7 Things to Do in the Valley of Flowers, Uttarakhand's UNESCO Meadow of Himalayan Blooms

The Valley of Flowers National Park sits at around 3,600 metres in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand, a high-altitude meadow that British mountaineer Frank Smythe stumbled upon in 1931 and later gave its English name. Spanning roughly 87 square kilometres inside the wider Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers UNESCO World Heritage property, the valley holds more than 500 documented species of flowering plants, alongside rare Himalayan wildlife, and is accessible only on foot, only in season.

1. Trek the valley floor in peak bloom

The valley is only accessible from June to early October, and different flowers take turns dominating the meadow through that window; late July into August is generally considered the peak, with the flower mix visibly changing almost week to week through the monsoon.

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2. Base yourself in Ghangaria

Ghangaria is the small settlement where the trek to both the Valley of Flowers and Hemkund Sahib begins, roughly 10 kilometres on foot from the roadhead at Govindghat. It has the last guesthouses and food options before the trail splits, and most visitors use it as a two-night base.

3. Walk to Hemkund Sahib

A separate, steeper trail from Ghangaria climbs to Hemkund Sahib, a Sikh gurdwara beside a glacial lake at around 4,300 metres, among the highest Sikh shrines in the world. Many travellers combine both treks into a single multi-day trip from the same base.

4. Follow the Pushpavati riverbed to the valley's far end

The Pushpavati river runs the length of the valley, and the walk out to its far end, past the main cluster of day visitors, is quieter and reaches glacial terrain closer to the surrounding peaks. Few visitors make it that far in a single day, which is exactly why it rewards the effort.

5. Photograph the valley's high-altitude flora

Orchids, blue poppies, primulas, marigolds, daisies and anemones are among the species recorded here, and the valley's combination of mist, glacial streams and dense colour has made it a long-standing subject for landscape and macro photography alike.

6. Spot the valley's wildlife

The park's protected status extends to fauna as well as flora, including the Asiatic black bear, snow leopard and musk deer, though sightings of the rarer species are uncommon; blue sheep and a range of Himalayan bird species are more reliably seen.

7. Visit the park's small interpretation centre in Ghangaria

A forest department centre in Ghangaria gives an overview of the valley's ecology and its 2005 UNESCO listing before the trek in, useful context for a landscape that can otherwise read as simply, spectacularly green.

Traveller tips

• The park is closed from roughly October to May; the entire trip is only possible between June and early October.
• An Indian or foreign national entry permit is required and checked at the park gate near Ghangaria.
• Mules and porters are available at Govindghat for the trek up to Ghangaria for those who prefer not to walk the full distance.
• Carry rain protection regardless of forecast; the valley sees frequent monsoon showers through its entire visiting season.