Valley of Flowers is a UNESCO world Heritage Site in the Garhwal Himalayas, India. No ponies allowed here. No overnight camping allowed. Therefore the track is clean. It is a pristine place. The locals respect the place a lot for its mystique. Do not touch, pluck, harm or smell a plant. There is no way of knowing which plant/flower/leaf might cause an itch, or intoxication.
The foliage has a rich aroma. Many of the herbs, shrubs and trees are valued for their medicinal value. At the same time many of them could be dangerous to touch. A little brush of some unknown herb could cause the whole hand to swell up, as it happened with my fellow trekker.
Garhwal Himalayas experience heavy rainfall in July-August. But to our delight it has been a clear sunny day, and we came across zero landslides on our way up to Govind Ghat. With just a stop at Nandprayag for a dip in the river, we are in at Govindghat in a single day.