Valley of Flowers
Encyclopedia
Valley of Flowers National Park is an India
n national park
, nestled high in West Himalaya, is renowned for its meadows of endemic alpine flowers and outstanding natural beauty. It is located in Uttarakhand
state. This richly diverse area is also home to rare and endangered animals, including the Asiatic black bear
, snow leopard, brown bear and blue sheep
. The gentle landscape of the Valley of Flowers National Park complements the rugged mountain wilderness of Nanda Devi National Park
to the east. Together they encompass a unique transition zone between the mountain ranges of the Zanskar and Great Himalaya. The park stretches over an expanse of 87.50 km². Both parks are encompassed in the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve (223,674 ha) which is further surrounded by a buffer zone (5,148.57 km²). This Reserve is in the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves
since 2004.
The Valley of Flowers is an outstandingly beautiful high-altitude Himalayan valley that has been acknowledged as such by renowned mountaineers and botanists in literature for over a century and in Hindu religion for much longer. Its ‘gentle’ landscape, beautiful meadows of alpine flowers and ease of access complement the rugged, mountain wilderness for which the inner basin of Nanda Devi National Park
is renowned.
The Valley of Flowers is splashed with colour as it bloomed with hundreds of different flowers, taking on various shades of colours as time progressed. The valley was declared a national park
in 1982 and now it is a World Heritage Site. The locals, of course, always knew of the existence of the valley, and believed that it was inhabited by fairies.
The valley is home to many celebrated flowers like the Brahmakamal, the Blue Poppy and the Cobra Lily. It is a much sought after haunt for flower-lovers, botanists and trekkers.
The Valley of Flowers is internationally important on account of its diverse alpine flora, representative of the Western Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows
ecoregion
. The rich diversity of species reflects the valley's location within a transition zone between the Zaskar and Great Himalayas
ranges to the north and south, respectively, and between the Eastern Himalaya
and Western Himalaya flora. A number of plant species are internationally threatened, several have not been recorded from elsewhere in Uttarakhand and two have not been recorded in Nanda Devi National Park. The diversity of threatened species of medicinal plants is higher than has been recorded in other Indian Himalayan protected areas. The entire Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve lies within the Western Himalayas Endemic Bird Area (EBA). Seven restricted-range bird species are endemic to this part of the EBA.
The Valley of Flowers was declared a national park
in 1982. This part of Uttarakhand, in the upper reaches of Garhwal, is inaccessible through much of the year. The area lies on the Zanskar
range of the Himalayas with the highest point in the national park being Gauri Parbat at 6,719 m above sea level.
The place had disappeared from the tourist map due to its inaccessible approach but in 1931 Frank S. Smythe
a British mountaineer lost his way while returning from a successful expedition to Mt.Kamet
and happened upon this valley which was full of flowers. He was so attracted towards the beauty of the place he named it the "Valley of Flowers". He authored a book called "The Valley of Flowers" which unveiled the beauty and floral splendours of the valley and thus threw open the doors of this verdant jewel to nature-enthusiasts all over the world.
In 1939 Miss Margaret Legge, a botanist deputed by the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh arrived at the valley for further studies. While she was traversing some rocky slopes to collect flowers, she slipped off and was lost for ever. Her sister later visited the valley and erected a memorial near the spot. The memorial is still there.
Prof. Chandra Prakash Kala, a botanist deputed by the Wildlife Institute of India, carried out a research study on the floristics
and conservation of the valley for a decade starting in 1993. He made an inventory of 520 alpine plants exclusively growing in this national park and authored two important books - "The Valley of Flowers - Myth and Reality" and "Ecology and Conservation of the Valley of Flowers National Park, Garhwal Himalaya'.
Exact location: The Valley of Flowers is nestled in the upper expanses of Bhyundar Ganga near Joshimath in Gharwal region and the old name of this valley was Bhyundar Valley.
