Trip planning

Valley of Flowers Trek Itinerary

6 min read · By Devkant Sangwan

Valley of Flowers Trek Itinerary

Watch · Devkant on the trail, July 2025

पुष्पावती रिवर बेड तक ज़रूर जाएँ
Go all the way to the Pushpawati

“I've just reached the Pushpawati river bed. Look — this is why it's called Pushpawati: flowers everywhere. This pink flower is Epilobium latifolium. The 2013 floods almost wiped it out here and I'm so happy that in huge numbers…”

2:01 · Hindi with English captions · full screen

All 22 reels
On this page
  1. See your itinerary
  2. Option 1: 7 days from Haridwar
  3. Option 2: 8 days, with the Gorson Top trek
  4. Upgrade options
  5. The days in detail
  6. Day 1: Haridwar to Joshimath
  7. Day 2: Joshimath to Ghangaria
  8. Day 3: The Valley of Flowers, nearby areas
  9. Day 4: The Valley of Flowers, deeper parts
  10. Day 5: Hemkund Sahib
  11. Day 6: Ghangaria to Badrinath and Joshimath
  12. Day 7: Joshimath to Rishikesh
  13. What is included
  14. Not included
  15. Dates, price and booking

This is the itinerary we send to our clients. It gives you two days in the Valley of Flowers: one for the nearby areas, and one to go deep into the parts most visitors never reach. We go to Hemkund Sahib after the valley because it is at a higher altitude.

See your itinerary

Choose your option
Send me this itinerary

Option 1: 7 days from Haridwar

Fixed departures leave every Sunday. You report at Haridwar the day before.

DayItineraryStayMealsGuide
0Report at HaridwarHaridwar: Regenta (upgrade: Sarovar Portico)No mealsNot required
1Haridwar to Joshimath
290 km by road, 7–8 hours
Joshimath: Blue Poppy Premier (Auli optional)DinnerNot required
2Joshimath to Ghangaria
About half an hour by road, then a full day’s 10 km trek, pony or helicopter
Ghangaria: Blue Poppy Swiss Cottage CampsBreakfast and dinnerYes
3Valley of Flowers, nearby areas
Waterfall by the entry gate, Pushpawati river, flower slopes by the river
Ghangaria: Blue Poppy Swiss Cottage CampsBreakfast, hot lunch at our camps, dinnerYes
4Valley of Flowers, deeper parts
Early start, up to the Pushpawati river bed, about 7 km one side
Ghangaria: Blue Poppy Swiss Cottage CampsBreakfast, packed lunch, dinnerYes
5Ghangaria to Hemkund Sahib and back
Early start, 7 km one side by trek, pony or palanquin
Ghangaria: Blue Poppy Swiss Cottage CampsBreakfast and dinner (no lunch)Yes
6Ghangaria to Badrinath, back to Joshimath
10 km by trek, pony or helicopter, then by road
Joshimath: Blue Poppy Premier (Auli optional)Breakfast and dinnerYes
7Joshimath to Rishikesh, trip ends
280 km by road
Trip endsBreakfastNot required

Option 2: 8 days, with the Gorson Top trek

Fixed departures leave every Saturday. You report at Haridwar the day before.

DayItineraryStayMealsGuide
0Report at HaridwarHaridwar: Regenta (upgrade: Sarovar Portico)No mealsNot required
1Haridwar to Joshimath
290 km by road, 7–8 hours
Joshimath: Blue Poppy Premier, or Auli: Blue Poppy ResortDinnerNot required
2Up to Auli, trek to Gorson Top and back
14 km by road each way and 8 km by trek
Joshimath: Blue Poppy Premier, or Auli: Blue Poppy ResortBreakfast, packed lunch, dinnerYes
3Joshimath to Ghangaria
About half an hour by road, then a full day’s 10 km trek, pony or helicopter
Ghangaria: Blue Poppy Swiss Cottage CampsBreakfast and dinnerYes
4Valley of Flowers, nearby areas
Waterfall by the entry gate, Pushpawati river, flower slopes by the river
Ghangaria: Blue Poppy Swiss Cottage CampsBreakfast, hot lunch at our camps, dinnerYes
5Valley of Flowers, deeper parts
Early start, up to the Pushpawati river bed, about 7 km one side
Ghangaria: Blue Poppy Swiss Cottage CampsBreakfast, packed lunch, dinnerYes
6Ghangaria to Hemkund Sahib and back
Early start, 7 km one side by trek, pony or palanquin
Ghangaria: Blue Poppy Swiss Cottage CampsBreakfast and dinner (no lunch)Yes
7Ghangaria to Badrinath, back to Joshimath
10 km by trek, pony or helicopter, then by road
Joshimath: Blue Poppy Premier, or Auli: Blue Poppy ResortBreakfast and dinnerYes
8Joshimath to Rishikesh, trip ends
280 km by road
Trip endsBreakfastNot required

