Rara Lake Trek

You start a guided tour to four of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Kathmandu. Kathmandu Durbar Square holds the palaces of the medieval Kings who ruled over the Kathmandu Kingdom. Pashupatinath houses a sacred Lingum, or the phallic symbol of Lord Shiva. The Aryaghat alongside Pashupati and on the banks of the Bagmati River is a famous funeral site for the Hindus. The Buddhists shrine of Boudhanath is one of the largest stupas in the world, and one of the holiest Buddhist pilgrimage and tourist destinations in Kathmandu. The area of Boudhnath is also famous for over 50 Tibetan Gompas or monasteries. Swayambhu meaning the “the self-existent” is popular among the foreigners as the Monkey Temple owing to the large number of monkey population residing in the area. Bhaktapur Durbar square and Patan Durbar Square are also listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Bhakatpur is an irresistible city with an authentic local lifestyle preserved over centuries of isolation from the hustle and bustle of Kathmandu. While in the city square, you get to admire the Nyata-Pola Temple, the Golden Gate, water spouts and the 55 Window Palace which merge together to provide an ambience of a magical outdoor theater to its visitors. Overnight at hotel.

After early morning breakfast we take a scenic flight around 30 minutes to Nepalgunj from Kathmandu. After we reach Nepalgunj we will take rest at hotel. Overnight at hotel in Nepalgunj.

We will have a flight to Jumla town (2340m). The town is in a valley and their paddy is cultivated (making Jumla the highest place on earth where agricultural products are grown. The town is the administrative headquarters of the Karnali Zone. From Jumla we start walking towards Padmara. There are two tracks leading north to Gumgarhi and Rara. One is a trail leading directly from the north of the town. The other is more popular trek route that turns east of the town towards Dansanhu (2347m) at the confluence of Tila Nadi with Chaudbise Khola. Two hours further is Urthu (2520m) at the confluence of Chaudbise Khola and Ghurseni Khola. The bridge leads east to Chaudbise area. The trek now ascends steeply through the narrow gorge of the Ghurseni Khola, keeping all the time to its right slope. Padmara (3017m), a Chhetri village at the head of the valley is one hour beyond the canyon head. Overnight at camp.

The track beyond Padmara continues rising along the north side of Ghurseni stream. We leave the last fields at 3048 meters and climb to the first pass, Khali Langa (3545m), four kilometers from Padmara. We follow down the right bank of stream to a foot-bridge at 3353 meter and cross it to the west side. We continue descending north for one hour through dense forest to reach a log bridge at 2743 meters over Sinja Khola, here called Lah Gad. Cross the bridge to the north side, turn west and climb to Bumra (2830m) about two kilometers further. Overnight at camp.

After having breakfast we begin our trek. After one kilometer at the end of the fields, the track turns north into the tributary stream of Ghautha Khola. We cross the bridge to the west side and climb to Chautha (3100m) with a dense forest. After an hour we will reach to the valley. We keep to the left stream until a western tributary joins it. Before reaching Ghurchi Langna (3457m) we climb up the narrow gully on the north east slope and skirt north across a series of spurs to reach Pine (2430m). Overnight at camp.

Rara lake is only eight kilometers west of Pine. It is a short, pleasant trek with fine views to the north. We cross the bridge and climb up to the hamlet of Jhari from Pina (2500m). It will take just over two hours to reach Jhari form Pina. We will continue our journey. The large lake is visible directly north of this saddle. From here, it is pleasant descent to the meadows on the south side of the lake. The village site of Rara (3040m) on the north side is a pleasant two hours walk along the western bank of the lake. Overnight at camp.

Today is our rest day. We explore aroung rara lake this day. Rara area was designated a National Park in 1975 and it takes about eight hours to walk round the lake. Overnight at camp.

After having breakfast we begin our walk to the lake outlet (2980m) and follow the downstream of Khatyar Gad for an hour. There is a suspnsion bridge over the stream below Murma (3139m). We will cross the bridge to the south side and ascend 400 meters to reach an open clearing at 3277 meters. The path continues climbing south through dense forest until the tree line is reached at 3658m. The ridge continues to south for another 200 meters but it is pleasant trail with distant view of the mountains. There is no pass on this high ridge and the trail turns south-east at an altitude of 3749m and descends by the east side of Chuchemara Danda. It is a fairly steep descent to Ghorasain (3271m). Overnight at Ghorasain. Overnight at camp.

From Ghorasain there is trail down the valley to Botan (2895m). A more interesting trail with better scenic prospect is to climb Diyabala Danda due south of Ghorasain. The climb begins immediately west of Ghorasain and takes about an hour through forest to top the crest at 5351 meters. The trail then skirts south-east above the high fields of Lumsa. There are good views to the south along the Sinja valley. The trail descends to Okharpati village (3100m) on a high shelf above Mindrabali Gad. The descent from Okharpati to Sinja takes less than two hours. Overnight at Simja in Camp

We cross the log bridge over Sinja Khola to the east and follow the south bank of Jaljale Gad beyond Kotgaon near Lamathada. We follow the stream for another five kilometers due east. Then we ascend the ridge (2865m) briefly to descend to the same stream again. The trail clings to the south side of the stream all the way for another nine kilometers. The trail twists and turns along the stream but it is a pleasant trail amidst forest wilderness. Finally, the trail goes east along a gully to ascend a pass at 3597m. We descend east along a wide meadow into the headquarters of Ju Gad that drains to Jumla town. Descend east along the stream and transverse another kilometers to Chere Chaur (2987m). Overnight at camp.

Chere Chaur is a delightful alpine pasture where flowers are in profusion during later summer. It provides good views of the Jumla town, Tila valley and Chyakhure Lekh beyond. The return to the town camp is pleasant descent in slow stages. Overnight at camp.

Early in the morning we will have a flight to Nepalgunj. After we reach Nepalgunj then flight to Kathmandu. Farewell dinner in Kathmandu onto the completion of trekking. Overnight at hotel.