Valley of Flowers Trek is one of the most coveted treks that opens Pandora’s box of dreamy landscapes for trekkers. An entire valley engulfed in exotic flowers, blooming in shades of pink, yellow, white, purple and more welcome you to the Valley. The gleaming Himalayan ranges act as a stunning backdrop against the valley of flowers.
It resembles a vibrant carpet weaved with wildflowers sprouting in a variety of hues. As soon as monsoon arrives in the state, the valley springs to life and a vast expanse is dotted with flowers in vivid colours. Add the charm of a lush green forest, in addition to cascading waterfalls and gushing streams in abundance.
While you are lost in the captivating valley, a thrilling surprise is in store as you navigate a thrilling yet surreal climb to Hemkund Sahib. The trek experience is enhanced when you traverse a steep ascent to reach Hemkund Sahib. Hundreds of devotees frequent the trail to pay their respects at the revered pilgrimage site nestled at 14,107 ft above sea level. The Gurudwara of Hemkund Sahib is perched at a staggering altitude, surrounded by Gharwal mountains. It is believed that the tenth Sikh Guru, Gur Gobind Singh, meditated at the location for 10 years.
Home to rare species of flora and fauna, the Valley of Flowers trek is a paradise for nature lovers, anthophiles and photographers. The valley boasts rich biodiversity and houses more than 600 species of exotic flowers. Orchids, Poppies, marigolds, daisies, and primulas are a few of the flowers that bloom in advance, presenting a spell-binding view for the trekkers.
The trek is located in Valley of Flowers National Park in Chamoli district and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is said that the trail was first discovered by British climbers who wandered off and stumbled upon a vast expanse of valley abloom in vibrant hues. Enchanted by its spectacular beauty, they called it the Valley of Flowers.
The Valley of Flowers trek starts from Ghangria. The Basecamp of Valley of Flowers trek is a remote hamlet of Ghangria. To reach the base camp, plan your travel to the nearest airport or the railway station well in advance. The base camp in Ghangria is around a 10 to 12-hour drive from Dehradun city. You can divide your journey to Ghangria into two parts.
On day 1, you can plan your travel to Pipalkoti or Josimath. You will find many state-run and private buses from Dehradun or Haridwar. However, the buses and the shared cabs start early from both locations. The bus stand is right outside Haridwar Railway station. Get on a bus going towards Joshimath or Chamoli. You will also get a shared sumo from the same location in Hardiwar. You can board a bus from near the Haridwar Bus Stand. The bus leaves at 7.45 am and drops you in Joshimath at around 7 pm.
Click here for bus options from Haridwar to Joshimath.
If you are travelling from Dehradun, go to Rispuna Pool for shared Sumo. if you want to travel by Uttarakhand Roadways bus, head to ISBT Dehradun. Most of these shared cabs and buses leave as early as 5 am. So make sure to reach there by 6 am.
It takes about 10 hrs to cover the distance of over 250 km. The next day you can drive further to Govindghat or Pulna and
Govindghat is the last place with a road connection. Another option is to drive to Pulna and then begin your hike to Ghangria. Ghangria is around 14 km from Govinfghat and 10km from Pulna.
The base camp Raithal is around 293 km and is a 10- 11 hrs drive from Dehradun. Dehradun is easily accessible by air, train and road. The nearest airport is Jolly Grant International Airport in Dehradun. You can book your tickets well in advance till Dehradun to avail of tickets at cheaper rates. You can choose to travel by air from any metro city to Dehradun. The other option is to reach Delhi by air and travel by train or bus from Delhi onwards.
If you are reaching Dehradun by air, here are a few options for planning your travel. Dehradun Airport is well connected with all the metro cities. You can book a direct or connecting flight to Dehradun. If you plan to reach Dehradun by air, ensure to land in Dehradun on Day 0.
Dehradun city is 32 km away from the Jollygrant Airport. It takes 1 hour to reach the city. You can opt to hire a cab/auto directly from the Airport. The other option is to exit the Airport complex and book an auto. The charges for prepaid cabs at the airport are exorbitant. Another low-cost alternative to get to Dehradun city is to travel on a city bus. Walk towards the Dehradun – Rishikesh highway and hop on a shared auto or city bus. You will have to wait for the bus. Regular city buses run between Dehradun and Rishikesh almost every half an hour.
If you land in Dehradun on day 0, book a hotel or dorm near ISBT, Dehradun. Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam’s hotel is 10 minutes away from ISBT and offers rooms at reasonable rates. They have economical as well as deluxe rooms.
OWLS pick-up will be available on Day 1 at ISBT Dehradun at 6. a.m.
This option will be economical for you. A flight to Dehradun will be slightly priced higher than a flight to Delhi. To cut down your travel budget, fly to Delhi, then get on a bus or train from Delhi to Dehradun.
You can book and find bus options at UTC Online or Redbus. Another option is to go to Kashmere Gate and book a bus offline. Try to board a bus or train which will arrive in Dehradun on the evening of Day 0. Reaching Dehradun on Day 0 helps you to rest before your trek starts on Day 1.
If you want to travel overnight, Nanda Devi Express runs daily and departs from H. Nizamuddin at 11.35 p.m. and arrives at Dehradun early at 5.40 a.m. Overnight Volvo AC buses also run frequently between Delhi and Dehradun. It takes 6-7 hours to get to Dehradun from Delhi.
The trek is 6 days long, including travel to and from the base camp. The team will be back in Dehradun on Day 3. You reach Dehradun in the evening, between 7 to 8 pm.
While returning you can fly directly out of Dehradun to your city. The second option is to travel by bus or train to Delhi.
If you go with the first option, you can book a direct flight from Dehradun to your city on Day 7, (Day 8, if you keep one buffer day).
The second option requires you to travel to Delhi by train or bus. Once you reach Dehradun in the evening, you can head to ISBT Dehradun and book an AC Volvo bus to Delhi and travel comfortably. The other option to reach Delhi from Dehradun is to book a train.
If you prefer the second option, book a flight that leaves in the late morning or early afternoon of Day 5. Get an overnight bus or train from Dehradun then reach Delhi in the early morning. You will have enough buffer time if you have booked an afternoon flight.
Some trekkers prefer to stay back for a day and use the buffer day to explore Rishikesh or Mussories. You can either stay for a night and explore Dehradun city or proceed home the same evening if flying out of Delhi.
