Rara Lake Trek

5.00/5 from 480 reviews
At a Glance
  • DestinationNepal
  • Duration17 days
  • Group Size15+

Trip Overview

Get set to admire the fascinating beauty of far western region of Nepal. The off beaten track, beautiful scenery, wilderness of mountains along with the shimmering beauty of serene lakes, you will get dissolved in the lust of this beautiful combination during the Rara Lake trek.

Rara Lake Trek takes you to Rara National park and let you admire the shimmering beauty of Rara Lake that lies amidst the forest in the backdrop of beautiful Himalayas. Rara National Park was established in 1976 with a motive of preserving the serene and well preserved Rara Lake from adulteration and sedimentation. This pristine fresh water lake has been able to maintain its glory in between the park that preserves around one thousand and seventy four species of flowers, fifty one species of mammal and two hundred fourteen species of birds. The fertile land in the region makes the park a good land for growing medicinal plants. People who engaged in agriculture cultivate medicinal plants and sell them for earning.

Rara National Park is mostly a coniferous forest that provides home to the animals like musk deer, Himalayan black deer, Ghoral, leopards, red panda, the national bird of Nepal - Danfe (Impeyan pheasant), varieties of fish like snow trout and many more. Take an off beaten track to view the glory of biggest Lake of Nepal that sparkles brilliantly in between a lush forest under the shade of white glittering mountains. Rara Lake Trek can be a best trek for all the nature lovers and solitude travellers.

Detail Itinerary

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You are welcomed by hospitable meeting and then you will be transferred to hotel. Our airport representative will explain briefly the program upon arrival. Overnight at hotel. B.B

Sightseeing of world heritage sites in Kathmandu valley including, Kathmandu Darbar square, Swayambhunath Temple, Boudhanath Stupa & Pasupatinath Temple. Overnight at hotel. B.B

To get to this region, generally you have to fly to Nepalgunj first. Nepalgunj is a steaming hot city in South Western Nepal, in the lowlands of Terai, close to the Indian border, which is just 8 km away. Culturally the area more resemble India than upland Nepal.

Take a cycle rikshaw for a ride in town. You pass the hustle and bustle of the bazaar and see horse carts full of colorful people going to or coming from the Indian border. The Bageshowri temple is one of Nepal’s most important Hindu temples and is worth a visit as well. Overnight at hotel. B.L.D

We take a thirty-minute scenic flight from Nepalgunj to Jumla. On reaching Jumla, we interact with the trekking crew and begin our trekking after lunch. We traverse northwards out of the Jumla Valley.

Soon after trekking for an hour, we encounter a small village of Micha bearing a small walled enclosure and a number of Buddhist stupas. These stupas were erected at around late 15th century, in the memory of important dignitaries of the region. The trail further leads to rock-strewn path and at last ends at Chala Chaur. Overnight at tented camp. B.L.D

We leave Chala Chaur and follow a trail moving along path of steep stones. While ascending, we cross through birch, pine forests and grassy pass at approx 3500m.

From this point Kanjiroba becomes visible in the east with its twin peaks towering over the adjacent area. Further on, we descend as the trail opens into lush forests. After trekking for a couple of hours, we finally stop at a suitable campsite in the meadows nearby some shepherd's huts. Overnight at tented camp. B.L.D

We walk along the Jaljala Khola through pine forests of and terraced farmland. En route the trail passes the 300 year old Kanaksundari Temple. The temple holds immense religious significance for Hindus. The route further bends along the main river. Crossing a thick plank bridge, we finally descend to reach Sinja village. Sinja village rests upon a small alluvial plain on the west bank of the clear Lah Gad River, also called the Sinja Khola.

Sinja was once the ancient capital of the Malla kings. There are stones lying along the trail that foretell the history of Malla dynasty. After lunch, we head to Botan. On the way, we pass through a spectacular gorge and finally reach the village of Botan. Overnight at tented camp. B.L.D

Leaving Sinja Khola, we follow the trail along Ghatta Khola amid the unparallel beauty of nature. The sinuous route winds up into terraced farmland and beautiful valley. Soon we find ourselves within the territory of Rara Lake National Park.

We come across primitive flour mills and police post on the way. Rara Lake National Park houses unique and rich ecosystem. We can spend half an hour exploring the beauty of the park or simply doing whatever we feel like. We spend the night in Gorosingha. Overnight at tented camp. B.L.D

We walk away from Gorosingha and ascend to the Ghurchi Mara ridge (3710m) for one and half hour.
The trail is not as strenuous as it looks. On reaching the crest of the ridge, we get to experience an excellent panorama to the north, flaunting irresistible beauty and charm. As the trail descends, Rara Lake becomes visible on the northeast. The trail further passes through bamboo and birch forests before crossing the Khatyar Khola.