District: Chamoli
Nearest town: Joshimath
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:VOF_kumarsaurabh.jpg
, which has convenient road connections from Haridwar
and Dehradun
, both about 270 km from Joshimath.
Govindghat is a small place close to Joshimath (around one hour distance), from where the trek starts. From Gobindghat, a trek of 14 km brings trekkers to the Ghangaria
, a small settlement located about 3 km from the valley. The valley starts near a gorge over the Pushpawati River.
, snow leopard
, musk deer
, red fox
, common langur, bharal
, serow
, Himalayan black bear, Himalayan brown bear
, Pika
(Mouse hare) and a huge variety of butterflies. Among the important birds and pheasant are, Himalayan Golden Eagle
, Griffon Vulture
, Snow Partridge
, Himalayan Snowcock
, Himalayan Monal
, Snow Pigeon
, Sparrow Hawk
etc.
, primulas, marigold
, daisies
and anemones carpet the ground. Sub-alpine forests of birch
and rhododendron
cover parts of the park's area. A decade long study of Prof. C.P. Kala from 1993 onwards concludes that the Valley of Flowers endows with 520 species of higher plants (angiosperms, gymnosperms and pteridophytes), of these 498 are flowering plants. The park has many species of medicinal plants including Dactylorhiza hatagirea, Picrorhiza kurrooa, Aconitum violaceum, Polygonatum multiflorum, Fritillaria roylei and Podophyllum hexandrum.
, 295 kilometres (183.3 mi) away, and the nearest railway station is in Rishikesh, 276 kilometres (171.5 mi) away. The closest you can get to The Valley of Flowers by road is Govind Ghat. This requires around an 11 hour drive to Joshimath from Dehradun, then another one hour to Gobindghat. From Gobindghat it is a 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) trek along a steep, narrow, but well defined mountain trail to base camp at Ghangaria
. This will take between 4 and 8 hours, depending on your fitness. Ghangaria has hotels with electricity and mobile towers. From Ghangaria, another 3 km trek leads to the valley.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n national park
National parks of India
This is a list of all national parks of India. India's first national park was established in 1936 as Hailey National Park, now known as Jim Corbett National Park. By 1970, India only had five national parks...
, nestled high in West Himalaya, is renowned for its meadows of endemic alpine flowers and outstanding natural beauty. It is located in Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand , formerly Uttaranchal, is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the Land of Gods due to the many holy Hindu temples and cities found throughout the state, some of which are among Hinduism's most spiritual and auspicious places of pilgrimage and worship...
state. This richly diverse area is also home to rare and endangered animals, including the Asiatic black bear
Asiatic Black Bear
The Asian black bear , also known as the moon bear or white-chested bear is a medium-sized species of bear, largely adapted for arboreal life, which occurs through much of southern Asia, Korea, northeastern China, the Russian far east and Honshū and Shikoku islands of Japan...
, snow leopard, brown bear and blue sheep
Bharal
The bharal or Himalayan blue sheep or naur, Pseudois nayaur, is a caprid found in the high Himalayas of Nepal, Tibet, China, India, Pakistan, and Bhutan...
. The gentle landscape of the Valley of Flowers National Park complements the rugged mountain wilderness of Nanda Devi National Park
Nanda Devi National Park
The Nanda Devi National Park is a national park situated around the peak of Nanda Devi, , in the state of Uttarakhand in northern India. It was established as national park in 1982. Along with the adjoining Valley of Flowers National Park to the northwest, it was inscribed a World Heritage Site by...
to the east. Together they encompass a unique transition zone between the mountain ranges of the Zanskar and Great Himalaya. The park stretches over an expanse of 87.50 km². Both parks are encompassed in the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve (223,674 ha) which is further surrounded by a buffer zone (5,148.57 km²). This Reserve is in the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves
World Network of Biosphere Reserves
The UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves covers internationally-designated protected areas, known as biosphere reserves, that are meant to demonstrate a balanced relationship between man and nature The UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves covers internationally-designated protected...
since 2004.
