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Rara Lake and Upper Dolpo Trek

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Overview

  • Duration: 32 Days
  • Trip Grade: Difficult
  • Accommodation: Camping & Hotel
  • Meal: Breakfast - Lunch - Diiner from Camping kitchen
  • Maximum altitude: Numala pass (5,340m).
  • Best Season: September - November = March 15 - July 15
  • Transportation: Bus - Plane and Jeep
  • Activities: Trekking - Safari
  • Group size: 2 +
  • Daily walking hours: 6 - 8

Highlights

We walk through the villages of Takum and Sibang. After Sibang, We reach a picturesque village called Mattim after ascend. We follow the trail from Muna to Jaljala La (3390m.) passing Lumsum (2100m.) and Moreni (2670m.). To reach Lumsum we make a steep climb, through oak and rhododendron forests with the views of many Himalayan peaks like Dhaulagiri, Manaslu and other peaks. wonderful time visiting all the gompas and Chorten in Tarap valley we take a trail that climbs up through grassy meadows full of wildflowers till we reach to Numala base camp. From the base camp, we get a beautiful view of the distant Tibetan mountains and the upper Tarap valley. Today the trail ascends and passing Ghuchi Lagna Pass (3480m) reaches to Jhyari. After crossing Jhyari we will further walk to Rara Lakeside area to build our camp for overnight stay. Rara is the biggest lake of Nepal that gives relief with its magnificent look. The lake is surrounded by forest and different kinds of flowers can be seen by the side. People can cycle around the lake. Boating facilities are also available. There is a hotel by the side but camping is also available. The lake conserved as a National Park. Different animals are also found here.

Nepal has a lot of places to visit which are really amazing but the most beautiful area which are remote but are really amazing  which helps us to know about the people living there, their culture etc and the nature is the Upper Dolpo region and Rara National Park region.

The most fascinating thing about the Upper Dolpo region is the Lake Phoksundo and Shey-Gompa. Lake Phoksundo is the deepest Lake of Nepal and is also one of the deepest Lakes in such a high altitude. It also shows the remote lifestyle of the people living there. The Mani walls, monasteries, gompas etc are really beautiful. The upper Dolpo also presents you with the alpine lifestyles that possess a Tibetan Lifestyle.

Rara Lake is not much like the alpine mountains of the Dolpo region, it’s completely full of pine forests and different animals as it is a National Park. You can enjoy boating in the beautiful Rara Lake or bird watching around it.

Trip Itinerary
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Day 1: Arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu.

