Ghangaria

Ghangaria (also historically known as Govinddham) is a high altitude mountain settlement resting at an altitude of 3,050 meters (10,006 feet) at the confluence of the Pushpawati and Hemganga rivers in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. Surrounded by towering pine, birch, and deodar forests and steep Himalayan rock walls, Ghangaria is the mandatory, bustling base camp for two of India's most celebrated journeys, the Valley of Flowers National Park (UNESCO World Heritage Site) and the sacred Gurudwara Shri Hemkund Sahib.

A well paved 10 km mountain trail ascends to Ghangaria from Pulna/Govindghat, following the rushing turquoise currents of the Bhyundar Ganga. Inhabited only during the summer and monsoon months (May to October) by seasonal hotel operators, Sikh volunteers (sevadars), and mountain guides, the village features GMVN tourist complexes, private lodges, Gurudwara sarai facilities, and lively mountain eateries. Travelers visiting Ghangaria rest here, acclimatize to the higher elevation, and set out on day treks to the floral meadows of the Valley of Flowers (3 km away) and the glacial heights of Hemkund Sahib (6 km away).