We then follow the river upstream to Rara Lake, where we savor the most fascinating trekking experience amid the beauty of nature. Overnight at tented camp. B.L.D

We now have 2 days set aside to explore the area, including the old village of Rara. We can also climb up to the wooden observation tower behind the post office for fine views of the lake and surrounding hills. We can even visit the National Park Headquarters. Swimming is allowed in the lake and it is piercingly refreshing. Overnight at tented camp. B.L.D

We depart from Rara Lake and continue skirting along the target destination. On crossing a ridge, we enter the village of Jhyari. Strolling by the Jhyari Khola, the trail further follows terraced farmlands. As we approach Dhauligar Khola valley, we find a suitable camp site near the river bank. We also get to witness an exotic charisma of nature and outstanding panorama of snow-capped mountain peaks. Overnight at tented camp. B.L.D

As Dhauligar Khola blurs out of our trekking route, we pass through farmland and then enter the village of Pina. Pina has a police post and some hotels. We continue climbing to the Ghurchi Lagna Pass and come across several small Chortens, alpine-like pastures, walnut groves and a narrow valley. Finally, the steep slope guides us into the village of Chautha where we conclude the trek of the day. Overnight at tented camp. B.L.D

From Chautha, the trail follows the northern bank of the Sinja Khola past the hotel and health clinic under the massive overhanging rock at Kabra. Silaji found in this area is the source of the important medicinal mineral which is believed to cure almost anything. The route then passes through the villages of Bumra and Nyawre, before climbing to the pasture at Tharamara. Overnight at tented camp. B.L.D

Following the trail gently sloping upwards, we march towards Jumla. We meet tall birch trees on our way to the Khali Lagna and Danphe Lekh. From atop the ridge, we can have the most spectacular views of the mountain ridges to the south and Jumla below.

Further on, we descend steeply to the first night's campsite. Utmost caution is required while trekking along this trail. We then follow the same route back to Jumla. After reaching Jumla, we can spend our afternoon exploring the busy market town or simply pursuing whatever we feel like. Overnight at tented camp. B.L.D

We take a flight from Jumla to Nepalgunj. On reaching Nepalgunj, we return to Kathmandu on the next available flight. Overnight at hotel. B.L.D

Leisure day in Kathmandu. Overnight at hotel. B.B

Transfer to the International Airport for your home departure. B. “Farewell”

Cost Includes

  • Airport / Hotel / Airport pick up & transfer by private car / van
  • Four nights accommodation with breakfast at a 3-star category hotel in Kathmandu
  • Kathmandu city tour as per the above itinerary
  • One night accommodation in Nepaljung at hotel Batika
  • KTM - Nepalgunj - Jumla - Nepalgunj - KTM airfare including departure tax
  • Meals on full board (breakfast, lunch, dinner, tea & coffee) prepared by our expert cook
  • Twin sharing tented accommodation during the trek
  • An experience guide (trained by Ministry of tourism), required number of porters, their food, accommodation, salary, insurance, equipments
  • Trekking equipment (two men tent, dining tent, kitchen tent, table with chairs, kitchen utensils, and other necessary equipments during the trek)
  • Special trekking permit (Rara Lake trek is in restricted zone, we need special permit to visit this area)
  • Rara Lake national park entry fees
  • Nepal Hiking Team duffle bag, down jacket and sleeping bag during Lowe dolpo trek
  • Nepal Hiking Team T - Shirt (yours to keep)
  • Safe drinking water, boiled/iodine tablets.
  • First aid medical kit bag.
  • All government and local taxes.
  • Office service charge.

Cost Excludes

  • Lunch and dinner in Kathmandu
  • Travel insurance
  • International airfare
  • Nepal entry visa: you can obtain a visa easily upon your arrival at Tribhuwan International Airport in Kathmandu. (a multiple-entry tourist visa good for 30 days can be obtained by paying US $ 40 or equivalent foreign currency. Similarly, multiple-entry tourist visas for 90 days can be obtained by paying US $ 100. Please bring 2 copies of passport-size photos.)
  • All cold drinks such as: alcoholic beverages, mineral water, Coke, Fanta, juice, etc.
  • Hot showers during the trek
  • Personal shopping and laundry
  • Personal trekking equipments
  • Tips for trekking staff and driver (Tipping is appreciated but it is not mandatory)

Cost and Date

Start Dates refer to your arrival date in Nepal. End Dates correspond to your return date from Nepal.

The Rara Lake Trek set departure dates are tailored for the group joining option. If the 17 days Rara Lake Trek departure dates don’t fit your schedule, we can include alternative dates that better suit your needs.

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Travellers‘ Reviews

Read our genuine feedback from past travelers with Nepal Hiking Team sourced from TripAdvisor, Google, Facebook, and Trustpilot.