Walking into paradise: Trekking in the Valley of Flowers
THE Valley of Flowers is an alpine area in Uttarakhand, a mountainous part of north India where fields of flowers bloom through the summer and into October.
The valley is every bit as beautiful as the name suggests as not only are there profusions of gorgeous flowers of various hues but also different berries and edible grasses, and the hillsides, for the keen eye, are dotted with tahr, musk deer and ibex while snow leopards and black bears can also be occasionally spotted. It’s a delight for photographers, trekkers and nature lovers.
Photographing the delights of the Valley of Flowers. Pic: Joanne Lane, www.visitedplanet.com
The only challenge with reaching the valley is the walk itself and the condition of the roads and the path. The nearest road access is in Govind Ghat, about 17km from the start of the Valley and about 200km from Rishikesh, the nearest railway station.
The first section of the trek is the 13km from Govind Ghat to Ghangaria, climbing from 1828m to 3100m. This track is all uphill, and while the gradient is mostly reasonable there are some steeper areas and the higher altitudes will take its toll on even the fitter walkers unless you are reasonably acclimatized. Most reasonable walkers take 4-5 hours to cover this section. There are tea shops and rest houses along the way, and a mule service to carry weary trekkers if you feel you can’t continue.
Mules are used on the trails throughout the valley to transport goods and weary walkers. Pic: Joanne Lane, www.visitedplanet.com
One of the wonderful things about this route is that there are plenty of good views and even flowers and you also share the track with friendly Sikh pilgrims heading to Hemkund Sahib, a Sikh temple high above Ghangaria. Most of these pilgrims will opt for the mules, however you will see some walking barefooted. The path itself is in good condition and mostly paved and there are no difficult sections to negotiate.
Ghangaria has plentiful accommodation and restaurants. There is also a Sikh Gurdwara to accommodate those on religious pilgrimage. Prices are as low as Rs. 200-300 per room in low season and up to Rs. 3000 in high season (July-August). Hotels will provide packed lunches.
The valley is still another 4-6km away so it is best to stay the night in Ghangaria and continue trekking the next day. The walk into the valley was closed in mid 2013 after heavy rain fall brought parts of the hillside down and wiped out an access bridge. The bridge has been repaired and a new path of 6km was completed in September 2014. The old path is 4km but may not yet be reopened. The condition of this lower path is reasonable but it does climb into the valley and the affects of altitude can be felt. Trekkers who are afraid of heights may not enjoy traipsing some of the landslide sections. Guides are available in Ghangaria if you feel you may need assistance.
Trekking into the valley. Pic: Joanne Lane, www.visitedplanet.com
The valley itself stretches for about 8km beyond this access track and leads to the base of a glacier. The valley is neither very narrow nor particularly broad but the path is easy, although it does continue to climb gently from 3342m to 3658m. From June-October different flowers bloom although July-August is the height of the season. You will still find clusters of flowers into September and October along with a beautiful change of colour in trees and grasses into the autumn months. Beyond October the valley is normally closed as snow falls start and temperatures drop.
Just one of the many flowers you can find in the valley. Pic: Joanne Lane, www.visitedplanet.com
A river runs through the base of the valley while grasses and trees cover the slopes above where tahr and ibex may be spotted (binoculars are handy for this). These animals tend to be come further down into the valley as the winter sets in and during the warmer months may not be as easy to spot.
It’s possible to explore beyond the glacier but you need to make sure you leave plenty of time to get back to Ghangaria in daylight. The majority of trekkers spend most of their time just in the first few kilometres of the valley wandering from one profusion of flowers to the next. An alpine picnic here amongst the flowers, or even a nap in the warmth of the sun, is an ideal way to break up your trek.
