Valley of Flowers National Park, National park in Joshimath Tehsil, India.
The Valley of Flowers is a high-altitude meadow in Uttarakhand, sitting at around 3,600 meters and home to several hundred flower species. The area spreads across steep slopes and open fields that turn into a sea of purple, yellow, and red blooms during the monsoon.
A British mountaineer came across the valley in 1931 during an expedition and later published a report that drew international attention. The Indian government declared the area a national park in 1982 to protect the delicate flora from overgrazing and tourism.
Residents in surrounding villages have called this area the Valley of the Gods for generations, linking it to the search for healing plants. Hikers often meet local guides who share stories about their ancestors and which herbs were traditionally gathered across the region.
Visiting requires a multi-day trek that starts in Pulna and passes through Ghangaria, a village that serves as base camp. The best time is between July and September, when the blooms reach their peak and the trails are passable.
UNESCO added the area to its World Heritage list in 1982 and later integrated it into a larger protected zone that includes neighboring peaks. Many visitors overlook that the valley only blooms fully during the short monsoon season and remains bare outside these months.
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