Valley of Flowers - An Honest Review

When was the last time you checked something off your bucket list? :D

What are some important points to note about this trek? Let us find out.

1. Valley of Flowers (referred as VoF ahead) is situated at an altitude of 11500 Ft, and falls under the ‘easy - moderate’ category trek. Moderate because of the steep climb during most of the trail.

2. Throughout the trek, there are well laid paths made of rocks, so all you need is to follow the path. Hence, this trek can be done with or without a guide.

3. Trek starts from Poolna (5 kms from Govindghat) via Ghangria (a small village which is the diversion point for VoF & Shri Hemkund Sahib), which is a 10kms hike taking about 7-8 hours.

4. VoF National park requires a permit issued directly from Ghangria. Timings for the park are 7AM to 5PM i.e. you need to start early in the morning and return the same day. Camping is strictly prohibited in the region.

5. Trek from Ghangria to VoF is 4-5 kms each side, without any eateries on the way. So make sure to carry your lunch.

6. Trek to Shri Hemkund Sahib also begins from Ghangria which is a 6 km long steep climb. You gain an altitude of almost 4000 Ft in these 6 kms, from 10000 Ft Ghangria to Gurudwara at 14000 Ft.

7. There are plenty of mules & pitthus available to carry luggage as well as people on the way - both for Poolna to Ghangria & Ghangria to Hemkund Sahib. Note that you will not find them on the way to VoF.

8. Complete 48 km trek from Govindghat to Govindghat should ideally take 3-4 days.

Now let's discuss some positives & negatives of this trek!

Positives first:

1. The trail from Ghangria to VoF as well as Shri Hemkund Sahib is spell bounding. Panoramic views of the Valleys, spectacular snow clad mountains and the feeling of being above the clouds are to die for.

2. VoF National Park in itself is a long 10-12 kms trail, and you can go as deep as you want. In between you’ll be greeted by water streams, and if you are someone who loves the sound of water, you’ll definitely love sitting & relaxing at this place.

3. Trek to Shri Hemkund Sahib quite literally takes you above the clouds. You can see the water droplets on your hairs, clothes etc as you pass through. And the scenery just keeps getting better & better. There are enough eateries in the way, so do enjoy a plate of hot maggie with tea.

4. Lake at 14000 Ft, right next to the Gurudwara, which is directly fed by the melting snow. The most clear & blue water you probably ever find. Sit here, dip your legs, and feel the tranquility.

5. Langar at the Gurudwara, the hot tea with Khichdi & Halwa, just complete your day. Spend some time in the Gurudwara & listen to the chants.

All this is great! Then what are the negatives?

1. Remember the lush purple flowers in most of the VoF photos you find online? Well those are old pictures. The density of flowers is decreasing as well as their variety. Locals say that reason for this is - earlier a lot of foreigners used to maintain the park which is now prohibited & hence it is not well maintained. Also, animals like goats etc. used to eat the wild grass & weeds, but now since they are not allowed to enter, it is affecting the vegetation.

This becomes a little disappointing as the primary motive of visiting VoF is flowers.

2. Since the trek ends at a pilgrimage (Hemkund Sahib), the government has done its part in making it accessible to as many people as possible. Mules & Horses for carrying load is a part of this. However, there are so many mules now that their droppings are found all over the path, which reduces the fun of the trail.

3. Because the trek is only open for 3 months of the year, it sees a lot of tourists during those months. You don't really want crowd when you are trying to find calm in the mountains.

So in my opinion, Valley of Flowers & Shri Hemkund Sahib is a decent trek for people who are not professional trekkers. Despite the negatives, the panoramic views and peace you find while sitting near the lake are to die for. (I believe you could see that from the pictures above)

This is also for people who are traveling with families, due to the availability of homestays (no camping), proper eateries & mules to carry luggage of the person himself.

However, if you are a seasoned trekker, you can probably choose to skip this.

Happy Traveling :)