Valley of Flowers

Valley of Flowers National Park is a globally celebrated UNESCO World Heritage Site resting in the high altitude alpine basin of the Pushpawati valley at an elevation of 3,658 meters (12,000 feet) in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. Discovered in 1931 by British mountaineer Frank S. Smythe, this 87 square kilometer pristine alpine paradise transforms every monsoon into a vibrant natural botanical carpet containing more than 500 species of wild flowering herbs.

Flanked by the snow capped Rataban and Gauri Parvat summits and bisected by the cascading Pushpawati River, the valley blossoms with rare Himalayan flora including the mystical blue poppy, sacred Brahma Kamal, Himalayan bellflowers, cobra lilies, and marsh orchids. Trekkers starting from Ghangaria cross the forest checkpost to explore a 4 km scenic stone pathway, visit the memorial grave of botanist Joan Margaret Legge, and spot rare Himalayan fauna like the musk deer, red fox, and monal pheasant.