Valley of Flowers
Nestled high in the Garhwal Himalaya, the Valley of Flowers National Park is an outstandingly beautiful high-altitude Himalayan valley renowned for its meadows of endemic alpine flowers and outstanding natural beauty, this richly diverse area is also home to rare and endangered animals, including the Asiatic black bear, snow leopard, brown bear and blue sheep. Its ‘gentle’ landscape, breath-takingly beautiful meadows of alpine flowers and ease of access complement the rugged, mountain wilderness of the the surrounding Nanda Devi National Park.
The valley is splashed with colour as it blooms with hundreds of different beautiful flowers, taking on various shades of colours during the month of August. Declared a national park in 1982, it is now a World Heritage Site. The locals, of course, always knew of the existence of the valley, and believed that it was once inhabited by fairies.
Hemkund, a glacial lake surrounded by seven peaks, is located in the Garhwal Himalayas at an elevation of over 15,200 ft (4,632 m) in Uttarakhand and accessible only by foot from Govindghat on the Rishikesh – Badrinath highway. It is most known for a gurudwara, Hemkund Sahib, associated to the Sikh guru, Guru Gobind Singh, and is one of the most sacred of Sikh shrines.
Badrinath, considered as one of the most sacred centres of pilgrimage in the Himalayas, has been mentioned as a holy place in scriptures and legends for thousands of years. According to the Bhagavata Purana - "There in Badrikashram the supreme being (Vishnu), in his incarnation as the sages Nara and Narayana, had been undergoing great penance since time immemorial for the welfare of all living entities."
Trip Highlights
- Hike through the pristine forests and environs of the Bhyundar Valley.
- Visit the Valley of Flowers when it is in full bloom!
- Hike up to the glacial 'Hemkund' lake and the Hemkund Sahib Gurudwara.
- Three nights of camping at Ghangaria, base for the trek.
- Visit Badrinath, a Holy Shrine in the most pristine locations in Garhwal.
- A day by the Ganges in Rishikesh.
Daywise Itinerary
Days on Trip
Total Distance Traveled
Maximum Altitude
(Elevation: 372m/1,220ft)
The trip starts in the morning at Rishikesh, with all the participants expected to arrive by the afternoon.
We spend a leisurely day, preparing for the trip ahead and exploring the Ram and Laxman Jhula areas, with ashrams, yoga and massage centres, temples and small cafe's along the banks of the Holy Ganga.
Overnight at Hotel.
(Distance: 250km, Travel Time: 7-8 hrs
Elevation: Joshimath – 1,875m/6,151ft)
Departure from Rishikesh early morning and commence our drive to Joshimath via Devprayag – Srinagar – Rudraprayag – Karanprayag - Chamoli - Pipalkoti. Lunch enroute. Joshimath is the winter home of Sri Badrinathji. It is situated on the slopes above the confluence of Alaknanda and Dhauliganga. It is also one of the four original 'maths' established by Sri Adi Shankaracharya.
Overnight at Hotel. Meal Inclusions: Breakfast and Dinner
(Distance: by road - 55/25km / trek – 14km, Travel Time: 7 -8 hrs
Elevation: Govindghat – 1,828m/5,997ft, Ghangharia – 3,048m/10,000ft)
We travel a short distance by road to Govindghat at the confluence of the Laxman Ganga & the Alaknanda rivers. Trek from Govindghat through dense vegetation to Ghangaria, the base camp of the Valley of Flowers trip. Rivers Pushpawati and Hem Ganga meet here to form Lakshman Ganga.
Overnight at Camp. Meal Inclusions: Breakfast and Dinner
(Distance: 7km, Travel Time: 4 hrs
Elevation: Valley of Flowers – 3,500-3,962m/11,483-12,998ft)
Early start to the day. Start the hike to the Valley of Flowers. The valley boasts of more than 300 species of rare wild flowers including the blue Poppy, pink Geraniums, blue and yellow Pansies to name a few. After spending the day exploring the whole area, we head back to Ghangharia by the evening.
Overnight at Camp. Meal Inclusions: Breakfast and Dinner
(Distance: 12km, Travel Time: 6-7 hrs
Elevation: Hemkund Sahib – 4,632m/15,200ft)
Hike up a steep path to Gurudwara Hemkund Sahib – famous and revered Sikh shrine. One of the holiest and the highest Gurudwara in the Himalayas, Hemkund is a bluish green lake flanked by snow covered peaks. The 6-km trek to Hemkund is a steep climb along the Hem Ganga, which emanates from Hemkund.
Overnight at Camp. Meal Inclusions: Breakfast and Dinner
(Distance: trek – 14km /by road – 25km, Travel Time: 5 – 6 hrs
Elevation: Govindghat – 1,828m/5,997ft, Badrinath – 3,300 m /10,800 ft)
Trek back to Govindghat from Ghangharia in the morning. From Govindghat, we drive further into the Himalayas to the Holy Shrine of Badrinath. Arrival at Badrinath by the evening, at leisure to explore the temple, hot springs and surrounding areas
Overnight at Camp. Meal Inclusions: Breakfast and Dinner
A day in the Badrinath valley. After spending the morning at leisure, we take a drive to Mana village, where one can visit the Vyasa and Ganesha caves, where as per the local legends the great Indian epic - Mahabharata - was recited and written. We also have the option of a 6km hike into pristine forests to the famous and huge Vasudhara waterfalls.
Overnight at Camp. Meal Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
(Distance: 292km approx, Travel Time: 7-8 hrs)
Early morning departure from Badrinath. We drive back to reach Rishikesh before sunset. Open option to catch the evening train or bus out of Rishikesh or extend the trip with an overnight stay.
End of Trip
Pricing and Inclusions
| with 4 participants | with 8 participants | with 12 participants | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solo Rider Plan | INR 51,900 | INR 43,500 | INR 39,900 |
| SUV Plan | INR 38,400 | INR 34,800 | INR 33,600 |
- All accommodation in good hotels at Rishikesh, Joshimath and Badrinath.
- Luxury camp accommodations at Ghangharia for 3 nights.
- Meal inclusions as specified in the plan.
- A dedicated vehicle for all SUV participants.
- Trip leader traveling with the group for the entire duration of the trip.
- One Royal Enfield bike per rider.
- Fuel for bikes.
- For riders - A pickup jeep as backup vehicle for entire duration of the trip.
- Mechanic included for the trip along with spare parts backup.
- Wireless communication support and backup oxygen with the crew.
- All Inner line permits and road permits as required.
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