The Valley of Flowers is an outstandingly beautiful high-altitude Himalayan valley that has been acknowledged as such by renowned mountaineers and botanists in literature for over a century and in Hindu religion for much longer. Its ‘gentle’ landscape, beautiful meadows of alpine flowers and ease of access complement the rugged, mountain wilderness for which the inner basin of Nanda Devi National Park
Nanda Devi National Park
The Nanda Devi National Park is a national park situated around the peak of Nanda Devi, , in the state of Uttarakhand in northern India. It was established as national park in 1982. Along with the adjoining Valley of Flowers National Park to the northwest, it was inscribed a World Heritage Site by...
is renowned.
The Valley of Flowers is splashed with colour as it bloomed with hundreds of different flowers, taking on various shades of colours as time progressed. The valley was declared a national park
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
in 1982 and now it is a World Heritage Site. The locals, of course, always knew of the existence of the valley, and believed that it was inhabited by fairies.
The valley is home to many celebrated flowers like the Brahmakamal, the Blue Poppy and the Cobra Lily. It is a much sought after haunt for flower-lovers, botanists and trekkers.
The Valley of Flowers is internationally important on account of its diverse alpine flora, representative of the Western Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows
Western Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows
The Western Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows is an montane grasslands and shrublands ecoregion of Nepal, India, and Tibet, which lies between the tree line and snow line in the western portion of the Himalaya Range.-Setting:...
ecoregion
Ecoregion
An ecoregion , sometimes called a bioregion, is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than an ecozone and larger than an ecosystem. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of land or water, and contain characteristic, geographically distinct assemblages of natural...
. The rich diversity of species reflects the valley's location within a transition zone between the Zaskar and Great Himalayas
Great Himalayas
The Great Himalayas lie north of the Lower Himalayan Range. These mountains are bounded by the Indus River in the north and the west as the river takes a southward turn at Sazin. The average height of the range is about 6000 meters. Some of the highest peaks in the world lie in these mountains e.g...
ranges to the north and south, respectively, and between the Eastern Himalaya
Eastern Himalaya
Eastern Himalaya is situated between Central Nepal in the west to Myanmar in the east, occupying southeast Tibet in China, Sikkim, North Bengal, Bhutan and North-East India. The area has been declared a biodiversity hotspot by Conservation International....
and Western Himalaya flora. A number of plant species are internationally threatened, several have not been recorded from elsewhere in Uttarakhand and two have not been recorded in Nanda Devi National Park. The diversity of threatened species of medicinal plants is higher than has been recorded in other Indian Himalayan protected areas. The entire Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve lies within the Western Himalayas Endemic Bird Area (EBA). Seven restricted-range bird species are endemic to this part of the EBA.
The Valley of Flowers was declared a national park
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
in 1982. This part of Uttarakhand, in the upper reaches of Garhwal, is inaccessible through much of the year. The area lies on the Zanskar
Zanskar
Zanskar is a subdistrict or tehsil of the Kargil district, which lies in the eastern half of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. The administrative centre is Padum...
range of the Himalayas with the highest point in the national park being Gauri Parbat at 6,719 m above sea level.
History and legends
Frank Smythe
Francis Sydney Smythe better known as Frank Smythe was a British mountaineer, author, photographer and botanist. He is best remembered for his mountaineering in the Alps and the Himalayas. He identified a region that he named the "Valley of Flowers", now a protected park...
a British mountaineer lost his way while returning from a successful expedition to Mt.Kamet
Kamet
Kamet is the second highest mountain in the Garhwal region of India, after Nanda Devi. It lies in the Chamoli District of Uttarakhand, close to the border with Tibet. It is the third highest mountain in India Kamet is the second highest mountain in the Garhwal region of India, after Nanda Devi....
and happened upon this valley which was full of flowers. He was so attracted towards the beauty of the place he named it the "Valley of Flowers". He authored a book called "The Valley of Flowers" which unveiled the beauty and floral splendours of the valley and thus threw open the doors of this verdant jewel to nature-enthusiasts all over the world.
