India photos : 10 of the most beautiful places
5. Valley Of Flowers, Chamoli District, Uttarakhand
The Himalayas may seem like a cold, snowy and desolate place, but did you know it’s possible to view a valley full of beautiful flowers among its high peaks? It may seem like an impossible dream, but there is such a majestic valley in the high peaks of Zanskar ranges of Uttarakhand State. Fittingly referred to as the valley of flowers, it’s breathtaking national park and a UNESCO World Heritage site.
This whimsical valley full of beautiful meadows of alpine flowers covers an expansive area of 87 square kilometers. There are over 500 different types of wildflowers found here and it’s also one of the few places in India that remains untouched by human intervention or interaction. Nestled between the Great Himalayas and majestic Zanskar mountains, the valley of flowers is absolutely heavenly for nature lovers.
The best time to visit the valley is between June and October. You can enjoy the breathtaking view of this valley at its full bloom during this time when it resembles a colorful carpet or quilt spread across a stunning mountain valley. The magical location long remained hidden from the outside world until the great mountaineer Frank S Smith stumbled across it back in 1931.
It’s not easy to reach the valley. Visitors must climb a 3600-meter mountain range to get to the valley of flowers, but the effort is absolutely worth it. The Nanda Devi Biosphere reserve is the area that surrounds the valley of flowers, and it’s a varied and diverse wilderness and nature area in the Himalayas. It’s home to a number of vulnerable or endangered animal species like the snow leopard, the Asiatic black bear, and the brown bear. Tourists who make the climb can also see a beautiful stream and many waterfalls along the way to the valley of flowers.