The Valley of Flowers Trek - A Flower Festival

Dec 17
21:00

2013

Devendra Singh

Devendra Singh

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Cradled in the recesses of the Himalayas, the Valley of Flowers is a brilliant burst of Colour. The three kilometers from the little mountain village of Gangaria in Uttarakhand to the portals of the Valley of Flowers was a tough and demanding trek.

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Valley of Flowers - 7 Wonders of India

The three kilometers from the little mountain village of Gangaria in Uttarakhand to the portals of the Valley of Flowers was a tough and demanding trek. The rarefied air in these high reaches of the Himalayas made our heads feel light and airy and we were inclined to blame this feeling on the fact that we had entered a world that was unreal. But it did not take us log to realize that the root cause of our disorientation was the valley itself. It was almost as if we had been sucked in through a vortex and had become a part of nature's grand design.
 
Yes,The Valley of Flowers Trek - A Flower Festival Articles we felt dwarfed and awed by the stunning scenery around us: mighty snow draped mountains flexing their muscles at the heaves; sprightly rivers skipping over rocks and obstacles as they tumbled through ancient gorges; silvery waterfalls; green meadow painted with wild flowers; dewdrops glistening like solitaire diamonds from petals and leaves; insects and butterflies with rainbows on their wings, fluttering from bloom to bloom... Largely untouched by man and civilization, nature seemed to revel in painting an epic canvas that was raw yet beautifully detailed.
 
And though we had visited the valley in early September, well after the grand opus of colours that sweeps through it each July and August, we were immediately struck by its brilliance. It was a poignant reminder that this ever-changing canvas reflected the moods and colours of the seasons. With the coming of the spring thaw in March, blood-red rhododendrons paint the valley with bold, loud and decisive colours. 

 By May the mood is soft and early blooms weave their magic through the composition. The tempo of colours starts to pick up dramatically with the first rains and rivers of colours comprising over 500 species of flowers run across the valley all through July and August. By September, autumn colours start to dominate and rust-red leaves provide the base support to berries and the late blooms that flit across the rugged landscape. Soon the stage is set for a winter tapestry as snow starts to creep down from the mountain peaks and casts an icy blanket over the valley that is also the home of deer and the rare and endangered snow leopard. The chances of spotting these elusive animals are slim at best but just knowing that they are there makes this a special space. The Valley of Flowers is more than just flowers; to come here looking only for blooms is like wearing blinkers and missing the bigger picture.
 
But this is a paradise that is not easily accessible and we mortals had to earn the right to enter its portals by trekking 13 km up a steep mountain trail from Govindghat to Gangaria which served as our overnight base. That night it rained and as we fell asleep, we could not help but wonder if our expedition into the valley the following day would be a washout. The gods smiled on us and we awoke the next morning to perfect weather; a deep blue sky dabbed with puffs of white cloud. But the manager of the hotel cautioned us: "The weather here is as fickle as Mumbai fashion... it changes without giving notice."
 
The first entry gate to the valley is a half kilometer out of Gangaria and here we left the last semblance of civilization behind and walked into the welcoming embrace of nature. After crossing a sturdy stone bridge, we followed a narrow path that zigzagged up the face of the mountain and squeezed its way through narrow passes. Ever so often we would stop to rest, catch our breath and admire the Himalayan landscape. As we climbed higher, the thick forest cover started to thin out and the trees finally gave way to meadows that were quite unlike any we had seen for they were painted with subtle colours. We had entered the Valley of Flowers.
 
Into the Valley of Flowers:

  1. The alley of flowers, a UNESCO World Heritage Site is open to the public from April to September/October.
  2. The valley is home to many varieties of beautiful flowers such as orchids, poppies, daisies and calendulas. The Valley of Flowers National Park is inhabited by different species of animals such as the tahr, snow leopard, musk deer, red fox and the Himalayan bear.
  3. A five-hour trek from Gangaria takes one to Lokpal Lake also known as Hemkund. Apart from the region's pristine beauty, this is also the location of the Hemkund Sahib GurudwaraFeature Articles, an important place of worship for the Sikh.

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