Valley of Flowers
Quick Answers from Seema
On this page
- The questions
- Is It Safe to Visit the Valley of Flowers in the Monsoon?
- What Happens If a Landslide Blocks the Road on My Trip?
- Do I Need a Permit for the Valley of Flowers, and Can I Get It Online?
- What ID Do I Need for the Valley of Flowers Permit?
- What Is the Valley of Flowers Entry Fee?
- If I Go Into the Valley on Two Days, Do I Pay Twice?
- Is There Anything Extra for Foreigners Besides the Fee?
- How Difficult Is the Valley of Flowers Trek?
- Can a Complete Beginner Do the Valley of Flowers Trek?
- How Many Kilometres Do I Walk on the Valley of Flowers Trek?
- Which Is the Best Week to Visit the Valley of Flowers?
- Is One Day Inside the Valley of Flowers Enough?
- How Far Inside the Valley of Flowers Should I Go?
- Can I Do the Valley of Flowers and Hemkund Sahib on the Same Day?
- Where Exactly Can I See the Blue Poppy?
- What Is the Right Age to Bring a Child?
- I Am Over 70. Can I Still Visit the Valley of Flowers?
- Can I Go to the Valley of Flowers Solo?
Seema Sangwan is a director of Blue Poppy Holidays and travels to the valley with Devkant. These are her short answers to the questions travellers ask us most. For the full picture, see our questions page.
The questions
- Is It Safe to Visit the Valley of Flowers in the Monsoon?
- What Happens If a Landslide Blocks the Road on My Trip?
- Do I Need a Permit for the Valley of Flowers, and Can I Get It Online?
- What ID Do I Need for the Valley of Flowers Permit?
- What Is the Valley of Flowers Entry Fee?
- If I Go Into the Valley on Two Days, Do I Pay Twice?
- Is There Anything Extra for Foreigners Besides the Fee?
- How Difficult Is the Valley of Flowers Trek?
- Can a Complete Beginner Do the Valley of Flowers Trek?
- How Many Kilometres Do I Walk on the Valley of Flowers Trek?
- Which Is the Best Week to Visit the Valley of Flowers?
- Is One Day Inside the Valley of Flowers Enough?
- How Far Inside the Valley of Flowers Should I Go?
- Can I Do the Valley of Flowers and Hemkund Sahib on the Same Day?
- Where Exactly Can I See the Blue Poppy?
- What Is the Right Age to Bring a Child?
- I Am Over 70. Can I Still Visit the Valley of Flowers?
- Can I Go to the Valley of Flowers Solo?
Is It Safe to Visit the Valley of Flowers in the Monsoon?
Yes, it is quite safe to go to the Valley of Flowers in the rainy season. In fact, it is the best time to go.
The valley is in full bloom in July and August, which is also the monsoon. That is why people worry, but the rain is the reason the flowers are there.
What the rain really means
In the valley and at Ghangaria it normally rains at night. The road between Haridwar and Govindghat has improved a lot. If a landslide blocks it, you may have to wait a few hours while the Border Roads Organisation clears it. In rare cases you may have to add a day to your trip.
If you are going to Badrinath, the road near Lambagad gets rain almost every evening and is usually cleared the next morning. Go and come back before 3 pm.
Read what happens if a landslide blocks the road and our guide to the best time to visit.
More: Best time to visit
What Happens If a Landslide Blocks the Road on My Trip?
If a landslide closes the road, it depends on the situation: how far you are from your trek route, and whether the road is opening or not. Many things depend on that.
What usually happens
Most of the time it is a wait of a few hours while the Border Roads Organisation clears the road. In rare cases, if there are too many landslides, you may have to extend your trip by a day.
In the valley and at Ghangaria it normally rains at night. On the way to Badrinath, the road near Lambagad gets rain almost every evening and is usually cleared the next morning, so go there and come back before 3 pm.
When you travel with us, we watch the roads every day and plan around them. Read more on travelling in the monsoon.
Do I Need a Permit for the Valley of Flowers, and Can I Get It Online?
No, you cannot get it online. You get the permit there, at the entry gate, by showing your ID proof.
At the gate
The valley opens at 7 am. The last entry is at 2 pm, and you must be out by 5 pm. Be at the entry gate by 6:45 am so you get your ticket quickly and enter at 7.
See which ID to carry, and the entry fee on our questions page.
What ID Do I Need for the Valley of Flowers Permit?
Indians show their Aadhaar card. If you are coming from outside India, you show your passport and visa.
Carry the original with you on the day you go into the valley. The permit is issued at the entry gate, not online: see how the permit works.
What Is the Valley of Flowers Entry Fee?
