Experts request to control visitor number on Valley of Flowers

Tuesday, November 8, 2022

As per the recent data, the Valley of Flowers which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the Garhwal Himalayas, in five months this year, recorded over 20,000 visitors, thereby eradicating all the previous records.

According to the latest data of visitors coming to the valley, since the development of Uttarakhand in 2000, in 2019, the place recorded the highest footfall with 17,424 visitors.

But, experts consider that there’s nothing to rejoice but a matter of concern as the delicate nature of the valley might face dander due to huge visitor rush, and so, they have requested for rule that puts a cap on the number of people expressing interest to visit the ecologically sensitive place.

Also, the botanists, social activists and the locals have shown their concern about the need to control tourism activities to make sure that the valley’s fragile ecosystem is nicely safeguarded from surplus anthropogenic pressure. Experts have also mentioned that the increasing tourist numbers is something to think about, particularly when in March-end 2022, the valley witnessed early melting of the Tipra glacier because of rising heat in the Garhwal Himalayas and almost a fortnight-early blooming of flowers.

Additionally, in 2022, excess rainfall during July shook the area’s sliding zone which caused the unexpected close down of the valley of flowers for the tourists as debris and boulders were seen rolling down the trek.

« Back to Page

• From today, Valley of Flowers opens its gate