In 1939 Miss Margaret Legge, a botanist deputed by the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh arrived at the valley for further studies. While she was traversing some rocky slopes to collect flowers, she slipped off and was lost for ever. Her sister later visited the valley and erected a memorial near the spot. The memorial is still there.
Prof. Chandra Prakash Kala, a botanist deputed by the Wildlife Institute of India, carried out a research study on the floristics
Floristics
Floristics is a subdomain of botany and biogeography that studies distribution and relationships of plant species over geographic areas.The term is not to be confused with floristry....
and conservation of the valley for a decade starting in 1993. He made an inventory of 520 alpine plants exclusively growing in this national park and authored two important books - "The Valley of Flowers - Myth and Reality" and "Ecology and Conservation of the Valley of Flowers National Park, Garhwal Himalaya'.
Management
There is no settlement in the national park and grazing in the area has been banned. The park is open only in summer between June and October, being covered by heavy snow during the rest of the year.Location
State: UttrakhandExact location: The Valley of Flowers is nestled in the upper expanses of Bhyundar Ganga near Joshimath in Gharwal region and the old name of this valley was Bhyundar Valley.
District: Chamoli
Nearest town: Joshimath
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:VOF_kumarsaurabh.jpg
The trek
Getting to the Valley of Flowers requires a trek of about 17 km. The nearest major town is Joshimath in GarhwalGarhwal Division
Garhwal is the north-western region and administrative division of the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand which is home to the Garhwali people. Lying in the Himalayas, It is bounded on the north by Tibet, on the east by Kumaon region, on the south by Uttar Pradesh state, and on the north-west by...
, which has convenient road connections from Haridwar
Haridwar
Haridwar is an important pilgrimage city and municipality in the Haridwar district of Uttarakhand, India...
and Dehradun
Dehradun
- Geography :The Dehradun district has various types of physical geography from Himalayan mountains to Plains. Raiwala is the lowest point at 315 meters above sea level, and the highest points are within the Tiuni hills, rising to 3700 m above sea level...
, both about 270 km from Joshimath.
Govindghat is a small place close to Joshimath (around one hour distance), from where the trek starts. From Gobindghat, a trek of 14 km brings trekkers to the Ghangaria
Ghangaria
Ghangaria is a small village on the way to Hemkund Sahib, and a popular pilgrimage site for Sikhs about 6 km from here and the Valley of Flowers, a national park known for its variety of flowers about 3 km from here. It is located in the northern Himalayan ranges at an altitude of 3049...
, a small settlement located about 3 km from the valley. The valley starts near a gorge over the Pushpawati River.
Fauna
The park is home to tahrTahr
Tahrs are three species of large Asian ungulates related to the wild goat. Until recently the three species were believed to be closely related and were placed in a single genus, Hemitragus. Genetic studies have proved that the three tahrs are not as closely related as thought earlier...
, snow leopard
Snow Leopard
The snow leopard is a moderately large cat native to the mountain ranges of South Asia and Central Asia...
, musk deer
Musk deer
Musk deer are artiodactyls of the genus Moschus, the only genus of family Moschidae. They are more primitive than the cervids, or true deer, in not having antlers or facial glands, in having only a single pair of teats, and in possessing a gall bladder, a caudal gland, a pair of tusk-like teeth...
, red fox
Red Fox
The red fox is the largest of the true foxes, as well as being the most geographically spread member of the Carnivora, being distributed across the entire northern hemisphere from the Arctic Circle to North Africa, Central America, and the steppes of Asia...
, common langur, bharal
Bharal
The bharal or Himalayan blue sheep or naur, Pseudois nayaur, is a caprid found in the high Himalayas of Nepal, Tibet, China, India, Pakistan, and Bhutan...
