Rara Lake Trek via Shey Phoksundo Lake

About Rara Lake Trek via Shey Phoksundo Lake

Delve deep through the secluded wilderness of far-west of Nepal while on the Rara Lake Trek via Shey Phoksundo Lake, an ideal unexplored and untouched rural trekking in Nepal for wanderlust souls. Spend quarter of the trip trekking and camping through the ancient salt trading route between Tibet and Dolpo to the blue, turquoise and stable Shey Phoksundo Lake, the deepest Lake in Nepal that interestingly supports no aquatic lives making its water stable and crystal clear. Following streams, crossing deep canyons, and passing through villages that resembles ethno-culturally to Tibet, we then make our way to Rara Lake, Nepal’s Largest lake, the region where the strong Malla Empire ruled for centuries and you can still see the architectural remains around there. Rara Lake Trek via Shey Phoksundo Lake Trail is an insight to natural and rural trekking in Nepal that gives you a feeling of stepping back in time with a sensation of delight and challenge at the same time.

First in our Rara Lake Trek via Shey Phoksundo Lake, we fly to Indian border town, Nepaljung and again fly to Juphal of Dolpa district. We start our trek from Juphal following the traditional salt route of Dolpo to Shey Phoksundo Lake. This trail is still a regular trading route for Nepalese and Tibetans and leads straight to the deepest lake in Nepal, Shey Phoksundo Lake which is a major attraction of Shey Phoksundo Naitonal park which is only trans-Himalayan national park in Nepal established in 1984 that covers an area of 3555 sq. km. in Dolpo and Mugu districts in north-western part of Nepal. The park secures endangered snow leopards and grey wolves, Himalayan tahrs, musk deer and yellow-throated martens and some 200 species of birds. Trekkers have a fun time spotting these creatures in dense forests of blue pine, spruce, fir, poplar, bamboo, hemlock, cedar and rhododendron. The fluttering prayer flags keep greeting us as we explore the Shey Phoksundo Lake and we spend a night at traditional Ringmo village listening to locals the legend of Shey Phoksundo Lake relating to saint Padmasambhava. We can see the Kanjiroba Himalayan range and Dhaulagiri massif from the Lake area. We now proceed towards final leg of our trip, the Rara Lake. We pass through trans-alpine pastures, Himalayan valleys, high ridges and passes like Kagmara Pass, Moure Langa pass, Gothichour Pass undertaking the challenge and enjoying the magnificent Himalayan views in reward to the challenge. Through mountain paths, alpine pastures, forests, and a series of picturesque villages, we reach the magnificent Rara lake. The setting of Rara lake is spectacular with pristine forests of pine, juniper and spruce and flanked by the high ridges of the middle hills to the south and the snow-capped Himalayan peaks to the North. Rara Lake is the main attraction of Rara national park that protects several species including Himalayan black bear, musk deer, goral, Himalayan Thar and wild boar. We trek back to Jumla through Sinja Valley, the ancient winter capital of the Malla Empire and across the Chuchuemara Danda, returning across the Danphe Lagna. The spectacular setting of the pristine lakes, rural villages, alpine meadows, beautiful waterfalls lining the Shey Phoksundo to Rara Lake Trek is enough to delight both the first time trekker as well as an expert Himalayan traveler.