For those with additional time on their hands, it’s definitely worth spending a day to continue up to Hemkund Sahib with the rest of the pilgrims. This would require an additional day as the 6km climb from Ghangaria to Hemkund Sahib at 4300m takes about 2-3 hours for a good walker and it’s worth spending a few hours at the top before the 1-2 hour trek down. There’s a Sikh Gurdwara (temple) here that all are welcome to visit. Simply take your shoes off and cover your head. Dress warmly for your time on top as it can be very cold. There’s also a lake where people bathe for religious purification although the water is freezing and it’s a challenge for some. There’s often a simple ceremony held by the lake shore you are welcome to watch and you can also walk around the lake where flowers grow by the shores or in the grassy areas above. Hot chai (tea) and even simple food is available for free in the building next to the Gurdwara.
The trek back to Ghangaria takes a good 1-2 hours and from Ghangaria back to Govind Ghat is at least three hours. This could be undertaken in one day if your legs can handle the downhill onslaught. If you have the time it would be best to stay overnight in Ghangaria and leave early the next morning and undertake part of the road journey the first day.
The beautiful Valley of Flowers. Pic: Joanne Lane, www.visitedplanet.com
OTHER PRACTICALITIES
As temperatures plummet in the mountains in the late afternoon / evening make sure you pack warmly, although day temperatures can be pleasant even into October. Transport to Govind Ghat is best undertaken by private vehicle. Taxis can be rented for the journey with the driver waiting for your return. Trains are available to Rishikesh and then buses do leave for Joshimath where jeeps can be hired to Govind Ghat. The condition of the road to Govind Ghat can vary and you may wish to check with a trekking agency first that operates in the valley that it is passable and the approximate time to cover the distance as this may affect your planning. When the road is good it can still take a good 12 hours to cover this distance as the route is mountainous and there are landslides to negotiate and other obstacles. Rajnish Singh Chauhan runs a photo shop in Ghanghria and is an excellent local trekking guide into the valley, to Hemkund Sahib or for expeditions further afield.
Agoda
MT Ramelau is East Timor’s highest mountain at 2986m and a popular climb for those living in or visiting the capital Dili. The mountain is also known as Tatamailau meaning “grandfather of all” and has cultural and religious significance. In 1997 a statue of the Virgin Mary was erected on top and there are pilgrimages…>
MOST travellers would not equate Asia with being a good place to see wildflowers, but thanks to some high altitude plateaus and its dramatic change of seasons, there are numerous locations to see profusions of wildflowers. Here are some of these places.
Villa Kiara Boutique Hotel
Urban Boutique Hotel
Siem Reap, , Cambodia
Deal USD $ 125 per night
Barefoot Sakau Lodge
River Guesthouse
Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia
Deal USD $ 75 per night
The Peninsula
Urban, Luxury
Bangkok, , Thailand
Deal USD $ 185 per night
Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit
Urban Luxury Hotel
Bangkok, , Thailand
Deal USD $ 125 per night
Shangri La Bangkok
Urban Luxury
Bangkok, , Thailand
Deal USD $ 175 per night
The Heritage House & Gardens
Boutique Resort
Chiang Mai, , Thailand
Deal USD $ $115 per night
Dream Bangkok
Boutique Hotel
Bangkok, , Thailand
Deal USD $ 84 per night
Santhiya Koh Phangan Resort & Spa
Boutique Resorts
Koh Phangan, , Thailand
Deal USD $ 184 per night
Sala Samui
Boutique Resort
Koh Samui, , Thailand
Deal USD $ 225 per night
Panviman Resort
Boutique Resort
Bantai, Koh Phangan, Thailand
Deal USD $ 275 per night
The Racha
Luxury Resort
Racha Island, , Thailand
Deal USD $ 250 per night
Lebua At State Tower
Urban Luxury Hotel
Bangkok, Bangrak, Thailand
Deal USD $ 150 per night
The Sukhothai Bangkok
Boutique Hotel
Bangkok, , Thailand
Deal USD $ 190 per night
Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Resort & Spa
Luxury Resort
Koh Samui, , Thailand
Deal USD $ 125 per night
Zeavola Resort
Boutique Resort
Ao Nang, Koh Phi Phi , Thailand
Deal USD $ 210 per night
Rachamankha Hotel
Boutique Hotel
Changmai, , Thailand
Deal USD $ 150 per night
LUXX
Boutique Hotel
Bangkok, , Thailand
Deal USD $ 75 per night
The Nam Hai
Luxury Villa
Hoi An, Quang Nam Province, Vietnam
Deal USD $ 550 per night
Hotel Penaga
Boutique Hotel
Georgetown, , Malaysia
Deal 150 per night
Hibiscus Villa
Luxury Villa
Kudat, Sabah, Borneo
Deal USD $ 750 per night
Sepilok Jungle Resort
Nature Resort
Sandakan, Borneo, Malaysia
Deal USD $ 10 per night
Old Penang Guesthouse
Urban Boutique Guesthouse
Penang, Georgetown, Malaysia
Deal USD $ 10 per night
Marco Polo Hotel
Urban Luxury Hotel
Davao City, , Philippines
Deal USD $ 92 per night
Pearl Farm Resort
Luxury Beach Resort & Spa
Davao, Samal, Philippines
Deal USD $ 119 per night
Bohol Beach Club
Beach Adventure Resort
panglao, Bohol, Philippines
Deal USD $ 111 per night
Eastwood Richmonde Hotel
Urban Hotel
Metro Manila, , Philippines
Deal USD $ 94 per night
Casa Leticia Boutique Hotel
Urban, Boutique
Davao City, , Philippines
Deal USD $ 67 per night
Satrisna Home
Urban Guesthouse
Tanjung Bungah, Penang, Malaysia
Deal USD $ 125 per night
Manila Hotel
Urban Hotel
Manila, , Philippines
Deal USD $ 185 per night
Dusit Thani Manila
Urban Hotel
Manila, , Philippines
Deal USD $ 140 per night
Sipadan Kapalai Dive Resort
Beach Resort
Kapali, Sipadan Island, Malaysia
Deal USD $ 1000 per night
Sukau Rainforest Lodge
Eco River Retreat
Kinabatangan River, Borneo, Malaysia
Deal USD $ 400 per night
Casa Nicaros Hotel
Urban Budget Hotel
Manila, , Philippines
Deal USD $ 50 per night
The Poseidon House
Luxury Villa
Kudat, Sabah, Malaysia
Deal USD $ 363 per night
Abaca Boutique Resort
Spa & Wellness Resort
Lapu Lapu City , Mactan Island, Philippines
Deal USD $ 340 per night
Sangria Langkawi
Luxury Beach Villa
Pantai Tengah, Langkawi, Malaysia
Deal USD $ 530 per night
Eternity Springs Art Farm
Eco Wellness Retreat
Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia
Deal USD $ 100 per night
Bali Dynasty Resort
Beach Resort
Kuta, Bali, Indonesia
Deal 132 per night
Club Bali Hawaii
Beach, Adventure
Anyer, Bali, Indonesia
Deal USD $ 90 per night
Desa Seni
Boutique Spa Resort
Canggu, Bali, Indonesia