, serow
Serow
Serow may refer to:*Three species of Asian ungulate in the genus Capricornis**Japanese Serow**Mainland Serow**Taiwan Serow* Serow, Iran, a city in Urmia County, West Azarbaijan Province, Iran*Alternative spelling of Serov...
, Himalayan black bear, Himalayan brown bear
Brown Bear
The brown bear is a large bear distributed across much of northern Eurasia and North America. It can weigh from and its largest subspecies, the Kodiak Bear, rivals the polar bear as the largest member of the bear family and as the largest land-based predator.There are several recognized...
, Pika
Pika
The pika is a small mammal, with short limbs, rounded ears, and short tail. The name pika is used for any member of the Ochotonidae, a family within the order of lagomorphs, which also includes the Leporidae . One genus, Ochotona, is recognised within the family, and it includes 30 species...
(Mouse hare) and a huge variety of butterflies. Among the important birds and pheasant are, Himalayan Golden Eagle
Golden Eagle
The Golden Eagle is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. Once widespread across the Holarctic, it has disappeared from many of the more heavily populated areas...
, Griffon Vulture
Griffon Vulture
The Griffon Vulture is a large Old World vulture in the bird of prey family Accipitridae.The Griffon Vulture is long with a wingspan. In the nominate race the males weigh and females typically weigh , while in the Indian subspecies the vultures average...
, Snow Partridge
Snow Partridge
The Snow Partridge is a gamebird in the pheasant family Phasianidae found widely distributed across the high-altitude Himalayan regions of India, Pakistan, Nepal and China. It is the only species within the genus...
, Himalayan Snowcock
Himalayan Snowcock
The Himalayan Snowcock is a snowcock in the pheasant family Phasianidae found across the Himalayan ranges and parts of the adjoining Pamir range of Asia. It is found on alpine pastures and on steep rocky cliffs where they will dive down the hill slopes to escape. It overlaps with the slightly...
, Himalayan Monal
Himalayan Monal
The Himalayan Monal, Lophophorus impejanus also known as the Impeyan Monal or Impeyan Pheasant or Danphe is a bird of genus Lophophorus of the pheasant family, Phasianidae. It is the national bird of Nepal, where it is known as the Danfe, and the state bird of Uttarakhand.Traditionally, the...
, Snow Pigeon
Snow Pigeon
The Snow Pigeon is a species of bird in the Columba genus in the Columbidae family.- Description :Snow Pigeon has a blackish head contrasting with white neck collar and white underparts shading into ashy on the abdomen. Back is brownish grey with a white patch on the lower back. Wing is pale grey...
, Sparrow Hawk
Accipiter
The genus Accipiter is a group of birds of prey in the family Accipitridae, many of which are named as goshawks and sparrowhawks. They can be anatomically distinguished from their relatives by the lack of a procoracoid foramen. Two small and aberrant species usually placed here do possess a large...
etc.
Flora
Flowers mostly orchids, poppiesPoppy
A poppy is one of a group of a flowering plants in the poppy family, many of which are grown in gardens for their colorful flowers. Poppies are sometimes used for symbolic reasons, such as in remembrance of soldiers who have died during wartime....
, primulas, marigold
Calendula
Calendula , pot marigold, is a genus of about 12–20 species of annual or perennial herbaceous plants in the daisy family Asteraceae, native to the area from Macaronesia east through the Mediterranean region to Iran...
, daisies
Asteraceae
The Asteraceae or Compositae , is an exceedingly large and widespread family of vascular plants. The group has more than 22,750 currently accepted species, spread across 1620 genera and 12 subfamilies...
and anemones carpet the ground. Sub-alpine forests of birch
Birch
Birch is a tree or shrub of the genus Betula , in the family Betulaceae, closely related to the beech/oak family, Fagaceae. The Betula genus contains 30–60 known taxa...
and rhododendron
Rhododendron
Rhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers...
cover parts of the park's area. A decade long study of Prof. C.P. Kala from 1993 onwards concludes that the Valley of Flowers endows with 520 species of higher plants (angiosperms, gymnosperms and pteridophytes), of these 498 are flowering plants. The park has many species of medicinal plants including Dactylorhiza hatagirea, Picrorhiza kurrooa, Aconitum violaceum, Polygonatum multiflorum, Fritillaria roylei and Podophyllum hexandrum.
