This guide is about the Valley of Flowers Trek — dates, price, day-by-day itinerary and booking are on the trek page.
Quick answer: The Valley of Flowers trek covers about 50 km on foot over four trekking days: 11 km from Pulna to Ghangaria, about 16 km round trip through the valley, about 12 km round trip to Hemkund Sahib and 11 km back down to Pulna. The valley itself lies between 3,352 m and 3,658 m (11,000–12,000 ft), you sleep at Ghangaria, 3,048 m (10,000 ft), and the highest point is Hemkund Sahib at 4,329 m (14,200 ft).
This page is about the trail: kilometres per day, height at each point, height gained and the order of the route. How to get to the trailhead from Delhi or Rishikesh is a separate journey, covered on the trek page with the pickup details.
How many km is the Valley of Flowers trek per day?
All figures are from Trekkaro's itinerary. Days 1 and 6 are drives between Rishikesh and Joshimath with no walking.
| Day | Section | Distance on foot | Time | Height gain or loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Pulna (2,050 m) to Ghangaria (3,048 m) | 11 km | 4–5 hrs | About 1,000 m up |
| 3 | Ghangaria to the Valley of Flowers and back | About 16 km round trip | 6–7 hrs | Up to the valley floor at 3,352–3,658 m and back to 3,048 m |
| 4 | Ghangaria to Hemkund Sahib (4,329 m) and back | About 12 km round trip | 6–7 hrs | About 1,280 m up and the same down |
| 5 | Ghangaria to Pulna | 11 km | 3–4 hrs | About 1,000 m down |
| Total | About 50 km |
The 50 km does not count the 3 km road between Govindghat and Pulna, which you cover by shared jeep on Day 2 and by jeep or on foot on Day 5. If you walk that stretch both ways, your total is about 56 km. Walking time on the four trekking days runs from 3 to 7 hours.
What is the height of the Valley of Flowers above sea level?
The national park's valley floor runs from 3,352 m to 3,658 m (11,000–12,000 ft); Trekkaro's route map marks the valley day at 3,500 m (11,483 ft). These are the heights of every point you pass, in the order you reach them:
| Point | Height | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Rishikesh | 340 m (1,115 ft) | Pickup and drop |
| Joshimath | 1,890 m (6,200 ft) | Night stay on Days 1 and 5 |
| Govindghat | 1,828 m (5,997 ft) | Roadhead on the Badrinath highway; trek end |
| Pulna | 2,050 m (6,730 ft) | Trailhead, where motor access ends |
| Ghangaria | 3,048 m (10,000 ft) | Guesthouse village; three nights here |
| Valley of Flowers | 3,352–3,658 m (11,000–12,000 ft) | National park; day walk only |
| Hemkund Sahib | 4,329 m (14,200 ft) | Gurudwara and glacial lake; highest point |
Note that Govindghat is lower than Joshimath: on Day 2 the road drops about 60 m to Govindghat, then the jeep climbs about 220 m to Pulna, where the walking starts. The highest place you sleep is Ghangaria at 3,048 m; both the valley and Hemkund Sahib are day walks that bring you back down to sleep.
How far is the Valley of Flowers from Ghangaria?
About 4 km of trail climbs from Ghangaria through forest and open meadow to the valley entry gate, where the tree cover ends and the valley floor opens out. The valley is about 8 km long and 2 km wide. Trekkaro's valley day walks in from the gate towards the Pushpawati glacier and returns along the north bank, about 16 km round trip from Ghangaria, the longest walking day of the trek.
The length matters because of the park's hours. Entry is allowed between 7 AM and 2 PM and everyone must be out by 5 PM, and no camping is allowed inside, so the whole 16 km fits into one day. The group starts early: the clearest air is before 9 AM, and in the monsoon, showers are likely by early afternoon.
How far is Hemkund Sahib from Ghangaria and from the valley?
