What Is The Best Time To Visit Valley of Flowers - What Nobody Tells You

Today, I want to share some secrets about the Valley of Flowers that nobody will tell you. This kind of insight comes only if you spend months, year after year in the valley, like our Trek Leaders do.

I was talking about the Valley of Flowers Trek with our Slope Manager, Gourab Nandy. Gourab is one of our most charismatic slope managers—you may have met him; he’s hard to miss!

I asked him what was the best time to visit Valley of Flowers Uttarakhand. This is the top question of every trekker who emails me. And it’s a valid one—knowing the best season to visit Valley of Flowers can make a huge difference to your experience.

Gourab gave me some insights that even most Trek Experts don’t know! I thought it was a treasure trove of information, and I’m sharing it with you today.

So what really is the best time to visit Valley of Flowers?

So what is the best time to visit the Valley of Flowers?

Gourab spent three months in 2018 leading trekkers on the Valley of Flowers Trek. Based on his experience, here's a breakdown of what to expect in July, August, and September.

So, what about Valley of Flowers in July?

July is traditionally when the Valley of Flowers Trek opens to trekkers, tourists, and pilgrims.

"In the beginning of July, the valley is lush green. The flowers start budding in the first week. By mid-July, flowers start blooming," says Gourab.

To this, our co-founder, Sandhya UC adds, “You’ll even experience snow bridges and melting patches. Since the trek climbs to an altitude of around 14,107 ft, some snow lingers until the end of July.”

‣ Flowers in July

“There aren’t too many flowers until mid-July. But the greenery in the valley won’t make you feel like you’re missing out. The flowers start to bloom in abundance from mid-July onwards. The valley turns extremely colourful after that,” says Gourab. I would say this is the best time to trek here.

‣ Rains in July

July is when the monsoon is just about beginning in our country. “The first half of July doesn’t see much rain. So it’s a very pleasant experience trekking in the valley,” shares Gourab. But after mid-July, expect rain, much like August. 

‣ Crowds in July

“A good thing about trekking in July is that the valley is least crowded in this month. Tourists and trekkers usually spill in from month of August. So in July, you don’t see too many other people. It’s a big bonus on such a popular trek,” says Gourab. In case you didn’t know, Valley of Flowers is one of our most crowded treks.

If you’re looking for fewer people, some snow, and the beginning of the bloom—mid-July to end-July is a great time.

The Valley of Flowers in August is the best time to see flowers

‣ Flowers in August

“In my observations during my time there, the first 15 days of August see a huge number of flowers — the most I’ve seen in the three-month period. By the last week of August, I have seen flowers wilt and shed their petals. Trekkers will still see lots of flowers, so they won’t be disappointed. But ask any Trek Leader and they’ll tell you what the Valley of Flowers is like in the first few weeks of August,” he says.

If you want to see the valley in full bloom, early August is the best time to visit the Valley of Flowers and do the trek.

‣ Rains in August

 “Expect a good amount of precipitation, but it’s fun to trek in the rain,” says Gourab. Then he adds a zinger, “Though I have noticed a good amount of rain at Govindghat, at higher altitudes, it’s not always heavy. You might experience a good drizzle, and your rainwear can easily protect you in these drizzles.” Now, that was something I didn’t expect to hear!

‣ Crowds in August

This is one of the downsides of trekking in this month is the huge number of crowd that you see on the trail. If you time your trek during weekdays, then you find lesser crowds.

August is the best time to visit the Valley of Flowers if your main goal is seeing the flowers. But what if you can’t in August? Don’t worry, we’ve got that covered as well.

Bonus of trekking in August: “This is not related to the trek, but the Badrinath temple is near-empty during this time. Though the road beyond Govindghat is unpredictable because of the Lambagad landslide zone, the Badrinath temple is near empty. You can spend more than an hour in the main part of the temple in front of the deity. You can see the aarti without disturbance. Usually, when there’s a crowd, you can hardly stand there even for a minute,” shares Gourab.

If seeing flowers is your top priority, the best time to visit Valley of Flowers is from the last week of July to August 15.

What if I wanted to do the Valley of Flowers in September?

“This would be my last recommendation,” says Gourab. And our co-founder, Sandhya seems to agree. “That’s why,” Sandhya adds, “we never run the trek after the second week of September.” 

