Trek in Rara National Park: A backpack at the lap of nature!!!

The national park was established in 1976 A.D. with the goal to conserve the local ecosystem. Situated in the north-western part of Nepal, Rara National Park holds the distinction of being the smallest national park in the country. However, despite its size, it boasts Rara Lake, also known as Mahendra Lake, the biggest lake in the nation. An oval-shaped lake stretching up to 10.8 sq km and reaching a recorded depth of 167 meters teems with various rare aquatic species. It flows out into the Mugu Karnali River through Nijar Khola.

With pine trees blanketing its slopes and over 500 flower varieties and 214 bird species calling it home, the national park teems with life. Similarly, snow trout is the fish species detected in the Rara Lake. Moreover, the woodland of Rara National Park renders a safe haven to rare and endangered species such as Himalayan tahr, yellow-throated marten, wild dog, wild boar, common langur, rhesus macaque, red panda, musk deer, common otter Himalayan black bear, leopard, and jackal.

On top of that, it also nurtures a wide range of winter birds like red-crested pochard, mallard, common teal, coots, great-crested grebe, black-necked grebe, gulls and merganser alongside a handful of migrant waterfowls and gallinaceous birds at a particular point of the season. With the rich biodiversity in its possession, Rara National Park is an exemplary snippet of the region’s flora and fauna.

When to reach and How??

Explore Rara National Park during autumn, spring, or summer for the best experience. The effortless method to reach Rara is to take a flight from Nepalgunj to Talcha airport in Mugu district. From here onwards, few hours of walk takes you to the beautiful Rara Lake. But for trekkers interested in real travel venture, trekking into the dense woodland rich of natural bliss, a flight from Nepalgunj to Jumla, from where the journey’s end is 2-3 days walk away.

What to do??

To maximize your experience in the Rara region, explore the dense pine and juniper forest on your own.Camping next to the gleaming Rara Lake, nestled amidst lush green hills at an elevation of 2,990 meters above sea level, offers a prime opportunity to commune with Mother Nature. Also, you can explore the Rara region through a hike around Rara Lake and Rara National Park, which provide the exposure to the untainted magnificence of nature. Apart from that, you can ride paddle boat in the lake, ride a horse, click stunning snaps, and set the hammock and sleep in a tent. A rewarding hike to Chuchemara Hill delivers splendid vistas of the turquoise lake and green forested hillsides alongside the snow-capped peaks on all sides.

Also Read: Top 3 Rivers in Nepal Celebrated for White-water Rafting