Species
| No. | Name of Flowers | Time of flowering |
| 1. | Rhododendron arboreum Rhododendron arboreum Rhododendron arboreum is an evergreen shrub or small tree with a showy display of bright red flowers. It is found in Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Rhododendron arboreum is also the national flower of Nepal.-Description:Its name means "tending to be woody or growing in a... |
February–June |
| 2. | Primula denticuleta | April–July |
| 3. | Iris kemaonensis | June–July |
| 4. | Fritillaria roylei | June–July |
| 5. | Lilium oxypetalum Lilium oxypetalum Lilium oxypetalum is a small to medium herb of the lily family which grows to a height of 20-30cm, it is native to the N. W. Himalayas.... |
June–July |
| 6. | Arisaema costautum | June–July |
| 7. | Thermopsisa barbata | June–July |
| 8. | Rosa macrophylla | June–July |
| 9. | Caltha palustris Caltha palustris Caltha palustris is a herbaceous perennial plant of the buttercup family, native to marshes, fens, ditches and wet woodland in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere.... |
June–July |
| 10. | Fragaria nubicola Fragaria nubicola Fragaria nubicola is a species of strawberry native to the Himalaya. It is of no commercial value. All strawberries have a base haploid count of 7 chromosomes. Fragaria nubicola is diploid, having 2 pairs of these chromosomes for a total of 14 chromosomes.-External links:**... |
May–July |
| 11. | Saxifraga roylei | July–August |
| 12. | Anemone obtusiloba | June–August |
| 13. | Cypripedium himalaicum | June–August |
| 14. | Rheum australe | July–August |
| 15. | Phlomis oracteosa | June–August |
| 16. | Hackelia uncinata | June–August |
| 17. | Senecio jacquemotiamus | August–September |
| 18. | Ligularia amplexicaulis | July–August |
| 19. | Morina longifolia | July–September |
| 20. | Geum elatum | July–August |
| 21. | Geranium wallichianum | July–August |
| 22. | Impatiense sulcata | July–August |
| 23. | Meconopsis aculeata Meconopsis aculeata Meconopsis aculeata is a blue-flowered thorny species of the genus Meconopsis with a small geographical distribution restricted to specific areas of Pakistan and India, in the west Himalayas... |
July–August |
| 24. | Delphenium roylei | July–August |
| 25. | Aconitum Aconitum Aconitum , known as aconite, monkshood, wolfsbane, leopard's bane, women's bane, Devil's helmet or blue rocket, is a genus of over 250 species of flowering plants belonging to the buttercup family .-Overview:These herbaceous perennial plants are chiefly natives of the mountainous parts of the... hookeri |
August–September |
| 26. | Thalictrum reniforme | July–September |
| 27. | Potentilla atrosanguinea | July–September |
| 28. | Sedum ewersii | August–September |
| 29. | Dactylorhiza hatagirea | June–July |
| 30. | Bistorta affinis | August–September |
| 31. | Stachys sericee | August–September |
| 32. | Nepeta connata | August–September |
| 33. | Pedicularis hoffmeistri | July–August |
| 34. | Swertia hookeri | August–September |
| 35. | Gentiana ornata | August–September |
| 36. | Gaultheria erichophy | August–September |
| 37. | Codonopsis affinis | August–September |
| 38. | Angelica cyelocarpa | July–September |
| 39. | Leontopodium jacotianum | July–September |
| 40. | Saussurea fastuosa | July–September |
| 41. | Campanula latitotia | August–September |
| 42. | Cyananthus lobotus | August–September |
| 43. | Sassurea obvallata | August–September |
| 44. | Cremanthodium ellisii | July–September |
| 45. | Anaphalis triplineruts | July–September |
| 46. | Inula grandiflora | August–September |
| 47. | Aster albescens | July–September |
| 48. | Selinium tenuifolium | August–September |
