Uttarakhand’s Valley of Flowers opens to tourists

Dehradun ( Vivek Ojha) : In Uttarakhand, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Valley of Flowers, located in Chamoli district, has been opened to tourists. Forest Department has appealed to visitors to cooperate in the conservation of the valley’s rich biodiversity and rare plant species.

According to the department, the Valley of Flowers is currently home to more than 300 species of flowers and several rare varieties of flora. Forest Range Officer Chetna Kandpal said that the valley will remain open to visitors until October 31.

About the Valley of Flowers:

It is located in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand and lies within the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve. It spans over 87 sq km and lies at an altitude of 3,600 meters above sea level.

It was introduced to the Western world in 1931 when British mountaineers Frank S. Smythe, Eric Shipton, and R.L. Holdsworth discovered it during their return from Mount Kamet. Smythe’s 1938 book, Valley of Flowers, brought it global recognition.

The valley is famous for its wide variety of flowering plants, including orchids, poppies, primulas, marigolds, daisies, and anemones. Rare and sacred flowers like the brahmakamal, often offered in religious rituals, also bloom here. The valley is home to many medicinal plants and herbs used in traditional healing.

Several wildlife species inhabit the region, such as the snow leopard, the Himalayan weasel, the black bear, the red fox, the gray langur, the flying squirrel and various species of butterflies including the lime butterfly. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005, for its exceptional beauty and biodiversity.