Deal USD $ 125 per night
Alila Ubud
Boutique Retreat Resort
Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Deal USD $ 163 per night
Long Life Hotel
Urban Budget Hotel
Hoi An, , Vietnam
Deal USD $ 28 per night
Grace Hotel Beijing
Urban Boutique Hotel
Beijing, 798 Art District, China
Deal USD $ 135 per night
Life Heritage Resort Hoi An
Urban Retreat
Hoi An, , Vietnam
Deal 131 per night
Princess D’Annam Resort & Spa
Boutique Resort
Binh Thuan, , Vietnam
Deal USD $ 250 per night
Evason Ana Mandara Hideaway
Luxury Beach Resort
Nha Trang, , Vietnam
Deal USD $ 200 per night
Victoria Chau Doc Hotel
Boutique Hotel
Chau Doc , , Vietnam
Deal USD $ 125 per night
The Terraces
Boutique Hotel
Kanatal, Uttarkhand, India
Deal USD $ 240 per night
The Orchid
Urban Boutique Hotel
Beijing, Gulou, China
Deal USD $ 110 per night
The Quay
Urban Retreat Hotel
Phnom Penh, , Cambodia
Deal USD $ 70 per night
Luang Prabang River Lodge
Urban Budget Hotel
Luang Prabang, , Laos
Deal USD $ 40 per night
Royal Bay Inn Angkor Resort
Urban Hotel
Siem Reap, , Cambodia
Deal USD $ 60 per night
Knai Bang Chatt
Beach Resort
Kep, , Cambodia
Deal USD $ 115 per night
City Inn
Urban Budget Hotel
Vientiane, , Laos
Deal USD $ $60 per night
Independence Hotel
Luxury Beach Hotel
Sihanoukville, , Southern Cambodia
Deal USD $ 130 per night
Amanjaya Pancam
Urban Retreat Hotel
Phnom Penh, , Cambodia
Deal USD $ 100 per night
Sala Luang Prabang
Urban Budget Guesthouse
Luang Prabang, , Laos
Deal USD $ 50 per night
La Residence d’Angkor
Luxury Hotel
Siem Reap, , Cambodia
Deal USD $ USD $285 per night
Settha Palace Hotel
Urban Boutique Hotel
Vientiane, , Laos
Deal USD $ 150 per night
Wanderlust
Urban Boutique Hotel
, , Singapore
Deal USD $ 158 per night
The Mercer
Designer Luxury Hotel
Hong Kong, Sheung Wan, China
Deal USD $ 200 per night
The Club Hotel
Urban Boutique Hotel
China Town, , Singapore
Deal USD $ 188 per night
L’Hotel Nina at Convention Center
Urban Budget Hotel
Hong Kong, The New Territories, China
Deal USD $ 100 per night
Hotel Fort Canning
Urban Hotel
, , Singapore
Deal USD $ 240 per night
Marina Bay Sands
Urban Hotel
Marina Bay, , Singapore
Deal USD $ 341 per night
Hullet House
Urban Luxury Hotel
Hong Kong, Kowloon, China
Deal USD $ 500 per night
Hotel De Edge
Urban Designer Hotel
Hong Kong, Sheung Wan, China
Deal USD $ 100 per night
Sunrise Nha Trang Beach Hotel & Spa
Luxury Beach Resort
Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa province, Vietnam
Deal USD $ 134 per night
Maya Ubud Resort and Spa
Mountain Luxury Retreat
Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Deal USD $ 295 per night
Batu Karang Lembongan Resort
Luxury Beach Resort
Nusa Lembongan, Bali, Indonesia
Deal 230 per night
Bon Ton Resort
Beach Luxury Villa
Pantai Cenang, Pulau Langkawi, Malaysia
Deal USD $ 250 per night
Clove Hall
Urban Boutique Hotel
Georgetown, Pulau Penang, Malaysia
Deal USD $ 180 per night
The Secret Sanctuary Boutique Cottage
Boutique Guesthouse
Kuching, Borneo, Malaysia
Deal USD $ 35 per night
O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat
Boutique Resort
Canungra, Queensland, Australia
Deal USD $ 200 per night
Argonauta Boracay
Beach Boutique Hotel
Hagdan, Boracay Island, Philippines
Deal USD $ 120 per night
