Chamoli Kedarnath Valley of Flowers Bugyal Badrinath Cattle Uttarakhand

Chamoli district in Garhwal Uttarakhand contains Badrinath (one of the four Hindu Char Dhams), the Valley of Flowers National Park (UNESCO World Heritage), and Hemkund Sahib (Sikh pilgrimage). The Valley of Flowers — discovered by Frank Smythe in 1931 — blooms in July–August with 500+ wildflower species including Brahmakamal (Saussurea obvallata, Uttarakhand's state flower). The Bhyundar valley Bhotia pastoral community herds sheep, goats, and yak on the high-altitude bugyals (alpine meadows) producing pashmina wool and milk. The Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve encompasses the Nanda Devi Sanctuary — a 7,816m peak ringed by an impenetrable mountain wall — protecting the snow leopard, brown bear, and musk deer. Chamoli's Raini village is where the Chipko movement began in 1974.