Rara Lake

Why almost nobody goes

Rara is consistently described as the most beautiful place in Nepal by people who have been, and it receives a tiny fraction of the visitors that far smaller attractions do. The reason is entirely logistical.

It sits in Mugu, in the Karnali province of the far west — the most remote and least developed region of the country. There is no road worth the name. Getting there means a flight to Nepalgunj, then a second flight to the airstrip at Talcha, which operates on a limited schedule and cancels readily. Trekkers who prefer to walk in from Jumla add three to four days.

That access problem is also what has preserved it. There is no lakeside development, no lodge strip, no boats for hire beyond a couple of park-operated ones.

The lake itself

Roughly 10 km² of deep blue water at 2,990 m, about 5 km long, with pine and juniper forest running down to the shore on most sides and snow peaks behind. It is the largest lake in Nepal by a wide margin.

A trail circumnavigates it in a comfortable day. Murma Top, on the ridge above the north shore, gives the view that appears in every photograph of the place — the whole lake below with the Himalaya beyond.

Rara National Park

Nepal's smallest national park at around 106 km², established in 1976 and built around the lake. Two villages were relocated out of it at the time, which is part of why the shoreline is empty.

Wildlife is genuinely present rather than theoretical: red panda, Himalayan black bear, musk deer, and a resident population of waterfowl on the lake that increases substantially with winter migration. Birders do well here.

Season, which is unusual

Rara works in windows that do not match the standard Nepali trekking calendar.

April to June is arguably the best: wildflowers around the shore, comfortable temperatures, and the lake at its most colourful. September to November is clear and stable. Winter brings heavy snow to the region and the airstrip becomes unreliable for weeks at a time — not recommended unless you have a great deal of flexibility.

What to expect in practice

Lodging is basic — small guesthouses and homestays rather than the developed teahouses of the Annapurna or Khumbu regions, with simpler food and no menus in English in most places. Carry cash; there is no ATM anywhere near.

The far west is also the poorest part of Nepal, and the contrast with the trekking heartlands is marked. Travelling here puts money into an economy that receives very little of it.

Permits

Rara National Park entry and a TIMS card. Not a restricted area, so no two-person minimum and no agency requirement — though the logistics make going with an operator the sensible choice regardless.

Where to go next

• Shey Phoksundo & Dolpo — Nepal's deepest lake, and beyond it the Bon heartland of Upper Dolpo
• Kanchenjunga — Three weeks into Nepal's far eastern corner to the base of the world's third-highest mountain
• Bardia National Park — Nepal's largest lowland park and its best chance of a wild tiger

Related activities: Trekking in Nepal, Jungle Safari in Nepal.

Or see every trip we run: all trekking and tour packages.