Anggun Boutique Hotel
Urban Boutique Hotel
Kuala Lumpur, Bukit Bintang, Malaysia
Deal USD $ 75 per night
Soria Moria
Urban Retreat
Siem Reap, Old French Quarter, Cambodia
Deal USD $ 40 per night
La Villa Battambang
Boutique Guesthouse
Battambang, Rattanak Srok, Cambodia
Deal USD $ 55 per night
The Apsara
Urban Boutique Guesthouse
Luang Prabang, Luang Prabang Province, Laos
Deal USD $ 75 per night
Salana Boutique Hotel
Urban Boutique Hotel
Vientiane, Wat Chan , Laos
Deal USD $ 100 per night
Villa Santi Hotel
Boutique Hotel
Luang Prabang, Ban Wat Sene, Laos
Deal USD $ 90 per night
TenFace Bangkok
Boutique Hotels
Bangkok, Pathumwan, Thailand
Deal USD $ 87 per night
Villa Lomchoy
Luxury Villa
Chaweng, Koh Samui, Thailand
Deal USD $ 275 per night
Hintok River Camp @ Hellfire Pass
Rivers Glamping
Kanchanaburi, River Kwai, Thailand
Deal USD $ 125 per night
Luang Poj Boutique Hostel
Boutique Guesthouse
Ranong, City Centre, Thailand
Deal USD $ 13 per night
The Chedi, Chiang Mai
Luxury Boutique Hotel
Chiang Mai, Chang Khlan, Thailand
Deal USD $ 250 per night
Villa Blubambu
Luxury Spa Villas
Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia
Deal USD $ 115 per night
Santi Sari
Luxury Guesthouse
Goris, Bali, Indonesia
Deal USD $ 200 per night
La Residence Hue
Boutique Hotel
Hue City, Tha Thien-Hue, Vietnam
Deal USD $ 118 per night
Ana Mandara Villas Dalat Resort & Spa
Luxury Resort
Dalat, Lam Dong, Vietnam
Deal USD $ USD $175 per night
Hotel G
Urban Boutique Hotel
Beijing, Sanlitun, China
Deal USD $ 170 per night
Tiger Rock
Luxury Boutique Guesthouse
Pangkor Island, Perak, Malaysia
Deal USD $ 200 per night
The Opposite House
Urban Luxury Boutique Hotel
Beijing, Sanlitun, China
Deal USD $ 330 per night
The T Hotel
Urban Designer Hotel
Hong Kong, Pokfulam, China
Deal USD $ 150 per night
Hotel ICON
Urban Luxury Boutique Hotel
Hong Kong, Kowloon, China
Deal USD $ 335 per night
Hotel 1929
Urban Boutique Hotel
Singapore, Chinatown, Singapore
Deal USD $ 136 per night
The Scarlet Hotel
Urban Boutique Hotel
Singapore, , Singapore
Deal USD $ 200 per night
New Majestic Hotel
Urban Boutique Hotel
Singapore, Chinatown, Singapore
Deal USD $ 196 per night
Rohet Garh
Luxury Boutique Hotel
Rohet Garh, Rajasthan, India
Deal USD $ 100 per night
Padmini Niwas
Luxury Hotel Test
Mussoorie, Uttarkhand, India
Deal USD $ 33 per night
Orange County
Boutique Luxury Resort
Coorg, Karnataka, India
Deal USD $ 380 per night
Old Harbour Hotel
Luxury Boutique Hotel
Fort Kochi, Kerala, India
Deal USD $ USD $185 per night
Nilaya Hermitage
Boutique Luxury Hotel
Arpora, Goa, India
Deal USD $ 397 per night
Maneland Jungle Lodge
Adventure Resort Retreat
Sasan Gir, Gujurat, India
Deal USD $ 65 per night
House of MG
Urban Boutique Hotel
Ahmedabad, Gujurat, India
Deal USD $ 92 per night
Hotel Bougainvillea
Budget Boutique Guesthouse
Anjuna, Goa, India
Deal USD $ 15 per night
Fort Tiracol
Luxury Boutique Hotel
Tiracol, Goa, India
Deal USD $ 172 per night
Fort Chanwa Luni
Luxury Boutique Hotel
Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
Deal USD $ 130 per night
Fernhills Palace
Luxury Boutique Hotel
Ooty, Tamil Nadu , India
Deal USD $ 235 per night
Carlton Plaisance
Luxury Hotel
Mussoorie, Uttaranchal, India
Deal USD $55 per night