Day 1
Drive from Rishikesh to Joshimath
Drive Distance: 255 km | Drive Duration: 11 hours | Pick up Time: 5 am
The pick-up location is at Haridwar or Dehradun at 5:00 AM.
The voyage to the brilliant goal Valley of Flowers will begin from Joshimath, a town in Chamoli District in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. Situated at a stature of 6150 Ft. it is an entryway to a few Himalayan trekking destinations as well. While Driving to Joshimath, you will pass through the Panchprayag or the five blessed junctures of Ganga—Devaprayag, Rudraprayag, Karnaprayag, Nandaprayag, and Vishnuprayag. Along these lines, keep your cameras to capture the beauty of mountains.
Day 2
Drive from Joshimath to Pulna Village. Trek to Ghangaria
Drive distance: 38 km | Drive Duration: 1.5 hours
Trek distance: 9 km | Trek Duration: 5-6 hours Altitude gain: 7,785 ft to 10,520 ft
A short drive followed by a gently ascending river-side trail. The trail is well-laid out with several trekkers and pilgrims frequenting the route.
From Joshimath, it's another two-hour drive to Pulna which is the official starting point to both the Valley of Flowers and Hemkund Sahib treks. Stop en route for a quick photo at "Vishnu Prayag", the confluence of Alaknanda and Dhauli Ganga rivers amidst a stunning scenery. Once at Pulna, you do a basic health test and register yourself at the counter. Now begins your 9km trek to "Ghangaria" the common and last stop point before the path splits up into two individual trails for Valley of Flowers and Hemkund Sahib Respectively.
Stay at Ghangaria
Day 3
Ghangaria to Valley of Flowers and back
Trek distance: 3.7 km each way | Trek Duration: 6 hours | Altitude gain: 10,520 ft to 11,550 ft
A rewarding trek to Valley of Flowers, with flowers blooming on either side of the trail.
Valley of Flowers is a relatively easy 4.5km trek up from Ghangharia. Depending on the weather, you can even do Hemkund Sahib before but since Valley of Flowers is a shorter and 'easier' trek. After you buy a ticket for the entrance to Valley of Flowers, make sure to take a picture of the board that lists all the varieties of flowers in the region to be able to make sense of what you're seeing around you when you get to the top.
If you're lucky, you'll have clear weather and you'll enjoy the 4-hour trek which passes through some stunning scenery. Walk on rickety bridges to cross ice-cold streams, past curtain-like waterfalls that roar like nonstop applause to the theatre performance of nature, and feel humbled by towering mountains all around you. Soak it all in. It may feel routine then, but you're in the middle of some of the most impressive landscapes not only in India but in the world.
Day 4
Ghangaria to Hemkund Sahib and back
Trek distance: 6 km each way | Trek Duration: 8-9 hours | Altitude gain: 10,520 ft to 14,450 ft
A series of switchbacks continuously climb to Hemkund Sahib. The gurudwara and lake at the top are a wonderful reward for the challenging climb.
Day 5
Trek from Ghangaria to Pulna Village. Drive to Joshimath
Trek distance: 9 km | Trek Duration: 4 hours | Altitude loss: 10,520 ft to 6,215 ft
Drive distance: 35 km | Drive Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes
A swift descent to Pulna, followed by a drive to Govind Ghat then to Joshimath.
Day 6
Drive from Joshimath to Rishikesh
Drive Distance: 252 km | Drive Duration: 9-10 hours | Drop-off Point: | Drop-off Time: 6 pm
Please note: The distance between campsites may vary by 100 meters depending the weather conditions and the route you take. The altitude may also vary by 100 feet for similar reasons.