For Indians the fee is ₹200. For foreigners, those who are not Indian, the fee is ₹800.
The ticket is valid for one day: if you go in on two days, you pay for each day. See going in on two days.
You buy it at the entry gate by showing your ID proof; it is not sold online. See how the permit works and which ID to carry. Fees are set by the Forest Department and can change.
If I Go Into the Valley on Two Days, Do I Pay Twice?
Yes. The entry ticket is now valid for one day only, so you pay for each day you go into the valley.
It is still worth it: we recommend two days inside the valley, so that you can reach the Pushpawati river bed. See whether one day is enough and the entry fee.
See all the quick answers.
More: How many days you need
Is There Anything Extra for Foreigners Besides the Fee?
No. The fee for foreigners is a little higher than for Indians. Apart from the fee there is nothing else to do: you just have to bring your ID proofs.
Bring your passport and visa. The permit is issued at the entry gate, not online: see how the permit works. See the entry fee.
How Difficult Is the Valley of Flowers Trek?
Moderate to difficult. We would not call it easy, and it varies from person to person.
More: the full guide
Can a Complete Beginner Do the Valley of Flowers Trek?
Yes. Someone who has never done a trek can do this trek. There is no problem.
Say ten people come to us: about seven of them have never done any trek before.
How to make it easier
Build up your stamina before the trip and consult your doctor, because you will be at high altitude. Ponies and porters are available on the trek, so you can save your energy for the days in the valley.
Read how difficult the trek is and our trek guide.
How Many Kilometres Do I Walk on the Valley of Flowers Trek?
To reach the base camp at Ghangaria you walk 10 km. On a day in the valley you walk 4 to 8 km each way, depending on how far you go.
| Day | Distance |
|---|---|
| Pulna to Ghangaria | 10 km |
| Ghangaria to the Valley of Flowers and back | 4–8 km each way, depending on how far you go |
| Ghangaria to Hemkund Sahib and back | 7 km each way, 14 km up and down |
| Ghangaria to Pulna | 10 km |
Ponies, porters and palanquins can carry you on most of it. Read the trek guide and how difficult it is.
More: Distance chart
Which Is the Best Week to Visit the Valley of Flowers?
Go in any week from the last week of June to the first week of September. The Valley of Flowers will look beautiful to you in every week. The variety of flowers keeps changing every week.
If you want the most flowers
For the largest number of flowers, in both quantity and variety, Devkant's advice is 21 July to 10 August.
To see which flowers bloom on your dates, try What will I see on my dates?, or read the best time to visit.
More: Best time to visit
Is One Day Inside the Valley of Flowers Enough?
One day or two days inside the valley: it depends on which season you are going in.
Why we recommend two days
Most people spend only one day in the valley, but its real beauty cannot be seen in a day. To reach the Pushpawati river bed and explore the valley well, you need two days. See how far inside to go.
The whole trip takes at least 6 days from Haridwar. Read how many days you need.
More: How many days you need
How Far Inside the Valley of Flowers Should I Go?
Inside the valley there is the Pushpawati river bed. You should go at least that far. For that you need two days, and then you can explore the valley well.
Walk it with us, stop by stop, on Walk the valley, and read whether one day is enough.
More: How many days you need
Can I Do the Valley of Flowers and Hemkund Sahib on the Same Day?
No. Hemkund Sahib and the Valley of Flowers cannot be done on the same day, because the Hemkund Sahib trek is 14 km, going up and coming down. It needs a whole separate day.
Both start from Ghangaria. Our itinerary gives a day to each. Read about Hemkund Sahib and whether to include it.
More: Hemkund Sahib guide
Where Exactly Can I See the Blue Poppy?
The blue poppy grows most at Hemkund Sahib. When we trek up, some rocks come on the left side of the trail, and it grows among them. In the Valley of Flowers too there is one particular spot where you find the blue poppy.
It is found from mid July to the end of August. Read more about the blue poppy, the queen of Himalayan flowers, and plan a day for Hemkund Sahib.
More: The blue poppy
What Is the Right Age to Bring a Child?
Children above 5 years can come.
More: the full guide
I Am Over 70. Can I Still Visit the Valley of Flowers?
Yes. People over 70 can go, if they do not have any serious illness, after discussing it with their own doctor.
Saving your energy
Ponies, porters, a palanquin or the helicopter between Govindghat and Ghangaria can save your energy for the day in the valley.
Can I Go to the Valley of Flowers Solo?
Yes, you can go alone, comfortably.
If you would like company on the way, join one of our fixed departures from Haridwar, every Saturday and Sunday from July to September.
More: Fixed departures