The world famous Valley of Flowers is situated in the upper expansions of Bhyundar Ganga in the far interior of Garhwal Himalayas. Spread over an area of 87.5 sq. kms., the valley is at an altitude of is 3250 m to 6750 m above mean sea level. Many a legend are associated with this vibrant and eye catching Valley, and are often in the epics of the Ramayana and Mahabharat.

The Valley of Flowers National Park starts from Ghangharia but the main valley starts after crossing the gorge and the stream starting from Nar Parvat, At the entrance of the Valley stands the snow-clad peak of Ratban Parvat, towards the left is Nar Parvat, which separates the Badrinath valley from this valley, and to the right is dense Birch forest on the hillsides. Below the forest are meadows and the River Pushpavati flows through the valley and there are many waterfalls enhancing the beauty of the valley. The bloom starts immediately after the melting of snow but the peak blooming period is from mid July to mid August. Almost 300 species of wild flowers bloom here unhindered by mankind. The prominent species are Brahma Kamal, Anemone, Geranium, Marsh marigold, Primula, Lilium, Potentilla, Ranunculus, Inula, Corydalis, Pedicularis, Arisaema, Ligularia, Morina, Impatiens, Saxifrages Bistorta, Anaphalis, Sibbaldia, etc. The myriad shades of the valley have attracted lots of travellers through the years!!

Note: There are very good chances of rainfall around this time. Flowers bloom in this period, so come prepared for some showers. A raincoat or an umbrella is a must for this trip.

DAY 0: DELHI – HARIDWAR
Depart from Delhi by overnight train or surface transport (incase of non availability of Train tickets).

DAY 1: HARIDWAR – JAYALGARH – AULI
Arrive Haridwar, transfer by road on a picturesque journey to Jayalgarh (115 kms/3.5hrs drive). Stop here at our beautiful riverside deluxe camp for freshening up and breakfast by the River Alaknanda. Then set out on a beautiful drive to Auli, arrive at HEL, Auli. Lunch will be enroute. Enjoy hot tea, snacks and a grand view of the Nanda Devi around sunset. This alone will make you feel your trip was worth its while. Overnight at Himalayan Eco Lodge, Auli.

Day 2: AULI – GOVINDGHAT – GHANGRIA
Early morning drive for about 40-60 minutes to Govindghat, we start the trek by crossing the river Alaknanda over a bridge at Govindghat and from there walking towards the Bhyundar valley through forest area and a few villages. There are numerous waterfalls and absolutely lush green landscape all around. The gradient of the trail is moderate. The 14 kms trek to reach Ghangria takes about 4-5 hrs, one can also hire a mule or use the helicopter service to reach Ghangria. Overnight in GIO’s Camp Valley of Flowers, Ghangharia.

Day 3: GHANGRIA – VALLEY OF FLOWERS – GHANGRIA
It's a delightful and short ascent to the valley. Gradient is moderate and the landscape extremely soothing to the eye. It will take about a couple of hours to reach the valley. The beauty of this world renowned valley totally lives up to its reputation. There are unending meadows laden with varieties of alpine flowers, network of streams and big mountains all around. At the entrance of the Valley stands the snow-clad peak of Ratban Parvat, towards the left is Nar Parvat, which separates the Badrinath valley from this valley, and to the right is dense Birch forest on the hillsides. The prominent species are Braham Kamal, Anemone, Geranium, Marsh Marigold, Prinula, Lilium, Potentilla, Ranunculus, Inula, Corydalis, Pedicularis, Arisaema, Ligularia, Morina, Impatiens, Saxifrages Bistorta, Anaphalis, Sibbaldia. We will spend 3-4 hrs exploring different corners & vantage points of the valley and towards late afternoon retrace our steps to Ghangria. Total trekking time would be about 04 hrs. Overnight in the Camp at Ghangharia.

Day 4: GHANGRIA – HEMKUND SAHIB – GHANGRIA
Today's climb to Hemkund Sahib is steep at places and will take about 3 - 4 hrs. Hemkund Sahib is a popular Sikh Shrine built next to the beautiful lake. The lake is surrounded by wild flowers with Bhramkamal being the most popular. Pilgrims take a dip in the freezing cold waters of the lake, not an easy task. We will serve hot tea in the Gurudwara (Shrine) and retrace our steps to Ghangria. Overnight in camp  at Ghangharia.
(**Visitors not wanting to visit Hemkund Sahib can relish Valley of Flowers again**)

Day 5: GHANGRIA – GOVINDGHAT – BADRINATH – AULI
Today we trek back to Govindghat and from there drive for about an hour to reach the beautiful temple town of Badrinath. Situated on the banks of holy Alaknanda and with the backdrop of Neelkanth peak, an ancient temple with hot sulphur water pools and crisp and clean air, Badrinath is a wonderful destination to visit. For the spiritually inclined, there can be no better place. Later in the evening return to Auli. Overnight at Himalayan Eco Lodge, Auli.

Day 6: AULI – HARIDWAR
Early morning after breakfast, drive to Haridwar (290kms/8hrs). Your trip ends here with undying memories of the Himalayas!!

PRICE INCLUDES

• Accommodation for 5 nights in Deluxe lodges and camps. All Lodges and camps have attached washrooms,
• All vegetarian meals beginning with dinner on Day 1  to breakfast on Day 06
• Professional guide (trained from Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkashi) would accompany the group
• Slideshows in the evening to show pictures and documentaries about the valley

TRANSPORT PRICES INCLUDE

• The Fixed Departure transport price is an all inclusive price for the mentioned itinerary from and back to Haridwar
• The different vehicle prices are for non-Fixed Departure trips (for customised dates as per your requirement) for the mentioned itinerary from and back to Haridwar

PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE

HIMALAYAN ECO LODGES & CAMPS, AULI

Auli is nestled in the lap of the snow-capped peaks of Garhwal Himalayas in the Chamoli District of Uttarakhand, near the world famous religious shrine of Badrinath, the UNESCO Heritage site of Nanda Devi Biosphere and the the Valley of Flowers National Park. Our lodge here is 7 kms before Auli and is set in a beautiful apple orchard overlooking the Himalayan range and in the middle of pristine Himalayan landscape.

Location

• 515 kms from Delhi / 300 kms from Haridwar / 275 kms from Rishikesh
• Easy train/air connections available between Delhi and Haridwar/Dehradun

Accommodation & Other Facilities

• 5 Deluxe rooms
• 10 Luxury Tented Cottages with attached built-up running water washrooms. These are large cottages (12' x 14') with all creature comforts, customized wooden furniture, comfortable bedding, coffee table, relaxation chairs, luggage racks, ambient lighting and so on.
• Running Hot & Cold water
• 24x7 Electricity

Dining Facilities

• Restaurant with wonderful view of the peaks all around and the apple orchard ahead
• Hot multi-cuisine meals served buffet style apart from all the cups of tea/coffee you might want

PAYMENT TERMS

• Rates are valid till October 4, 2012
• Full payment to be made in advance at the time of booking the trip
• Payment to be made by Cheque/DD in favour of GREAT INDIAN OUTDOORS (P) LTD. payable at New Delhi/Gurgaon
• Payment for this trip will not be adjusted against any future trips
• Cancellation policy
  • >21 days: Full refund (after deducting any expenses that have been incurred for transport, etc.)
  • 14-20 days: 75% of trip cost will be refunded (after deducting any expenses that have been incurred for transport, etc.)
  • 7-13 days: 50% of trip cost will be refunded (after deducting any expenses that have been incurred for transport, etc.)
  • <7 days: No refund

LIST OF ESSENTIALS