High in the Garhwal Himalayas lies the Valley of Flowers at 15,000 ft. Its inhabitants , the rarest of the rare flora like Dactylorhiza hatagirea, Picrorhiza kurrooa, Aconitum violaceum etc. and endangered fauna like the Asiatic Deer, Snow Leopard. This trek though, is mostly about Flora and you will be lucky to sight fauna.
Note: We encourage responsible tourism. Practice these guidelines while on a trip!
Accomdations
Service Level
Transportation
Food
Age
18 to 60 yearsDifficulty
ModerateFitness Guide
Altitude gains from 6,700 ft to 14,000 ft require you to be at your cardio best, as the air gets thinner you breathe harder. The average person takes approx 5 min to run 1 km , 25 min for 5 km - this should be a good measurement. The trek however requires a person to run 5 km in under 50 min.
Who is this tour for?
Note: This is a group tour. Minimum group size is None people
Tour Experience
The Valley of Flowers is renowned the world over drawing attention from Botanists, Naturalist and academicians from around the world. Many tales and myths revolve around this trek like ,the overwhelming smell of flowers due to which trekkers fainted - however what is true is this is a magical place with the rarest of flora and fauna dotting the valley with picture postcard vistas.
Open for participants from 08 - 60 Years
- A UNESCO world heritage site
- You will never see the same flowers in a season in the valley
- The landscape setting itself is a highlight- surrounded by tall cliffs , snow clad mountains and the river Pushpavati
- Visit Hemkund sahib at 15,000 ft if not for religious reasons , then to watch flora such as Brahmakamal which only grow above 10,000 ft
- All Inclusive Trek
- Small Groups
- Price includes transport from Haridwar to Haridwar in a private 4x4
At Ecohunters especially on treks we work with local teams , practice and encourage small group Of participants or private groups. How this translates to you despite marginal increase in cost - Better infrastructure , lesser crowd , Quality ingredients in food, patient trek leaders
5N/ 6D
Departure: FixedYou will be doing:
You will be experiencing:
Itinerary
Travel notes of the day
It is advisable to reach Haridwar railway station by 6 am. Our pick up vehicle will be waiting for you. From here it's a 10 hr journey to Joshimath.
Breakfast and Lunch will be on the way at a roadside inn, exclusive of charges.
Welcome to Haridwar.
The drive route from Haridwar to Joshimath passes hugging the mountain side as you leave the forests and valleys of Garhwal behind you.
We will also be passing by the Panchprayag or the five holy confluences of Ganga - Devaprayag, Rudraprayag, Karnaprayag, Nandaprayag, and Vishnuprayag.
- Haridwar Railway Station
- Joshimath
Travel notes of the day
We will drive for Govindghat from Joshimath . We start trekking from Govindghat. Complete your social obligations as there will no network be beyond this point.
This is also the place to indulge in any last minute shopping.
Do not purchase plastic water bottles, you can refill drinking water at dhabas you will cross along the way.
Tighten your laces and grab your backpacks. We start to trek today.
Our destination for today is Ghangaria. This will be our base for th erst of the journey. It will takes us approximately 5-6 hours to reach the single lane village perched at 9600 ft.
- Joshimath-6150 ft
- Govindghat-6000 ft
- Ghangaria - 9,600 ft
Travel notes of the day
Take generous breaks but dont sit down while taking a break, it causes your muscles to relax and getting warmed up again takes precious energy.
Watchout a melting glacier and a waterfall along the way.
The trek is mostly a flat walk with lesser steep trails
We touch new heights today.
One of the agendas on this trek is to visit Hemkund Sahib, possibly one of the highest sikh shrines in the world located at 15,197 ft. Two hours of slow walking will get you above the tree line and open up to views of the landscape.
Once you reach the Gurudwara - re energize with hot chai and Khichdi before you head back down to Ghangaria
- Ghangaria-9,600 ft
- Hemkunt Sahib-15,197 ft
- Ghangaria- 9,600 ft
Travel notes of the day
We start the trek early at 6 am to make sure we spend maximum day time in the valley.
Snow patches here and there and tall mountains in the background greet you once in the valley.
This valley is open for 3-4 months and closed for the rest of the year due to heavy snowfall.
Visitors are not allowed to stay or camp in the valley hence we trek back by noon to Ghangaria
Declared a national park in 1972, the valley lies in the transition zone between Zanskar and greater Himalayas. The valley is 5 km long and 2 km wide with flowers like Blue Poppy, Snake Foil, White Leaf Hog Foot, Himalayan Rose, Meadow Geranium, Dog Flower and other species of flora.
Once in the valley every sight is picture perfect. Take advantage of the leisure time , wet your feet in the icy cold water of the stream which is aso drinkable.
In contrast to the previous day trek to the Hemkund Sahib you will find there are lesser visitors here.
- Ghangaria - 9,600 ft
- Valley of Flowers - 11,500 ft
Not quite what you are looking for?
Customize this tour!
Other Details
- Food as per menu on the trek.
- Rent for all trekking gear such as Tents, Sleeping bags, mats.
- Forest permits and camping fee.
- Trek guide, cook, support staff
- Porters/mules to carry trekking equipments.
- First aid medical kit, oxygen cylinder and UIAA certified safety equipments.
- Transport from Dehradun to Joshimath to Dehradun
- Transport to Ghangaria to Poolna and Ghangaria
- Transport from Joshimath to Badrinath and back to Joshimath
- Any kind of personal expenses on the trek.
- Meal during road journeys.
- Mules or porter to carry personal luggage.
- Any kind of travel insurance.
- Anything not specified in the inclusion list
- Food served on the trek is vegetarian
- Do not smoke cigarettes or drink on the trek, it can cause increased altitude sickness and lower lung capacity
- Practice responsible tourism - It means don't purchase plastic water bottles , don't throw your litter where convenient
- The minimum age limit is 8 years. However, minors aged between 8 to 17 should be accompanied with their parents or guardians.
- Mobile network (BSNL) is available only up to Govindghat. Electricity charging points are available at lodges. However, you need to be mindful of the fact that here could be power cuts.
- Female Trekkers share Room/Tent with female co-trekkers and same applicable for other
- We need minimum 6 people to run a fix departure but for the customised trip group size doesn’t matter
- Maintain a day as buffer for travel time owing to possible landslides or road blocks due to rains
- Carry a valid govt. ID
This is what Packing should be:
- Base Layer Tops and Bottoms (Heavyweight, Synthetic, Colder Travel Periods)
- Day Pack (21L-35L)
- Day Pack Rain Cover
- Duffel Bag (No Wheels or Rigid Frames)
- Fleece Pants
- Fleece/Wool Gloves
- Fleece/Wool Hat
- Fleece/Wool Jacket or Sweater
- Headlamp with Fresh Batteries
- Hiking Boots
- Hiking Pants (Convertible, Quick-Dry, Lightweight)
- Hiking Socks (Synthetic or Wool)
- Insulated Jacket
- Long Sleeve Shirts (Synthetic, Lightweight)
- Rain-Coat/Poncho
- Sport Sunglasses
- Sun Block and Lip Balm
- Sun Hat
- Water Bottles
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