| 49. | Heracleum pinnatum | August–September |
| 50. | Epilobium latisperma | August–September |
| 51. | Silene setisperma | August–September |
| 52. | Arenaria griffithii | August–September |
| 53. | Corydalis junecea | August–September |
| 54. | Erigerono multiradiatus | August–September |
| 55. | Polygonum molle | August–September |
| 56. | Himalayan Blue Poppy | July–September |
| 57. | Codonopsis viridis | July–August |
| 58. | Origanus vulgare | July–August |
| 59. | Hackelia uncinata | July–August |
| 60. | Salvia hins/lanata | July–August |
| 61. | Smilacina purpurea/oleracea | June–July |
| 62. | Viola biflora Viola biflora Viola biflora is a species of the genus Viola. It is also called twoflower violet. It is found in Europe, Siberia, Central Asia, Pakistan, Western & Northern China, North Korea, Japan, and Western North America.... |
June–August |
| 63. | Rhodiola heterodonta | July–August |
| 64. | Epilohium latifolium | July–August |
| 65. | Cotoneaster integrifolius Cotoneaster integrifolius Cotoneaster integrifolius is a species of Cotoneaster that is a low growing shrub. It has been grown as ornamental plants in gardens and public rock gardens. It has been introduced to Ireland, but has become naturalised. It produces a red berry-like pome fruit that are an important food source for... |
July–August |
| 66. | Dubyaea hispida | August–September |
| 67. | Saussurea costus Saussurea costus Saussurea costus is a plant in the family Asteraceae. Its root was known as costus to the ancient world. The root is also known as putchock, puchuk, koshet , Kuth, Kut, Koot or Kushta .... |
July–August |
| 68. | Ligularia fiseheri | July–August |
| 69. | Androsace museoidea | July–August |
| 70. | Eritrichium conum | July–August |
| 71. | Lindelofi anchusoides | July–August |
| 72. | Thymus linearis | June–August |
| 73. | Rheum webbianum | June–August |
| 74. | Megacorpaea polyandra | June–August |
| 75. | Trillidium govanianum | June–August |
| 76. | Satyrium nepoleanse | June–August |
| 77. | Podophyllum hexaneum | June–August |
| 78. | Picrorhiza kurrooa | June–August |
| 79. | Polygonatum multiflorum Polygonatum multiflorum Polygonatum multiflorum is a plant species of the genus Polygonatum. In Britain it is one of three native species of the genus, the others being Angular Solomon's-seal and Whorled Solomon's-seal.-References:*Matthew Wood. Random House, 1997. ISBN 9781556432323; pp. 397–408... |
June–August |
How to reach
The nearest airport is in Jolly Grant, DehradunDehradun
- Geography :The Dehradun district has various types of physical geography from Himalayan mountains to Plains. Raiwala is the lowest point at 315 meters above sea level, and the highest points are within the Tiuni hills, rising to 3700 m above sea level...
, 295 kilometres (183.3 mi) away, and the nearest railway station is in Rishikesh, 276 kilometres (171.5 mi) away. The closest you can get to The Valley of Flowers by road is Govind Ghat. This requires around an 11 hour drive to Joshimath from Dehradun, then another one hour to Gobindghat. From Gobindghat it is a 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) trek along a steep, narrow, but well defined mountain trail to base camp at Ghangaria
Ghangaria
Ghangaria is a small village on the way to Hemkund Sahib, and a popular pilgrimage site for Sikhs about 6 km from here and the Valley of Flowers, a national park known for its variety of flowers about 3 km from here. It is located in the northern Himalayan ranges at an altitude of 3049...
. This will take between 4 and 8 hours, depending on your fitness. Ghangaria has hotels with electricity and mobile towers. From Ghangaria, another 3 km trek leads to the valley.