Rara Lake Trek

Imagine a vast sapphire lake, wave~ing back and forth from its shores. A white garland of mountains, of various shape and splendor becomes sort of an amazed, bewitched and spellbound spectator that gently watches as flocks of birds of all colors and sizes glide above. Needless to say, the panorama offered by Rara Lake and its surrounding is something one has to see with their own eyes.

Apart from its beauty, what is considerable is the fact that more than 230 species of birds nest around this lake. Thus, the area surrounding this lake is almost heaven to the curious bird watchers. Also, this lake, a declared Ramsar site has spiritual and religious significance. A lot of pilgrims make a trip every year solely for that reason.

One will be glad to find lush woodlands, pine and cedar forests inhabiting black bears, red panda, snow leopard, musk deer, ghorals, etc. As all sorts of medicinal herbs bless the fertile soil of this region, from the valuable ‘Yarsagumba’, which is believed to improve virility and provide other medicinal benefits to ‘Pachaule’, which basically means five fingers as per its shape, believed to be sort of a tonic, this region has aplenty of such herbs. No wonder, being the least developed region in far western Nepal, these herbs are very helpful in providing some sort of income to many residents mired in poverty.

Dolpa lies to the east of Rara and Humla to the west, offering a landscape that is barely walked upon or experienced by even the inhabitants of Nepal. This region is surely an adventurer’s dream, as one gets to experience a culture, language and inhabitants that are different from rest of the Nepal, while enjoying the sublime beatitude that encompasses the landscape.

Rara Lake trek is one of the best off the beat trekking destinations of Nepal which gives the experience of natural beauty with pure joy of being lost in Nepal’s largest Lake.

Overview

Itinerary

Cost

Overview

“A shimmering blue jewel set in a ring of snowy peaks.”

– Bill Greer (founder for GORP)

Rara Lake Trek is designed for the people who would like to explore and experience the splendor of Rara lake, while immersing oneself on landscape that is diverse, as well as full of indigenous flora and fauna.

Rara is a pristine lake in far western Nepal and is the biggest and the deepest freshwater lake. It is located within Rara national park, the smallest one comparison to other parks but arguably most scenic. This lake has a water surface of 10.8 km2, a maximum depth of 167 m (548 ft), is 5.1 km (3.2 mi) long and 2.7 km (1.7 mi) wide. It is located at the altitude of 2990m. The Park flora consists of 1074 species, of which 16 are endemic to Nepal; the fauna includes 51 species of mammals and 214 species of birds, that reside around this lake.

Day 1 :

Arrival in Kathmandu (1,300m/4,264 ft), Check in hotel (B&B plan).

Welcome to Kathmandu, an ancient city rich in cultural heritage, vibrant, and full of diversity in every sense of the word. Our guide will receive you at the gate of Tribhuvan International Airport(TIA) with your name on the board. He/she will brief you about your schedule and the information you might need the most while driving towards the hotel room. We make sure you are comfortable and leave the rest of the day to yourself to relax.

Day 2 :

Sightseeing, cultural tour followed by preparation for the trip.

We start the day by visiting one of the most revered, ancient, and believed to have self-emerged atop green hillock west of Kathmandu, the great stupa of Swayambhunath, a site over 2,500 years old. The pilgrim’s approach to the shrine is through a wooded park up a steep flight of 300 stone steps, lined with stone sculptures of animals and birds, vehicles of gods. Our guide will brief you while exploring the sites.

Afterward, we drive east of Kathmandu valley to one of the important World Heritage Sites “Pashupatinath”, a renowned Hindu temple. The main deity is Lord Shiva, both destroyer and creator of the world according to the Hindu belief system. Throughout the year, Shiva is worshipped at Pashupatinath as a lingam(phallus) in his incarnation as the Lord Pashupati. The Bagmati River is lined with many dharmsalas and cremation ghats. There is usually cremation in progress on one of the platforms of the river. The ashes will be scattered in the river, regarded as holy as it flows into the sacred Ganges.

At the end of the day, we return back to the hotel and go through pre-briefing about the next schedule. Our guide will assist you to prepare your necessary gear as per the need of the upcoming trek.

Day 3 :

Flight from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj (150 m), 1 hour

We will be picked up by private vehicle from our hotel. Our driver will drop us off at the domestic terminal and we will check in by gate security. We will wait for our boarding turn and we then check our baggage for our flight. Flight to Nepalgunj is comfortable and it takes around one hour. Nepalgunj is a low land area, and we can expect the temperature to be high. The place is the gateway to the west.
After landing in Nepalgunj, you will be guided to your hotel and you have spare time to explore this place.

