Valley of Flowers, Uttarakhand

1st February, 2016 | Article By Te Ramante

Valley of Flowers is a fairy-land situated high in the Himalayas of the Uttarakhand, India, at an altitude of 3,600 meters above sea-level, protected by snowy mountains.

Unknown to humans, for centuries this enchanting valley lay frozen during the colder months, and burst into its youthful beauty every year, as the snow melted with the advent of summer. Every year, the valley would be splashed with colour as it bloomed with hundreds of kinds of flowers, taking on various shades of colour as the months progressed.

Finally one day, nature condescended to bless humans with this heavenly sight, when Frank Smith – mountaineer, explorer, and botanist – chanced upon it in the monsoon of 1931. He authored a book called “The Valley of Flowers” which unveiled the beauty and floral splendor of the valley and made the world sit up and take notice.

The Valley of Flowers was declared a national park in 1982, and is now a World Heritage Site. The locals, of course, always knew of the existence of the valley, joyously believing it was inhabited by fairies.

By Te Ramante

Te Ramante
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