Rara Lake Trek

It is a panoramic thrill flying into Kathmandu on a clear day. The views of snow-capped mountain peaks sprawling down below you are almost ecstatic, beginning a whole chain of memorable experiences that stay with you for a long, long time. A representative and driver from Yeti Holidays will meet you at the airport and escort you to your designated hotel. The representative will help you check into hotel. At the hotel you will be briefed about your daily activities.

Check In and Overnight at Hotel.

Meals: None

After breakfast at the hotel, commence the sightseeing tour of Kathmandu city, Swayambhunath and Patan city.

KATHMANDU CITY: Kasthamandap, the source of the name Kathmandu means ‘made from the timber of a single tree’. Also known as Kantipur, the capital Kathmandu is the hub of Nepal's art and culture. It is a place for rest, relaxation and easy-day sightseeing of historic and artistic temples and monuments. Kathmandu Durbar Square with its arrays of temples, Seto Machhindranath and the ancient palace of the former Nepali Royals enriches your experience of the centuries old civilisation.

SWAYAMBHUNATH STUPA: Said to be around 2000 years old, this Buddhist Stupa sits atop a hill. The main stupa is composed of a solid hemisphere of brick and earth supporting a lofty conical spire crowned by a pinnacle of Copper gilt. Painted on the four sided base of the spire are the all seeing eyes of Lord Buddha. The hill of Swayambhunath is a mosaic of small Chaityas and Pagoda temples. You’ll get a scenic view of Kathmandu city from there.

PATAN CITY: Located about 5 km south of Kathmandu, Patan is one of 3 royal cities in the valley. A destination for connoisseurs of fine arts, Patan is filled with wood and stone carvings, metal statues, ornate architecture, including dozens of Buddhist and Hindu temples, and over 1200 monuments.

Patan is believed to have been built in the third century B.C. by the Kirat dynasty later expanded and enriched by the Licchavi and the Malla rulers in the medieval period. Patan Durbar Square, like its counterpart in Kathmandu, is an enchanting mélange of palace buildings, artistic courtyards and graceful pagoda temples. The former Royal palace complex is the centre of Patan’s religious and social life, and houses a beautiful museum.

Overnight at Hotel.

Meals: Breakfast.

After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to domestic airport fly to Nepalgunj. On arrival meet, assist by our representative and transfer to Hotel.

Overnight at Hotel.

Meals: Breakfast.

By flight. Jumla town (2340m) is in a valley and their paddy is cultivated (making Jumla the highest place on earth where it is 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. We transverse northeast along the right side of the Chaudbise Khola through pine forests. 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.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

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.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

The track beyond Bumra keeps high above the river and skirts two small spurs to reach Bhargaon (2890m) in 1.5 hours. After one kilometer at the end of the fields, the track turns north into the tributary stream of Ghautha Khola. We cross the stream by a log bridge to the west side and climb to Chautha (3100m) in a forest clearing. After an hour the valley opens out into a pleasant meadow. 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.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

Rara Lake is only eight kilometers west of Pine. It is a short, pleasant trek with fine views to the north. From Pine, we take a trail turning west that transverse a steep north-facing slope. After crossing a stretch of fields, we climb a small spur and descend to the stream. 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. From Jhari, we ascend west along a ridge for about 700 meters to reach a low saddle in two hours. 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.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

Rest day and explore Rara area- Rara area was designated a National Park in 1975 and it takes about eight hours to walk round the lake.

Overnight at camp.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

We walk the lake outlet (2980m) and follow the downstream of Khatyar Gad for an hour. There is a log bridge over the stream below Murma (3139m). Cross the bridge to the south side and climb steadily over the 400 meters to reach an open clearing at 3277 meters. The trail 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.

Overnight at camp.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

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 camp.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

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 climb 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.

Overnight at camp.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

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.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

After breakfast at the camp, fly back to Kathmandu via Nepalgunj. Once you arrive in Kathmandu at domestic airport meet, assist by our representative and drive to Hotel.

Check-in at the Hotel.

Meals: Breakfast.

We ensure that you will leave Kathmandu with cherishing memory and an experience of a lifetime. Our representative from Yeti Holidays will drive you to the airport in time for your flight back home.

Meals: Breakfast.