Valley of Flowers National Park is located in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand state. Situated at an altitude of about 3600 meters above sea level, the Valley of Flowers Park makes you feel like heaven on Earth. With a stunning backdrop of the mighty Himalayan ranges, the Valley of Flowers National Park presents an ethereal view and an unforgettable experience for visitors. Spread over an area of 87 sq km in the Chamoli district, the Valley of Flowers National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and forms one of the two core zones (the other being the Nanda Devi National Park) of the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve.
Bestowed with the rare and exotic Himalayan flora, the Valley of Flowers is a bouquet of nature peacefully snuggled in the West Himalayan region of Uttarakhand. The trek of the Valley of Flowers goes through dense forests, along with the Pushpawati River, and can be reached by crossing many bridges, glaciers, and waterfalls on the way.
This richly diverse area is also home to rare and endangered animals, including the Asiatic black bear, snow leopard, musk deer, brown bear, red fox, and blue sheep. Birds found in the park include Himalayan monal pheasant and other high-altitude birds.
The Valley of Flowers is nestled in the Pushpawati River valley which is in the upper expanses of the Bhyundar Ganga River near Joshimath in the Garhwal region. The lower reaches of Bhyundar Ganga near Gobindghat are known as Bhyundar Valley. The Valley of Flowers, which lies between 30° 41′ to 30° 48’N and 79° 33′ to 79° 46’E, in the Pushpawati Valley is 20 km northwest of Nanda Devi National Park across the wide valley of the Bhyundar Ganga. It is one of two hanging valleys lying at the head of the Bhyundar Valley, the other being the shorter Hemkund Valley which runs parallel to the Valley of Flowers some 10 km south. Valley of Flowers runs east-west approximately 15 km in length with an average width of 6 km. A small tributary of the Pushpawati River originates from the Tipra glacier from Gauri Parbat in the east and flows through the Valley of Flowers.
The Valley of Flowers is a high-altitude Himalayan valley that has long been acknowledged by renowned mountaineers, botanists, and in literature. It has been recognized internationally for over a century and is referenced in the Hindu religion. Local people have visited the valley since ancient times. Indian yogis are known to have visited the valley for meditation. The Valley of Flowers has many different colorful flowers, taking on various shades of colors as time progressed.
The Valley of Flowers has gained importance as a region containing a diversity of alpine flora, representative of the Western Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows ecoregion. The rich diversity of species reflects the valley’s location within a transition zone between the Zanskar and Great Himalayas ranges to the north and south, respectively, and between the Eastern Himalaya and Western Himalaya flora. A number of plant species are considered threatened. Several have not been recorded outside of Uttarakhand. Two have not been recorded in Nanda Devi National Park. The diversity of threatened species of medicinal plants is higher than has been recorded in other Indian Himalayan protected areas. The entire Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve lies within the Western Himalayas Endemic Bird Area (EBA). The Valley of Flowers National Park is the second core zone of the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve. Seven restricted-range bird species are endemic to this part of the EBA.
The Valley of Flowers National Park attracts nature lovers from all over India. Botanists from all over the world come here every year for research.
Trek Highlights
• State – Uttarakhand
• District – Chamoli
• Duration – 5 Night & 6 Days
• Trek length – 40 Km
• Trek grade – Easy to moderate
• Start Point/End Point: Haridwar
• Maximum Altitude: 14,400 ft
• Temperature: Day 12°C-20°C and Night: 4°C-10°C
• Valley of Flowers Trek Best Time: June end to mid-September
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