‣ Flowers in September

“There’s no quality in the flowers in September,” frowns Gourab. “Most of the flowers have wilted away and there are very few left. Again, trekkers will not be very disappointed because the valley itself is picturesque and lush, but if they are coming just to see the flowers, then September is definitely not the time,” says Gourab.

September is not the best time to do the Valley of Flowers trek if you want to see flowers on the trail. But there’s something else, that is unique about the trail in September.

‣ Rains in September

“It rains a lot less in September. The monsoons are retreating and almost die down by mid-September. So that’s a bonus of trekking to Valley of Flowers in September,” says Gourab. Ironically, as rain disappears, it takes away the flowers with it too.

‣ Crowds in September

“The valley becomes a lot more crowded, especially because pilgrims come in large numbers to visit the gurdwara at Hemkund Sahib in September. This is more pronounced over the weekends. If you’re going to the mountains to get away from crowds and have some alone time, then again, September is not the time,” says Gourab.

We also made an ultimate guide to do the Valley of Flowers trek on your own. You can watch the video below.

Does the best time to trek to Valley of Flowers change with change in climate?

I caught up with our Trek Leader Akshay Upreti, who spent three months in the valley in 2019. His observations were very similar to Gourab’s. 

“In 2019, I observed the same trend — the flowers peaked from the last week of July to around August 15. After that, they slowly wilted,” says Akshay.

So even with changing climate, early August remains the most reliable time to see the valley in bloom.

Another common misconception about the Valley Of Flowers trek

As I was speaking to Akshay, he brought about another misconception that trekkers have. 

“It’s well known that in the Valley of Flowers, there are more than 500 varieties of flowers. Many a time, trekkers come expecting to see all 500 varieties of flowers. They are often crest-fallen when they don’t see that many flowers,” he says. 

“It is true that there are around 500 varieties of flowers in the Valley of Flowers. But they don’t bloom at the same time. These flowers bloom in the valley throughout the year at different times, not necessarily in July, August or September. So when trekkers come in these months, they can expect many varieties, but not all. Yet, this season is when the valley is at its best, in full bloom,” he clarifies. 

So there you are, some inside information about the Valley of Flowers that no one will tell you about.

To sum it up, if you really want to see lots of flowers, time your trek from the last week of July to the middle of August. Expect quite a bit of rain during this period, but it’s nothing you cannot manage without these expert monsoon trekking tips. 

On the other hand July and September give you a lush valley, there are still flowers but not as many. But it’s a good time to trek with lesser rainfall. Of the two, July is better than September.

Quick FAQs

1. What is the Valley of Flowers trek distance?
   The trek covers around 34 km from Poolna to Valley of Flowers and Hemkund Sahib and back.
2. What is the Valley of Flowers trek altitude?
   The highest point on the trek is around 14,107 ft (4,300 m).
3. What’s the Valley of Flowers temperature like?
   The average temperatures for the months of July, August and September are very similar. Day time temperature ranges between 10 °C to 18 °C, based on precipitation and cloud cover and night time temperature drops to almost 3 °C to 5 °C. 
   If you want to read a learn more about the temperature and the number warm clayered clothing you should take, click here.
4. How to reach Valley of Flowers?
   The Valley of Flowers trek starts from Govindghat. However, Karchi is your base camp for the Valley of Flowers Trek. Karchi is a small hamlet in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. One among four small villages in this area. It is around 9-10 hours by road from Rishikesh. 
   Read this detailed guide on how to reach the Basecamp of your trek to know more. 
5. What is the Valley of Flowers trek cost?
   Treks with Indiahikes cost around Rs 11,950, excluding the travel fare, insurance and taxes. You can check our Valley of Flowers trek package details here.
6. How long does the Valley of Flowers trek take?
   The Valley of Flowers Trek is 38 km long. And you cover this distance in 4 days where you trek approximately for 6 hours every day. You also need to keep two days for travelling to and from the base camp of the Valley of Flowers trek.
7. Looking for a Valley of Flowers trek itinerary or route map?
   We’ve got you covered! Click here for our itinerary and map.

Conclusion

We’ve opened slots for the upcoming season. Find the full itinerary, dates, and inclusions on this page.

You will also find the list of our monsoon treks, autumn treks, and winter treks here. 

This is one article that gives you insider info on the Valley of Flowers Trek, curated by experts who’ve spent seasons in the valley. If you're planning your trek, bookmark this for future reference.