Situated in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, the Valley of Flowers is a natural wonder that lives up to its evocative name. It was “discovered” accidentally in 1931 by British mountaineer Frank S. Smythe along with companions RL Holdsworth and Eric Shipton, who encountered it after descending from an expedition on Mount Kamet. The valley left them spellbound with its vibrant blooms. Enchanted by the sight, they named it aptly, the Valley of Flowers.
Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the valley spans 87 square kilometers and forms a core part of the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve. At an altitude of about 3,600 meters, it bursts into a riot of color every monsoon with over 600 species of flowers, including poppies, orchids, anemones, and primulas.
Accessible by a trek from Govindghat to Ghangaria, followed by a 4–5 km hike, the journey to the valley is a feast for the senses, with birch and rhododendron forests, cascading waterfalls, and glacial streams. Wildlife species such as the Himalayan weasel, snow leopard, red fox, and lime butterfly add to the valley’s rare ecological richness. Camping is not allowed inside the park to protect its fragile ecosystem.