On this option we go from Joshimath up to Auli, trek to Gorson Top and come back to Joshimath, or to Auli. You may stay at either.

The Gorson Top trek can be done before or after the Valley of Flowers trek; this is at the discretion of Blue Poppy Holidays. By default it is before, because Option 2 leaves on Saturday and Option 1 on Sunday, so both groups can go up to Ghangaria together. Sometimes, because of accommodation, we may have to reshuffle it.

Our hotels are all on one page: see our stay options. Some trips start directly from the airport instead of Haridwar, and we drive midway on the first day. Ask us.

Upgrade options

Both options can be upgraded at extra cost. Ask us for the price.

  • Hotel at Haridwar: Regenta can be upgraded to Sarovar Portico.
  • Vehicle: the tempo traveller can be upgraded to an Innova Crysta, or to a personal small car such as a Swift Dzire.

The days in detail

The day numbers below are for Option 1. On Option 2 these days come one day later, after the Gorson Top trek.

Day 1: Haridwar to Joshimath

A full day’s drive along the Alaknanda river to our resort at Joshimath. If the group is punctual and time allows, we stop at the river confluences at Devprayag and Rudraprayag.

At Rudraprayag the slow-moving Mandakini, coming from Kedarnath, meets the faster Alaknanda from Badrinath. At Devprayag the Alaknanda meets the Bhagirathi from Gangotri, and together they become the holy Ganga.

Devprayag, the confluence of the Bhagirathi and Alaknanda rivers
Devprayag: the light-green river on the left is the Bhagirathi from Gangotri; the other is the Alaknanda from Badrinath.

Day 2: Joshimath to Ghangaria

About half an hour by road, seeing Vishnuprayag on the way, and then a full day’s trek. We reach Ghangaria by evening. You can take ponies or porters if you wish. A helicopter also flies from Govindghat, but you cannot depend on it: it flies only when the weather allows.

After 5–6 km of the trek you see an astonishing waterfall, about 250 metres high.

The 250-metre waterfall between Govindghat and Ghangaria
The 250-metre-high waterfall, 5–6 km into the trek.

Day 3: The Valley of Flowers, nearby areas

A very beautiful day, and a must: you see a lot of flowers. We take the entry ticket (₹200 per day for Indians and ₹800 per day for foreign nationals), but today we do not go into the main valley.

We go to a waterfall next to the entry gate, then through deep forest to the Pushpawati river. We come back for a hot lunch at our camps. In the afternoon we go to another area, where there are flowers on a slope going down towards the river.

Waterfall in front of the Valley of Flowers entry gate
The waterfall in front of the entry gate.

Day 4: The Valley of Flowers, deeper parts

We start quite early so that we reach the deeper parts, up to the Pushpawati river bed, about 7 km from Ghangaria and the most beautiful part of the valley. How far you go and when you come back depends on your stamina, and we are back by evening. See our gallery of the deeper parts.

The Pushpawati river bed coloured pink by river beauty
The Pushpawati river bed. The pink is a colony of river beauty (Epilobium latifolium).

Day 5: Hemkund Sahib

We start early for the holy gurudwara of Sri Hemkund Sahib, beside a lake at about 14,000 feet, and come back by evening. The 7 km trek is steep but worth every step. Along the way look for the rare flowers of Hemkund: blue poppies, vajradanti and Brahma Kamal.

Hemkund Sahib lake in the first week of June
Hemkund Sahib lake in the first week of June.

Day 6: Ghangaria to Badrinath and Joshimath

We come down from Ghangaria and drive to Badrinath, a beautiful road with waterfalls and the flowing Alaknanda, and then back to Joshimath for the night.

Day 7: Joshimath to Rishikesh

The last day. After breakfast we drive to Rishikesh, where the trip ends. You will be physically tired but mentally on a high.