Day 4 :

Flight from Nepalgunj to Jumla (2514 m), 20 min

After early breakfast, we leave the Terai plains of Nepalgunj and fly to the hilly landscape of Jumla, one of the least accessible districts in Nepal. Situated in the foothills of the Sisne Himalaya, Jumla is also the gateway for trekkers who want to explore the remote Karnali region of Nepal. Overnight in Jumla.

Flight: 25 min

Day 5 :

Trek from Jumla to Chere Chaur (3055 m)

Today is the first day of our trek. We leave Jumla and ascend to Chere Chaur along the Jugad Khola. On the way, we pass Khalanga Bazzar, a small marketplace for the nearby villages. We also pass a couple of villages and a temple before reaching our destination. Overnight in Chere Chaur.
Hiking: 4-5 hrs

Day 6 :

Trek from Chere Chaur to Chala Chaur (2980 m)

From Chere Chaur we take the western trail and ascend slowly until the Jaljala pass (3580m). We cross the pass and continue trekking on a relatively straight trail until reaching Jaljala Chaur. From here we ascend on a steep trail and enter the Rara Lake Circuit before reaching Chalachaur. Overnight in Chalachaur.

Hiking: 5-6 hrs

Day 7 :

Hike from Chala Chaur to Sinja Valley (2980 m)

It is an uphill climb to Sinja Valley. On the way, we pass through several villages and walk along the Jaljala Khola (stream). Sinja Valley holds an important place in the history of Nepal. The valley houses the ancient capital city of the Khasa Kingdom that ruled this area from the 12th to the 14th century. Palaces, temples, and the ancient remains of a settlement were uncovered during excavations spearheaded by the Department of Archaeology at Cambridge University. Overnight in Sinja Valley.

Hiking: 5-6 hrs

Day 8 :

Hike from Sinja to Gorusinga (3050 m)

We leave Sinja on an uphill trail alongside Hima River. From the village, we climb on a steep trail for a while followed by a relatively easy trail until Laha Village. From Laha, it is a steep climb up until Ghorosingha alongside Ghatte Khola (stream). Overnight in Ghorosingha.

Hiking: 5-6 hrs

Day 9 :

Trek from Gorusinga to Rara Lake (3010 m)

We begin our steep ascent after breakfast. Our trail is alongside Chuchhemara Danda from where we get to admire the Himalayan panorama, the vast and tranquil Rara Lake, and the lush vegetation of the Rara National Park. On the way to Rara Lake, we pass through Khatyar Khola Camp and a few villages including Murma. From Murma, the ascent gets a little easier. We continue walking towards Chapri village which houses the Rara National Park Head Quarter. Overnight at Rara Lake.

Hiking: 5 hrs

Day 10 :

Exploration around Rara lake and Hike to Murma Top

Rara Lake is the largest freshwater lake in Nepal. After breakfast, we investigate the azure waters of the massive lake also referred to as Mahendra Taal (Lake) after late king Mahendra. While boating we get to admire the picturesque setting of the lake and discover quite a few varieties of fish. Chuchemara Peak lies on the southern side of Rara Lake whereas Ruma Kand and Malika Kand peaks frame its northern area. Overnight at Rara Lake.

Day 11 :

Trek from Rara lake to Pina (2440 m)

From Rara Lake our trail is easy and we walk on a relatively straight path until Gamgadhi which is the headquarters of the remote Mugu District of Nepal. From Gamgadhi, we descend on a steep trail to Pina Village where we spend the night.

Hiking: 5-6 hrs

Day 12 :

Trek from Pina to Bumra (2850 m)

From Pina, we descend and cross the Ghurchi Lagna pass at 3480 m. We continue our descent and pass through a few villages before reaching Bumra. The Bumra village is also known as Nauri Ghat.

Hiking: 5-6 hrs

Day 13 :

Trek from Bumra to Jumla (end of trek)

We cross two suspension bridges above Hima River and walk downhill. After walking for a few hours, we get to a hot spring where we can ease our aching body with a dip. Not long after the hot spring, we cross Danphe Lagna pass at 3691 m. After reaching Cherechaur, we follow the same trail we took a couple of days back and reach Jumla. Overnight in Jumla.

Hiking: 6 hrs

Day 14 :

Flight to Nepalgunj and flight to Kathmandu

We take the earliest flight available to Nepalgunj from Jumla. After reaching Nepalgunj, we fly yet again to Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal. After reaching Kathmandu, we freshen up and take a rest. In the evening there will be a farewell dinner hosted by Himalayan Glacier to celebrate the successful completion of the Rara Lake trek. Overnight in Kathmandu.

Flight: 25 min

Day 15 :

Final Departure!

Our Trek Venture Nepal representative will escort you to the Tribhuwan International Airport for your connecting flight home approximately 3 hours earlier than the scheduled time. Have a safe flight back home!