The world famous Valley of Flowers is opened to the tourists every year with the reopening of the portals of lakshman temple and Hemkund Sahib gurudwara. However, this year, the valley has not been opened for tourists yet due to glaciers blocking the path in some areas. Official sources state that it could take about one week for the Valley of Flowers to be opened to the public. The department is also considering the option of making an alternative route for accessing the valley.
Spread across 87 sq km in the high Himalayan region of Chamoli district, the Valley of Flowers with its unique flora and natural beauty attracts visitors from across the world. The valley was closed to tourists following the June 2013 disaster but was reopened after the route was repaired last year.
The valley should have been opened to visitors at this point of time but due to snowfall being experienced in this high altitude region, a stretch of the route to the valley have been blocked by large blocks of snow. Tourists may have to wait for some days more in order to visit the valley which is presently not accessible by the regular route.
The Nanda Devi national park sub-divisional officer Sarvesh Kumar Dubey said that the route has been blocked by glacier in one place. The department is considering the option of making an alternative route for accessing the valley. It may take about a week for the access to this valley to be restored for tourists.