Once you arrive in the Kathmandu airport (TIA), a representative will transfer you to the hotel where we will greet you. We will be discussing about the details about the trekking.
This day you will have a Mountain scenic drive to Pokhara also known as the ''city of Lake paradise,'' famed for its beauty after your breakfast. During day time, you can explore Pokhara or rest. (Better to explore).
The journey starts with a drive in the morning from Pokhara. We drive uphill taking a winding road to Naudanda. The road then descends to Nayapul. Along the way, you can have a breathtaking view of Annapurna South, Machhapuchhre, Hiunchuli, lush green hills, terraced fields, and villages if it’s clear. The drive offers one of the most beautiful terrains on the whole trip. We drive along the banks of the Myagdi River till we reach Beni. Beni is a large town situated on almost the same altitude of Pokhara. The trail to Dolpo and Dhorpatan starts from Beni. We further drive by following the river (Kaligandaki River), which starts from the Dhaulagiri glacier till we reach Tatopani along the way, is one of the most notable places to see today. You can see a wonderful view of the Nilgiri Himal.
We will cross the bridge of Myagdi Khola and climb up a rocky trail dug into the cliff just over the river. The trail goes up and down through the beautiful village and forest. Most of the people here are Magar and Chhetri. We camp at Ratodunga.
We walk through the villages of Takum and Sibang. After Sibang, We reach a picturesque village called Mattim after ascend. From here there is a crest which we descend and reach Muna which is the destination for today
We follow the trail from Muna to Jaljala La (3390m.) passing Lumsum (2100m.) and Moreni (2670m.). To reach Lumsum we make a steep climb, through oak and rhododendron forests with the views of many Himalayan peaks like Dhaulagiri, Manaslu and other peaks. As we walk through the Moreni village we will see a scene of Tibetan culture. After Moreni, we will make a steep descent and reach the settlement at Jaljala Jangla. Located high on the alpine, Jaljala is a vantage viewpoint. It is also used by the nearby villagers as pasture land for their cattle’s. You might see some Yaks and mountain goats along the way! This is a perfect camping area and the view of Dhaulagiri range from this point is just breathtaking.
We will trek from Jaljala La to Dhorpatan (2870m) via Gurjakot (3070m) this day. The trails are almost vertically steep till Gurjakot then it moves through flat land all the way to Dhorpatan. We walk along the banks of the river passing through the forests of oak, pine, rhododendron, juniper and other vegetation. Gurjakot is a small village, almost inhabited and the small amount of people living here follow the Tibetan culture Dhorpatan, our destination for the day lies at the junction of roads leading to the districts of Baglung, Beni, Rolpa, and Rukum. The place has beautiful apple orchards and also terraced fields of wheat, buckwheat, maize, and potatoes.
Leaving Dhorpatan, we head uphill towards Phagune Pass. On the way, passing through grasslands and sparse forests reaching Phagune Pass surrounded by green hills where we can see the distant mountain top villages. We camp for the night at a grassy campsite.
Today we will follow a steep trail past some picturesque villages, terraced fields and suspension bridge over Pelma Khola. As we cross the bridge we will make a gentle uphill walk up through terraces and local villages to Takur. As we head towards Pelma we will cross the wooden suspension bridge over the Pelma River. This part of the trail is most notable for the terraced farms and small settlements along the routes. Pelma is just another village like the many others of the hillside.
We will trek from Pelma to Dhule (3300m) crossing Yamakhar (2480m) and Gorba Khola (2930m). After crossing Pelma Khola the trail ascends steeply all the way to Dhule. As we move on we come across a number of villages and farms and we also get a golden opportunity to peep at the daily lives of people here. We camp for the night at Dhule, a beautiful village.
Leaving Dhule we trek through Nautale Bhanjyang (3961m) to Seng Khola. This part of the trail goes past dense forest with heavy vegetation such as rhododendron, pine, and juniper after which we reach the place where you can rest¸ Nautale Bhanjyang. From here we can see the magnificent views of Dhaulagiri range and the other Himalayan peaks. After another 2 hours of climb and we reach the destination for the day. The last part of the walk is quite steep and we might slow down a bit and take enough rest along the way. There are terraced fields of wheat, buckwheat, and potatoes surrounding the village of Seng Khola, which is our campsite for the day.
The trek begins from Seng Khola to Purpang (4050m) following a steep and rocky path. In the route, we will face the alpine grasslands and the Panidal Pass located at an altitude of 4412m. From here we can have a magnificent view of Dhaulagiri range, Kantagaton Himal, Nurbukang Himal, and some other unnamed peaks. The trail leading to Purpang can be considered slippery as it is comprised of rocky terrain and involves a steep climb. Purpang is open rocky grassland surrounded by magnificent mountains. After passing through some villages on our way down we, at last, reach SaharTara which is popular for Yarchagumba harvesting trail, our camp for the night.
Sahartara is a small mountain village surrounded by many terraced fields. The village boasts of a hot spring and today we can spend some leisure the bathing in the hot spring to remove tiredness from our tired muscles.
From Sahartara we follow a trail along the banks of the streams until we reach a large and green valley. Trekking forward from the village of Khani Gaon to Lahini we have a chance of spotting the famous musk deer, bounding away in the midst of juniper and pine forest. We camp for the night at Lahini.
From Lahini the trail becomes narrow and very adventurous as we walk through areas that are prone to landslide and avalanches. We set up our camp at Pibke cave which is situated in a grassy area.
