Quick Overview
- Start From Kathmandu
- End At Kathmandu
- Duration 17 days
- Best Season Oct-Dec, Mar-May
Introduction
Situated in the remote districts of Mugu and Jumla, Rara Lake is the largest lake in Nepal, covering over 10 sq. km and reported to be 167m in depth. Rara Lake is protected by Rara National Park which is the smallest national park in Nepal, covering an area of 106 sq km. Jumla Rara Lake Trek will is an off-the-beaten-trail trek in the wild west of Nepal which allows trekkers to experience untouched regions of Nepal and let us explore the nomadic lifestyle that is very different from the rest of Nepal. Rara Lake lies at an elevation of 3,000m which is surrounded by alpine meadows and forests of juniper, pine, and spruce, whilst in the background, you can view the stunning snow-capped peaks. Rara National Park inhabits several rare and protected species of wild animals: Himalayan black bear, goral, Himalayan Thar, musk deer, and wild boar. The route to Rara Lake is unique which offers unique cultures and scenery very different from other trekking destinations. Jumla Rara Lake Trek is moderate so, any physically and mentally fit person can do this trek anytime in the months of March to May and October to early December.
The Jumla Rara Lake Trek starts with scenic to Jumla after flying from Kathmandu via Nepalgunj. Then our trek goes through the less-traveled area along with pine, spruce and juniper forests, with snow-capped Himalayan peaks in the background. You remain mostly at lower elevations throughout this trek. This trek also lets you witness the southern mountains of Humla and the border ranges of Tibet. After having the best time at Rara Lake, we descend back to Jumla and fly back to Kathmandu via Nepalgunj.
Trek Highlights
- Rara National Park
- Varieties of flora and fauna
- Nepali culture, tradition, and lifestyle of local people
- Trek to Less-travelled area
- Beautiful Rara, Largest Lake of Nepal
- Spectacular mountains and green hills
Food
The menu during Jumla Rara Lake Trek is a mixture of local, Indian, American and continental cuisines and the foods will be all home-cooked, hygienic, fresh, tasty and nutritious. You'll have a variety of options at the teahouse or lodge including popular Nepali Bhat, Pasta, Cereals, Eggs, Noodles, Potatoes, Vegetables, Fried rice, Soup, etc and other Nepali food, Chinese Food, American food, Indian food, Continental food, etc. In the climbing period, you won't find any teahouses, so our team will prepare delicious food for you.
Accommodation
Accommodations during the Jumla Rara Lake Trek are at teahouses where you'll get the homely feeling and chance to explore Nepali culture and tradition. All the teahouses are run by locals and provide all the basic facilities including a hot shower at a low extra charge with two beds with mattress blanket and pillows and most rooms have shared bathrooms with the squat toilet in mountain areas. During your stay in Kathmandu, accommodation is more luxurious. We'll also spend a few days in camp, so you don't have to worry about anything. We'll set a camp for you with all the basic facilities.
Day 1 - Kathmandu Arrival
Day 2 - Trek Preparation
Day 3 - Fly from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj-55min.-alt.150m.
Day 4 - Fly from Nepalgunj to Jumla 2300m
Day 5 - Trek from Jumla to Bumra 2600m
Day 6 - Trek from Bumra to Pina -2900m
Day 7 - Trek from Pina to Gamagadhi – 2900m
Day 8 - Trek from Gamagadhi to Rara Lake 3500m
Day 9 - Explore Rara Lake
Day 10 - Trek from Rara Lake to Khatyar Khola Camp 3000m
Day 11 - Trek from Khatyar Khola Camp to Ghoro Singha 2100m
Day 12 - Trek from Ghoro Singha to Sinja– 1800m
Day 13 - Trek from Sinja to Chala Chaur 2100m
Day 14 - Trek from Chala Chaur to Chauriya Chaur 2400m
Day 15 - Trek from Chauriya Chaur to Jumla – 2300m
Day 16 - Fly from Jumla to Nepalgunj-150m.
Day 17 - Fly from Nepalgunj to Kathmandu – 1300m
Day 1 - Kathmandu Arrival
Upon your arrival at the airport, we'll receive you and direct transfer you to the hotel in Thamel. After the hotel check-in process, you can rest or go on a local market exploration of Thamel and Asan. Overnight stay.
Day 2 - Trek Preparation
Today we'll take you to the tour to historical attractions in Kathmandu which are also listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites. You'll get to visit the sacred Hindu temple of Pashupatinath, Swayambhunath, Bouddhanath, and historical Kathmandu Durbar Square. Overnight at the hotel.
