Valley of Flowers

Uttarakhand is known for its revered shrine, frequented by many round the year. Beyond its image of Dev Bhumi (the land of gods), the state also boasts many notable places among travellers. One of those is, Valley of flowers, which is always on the itinerary of travellers visiting Uttarakhand. Located 301 km from Dehradun, this flora and fauna rich place is situated in Chamoli, Uttarakhand. Spreaded over 87 sq.km, it is an Indian National Park, established way back in 1982.

Nestled amidst lush green mountains and sprawling meadows, the valley offers an ethereal and enchanting view. Every year, from May to October is considered to be an ideal time to visit, as it is the perfect time when most of the flowers are in full bloom. Pushpawati river discovered by Col Edmund Smyth flows through the valley and its some streams cut the trek route.

To reach the valley, visitors need to trek a distance of 13 km from Govindghat to Ghangaria, followed by a 4 km trek from Ghangaria to Valley of flowers. Ghangaria is the last village, and visitors need to return by the evening as camping is not permitted during night by the authorities.

Along the way, tourists may encounter waterfalls, wild rivers and breathtaking views of the Himalayas. The valley is a home to various species of flora that will please you with their beauty and fragrance. However, there are some species who are on the verge of extinction and declared endangered. Along with some rare species of flowers, the valley is also home to some wild and endangered species, including the snow leopard, Asiatic black bear, blue sheep, musk deer, red fox, Himalayan Monal, and flying squirrel. However, the density of such animals is not high and prior to 2004, 13 species of mammals were recorded in the valley.

It is said that, until 1931, the valley remained undiscovered, when three British mountaineers unearthed this paradise accidentally, when they lost their way. They were pleased with the beauty of flowers, hence named the place “Valley of flowers” and of them also authored a book in its name. In 1931, Joan Margaret Legge, a prominent botanist visited the site to study flowers. During this she slipped and died on the spot. In her fond memory, her sister erected a memorial near the spot.

As soon as the valley gained recognition as a National Park by the Indian government, UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site in 2002. The valley is divided into three sub-alpine zones, foothills alpine zone, lower alpine zones, and higher alpine zones. As per the research done by the Forest Research Institute in 1992, there are around 600 species of exotic flowers including, orchids, marigolds, poppies and anemones.

With over 62 species, the Asteraceae family dominates in the valley. Apart from regular flowers, the valley is a home to various medicinal plants. At present, around 42 medicinal plants are found in the valley, which has been used by the local villagers. Moreover, Saussurea Obvallata commonly known as Brahma Kamal is often offered at religious places and is prominently used by the village to offer it to goddess Nanda Devi and Sunanda devi.