Valley of Flowers: Declared National Park in 1982, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is open to travellers from today

The UNESCO World Heritage Site known as Valley of Flowers opens on June 1, 2022. The place is located in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand and is located at a height of 3,000 meters. The Valley of Flowers will be accessible to the public from June to October, which remains covered in the blanket of snow for the remaining six months.

The place was accidentally discovered in 1931 by Frank S Smythe, an avid British mountaineer and a botanist when he was traversing through the region.

The Valley of Flowers today is home to over 600 flower species that include some of the world’s exotic varieties including Brahmkamal which is also the state flower of Uttarakhand. Other varieties include flowers like Bluebell, Potentilla, Primula, Lilium, Aster, Delphinium, Himalayan Blue Poppy, Ranunculus and Blue poppy which is also described as the Queen of Flowers. The Valley of Flowers region is also home to some of the diverse animal species like blue sheep, leopard and musk deer.

The Valley of Flowers was declared a National Park in 1982. The place stretches over an expanse of 87.50 sq. km and in 2005 was declared UNESCO’s World Heritage Site. The place is a paradise for trekkers and can be accessed only on foot. Situated at an altitude of 10,000 feet, the valley has a 17 km-long trek that begins at Ghangaria which can be reached through trekking from a small township near Joshimath called Govindghat.

For entering the Valley of Flowers, a permit will be required from the state forest department.