Valley of Flowers is located in Chamoli district (near Badrinath) of Uttarakhand, approximately 300 km to the north of Rishikesh.  Valley of flowers is a World Heritage Site for its wild untamed blooms surrounded by white peaks. It is open from June to September every year.

At the meeting point of the Himalayan ranges, Zanskar and Western and Eastern Himalayas, the valley of flowers discovered by Mountaineer Frank S Smith in 1931 has been declared a world heritage site for its wild untamed blooms surrounded by white peaks. Famous for its exotic varieties of medicinal herbs, it is also believed that Hanuman brought Sanjivani to the ailing Lakshmana from the valley of flowers. A perfect place to laze around the umpteen number of Himalayan water-falls, streams and paddocks and let the beauty of the place sink in.

Valley of Flowers National Park

Resting in the Western Himalayas, the Valley of Flowers in Uttarakhand is a lively and beautiful national park famous for its meadows of alpine flowers. Combined with Nanda Devi National Park, the two of them together constitute the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve. It was also included in the list of the World Heritage Sites by UNESCO in 2005. Initially known as Bhyundar Valley, its name was changed to Valley of Flowers by the British mountaineer Frank S Smythe in the year 1931. Gifted with a diverse range of flora and fauna, this picturesque beauty is one of its kind. Situated high in the lofty Himalayas of the Garhwal region, this enchanting valley is also considered as the place from where Hanuman collected Sanjeevani Buti to cure Lakshmana.

The verdant pastures, beautiful mountains, and running streams attract millions of tourists every year from all over the world. No human settlements are present inside the park and grazing is completely banned. Since it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, many international travellers visit the biosphere reserve. Situated in the transition zone between Eastern and Western Himalayan flora, seven restricted-range bird species are prevalent in this part of the Himalayas. The trek to the valley of flowers is indeed a one to remember for it is lined up with wild rose bushes, perfumed wildflowers and wild strawberries. It is a must-visit place for all those who love serenity combined with nature’s beauty.

Nanda Devi National Park

In proximity to Nanda Devi, which is the second highest peak in India, lies the Nanda Devi National Park in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this park is one of the most biodiverse regions in the world and is home to some of the rarest and unique high-altitude flora and fauna in the world. The breathtaking views, coupled with the richness of biosphere, set this national park aside from all others that are located in the country.

The area was given the status of a national park in the year 1982 to protect and conserve the exotic flora and fauna in the region and to save it from further environmental degradation. Today, the Nanda Devi National Park is one of the most important ecological hotspots of the world and is home to a variety of birds, mammals, plants, trees and butterflies.

The Nanda Devi National Park offers marvellous opportunities for trekking and hiking and is indeed an adventure enthusiast’s dream come true. In fact, the trek to the base camp is considered to be one of the most challenging ones. The Nanda Devi National Park is open to visitors for only six months in the entire year, from 1 May to 31 October. There are also countless opportunities here of exploring the beauty and grandeur of nature. The Valley of Flowers, Badrinath Temple and Hemkund Sahib, located in the vicinity of the national park are also famous tourist destinations. This important ecological hotspot of the world is a great place to be at, to be in touch with both, yourself and nature.

Fauna & Flora

This area is home to several rare and endangered species including the Snow leopard, Asiatic black bear, musk deer, flying squirrel, tahr, brown bear, red fox and blue sheep.However, the density of animals is very low. Among the birds, Himalayan Monal Pheasant and other high altitude birds can be sighted in this National Park. Among flowers, orchids, poppies, primulas, marigold, daisies and anemones are very abundant. However, there are more than 500 species of higher plants in this area. Some of these plants also have medicinal values.

                Source: Holidify