Flora

The hills around Srikhola and Gurdum support at least fourteen species of rhododendron, a figure that puts much of the Himalayan world in the shade. The flowering season runs from mid-March through early May, peaking in late March and April. The most common large-leafed species (Rhododendron arboreum) blooms blood-red; above the treeline, the smaller pink and white species (R. campanulatum, R. thomsonii) follow later in May. The combination of snow-capped peaks, crimson forest and misty valleys in April is among the most beautiful natural sights in all of India.
Orchids are another obsession for returning visitors: over 60 species have been documented on the Singalila slopes, with the greatest density in the epiphyte-laden oaks and rhododendrons around Srikhola. The most spectacular is the giant Cymbidium hookerianum, whose pendulous clusters of green flowers appear in March and April.