Ladakh's Twin Flower Fields Open to Visitors at 10,600 Feet

More than 25 lakh flowers spread across 40 acres at an altitude of 10,600 feet are now in bloom in Leh, where the administration has opened twin flower fields to the public. The gardens at Choglamsar and Stakna will welcome visitors from September 18, with entry priced at Rs 25 for adults and Rs 10 for children. Revenue from tickets will go towards maintenance and upkeep.

The fields were inaugurated on Thursday by Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 76th birthday. The administration has described the site as the "world's highest-altitude twin flower fields".

Of the total plantation, over 24 lakh are Liliums and one lakh are Gladiolus. At Choglamsar, planting began on July 16 and the first blooms appeared in the first week of September, roughly two months later. At Stakna, nearly 14 lakh Liliums have been planted since August, with the first bloom expected around the end of October.

The project is intended to serve purposes beyond tourism. Officials say it aims to diversify agriculture, raise farmer incomes and generate livelihoods through commercial floriculture, and that the model could be replicated elsewhere in Ladakh if successful.

Saxena said the fields, developed in about two months, were aimed at farmer empowerment and agricultural diversification. In a post on X, he said the facility would serve as a training centre for progressive farmers, blending technology with traditional farming and helping farmers and young people explore opportunities in floriculture.

Liliums can fetch around Rs 60 to Rs 70 per stick in wholesale markets, according to the administration. Choglamsar will also function as a demonstration and training centre for growing Liliums, Gladiolus, Tulips and other ornamental flowers, with farmers and youth to be trained in scientific floriculture, modern cultivation and post-harvest management.

In the first year, the Agriculture Department will develop the field and hand it over at bloom to selected self-help groups and cooperatives, while assisting them with marketing the flowers. From next year, the cooperatives are expected to take up cultivation, harvesting and value addition themselves.