Valley of Flowers National Park is an Indian national park that was established in 1982. It is located in Chamoli in the state of Uttarakhand and is known for its meadows of endemic alpine flowers and the variety of flora. This richly diverse area is also home to rare and endangered animals, including the Asiatic black bear, snow leopard, musk deer, brown bear, red fox, and blue sheep. Birds found in the park include Himalayan monal pheasant and other high-altitude birds.
Three types of sub-alpine zones
In the valley, there are three types of alpine areas as follows: foothills between 3,200 m and 3,500 m which are the upper altitude limits of trees, lower mountains between 3,500 m and 3,700 m and high mountains above 3,700 m. Habitats include valley bottoms, riverbeds, small forests, meadows, heaths, scrub and stable slopes, bogs, highlands, bogs, rocky deserts, and caves. The surrounding lower hills in the defense area are thickly wooded. In 1992, the Forest Research Institute recorded 600 species of echinoderms and 30 echinoderms in the valley and its surroundings.58 new records opened for the valley, out of which 4 are new for the Himalayan state. Of these plants, 5 out of 6 globally endangered species are not found in Nanda Devi National Park or anywhere else in Uttarakhand: Aconitum falconeri, A. Balfoury, Himalayan Maple (Acer cesium), Himalayan Blue Poppy (Meconopsis aculeata) and Saussurea Atkinson. In 1998, 31 species of rare and endangered categories were registered in the national park. His further research revealed that the dominant family in the Valley of the Flowers is Asteraceae, numbering 62 species. There are 45 medicinal plants used by the local people and several species such as Saussurea obvalata (Brahmakamal) are collected as religious offerings to Goddesses Nanda Devi and Sunanda Devi. This site is recognized as a plant diversity center.
Flowers –
The flowers were surveyed and inventoried in 1987 by the Botanical Survey of India, in 1992 by the Forest Research Institute, and in 1997 by the Wildlife Institute of India which found five species new to science.
Flowers mostly orchids, poppies, primulas, marigolds, daisies, and anemones carpet the ground.[10] Sub-alpine forests of birch and rhododendron cover parts of the park’s area. A decade-long study by C.P. Kala from 1993 onward concludes that the Valley of Flowers is endowed with 520 species of higher plants (angiosperms, gymnosperms and pteridophytes), of these 498 are flowering plants. The park has many species of medicinal plants including Dactylorhiza hatagirea, Picrorhiza kurrooa, Aconitum violaceum, Polygonatum multiflorum, Fritillaria roylei, and Podophyllum hexandrum
How to reach Valley of Flowers from Delhi, Haridwar, Rishikesh, and Dehradun.
1 –Reach Delhi to Haridwar. You can reach Haridwar from Delhi using a Private taxi, AC Volvo bus, train, or by air. To reach by air you need to reach up to Dehradoon airport first and then drive to Haridwar.
2 –Haridwar to Auli / Joshimath / Govindghat.From Haridwar, you need to drive to Auli / Joshimath / Govindghat. You can stay at any of these places as they are nearby. The total distance from Joshimath to Ghangaria distance 275kms – to 300 km time taken will be 10-12 hours.
3- Auli / Joshimath / Govindghat to Ghangaria.You need to first drive to Govindghat if you are not staying there. From Govindghat drive to Pulna Village for 4 km in a separate vehicle, your vehicle is not allowed. From Pulna to Ghangaria distance it’s a moderate trek to Ghangaria for 10 km. You can get a Helicopter or Pony or Porters from Govindghat to Ghangaria.
4- Ghangaria to Valley of Flowers and back to Ghangaria.Full-day trek of 10- 20 km depending upon how deep you go. Start early to explore the deepest parts of the Valley of Flowers. You need to be back by 5 pm as per forest department rules.