What is included

  • Transport by tempo traveller; no one sits in the last row
  • Rooms on twin sharing
  • Breakfast and dinner at Joshimath, Auli and Ghangaria
  • Lunch on the Valley of Flowers days (hot lunch at our camps on the nearby-areas day, packed lunch on the deeper-parts day) and a packed lunch on the Gorson Top trek
  • A guide from Joshimath until you leave Joshimath

Not included

  • Any meal at Haridwar
  • Lunch on travel days and on the Hemkund Sahib day
  • The Valley of Flowers entry ticket
  • Ponies, porters, palanquins and the helicopter

Dates, price and booking

See the fixed departure dates and our Valley of Flowers tour packages. Packages cost ₹38,000–48,000 per person, depending on the standard of hotels. You pay 50% at the time of booking and the rest 15 days before departure.

This itinerary is a guide: landslides and weather can change the plan. We can also make it shorter or change it for you; with only one day in the valley, we give a packed lunch. Call +91 99912 42759 or send us your details and we will send you your own itinerary with dates, along with the full terms and conditions.

Questions travellers asked us

Real questions from readers of this page over the years, answered by Devkant Sangwan. Each one shows its date. Roads, rules and arrangements may have changed since, so please ask us about your own dates.

  • Tapesh L. ·

    1st week of June is suitable time to visit???

    Devkant Sangwan ·

    Hi,
    No, it is not worth to go to Valley of Flowers in June. Please visit Best Time to Visit the Valley of Flowers for more information.

  • Priya ·

    We are travelling with Kids. Can we take the trek for 1 day from Ghangaria? and get to Ghangaria by road? Is May good time to visit valley of flowers?

    Devkant Sangwan ·

    Hello Priya,
    I would like to inform you that Valley of Flowers gets open from 1st June till the initial days of October. You can come anytime in between.
    Govindghat to Ghangaria is trekking distance which was 14km earlier and being reduced to 10 km now. (pony, porter, chopper available). The detailed itinerary from our side has been sent top you. Kindly check.
    Contact us for further information.
    Thanks

  • Nisha ·

    HI Devkant,  
                          Has the valley of flowers opened this year?  What is the cost of hiring a porter?

    Devkant Sangwan ·

    Hello Mam,
    To read about the opening of Valley of Flowers kindly follow   and for cost of a porter follow this .

What travellers say about trekking with us

  • ★★★★★

    Blue Poppy Holidays – Where Passionate Ownership Meets Professionalism Blue Poppy Holidays is where passionate ownership truly meets professionalism. Our experience was simply unimaginable and far beyond our expectations. The hospitality extended by the entire team, led personally by Mrs. Seema Sangwan, the owner herself, sets an exceptionally high standard. The property at…

    Read the full review

    Blue Poppy Holidays – Where Passionate Ownership Meets Professionalism

    Blue Poppy Holidays is where passionate ownership truly meets professionalism.

    Our experience was simply unimaginable and far beyond our expectations. The hospitality extended by the entire team, led personally by Mrs. Seema Sangwan, the owner herself, sets an exceptionally high standard.

    The property at Joshimath is an absolute pristine beauty. The variety of plants and flowers nurtured there is so incredible that it almost feels like having a little Valley of Flowers within the property itself. Mr. Devkant Sangwan, the owner, takes genuine pride in his garden and personally showed us each and every plant during our visit. His passion and knowledge make the experience even more special.

    And then comes the organic food — freshly prepared, delicious, and served with a smile every single time. The cooking is excellent, and the warmth with which everything is served makes you feel less like a guest and more like family. Special mention to Mr. Anuj - Manager & Ajay leading the team.

    The staff behaviour is simply beyond excellent — courteous, caring, attentive and always ready to help.

    Our experience at Ghangharia was equally wonderful. The tent accommodation was arguably the best one could expect at such an altitude, complemented by excellent service lead by Mr. Shankar and a wonderful team.

    A special mention for our guide, Mr. Pramod, who was extremely caring and supportive throughout the trek. He took complete care of our 7-year-old throughout the journey, giving us immense confidence and peace of mind.

    We had visited Blue Poppy Holidays almost 10 years ago, in 2016, and returning after such a long gap was an equally memorable experience. It is rare to find a place where the hospitality, people, property, food and attention to detail come together so beautifully.