Day 3 - Fly from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj-55min.-alt.150m.
Get ready to kick-off our journey after early morning breakfast. Our hotel representative will pick you from your hotel and will escort you to the airport for your flight to Nepalgunj from Kathmandu. You'll reach a beautiful Nepalgunj city with a comfortable flight and spend overnight at a local lodge.
Day 4 - Fly from Nepalgunj to Jumla 2300m
We start a day with a short scenic flight to arrive at an airport in Jumla which takes around 25 minutes. We'll meet our porters there and your epic journey to Rara Lake starts. Overnight at a cozy lodge at Jumla.
Day 5 - Trek from Jumla to Bumra 2600m
On our day 5th, we finally start our walk with uphill ascend and cross two suspension bridges above Himal River. The trek passes through few villages before reaching Bumra. We stop for the day at Bumra village which is also known as Nauri Ghat.
Day 6 - Trek from Bumra to Pina -2900m
The day commences with ascending and cross Ghurchi Lagna pass at 3480 m. We continue our ascent and pass through several villages and valley opens out into a pleasant meadow. We climb up the narrow gully on the north and continue to Pina for overnight stay.
Day 7 - Trek from Pina to Gamagadhi – 2900m
We cross a wooden bridge over Jhari Khola and continue towards the uphill trail for the first few hours. You may encounter Himalayan musk deer and pheasant in forests covered with rhododendron, pine, juniper, oak, and other natural vegetation. We reach Gamagadhi for overnight stay.
Day 8 - Trek from Gamagadhi to Rara Lake 3500m
We start a day with a joy to visit the magnificent lake which is naturally built and is the biggest lake in Nepal. The route is mostly downhill but sometimes goes uphill for some distance. You'll reach at Rara Lake after 5-6 hours of walk and set a camp there for overnight stay.
Day 9 - Explore Rara Lake
We have a full day to explore the lake shoreline and its surroundings. We'll also visit the National Park headquarters and climb up to the wooden observation tower to get the sublime views of the beautiful lake and surrounding hills. The lake periphery is quite refreshing! We spend a second night at the pristine lake.
Day 10 - Trek from Rara Lake to Khatyar Khola Camp 3000m
We leave the tranquil Rara Lake behind the early morning and head towards Khatyar Khola Camp. The trail is not that strenuous as it looks but we'll get to admire the beautiful Himalayan Panorama. We pass the village of Murma, and here onwards the ascent gets a little easier. We reach Khatyar Khola where we will spend our overnight.
Day 11 - Trek from Khatyar Khola Camp to Ghoro Singha 2100m
We'll have breakfast and start our trek by following the Khatyar Khola River and we descend slowly through the forest of pine, spruce and rhododendron forests. We walk downhill into the Ghatta Valley heading towards the small settlement of Ghoro Singha . Stay overnight at tented camp.
Day 12 - Trek from Ghoro Singha to Sinja– 1800m
Early morning trek takes you down the Ghatta valley, following the Sinja Khola River to reach Sinja. We will walk for about 5- 6 hours to reach Sinja from Gorusingha where we'll see many historical sites to visit. Overnight stay.
Day 13 - Trek from Sinja to Chala Chaur 2100m
We start the day by passing through several villages and follow the river on a series of quaint long bridges. We mostly pass through the forest of pine, birch, and oak on a steep climb to reach Chala Chaur for overnight stay.
Day 14 - Trek from Chala Chaur to Chauriya Chaur 2400m
Today's trail is straight and we ascend slowly until we reach Chauriya Chaur. The walk is relatively easy and gives you some of the best glimpses of natural beauty. Overnight stay at Chauriya Chaur.
Day 15 - Trek from Chauriya Chaur to Jumla – 2300m
For the first few hours of the trek, we climb through forests and meadows and continue a pleasant descent to Jumla, the finishing point of our trek. After reaching Jumla, we'll celebrate our trek success party and enjoy the night camping. Overnight stay.
Day 16 - Fly from Jumla to Nepalgunj-150m.
Fly back to Nepalgunj after breakfast at Jumla. We'll reach early, so you can rest as much as you want. Overnight stay at Nepalgunj.
Day 17 - Fly from Nepalgunj to Kathmandu – 1300m
Last day of our trek. We'll fly back to Kathmandu and our airport representatives will drop you to the airport for your flight back home.
