Murma summit
The whole lake from above.
Rawalams — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Patrick.drown — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Nirmal Rai — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Jeebin — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Swadistan — CC BY-SA 4.0
Rara Lake is the largest freshwater lake in the Nepalese Himalayas and the centrepiece of Rara National Park in remote Karnali Province in the far west. Because reaching it takes two flights and a walk, it stays quiet, offering clear water and pine forest far from the crowded trekking routes. The lake became part of the national park in 1976, and the park covers 106 sq km. In September 2007 it was listed as a Ramsar wetland site. It lies at 2,975 m, with a water surface of 10.8 sq km, a length of 5.1 km, a width of 2.7 km and a maximum depth of 167 m. Forest and distant snow peaks are mirrored on the surface on calm days, and people say the water changes colour several times a day with the light. A path circles the shore among the trees, and from the summit of Murma above the lake you see it whole, a blue shape among the mountains. One guide mentions boats on the water for a charge. It is about 170 km in a straight line from Nepalgunj. The usual route is a flight from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj, then a small plane for around 30 to 45 minutes to Talcha airport, then a walk of two hours or more. Flights can be delayed by weather, so allow spare days. Bring warm clothes, avoid the rainy season and climb slowly if you feel the altitude.
The whole lake from above.
A walk among pines.
Mountains on still water.
Rara National Park, Mugu and Jumla districts, Karnali Province, Nepal
Fly to Nepalgunj, then on to Talcha, then walk for two hours or more.
Yes. Flights to Talcha depend on the weather, so a spare day helps.