Valley of Flowers

The Valley of Flowers is one of the most enchanting places in the Himalaya — a high alpine valley that, for a few brief weeks each monsoon, erupts into a carpet of hundreds of species of wildflowers in an astonishing range of colour. A UNESCO World Heritage Site and national park, it has captivated travellers since the mountaineer Frank Smythe stumbled upon it in 1931.

Cradled at around 3,600 metres and watered by glacial streams, the valley blooms with primulas, poppies, anemones, marsh marigolds and the rare Brahma Kamal, set against a backdrop of snow peaks and waterfalls. Among its flowers grows the legendary herb said to have revived Lakshman in the Ramayana, and the valley brims with both botany and myth.

Reaching it is a rewarding trek: from Govindghat the trail climbs to the base village of Ghangaria, from where a day-walk leads into the valley itself, while the same base serves the high Sikh shrine of Hemkund Sahib. Open only during the monsoon, when the blooms are at their peak, the Valley of Flowers is a bucket-list experience for nature lovers and trekkers alike.

Open only July to September when the meadows bloom. August is peak bloom with 300+ species flowering simultaneously. Book Ghangaria accommodation early.