Valley of Flowers trek - August 2018

No doubt we would not have attempted this difficult trek if it was not for Blue Poppy. They reassured us, guided us and helped us to decide to take this arduous trip.

They were very prompt in their replies and gave us very practical suggestions. There were a lot of horror stories from well wishers about landslides, torrential rains and a very tedious trek.  But we decided to go.

 

Our group leader Ronny

The entire experience was from 2^nd August to 12^th August.

We left Tata on the 2^nd of August by Rajdhani at 4 pm and reached New Delhi the next day at 11 am. The Jan Shatabdi for Hardiwar left New Delhi at 3:20 pm and reached Haridwar at 8 pm. As per the terms with Blue Poppy, the package started from accommodation at the hotel in Haridwar. Therefore, we had to find our own way at an exorbitant cost of Rs. 1,000 in an Innova for a 7 km ride !

 

Stop for breakfast

A Landslide

However, the hotel – Clarks Inn Brinjal – was comfortable though there was a slightly musty odour. However, the rooms and linen, towels, etc. were clean. We were served a wholesome and satisfying vegetarian dinner that made up for the expensive ride.

The next morning our tour vehicle – a Tempo Traveller – was ready for departure at 6 o’ clock. We left for Joshimath at 6:10. A journey which would normally have taken 8 to 10 hours as we were told, took us 14 ½ hours with two stops for landslides to be cleared (during one of which we had our breakfast) and another stop for lunch. Since we were already late at Joshimath – 8:30 pm – they decided that it would be better to travel another one hour to reach Govindghat. That made the entire journey one of 15 ½ hours !

We were checked into Hotel Badrish which was very comfortable and had running hot water ! A vegetarian buffet dinner was already served for all the tourists – Blue Poppy as well others.

Ready to start

View from outside our hotel in Govindghat

On the morning of the 5^th, we awoke to a clear sunny day and were prepared for the long trek to Ghangaria. We set out at 9 o’clock driving towards Pulna village – the furthest point accessible by driving. However, the sound of a helicopter distracted us. Being a clear day, the helicopter service was operating ! Our guide offered the option of a helicopter ride (at extra cost, of course). It turned out to be Rs. 2,850 per person. Without hesitation, we decided on the chopper ride ! The necessary formalities took barely ten minutes – the weight of each person was checked, the money paid and we were ready to board. The maximum number of people allowed on each flight was five and each person was allowed upto 5 kg of luggage.

We were more than compensated for the long, tedious bus ride of the previous day. In less than ten minutes we were at Ghangaria – an exciting flight weaving through the gaps in the mountains, looking down at the river wending its way through the valley.

We landed in Ghangaria at 9:30 and trekked up half a km to our hotel – Hotel Preetam.

Though the entrance was not very attractive, our rooms were spacious and comfortable. Steaming hot water came in a bucket when requested, as much as and at any time we wanted – early morning as well as at night. Blankets were sufficient. A tip...lay out one on the bed and get in and cover yourself with the other – advice from a Sherpa.

We spent the rest of the day getting familiar with our surroundings, the shops, and enjoying the views of the mountains from the other end of the village. The Uttarakhand Tourism Office offers a half hour curtain raiser video on the valley of flowers for a small charge.

Books on the flowers are available and recommended.

Ponchos and a walking stick are a must and can be purchased from Govindghat. So is rain protection for your knapsacks.

On the 6^th of August we trekked to the Valley of Flowers. We started at 7:00 am. By eleven we reached our destination. We spent 90 minutes of pure ecstasy in this environment – a green carpet with a bed of flowers – pink, red, yellow, blue, maroon, purple !

Now the trek up is not easy. Mules are not allowed in the valley. For the strong hearted – you can sit on a chair strapped to the back of a Sherpa - Rs. 2,000 (suggested), or on a palanquin with four carriers – Rs. 7,000 (suggested). But first test yourself out and, like me, avoid the temptation and you will be so pleased and proud that you made it !

Looking back, I would like to have gone up twice – the second time, maybe on a ‘pithu’ (one man chair).

We skipped going to Hemkund Sahib and left Ghangaria a day earlier. Our objective was VOF.

Ghangaria is damp, humid and cold – about 7^oC. Clothes do not dry. Carrying a hair dryer is highly recommended to combat the dampness in the air. There is a facility that dries shoes and clothes around a fire for Rs. 100 - 300 a piece.

Meals at the restaurant, though vegetarian, are fresh and tasty, and also reasonably priced. Eggs can be ordered separately. We loved the tomato soup, served with croutons and cream…yum.

The meals included in the package were served at Hotel Priya next door. The breakfast, lunch and dinner were tasty and wholesome.

The township is at 10,200 ft and the valley is at 11,200 ft. We needed to carry a warm jacket and a water-proof jacket with a hood over it. Those who didn’t could hire one at Rs 250/day from a shop opposite Pritam hotel.

The plastic ponchos available are flimsy and tear easily. The next time I go trekking, I would invest in a warm water-proof hooded jacket from Quechua (and they are not cheap !) and quick drying trousers from brands like Colombia.

Shoes must have the feature of letting the water out, and be rugged since we will be walking up and down at many places at 45^o to 60^o angles. Some ladies used plastic rain shoes which were very comfortable and easily withstood the arduous climb. We carried an additional pair of closed sandals in our knapsacks. Carry a 500 ml bottle of water as you will sweat profusely while climbing. We didn’t see the necessity of carrying any snacks, although we did carry some.

Taking photographs is a problem throughout the trek as it’s almost always drizzling. So we used a hybrid system. My MOTO G phone is water resistant and more so with its plastic back cover. It’s easier to manage, too.

Next, I loaned my Canon Powershot  SX710HS to a companion. This was very convenient and could be taken out of our pockets easily.

Cameras and photographs are extremely important to make us re-live the journey.

A Rainbow says au revoir

Some after thoughts…

Overall, on the way back, we should have arrived in Haridwar early morning and taken the train immediately, or used a hotel at Haridwar – like Hotel Shivmurti at Rs. 1,200 per night for one room.

We would have been better off carrying an extra hair dryer, plastic rain shoes (fancy climbing boots get wet and soggy) and a rain cover for our knapsacks.

Flip flops and sandals important.

A warm rain jacket which is a two in one would be better than a poncho.

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