This day is one of the most significant milestones of this trek as it is a difficult and dangerous part of the trek. The valley narrows here. On this trail, we will approach some deep gorges and cross innumerable small bridges. We will follow a path that is carved out of a rocky Cliff-side. Following such an adventurous trail we will reach Dho Tarap.
This day is for rest and acclimatization as we are approaching high altitudes from now on. We will spend this day taking a short walk and hike around the village which has a notable number of chortens, Mani walls and monasteries
After having a wonderful time visiting all the gompas and Chorten in Tarap valley we take a trail that climbs up through grassy meadows full of wildflowers till we reach to Numala base camp. From the base camp, we get a beautiful view of the distant Tibetan mountains and the upper Tarap valley.
Today we will follow the path to the Numala Pass and descend towards Poyon Khola till we reach the Bagala Base Camp surrounded by huge glaciers and sharp steppe rock cliffs. We stop for the night at Danigar which is a small valley; a village surrounded by hills that has temporary houses, yak pastures, and terraces. From this point, you have your first look of Topo Peak (4900m). The Norbu Kang Himal sparkles brightly in the background.
We make our way to Yak Kharka through Bagala Pass. The two passes are a great view point as we can see the Kanjiroba Massif from here. After Bagala, the trail descends gently down to Yak Kharka. Yak Kharka means then-grazing place of Yaks in the local language
Today we will trek to Phoksundo Lake thtough Ringmo Village. The trek to Phoksundo Lake (3600m) via Ringmo village (3641m) takes about seven hours. Ringmo is a small village inhabited by the people of Gurung and Thakuri religion. We will move along the flat land passing through pine forests, grassland, terraces, hills, and villages. After a while the Phoksundo Lake appears before you in all its glory. Before we reach the final destination for the day, we have to cross a suspension bridge made of wood. Phoksundo Lake is the deepest lake of Nepal and also the deepest lake found in such a great altitude in the world
Today we explore the area around the magnificent Phoksundo Lake. The lake is mostly notable for is green color resembling that of turquoise. Ringmo village, which looks like a typical Tibetan village, is scenically nestled in the folds of this area. It is also home to many beautiful glaciers found near and above the lake area. There are many monasteries (Gompas) and Bon-Po religious sites and we can spend our time visiting some of these. Shey Gompa one of the oldest in the entire Himalayan region is believed to date back to the 11th century. Thashung Gompa, one of the popular Gompa located near Phoksundo Lake was built about 900 years ago.
After warm breakfast, we will ascend the hills followed by rough trail to reach our next camping spot locally called as Pungmo. Staying overnight in Pugmo
As usual, we will grab our breakfast and begin our trek to Kagmara high camp where we will be staying for an overnight.
Today, we will start our trek lately than the usual scheduled time. We will be enjoying the scenic beauty in the morning and grab our breakfast by enjoying the beautiful views. Then we will climb down the hill towards our next stop called Kagmara Phedi for overnight stay
We will leave Kagmara Phedi after special breakfast prepared by the staff of Himalayan trekkers and move towards Toijum where we will be spending our overnight
From Toijum, we will start our trek to a new destination called Chaurikot where we will build our camp for overnight stay.
The trail from Chaurikot follows downhill to Chotra by following the rough trail for the night stop. The trail goes mostly through the forest with mixed species of plants. One can have nice scenic views around from the trail.
The way from Chotra to Gothichaur goes through several villages. One can experience the different culture most of the Khas people around. There are small woods along the road. We will stop at Gothichaur.
The trek begins from Gothichaur which leads to Jumla our destination for the day. There are several villages and the road is under construction in which vehicles can transport. Over night at Jumla.
Today you will start your trekking from Jumla taking the trail through some villages. The trail goes somehow straight and it will be easy walking through the region. Nearly after the walk of 3 hours, the trail slightly ascends. After the walk of nearly 4 hours passing a small pass Danphe Nangla (3691 meters), you will reach the village Khaligaon. There are some hotels and tea houses to refresh.
The trail ascends through a jungle of pine and rhododendron trees and some villages are seen from the trail this day. After good walk for 6-7 hrs, we will reach Bulbule where we will stay for an overnight.
Today the trail ascends and passing Ghuchi Lagna Pass (3480m) reaches to Jhyari. After crossing Jhyari we will further walk to Rara Lakeside area to build our camp for overnight stay
Rara is the biggest lake of Nepal that gives relief with its magnificent look. The lake is surrounded by forest and different kinds of flowers can be seen by the side. People can cycle around the lake. Boating facilities are also available. There is a hotel by the side but camping is also available. The lake conserved as a National Park. Different animals are also found here
From the lake, the trail goes through the jungle by the side of the lake through Army barrack and National Park office. After a walk of nearly one and a half hour, the trail ascends and then it goes downwards for nearly one or one and a half hour to reach you to the airport. Over night stay nearby airport site.
Today is the last day in the mountains and we have one and a half hour scenic flight from Talcha - Nepalgunj, and Nepalgunj - Kathmandu. Since we have different flight schedule we need to stay sometime in the Nepalgunj airport for the connecting flight to Kathmandu. We will reach Kathmandu in the afternoon. Then you can enjoy in Kathmandu.

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