Trek to the valley of flowers begins from Govindghat via Joshimath passing through Hemkund lake to the valley of flowers.
The valley of flowers treks will take you to the world of the most good-looking and captivating wildlife which you will cherish for a lifetime. From Govindghat, drive to Joshimath and you can observe the meeting of Bhagirathi and Alaknanda Rivers to form the River Ganges while you pass through Devaprayag. You can also look into Auli if you wish in the evening.
During the trails of a valley of flowers, you will come across various picturesque landscapes embracing alluring species of Himalayan flowers. The trail will be a sharp one but the amazing view of the seven snow-capped mountain close to you will definitely make you feel captivated.
Witness the beauty of Hathi Parvat and Saptrishi peaks that provide the beauty to the lake and you will find a small stream Himganga which flows out from the lake. It is believed that Govind Singh, the tenth Guru of the Sikh faith had meditated on the bank of this lake in one during the past times.
Location and how to reach :-
For going to this trek you will have to first reach to Rishikesh from where the trek will start. There are various options to reach Rishikesh they are listed below
- By air – the Dehradun airport called as Jolly grant airport is the nearest airport to Rishikesh which is 35 km away.
- By Bus- if you are travelling from Delhi or NCR then there is a bus depot in Rishikesh where buses from Dehradun, Delhi all come.
- By train- the nearest railway station is Haridwar which is 25 km away from Rishikesh. Trains from all over India come to Haridwar and then from Haridwar you can take a bus to reach Rishikesh.
- By Road- Driving up to Rishikesh is fun as it has got various national highways which is pretty safe to travel.
Best time:-
- Valley of flowers can be explored astoundingly during the month of July to September.
Route:-
The starting route of this journey will be from Rishikesh. The route of the journey goes like -
Rishikesh - Joshimath - Govindghat - Pulna - Ghangaria - Valley Of Flowers - Ghangaria - Hemkund Sahib - Ghangaria - Pulna - Govindghat - Rishikesh
Itinerary:-
Day 01: Rishikesh - Joshimath - Govindghat
- The journey to this beautiful trek to valley of flowers starts with great zeal, we leave early at 6 am from Rishikesh and drive to Govindghat via Joshimath/Auli.
- After this satisfying journey, we take overnight stay at a rest-house in Govindghat. The food is included in the valley of flower’s package.
Day 02: Govindghat - Pulna - Ghangaria
- Early morning we drive to Ghangaria and start the valley of flowers tour by crossing the river Alaknanda over a bridge at Govindghat and from there walk towards the Bhyundar valley through the forest area and a few villages.
- There are numerous waterfalls and lush green landscape all around. The gradient of the trail is moderate. The 14 km trek to reach Ghangharia takes about 4-5 hrs, one can also rent or hire a mule to reach Ghangharia. We take the stay at night in rest houses at Ghangharia.
Day 03: Ghangaria - Valley of Flowers - Ghangaria
- We started the day’s trek with a short ascent to the valley of flowers.
- A gradient is medium and the landscape soothing to the eye. It will take about a couple of hours to reach the highest peak point of a valley of flowers. There are everlasting meadows with splendid varieties of alpine flowers, the network of streams and big mountains all around.
- The major species of Himalayan flowers like Brahma Kamal, Anemone, Geranium, Marsh Marigold, Primula, Lilium, Potentilla, Ranunculus, Inula, Corydalis, Pedicularis, Arisaema, Ligularia, Morina, Impatiens, Saxifrages Bistorta, Anaphalis, Sibbaldia embraces the valley of flowers.
- One can spend 3-4 hrs exploring different corners & vantage points of the valley of flowers and in afternoon you can start your return journey to Ghangaria. This descent will be easier.
Day 04: Ghangaria - Hemkund Sahib - Ghangaria
- Climb to Hemkund Sahib is steep at places and will take about 3 - 4 hours.
- Hemkund Sahib is a popular Sikh Shrine built next to a lake. The lake is surrounded by wildflowers. Pilgrims take a dip in the freezing cold waters of the lake. Hot tea will be served in the Gurudwara (Shrine) before retracing steps to Ghangharia.
- Overnight we stay in rest-house at Ghangharia.
Day 05: Ghangaria - Pulna - Govindghat
- Once you will be descending to Govindghat you will find yourself caught in the picturesque beauty of the valley of flowers tour and wanted to stay there in the beautiful lap of Himalayas.
Day 06: Govindghat - Rishikesh
- While on a return journey from a valley of flowers to Rishikesh you will be cherished with the beautiful memories of the trek.
Difficulty level:-
- Valley of flowers trek is categorized as an easy to moderate trek and is a favorite among the beginners as well as enthusiastic trekkers.
Weather:-
- The valley of flowers has pretty moderate conditions and you will not find Weather as an issue. The nights although are pretty cool but if you are in full swing for the trek it will not stop you from having fun.
Meals:-
- Every Meal from Day 1 Dinner to Day 6 breakfast is included under the cost of the trek to valley of flowers. Freshly prepared and delicious food will be served in the morning & night time. During trekking hours the packed food will be provided.
Accommodation:-
- Accommodation for the valley of flower trek is in Hotels/Guest Houses and not in camps
Inclusions:-
- Guide and cook fees.
- Forest entry charges and permits.
- Transportation to and fro Rishikesh is included.
- Porter and mule support to carry camping equipment. Please note that personal luggage can be carried by mules and/or porters on chargeable basis.
- All veg meals starting from day 1 dinner to day 6 breakfast. We provide hot breakfast and hot dinner. On trekking days, packed lunch will be provided. Accommodation throughout the valley of flowers tour.
Exclusions:-
- Personal expenses like tips, personal medicines, phone calls etc.
- Accommodation in Rishikesh.
- Personal luggage with mass not exceeding 12 kg per bag per person can be carried by porters/mules at an estimate of @ Rs 350 per day per bag. One person is allowed to offload a maximum of one bag.
Things to Carry:-
- Trekking Boots: Waterproof, high ankle with good grip
- One Raincoat/Poncho
- Wind & waterproof pant
- 2-3 t-shirts/shirts – preferably quick dry
- 2 trousers (avoid shorts, fitting denims, capris)
- Warm Fleece, Alternative: a woolen sweater
- Extra pair of socks
- Waterproof Rucksack or Rucksack with rain-cover
- Water Bottle
- Slippers/Sandals/Floaters: Non-slippery
- Head Torch (hand torch would be an alternative)
- Sunglasses (it should be UV protected.) or use Photo chromatic glasses.
- Identitiy cards
- Personal Toiletries (toothbrush,toothpaste etc)
- Sunscreen cream/moisturizer/lip balm
- Personal medical kit
- Hand Sanitizer
- Wet and dry tissues
- Hat or sun protection cap
- Warm Fleece, Alternative: a woolen sweater
