzerland. The is a vast range of exotic flowers, around 600 species including orchids, marigold, poppies, primulas, daisies, among others. The trek to the valley offers travellers spellbounding waterfalls and natural streams. This popular tourist attraction is located at an altitude of around 3,600 metres above sea level.
Best time to visit Valley of Flowers
The Valley of Flowers National Park must be expereinced in the months between July and September, as per the Uttarakhand Tourism Department. As of June 1, the park was opened to the public and will remain open until October-end.
Between May and October, the landscape of this vast park turns into a botanical wonderland, while there are abundance of flowers that bloom between July and September.
Also read | These 5 scenic destinations in Uttarakhand require an Inner Line Permit
How to visit Valley of Flowers
There are several ways to reach the Valley of Flowers in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district.
The nearest airport to travel to Chamoli is Dehradun's Jolly Grant Airport, which is approximately 292 kilometres away. You can land in Dehradun from various cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai (although there are very few direct flights). After reaching the airport, tourists can hire a taxi or take a bus to reach Govindghat, which is the base point for the trek. This drive takes around 10-12 hours.
If you are planning a trip by train, the closest railway station to the place is Rishikesh, which is approximately 273 kms away. There several taxi and bus facilities available at the railway station to reach Govindghat.
There are regular direct buses available from Dehradun, Rishikesh and other towns in Uttarakhand.
After reaching Govindghat, the trek to the Valley of Flowers National Park covers a distance of around 17 km. This is divided into two segments — the first section of the trek of 14 km up to Ghangaria that serves as a base camp, and the second starts from Ghangaria and covers 3 km to reach the Valley of Flowers.
The best part is that you can escape the current heatwave being faced in other parts of the country as the temperature as of June 2, is -2 degrees Celsius. The Valley of Flowers National Park is belived to have been discovered back in 1931, when three British mountaineers — led by Frank S Smythe — had lost their way and accidentally reached this haven on earth. They were mesmerised by its beauty and named it the "Valley of Flowers”.
Also read | Lesser-known hotspots along LoC in Jammu and Kashmir attracting tourists: Check where to visit
Upon entering the national park, visitors can experience a visual treat as scenic as Switzerland. The is a vast range of exotic flowers, around 600 species including orchids, marigold, poppies, primulas, daisies, among others. The trek to the valley offers travellers spellbounding waterfalls and natural streams. This popular tourist attraction is located at an altitude of around 3,600 metres above sea level.
Best time to visit Valley of Flowers
The Valley of Flowers National Park must be expereinced in the months between July and September, as per the Uttarakhand Tourism Department. As of June 1, the park was opened to the public and will remain open until October-end.
Between May and October, the landscape of this vast park turns into a botanical wonderland, while there are abundance of flowers that bloom between July and September.
Also read | These 5 scenic destinations in Uttarakhand require an Inner Line Permit
How to visit Valley of Flowers
There are several ways to reach the Valley of Flowers in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district.
The nearest airport to travel to Chamoli is Dehradun's Jolly Grant Airport, which is approximately 292 kilometres away. You can land in Dehradun from various cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai (although there are very few direct flights). After reaching the airport, tourists can hire a taxi or take a bus to reach Govindghat, which is the base point for the trek. This drive takes around 10-12 hours.
If you are planning a trip by train, the closest railway station to the place is Rishikesh, which is approximately 273 kms away. There several taxi and bus facilities available at the railway station to reach Govindghat.
There are regular direct buses available from Dehradun, Rishikesh and other towns in Uttarakhand.
After reaching Govindghat, the trek to the Valley of Flowers National Park covers a distance of around 17 km. This is divided into two segments — the first section of the trek of 14 km up to Ghangaria that serves as a base camp, and the second starts from Ghangaria and covers 3 km to reach the Valley of Flowers.
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