All About It

• 6 Days  5 Nights 
• Difficulty - Moderate

It’s an easy to moderate trek that offers rare access to the Uttarakhand Himalayas which has an expanse of the valley covered with flowers. It is also considered an ideal trek for first-timers even including family and kids. One also gets a chance to visit the highest pilgrimage location of Hemkund Sahib.

• The valley itself is about 2km wide and 8 km long and the best time to visit is between July to mid of September. The temperature on this trek usually stays somewhere between 5 to 20 degrees celsius. And you can expect moderate rainfall even while trekking and the valley usually has a thick cloud cover. The most difficult part of the trek is the climb to Hemkund Sahib on the last day where we cover an altitude of about 4,300 ft in a day and that can be a bit strenuous.
• The valley was first discovered accidentally by a group of mountaineers in 1931 who were returning from an expedition to Mount Kamet. Frank Smythe, Eric Shipton, and RL Holdsworth were a part of this team. In 1980, Valley of Flowers was declared a national park and in 2000, Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve added it as the second core zone. It now comes under UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere (MAB) program. There are about 500 varieties of flowers that are found here and some of them even have medicinal properties. Since a number of plant species are considered threatened, any kind of animal grazing is not allowed in this region. When on the trek, you’ll even get to visit the memorial grave of Joan Margaret.
• The visit to Hemkund Sahib i.e. the highest religious place covered in the itinerary is difficult but rewarding and if you happen to have an extra day, you can even visit Badrinath or explore Rishikesh on your last day.
• There are well-marked trails and a series of steps laid out at some of the sections of the trek. Mules are available from Govindghat to Ghangaria and Hemkund Sahib but are not allowed to go inside the main valley. You must not expect a luxurious stay while on the trek, there is no camping on this trek and basic lodges are provided where you can expect a bit of seepage smell. There are very high chances of rainfall during the trek days. Also, keep a buffer day in your itinerary as there can be roadblocks due to the rain.
• It's a must to carry a good quality rain jacket or a poncho at all times when on the trails. Weather-resistant backpack covers should be used to keep the insides of the bag dry. Waterproof trekking shoes are recommended and you should always carry several pairs of socks when on monsoon treks.