    We will definitely be visiting again — and if you are planning a trip to the Valley of Flowers with your family, we would blindly recommend Blue Poppy Holidays.

    Your family deserves nothing less. ❤️

    Thank you, Team Blue Poppy, for making our journey so beautiful, comfortable and memorable.

    Vishal, Keshani & Arjun 🫶

    Vishal V. · August 2026
    Google review of Blue Poppy Premier, Jyotirmath (Joshimath)

  • ★★★★★

    I stayed in Blue Poppy Resort Auli Branch for about 8 days after trekking to Valley of Flowers and Hemkund Sahib. I was travelling solo since a couple and a friend who were supposed to travel with me backed out at the last moment. I am 63 and a retired Wg Cdr from Indian Air Force. I had some apprehension of being a bit lonely during my trek and travel and was unaware of my…

    Read the full review

    I stayed in Blue Poppy Resort Auli Branch for about 8 days after trekking to Valley of Flowers and Hemkund Sahib. I was travelling solo since a couple and a friend who were supposed to travel with me backed out at the last moment.

    I am 63 and a retired Wg Cdr from Indian Air Force. I had some apprehension of being a bit lonely during my trek and travel and was unaware of my fitness level etc. All these turned out to be absolutely unfounded. I immediately made really great friends and the smiles and politeness shown by the youngsters who looked after the guests made the experience very pleasant. Devkant and Seema look after the guests like family. Devkant is huge in his knowledge of the flora and fauna… he is enthusiastic and protective about all environment….. he is an ideal guide who connects with all the participants and educates them. I learnt a lot from him and Seema.. I think they provide excellent hands on service in a clean and natural environment.

    The accommodation and food were top class while requiring participants to refrain from wastage and leaving the area cleaner then before they came.

    I did a few treks around Auli to Gordon Bugyal and could not go for the 3 day camping trip. Maybe next time when I bring my children and their families.

    I had an extremely spiritual experience far away from the hustle and bustle of Mumbai.

    There’s excellent mobile coverage and one can keep in touch with family at all times.

    There’s excellent views of the majestic Himalayas all around and Nanda Devi is visible quite often.

    Thanks Devkant and Seema. I learnt a lot and relaxed at the same time. Will see you again with family in the next few years when my granddaughter is a little older.

    Keep up the good work!

    Uday K. · August 2021
    Google review of Blue Poppy Resort, Auli

  • ★★★★★

    We were picked up from Haridwar by Mr Mukesh and taken by Tempo traveller. Due to landslides we were delayed by two days initially at Kodiyala and then near Chamoli, hence we went direct from Chamoli to Pulna via Gobindhghat. Mr Mukesh is an expert driver and helped us to reach Gobindhghat safely. From here we were transferred to a local transport to climb up to Pulna. Inspire…

    Read the full review

    We were picked up from Haridwar by Mr Mukesh and taken by Tempo traveller. Due to landslides we were delayed by two days initially at Kodiyala and then near Chamoli, hence we went direct from Chamoli to Pulna via Gobindhghat. Mr Mukesh is an expert driver and helped us to reach Gobindhghat safely. From here we were transferred to a local transport to climb up to Pulna. Inspire of these delays we forged great friendships on the way and I was entertained by the spirit of my companions especially the group from Surat. We had to trek or travel by pony to Ghangria. abhishek our guide joined us at Joshimath and helped us through our trip to Ghangria. Especially the odd straggler.

    Rooms at the Swiss cottage Gangaria were good and bathrooms were hygienic and food was excellent .we really had diff foods in each meal. The staff of 4 Ashok Anuj and others were ever smiling and helpful.

    Our tour guide Mr Abhishek helped us a lot ,took care of every member in the group .He is really helpful . He really helped anyone feeling unwell or tired.

    Last but not the least hot water facility and leg massages after the trek was awesome. Subsequently I extended my stay and spent some great days trekking around Auli branch of Blue Poppy resorts. I will cover this in more detail in a separate review. Mr Devkant and Seema were especially friendly and treated us like guests in his own home.

    Uday K. · August 2021
    Google review of Blue Poppy Swiss Cottage Camps, Ghangaria

Plan your trip

Write to us

Tell us your dates, how many of you are coming, or anything you want to ask. We will email you the dates, price and brochure, and call you back.

Or call +91 99912 42759 · WhatsApp