Embarking on an Epic Trekking Adventure: The Valley of Flowers Expedition

How it got planned

The spark was ignited during a casual conversation when one of my friend who wished to experience his first-ever trek. It was the perfect catalyst for me as I was anyways eager to plan one. Scouring options, I naturally turned to Indiahikes, renowned for their expertise. The trek had two simple criteria: tougher than the previous one (Dayara Bugyal) and brimming with attractions. Thus, the Valley of Flowers trek emerged as our choice, promising both challenge and allure.

Preparations Amidst Monsoon Magic

Preparing for a monsoon trek was a unique challenge. Gearing up required careful consideration—water-resistant shoes, the realization that "waterproof" was an overstatement, and tackling the inevitable landslides en route to our base camp.

All the items were packed in separate poly bags to avoid them getting wet in case of heavy rains.

Day 1: The Journey Begins

Departed Gurgaon at 3:15 PM, aiming to reach a convenient stop before dark. After dinner in Rishikesh at 8 PM, we opted to keep driving. We found a roadside refuge at Hotel Moonrise in Srinagar.

Day 2: Navigating Detours and Discoveries

Starting at 5:45 AM, our route hit a snag with landslides in Gauchar. Choosing the Pokhari route, we were caught off-guard by another obstruction. A pit stop in Gopeshwar and a visit to Badrinath & Mana followed. Despite temple timing surprises (temple is closed in afternoon till 3 PM), we enjoyed serene moments at Mana, India's first village.

Reaching our base camp involved winding roads and steep waterfalls. After dinner and introductions, a chill night under drizzle awaited.

Day 3: Commencing the Trek

The day's plan: breakfast at 6 and departure at 7.

Our trek leaders and guides formed a network ensuring group cohesion. We progressed to Govindghat, then Pulna, for a 9 km trek to Ghangaria.

There was a small T/Coffee break after 2kms. It was suggest (by trek guide) to pair up with an unknown group member for next part of the trek as this would improve gelling among the group members. The execution was perfect as the trek leader chose and created pairs. Post that we stopped for a lunch around mid-way. However some casual games more than made up for the mediocre lunch and I don’t think I would ever play Chinese whispers in Gujrati again ;-)

Rain gods were generous upon us while we were a few kms away from Ghangaria. We continued the trek to reach hotel at around 5:30 PM.

Day 4: Journey into “The Valley”

Morning routines were governed by the digits 5-6-7 i.e. get up form bed by 5 AM, reach for breakfast by 6 PM and start trek by 7 AM.

The route was tough – quite steep at places.

The morning was bright however it rained for almost two thirds of the journey.

The beauty was unmatchable as we saw everything - mountains, waterfalls, rivers, colourful flowers, meadows, valley….

The Josh was high and the day was very satisfying.

Valley is long and wide so one needs to reach early to explore further. We reached at 10:30 and were walking fast so went for another 4 kms to reach to river bed and it was absolutely rewarding to say the least.

Reached back hotel at 4 PM.

Some pictures of the Valley itself.

Disclaimer : These do not at all do justice to the real beauty.

Day 5: Conquering Altitude

The day began with chilly air. Ascending 4000 ft within 6 kms presented a formidable challenge and we were given healthy chana snacks for the trail. Dhabas dotted the route, providing sustenance but then also creating rucks of garbage for the nature. The view kept getting better as we gained altitude and frozen waterfalls on the way only added to the exquisiteness. Reached at the top at 11 AM.

Otherworldly gurdwara amidst clouds and mountains left me spellbound. The serene ambiance offered solace.

The trek ended with an intellectual conversation with Ravi who was an inspiration. He has trekked in every continent and has such a vast knowledge on literally everything under the sun.

Ghangaria offered ample eating joints to satisfy our taste buds. However we were advised not to delve that way to avoid getting sick. Post Hemkund Sahib, we thought we earned a right to be risky and there we were hogging on momos, chaat, south indian, jalebi etc. :-)

Gurdwara pictures

Day 6: The Homeward Trek

Rain followed by clear skies marked the day. The return journey again unraveled the breath-taking landscapes, including a narrow bridge brimming with scenic wonders. We took the bigger, newer bridge while ascending and this was definitely much more beautiful than the other.

Reflections on Triumph and Growth

Despite fatigue and discomfort, this trek was a triumph. It's not just about the distance covered but the challenges faced and conquered. Each step taken was an affirmation of personal discovery, and the camaraderie forged within the group only added to the satisfaction. As we arrived back in Gurgaon, it was clear that this adventure had left an indelible mark, emboldening to embrace greater challenges with newfound confidence.

Route Summary:

Day -> Starting Point -> Middle Point -> Ending Point -> Drive Distance (kms) -> Trek Distance (kms)

Day 1 -> Gurgaon -> Rishikesh -> Srinagar -> 380 -> 0

Day 2 -> Srinagar -> Badrinath & Mana Village -> Karchi -> 250 -> 0

Day 3 -> Karchi -> Govindghat -> Ghangaria -> 40 -> 9

Day 4 -> Ghangaria -> Valley of Flowers -> Ghangaria -> 0 -> 16

Day 5 -> Ghangaria -> Hemkund Sahib -> Ghangaria -> 0 -> 12

Day 6 -> Ghangaria -> Govindghat -> Gurgaon -> 540 -> 9

Total Drive - 1210 kms

Total Trek - 46 kms