I would like to make a trip to the Valley of Flowers which is in Uttarakhand, and my starting point would be from Delhi. I would like to know what route to take to the Valley of Flowers from Delhi? There will be four of us traveling all adults. We have an Innova and a Swift, which car do you suggest we take according to the road conditions? How long would it take to reach the Valley of Flowers? Do you suggest any good hotels near the Valley of Flowers?
Hello there! The Valley of Flowers National Park is in the Chamoli district, near Ghangharia which comes after Joshimath, in Uttarakhand. It is one of the two hanging valleys lying at Bhyundar, the other being the shorter Hemkund Valley. The Valley of Flowers is about 3,352 to 3,658 metres above sea level. The highest point of the park is at 6,719 metres above sea level. Along with the Nanda Devi National Park, they are part of the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve. The Valley of Flowers National Park is known for its endemic plants and animals. The park has 600 species of angiosperms and 30 pteridophytes. There are also 5 species of globally threatened plants endemic to the park. These plants cannot be found anywhere else in Uttarakhand: Aconitum Falconeri, A. Balfouri, Himalayan maple (Acer Caesium), the blue Himalayan poppy (Meconopsis Aculeata) and Saussurea Atkinsoni. There is not much density in the animals but most of them are rare, a total of 13 species of mammals reside in the park. These are: Northern plains grey langur, flying squirrel, red fox, Himalayan black bear, Himalayan weasel, Himalayan yellow-throated marten, Himalayan musk deer, Himalayan goral, Indian chevrotain, Himalayan tahr and serow. A recent survey proved the existence of the snow leopard in the valley as well. First of all, you cannot reach the Valley of Flowers National Park by car. Vehicles can only reach up to Govind Ghat. From Govind Ghat to Ghangaria and finally to Valley of Flowers, you would need to trek to reach them. The trek is about 17 kms long and can take a few hours to do. So anyway, here are the routes that you can take up to Govind Ghat: Route No. 1 via Haridwar - Delhi > Meerut > Haridwar > Rishikesh > Rudrapayag > Joshimath > Govind Ghat. So this is the first route that you can take. This route is about 540 kms and can take you 13 to 15 hours to cover if you go directly. About 70% of the roads here are in good condition and the remaining are bad stretches of roads. Also, you have to take into account the landslides and falling rocks, especially during monsoon season. Just be careful when going through this route. I'd suggest a night halt in Rishikesh and then start your journey early the next day. Route No. 2 via Haldwani - Delhi > Ghaziabad > Moradabad > Rudrapur > Haldwani > Raniket > Karnaprayag > Joshimath > Govind Ghat. This one is about 560 kms and can take you 14 to 16 hours to cover if you go directly. Road conditions are quite good as well but landslides and falling rocks can also happen. You can have a night halt in Rudrapur or Haldwani and continue your journey the next day. I'd recommend the Innova as it has higher ground clearance than the Swift. But it's up to you really, as you know your driving capabilities and limits. The road conditions are okay although there are some rough patches. There are no steep inclines or tough curves though. Even a Swift can take on these roads but for safety and assurance, it's better to take the Innova. It can take you 14 to 16 hours to cover the distance, without any night halts. But I really won't recommend that especially if you haven't been to this route before. It's better to have a night halt in between the journey as I've suggested above. So it can take you a day or two to reach the Valley of Flowers with the night halt in between. There are hotels in Ghangaria which is about 3 kms from the Valley of Flowers. Here they are: Hotel Deepak Lodge - This is a very basic hotel in Ghangaria. The good thing about them is that they are very clean and hygienic. Rooms have their own bathroom and you can request for hot water in the morning. There's also a restaurant in the hotel premises that serves delicious meals. Their rates aren't published but you can just ask for it when you get there. Sri Nanda Lokpal Palace - The good thing about this hotel is they arrange for treks for the Valley of Flowers and Hemkund Sahib. Their rate for a room only is at Rs. 2,850 per night. It's a double bedroom, with attached bathroom with hot water and intercom. They also have a restaurant which serves Indian, Chinese, Continental and Local cuisines. They also pack lunches for guests for their treks. Here is their contact number: + 91 9412909307. Valley of Flowers Holiday Home - This hotel is managed by Himalayan Abode Home Stay. It's one of the nearest hotels to the Valley of Flowers. Their Blue Poppy Room is at Rs. 1,550 per night. Their Brahm Kamal Room is located on the top floor and offers amazing views of the valley. It is priced at Rs. 2,250 per night. All rooms have an attached bathroom with hot water available as well. For breakfast, it's at Rs. 300 per person and for lunch/dinner, it's at Rs. 400 per person. They also offer tour guides, porters and mules for trekking the Valley of Flowers. But since you're bringing your car, here are some hotels in Govind Ghat (About 17 kms from Valley of Flowers), the last place that cars can reach: Hotel Bhagat - This is right in the city centre of Govind Ghat. Their Deluxe Room is at Rs. 1,950 per night. It has an attached bathroom, cable television, wardrobe cabinet and twin sized/king sized bed. They have ample parking space and a multi-cuisine restaurant. Their contact number is: +91 9412936360. Hotel Narayan Palace - This is one of the best mid-range hotels in Govind Ghat. Their Deluxe Room is at Rs. 3,500 per night while the Deluxe Swiss Tent is at Rs. 3,800 per night. All rooms have air-conditioning, attached bathroom, satellite television and direct dial phone. The hotel also has ample parking, multi-cuisine restaurant and conference rooms. Their contact number is: +91 9426358998. There you go. Most hotels don't accept advanced booking except for these ones that I have posted. You can contact them for further information. I hope this helps!
