Rara Lake

Rara is the largest lake in Nepal, about five kilometres long and 167 metres deep, sitting at 2,990 metres in Mugu district in the far northwest, enclosed by ridges of blue pine, spruce and juniper with snow peaks behind. The water is clear and changes colour through the day, and the surrounding national park, Nepal's smallest, was created around it in 1976; two villages inside the boundary were resettled to the Terai at that time. Getting there is the difficulty and the point: either a flight to Talcha airstrip followed by a short walk, or a trek of several days from Jumla, which keeps visitor numbers low enough that the lake is usually quiet. There are basic lodges and a park camping ground, and a path circles the shore.

History

The lake became part of Rara National Park in 1976, when the people of the two villages of Chapra and Rara were resettled to Nepalgunj, and in September 2007 it was declared a Ramsar site covering 1,583 hectares with its wetlands (Wikipedia, Rara Lake).

What you'll find

• The lake - five kilometres of deep blue water at 2,990 metres.
• Conifer forest - blue pine, spruce and juniper on the enclosing ridges.
• The shore circuit - a walking path around the whole lake.
• Murma Top - the ridge viewpoint above the northern shore.

When to go

April to June and September to November. Winter brings heavy snow and the lake sometimes freezes at the edges; the flights stop. Monsoon makes the walk in difficult. Autumn gives the clearest views.

Things to know

Access is genuinely hard: flights to Talcha are frequently cancelled and the alternative is days of walking. Lodges are basic and few. The park is cold at night year round. Supplies in the area are limited and expensive.

Nearby

Jumla lies south; Mugu district extends north.

Key facts