| After the snows melt, over 300 species of flowers bloom, from mid July to September, changing almost daily. Apart from flowers, the valley is also the home of certain species of butterlies, the blue sheep, Himalayan bear, the Himalayan mouse hare and the snow leopard. |
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Ghanghria is the base to the Valley of Flowers and Hemkund Sahib. Situated 13 kms from Govindghat and 2km before Govind Dham. Camp Caravan is a full fledged camp with Alpine and Deluxe tents.
The Valley of Flowers national park appeared on the tourist map only as early as 1931 when Frank Smith a British tourist stumbled accross this valley when he lost his way, while returing back after sucessfully climbing Mt. Kamet.
The national park starts from Ghanghria, but one reaches the main valley only after crossing the gorge and the stream starting from the Nar Parvat, 3kms from Ganghria.
From the valley, right in the front one gets an amazing view of the Ratban Parbat and to the left the Nar Parbat, which seperates Badrinath and the valley. The right side is covered with birch forests sprinkled with numerous waterfalls and punctuated by the Pushpawati river.
Hemkund Lokpal
Hemkund Lokpal is one of the most picturesque & popular high altitude lakes in the Garhwal Himalayas. It is situated 976mts above Valley of Flowers, at an altitude of 15,200 feet, sheltered by seven snow-covered peaks of the Hemkund Parvat. Hemkund Lokpal is not only one of the most scenic spots in the Garhwal but also one of the most sacred pilgrimage spots for the Sikhs, as this spot was the Sikh guru, Govind Singh's spiritual retreat. The trek to Hemkund is quite a steep climb as compared to that to the Valley of Flowers, and ponies may be necessary for the elderly. The route is enchanting with the waters Laxman Ganga in its varied moods leading the way across waterfalls & ridges carpeted with flowers of almost every imaginable colour & fragrance.
Season: June - September
Altitude: 3048 mts
Places of interest: Valley of Flowers, Hemkund Sahib Lake, NandaDevi Biosphere, Badrinath, Vasudhara Falls, Kauri Pass
Activities: Trekking, Camping, Photography, Spiritual Quest, Flora & Fauna, Culture |
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