Yumthang Valley of Flowers

The Yumthang Valley or Sikkim Valley of Flowers sanctuary, is a nature sanctuary with river, hot springs, yaks and grazing pasture on rolling meadows surrounded by the Himalayan mountains in the North Sikkim district of Sikkim state in India. It is at an elevation of 3,564 metres (11,693 ft) above msl at a distance of 150 kilometres (93 mi) from the state capital Gangtok.[1][2]

This article is about the nature sanctuary in Sikkim. For the "Valley of Flowers" in Uttrakhand, see Valley of Flowers National Park. For the 2006 film, see Valley of Flowers (film).
Yumthang Valley of Flowers sanctuary

Sikkim Valley of Flowers Sanctuary
View of Yumthang Valley of Flowers Sanctuary
Nickname(s): 
Sikkim Valley of Flowers Sanctuary
Yumthang Valley of Flowers sanctuary
Location in Sikkim, India
Yumthang Valley of Flowers sanctuary
Yumthang Valley of Flowers sanctuary (India)
Coordinates: 27.8268°N 88.6959°E / 27.8268; 88.6959
Country India
StateSikkim
Elevation
3,700 m (12,100 ft)
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)
Vehicle registrationSK

It is popularly known as 'Valley of Flowers'[3] and is home to the Shingba Rhododendron Sanctuary, which has over twenty-four species of the rhododendron, the state flower. The flowering season is from late February and to mid June, when countless flowers bloom to carpet the valley in multicolored hues of rainbow.[4] A tributary of the river Teesta flows past the valley and the town of Lachung, the nearest inhabited centre. Yumthang is closed between December and March due to heavy snowfall. There is also a hot spring in the valley.

A forest rest house is the only permanent residence in the valley. During the spring months, the area blooms with rhododendrons, primulas, poppies, iris and other flora. During the summer months, villagers take their cattle to these heights to graze (a practice known as yaylag pastoralism). In view of increasing number of tourists, there is possibility of environmental degradation in near future.[5] Skiing is conducted in the valley.[6][7]

Transportation by road
The rugged Himalayan range at Yumthang

Tourists may travel from Gangtok to Lachung (the nearest village where accommodation is available) by booking a full vehicle or shared one and stay over night. A direct journey to Yumthang is not feasible as roads are commonly foggy and it becomes dark very early around 5:30 pm. A trip to the Valley takes around two hours from Lachung, which is about 125 km from Gangtok.

  • Yumthang valley, Lachung Sikkim
  • Yumthang valley
  • Yumthang
  • North of Yumthang and the river
  • Yamthan valley covered with snow

See also

References
  1. http://sikkim.nic.in/sws/lak_yum.htm
  2. http://www.east-himalaya.com/sikkim/yumthang.htm
  3. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 10 January 2013. Retrieved 17 January 2013.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. Yumthang bloom season
  5. Choudhury, A.U. (2011). Tourism pressure on high elevation IBAs. Mistnet 12(1): 11-12.
  6. "Snow raises hopes of skiing in Sikkim - Yumthang turns white blanket". The Telegraph. India. 6 January 2011. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
  7. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 27 November 2012. Retrieved 13 April 2013.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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