Flowery carpet awaits tourists: Valley of flowers to reopen from June 1
Located between the altitudes of 3,352 metres and 3,658 metres above sea level, the Valley will technically reopen for the five month-long season, beginning on June 1.
Flowers sway and flowers charm - all around the world. Flowers cheer us all. They inspire poems and songs that melt hearts. Flowers are intricate to our myriad emotions as we navigate through the days and nights in this beautiful world. All of that will now get a fillip with the reopening of the famous Valley of Flowers in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand.
Located between the altitudes of 3,352 metres and 3,658 metres above sea level, the Valley will technically reopen for the five month-long season, beginning on June 1.
To help enthusiasts and tourists visit the serene locale, the National Park's authority has decided to realign the trekking route to the Valley, bypassing the previous route which had got badly damaged due to 2013 flash floods.
The Valley will reopen for the entire season after a gap of two years. The state PWD has constructed a new bridge at Dwari from where the tourists will trek to the Valley using a new route which was earlier used by the shepherds.
Nanda Devi divisional forest officer Rajiv Dhiman said, "The visitors will use a three-kilometre stretch. They will enjoy the aligned trek from Dwari bridge to Vamandaud as they will pass though Himalayan birch forest."
After the 2013 floods, the road to the Valley was severely damaged; many pedestrian bridges got swept away and as a result the tourists were barred from heading towards the Valley. Because of the 2013 disaster, the number of visitors to the Valley later dwindled. In 2013 there were 484 visitors to the Valley. In October 2014 it had opened for 15 days. However, there were not many visitors to this beautiful setting, possibly due to lack of publicity: there were just 181 visitors last year. In contrast, 8,577 visitors enjoyed the beauty of Valley of Flowers in 2009. In 2010 there were 5,118 visitors; in 2011 the figure rose to 6,855; in 2012 there were 7,665 visitors.
With the slated reopening of the Valley, local villagers are hopeful that it will boost their income. They are hoping that by setting up dhabas and hotels, and by working as guides, they will be able to add to their income.
Located in the majestic backdrop of Zanskar ranges, the Valley is considered as a virtual paradise on earth. Known for its meadows of endemic alpine flowers and the variety of flora, the Valley of Flowers is a World Heritage Site. It was declared as a National Park in 1982. This richly diverse gentle landscape is also home to many rare and endangered animals.
In 1931, British mountaineers Frank S. Smythe, Eric Shipton and R.L. Holdsworth lost their way while returning from an expedition to Mt. Kamet. Out of the blue they reached the Valley, which was full of flowers. They named it as the Valley of Flowers.
The Valley is also associated with the Ramayana and it is believed that Lord Hanuman brought the 'Sanjeevani' herb for ailing Lakshmana from there.