Hemkund Sahib is 6 km from Ghangaria with about 1,280 m of ascent, an average gradient of more than 20%. The Uttarakhand Tourist Care portal gives the same 6 km for this leg and calls it a steep climb. The path climbs through the upper Bhyundar forest, then above the treeline on a stone trail that switches back up the valley headwall to the lake. Coming down takes about 2.5 to 3 hours on the same trail.
The trails to the valley (north-east) and to Hemkund Sahib (north-west) split at Ghangaria, and the trek page shows no trail linking the two above it. From the valley gate to Hemkund Sahib you walk about 4 km back to Ghangaria and then 6 km up, about 10 km. That is why the itinerary gives them separate days: the valley on Day 3, then Hemkund Sahib on Day 4 after a second night at Ghangaria.
What does the Valley of Flowers trek route map look like?
The route is an out-and-back from one base with two spurs. In order:
- Rishikesh to Joshimath by road, about 255 km, along the Alaknanda.
- Joshimath to Govindghat by road, about 30 minutes, then 3 km by jeep to Pulna.
- Pulna to Ghangaria on foot, 11 km, beside the Pushpawati river through the Bhyundar gorge.
- Spur one: Ghangaria north-east into the Valley of Flowers, towards the Pushpawati glacier and back (about 16 km).
- Spur two: Ghangaria north-west to Hemkund Sahib and back (about 12 km).
- Ghangaria down to Pulna (11 km), Govindghat (3 km) and Joshimath by road; Rishikesh the next day.
The trek page has the route map with each night stop and its height marked.
Why do sources give different distances?
Figures for the walk to Ghangaria and for the whole trek differ from page to page. The differences come from where the count starts and what it includes:
- 13 km: the state portal's figure for Govindghat to Ghangaria on foot.
- 11 km: Trekkaro's figure from Pulna, after the 3 km jeep ride from Govindghat.
- 50 km: Trekkaro's total for four trekking days, including the 16 km valley day and Hemkund Sahib, but not the Govindghat–Pulna road.
Walking the Govindghat–Pulna road both ways instead of taking the jeep makes the total about 56 km. When comparing treks, check whether Hemkund Sahib is included, how far into the valley the count goes, and whether the count starts at Govindghat or Pulna.
How hard are these distances at this height?
The kilometres are moderate; the height gain is what you feel. Day 2 climbs about 1,000 m in 11 km on a wide, well-maintained trail. The Hemkund Sahib day climbs about 1,280 m in 6 km to 4,329 m, the hardest day, and your health is checked twice that day. The valley day is the longest at about 16 km but the gentlest in gradient. Monsoon rain makes all of it wet and muddy; gaiters, issued free on this trek with microspikes, keep the mud out of your shoes. The grade is Easy–Moderate and the minimum age is 9; for the season and what you see in each month, read our month-by-month guide.
Valley of Flowers trek route map and dates | Best time to visit Valley of Flowers | Valley of Flowers trek cost | How to reach Valley of Flowers
Frequently asked questions
What is the total distance of the Valley of Flowers trek?
About 50 km on foot over four days on Trekkaro's itinerary. That includes the 16 km valley day and the climb to Hemkund Sahib, but not the 3 km road from Govindghat to Pulna.
What is the altitude of Valley of Flowers from sea level?
The valley floor is between 3,352 m and 3,658 m, roughly 11,000 to 12,000 ft. The trek's highest point is higher still: Hemkund Sahib at 4,329 m.
What is the distance from Ghangaria to Valley of Flowers?
About 4 km of trail takes you from Ghangaria to the valley entry gate. The valley day, from Ghangaria into the valley towards the Pushpawati glacier and back, is about 16 km.
What is the distance from Valley of Flowers to Hemkund Sahib?
The two trails meet only at Ghangaria, so it is about 4 km back down and 6 km up, around 10 km. Trekkaro's itinerary does them on separate days, with a night at Ghangaria in between.
How many km do you walk each day on the Valley of Flowers trek?
11 km on the way up to Ghangaria, about 16 km on the valley day, about 12 km on the Hemkund Sahib day and 11 km on the way down. The first and last days are drives with no walking.
