We recently visited Rara Lake also called Mahendra Daha- Lake, Mugu, Karnali, with family and friends. We departed from Kathmandu on 25 February 2024( 13 Falgun 2080)) and arrived back on Sunday -2 March 2024 (19 Falgun, 2080)Saturday.

We had very long and exciting drive to Karnali on Snow clapped mountains, hills and roads, hard rocky mountains/ hills, thrilling experience of horse riding up to gorgeous Rara Lake. It immense place of Natural beauty, Heaven on Earth in Western Nepal, It is a must visit place in lifetime with many distinct lifelong travel memories and experiences.

Both National- Domestic and Foreign Visitors are very important for tourism/ economic development, employment and prosperity. We started our journey from Kathmandu, Chitwan, Nawalparasi, Butwal, Kapilvastu, Dang, Kohalpur, Nepalgunj, Surkhet, Dailekh, Accham, Kalikot, Jumla, then final destination Mugu, Salleri Rara Lake.

We were 7 tourists, Kiran Dhungana and Sharada Mainali Dhungana( Dai and Bhauju came from Canada residents of Chabhil, Ktm), who arranged the tours and made us all possible to reach there. Ram Prasad and Bimala Dhungana( from Chabhil), thank you all for good company and comfortable travels. Driver Rajkumar Aryal, my wife Shreejana Timilsina Dhungana and myself(Nishesh Dhungana), We had continuous many hours of jeep ride and breathtaking, nature sights adventurous, walking in snows, horse riding, uncountable pictures of hard rocky hills, mountains, snows, rivers, waterfalls, local people and Rara Lake and other nearby must visit places are awesome. Despites of many hurdles and obstacles on roads, snows, weather, foods and other unfavorable conditions we safely reached to Rara Lake. Beautiful snowy mountains and hills on direct eye sights, panoramic landscapes, green forests and wildlife, Karnali people, language, culture, food, farming, and their ways of living On the ways we stopped at guest houses for overnight stays Rara lake jeep tour is the best way to visit this incredible lake.

Beautiful landscapes, off-road climbs up and down hills, hard rocks and stones are many of the great lifelong adventures, memories and experiences we can expect from the tours. They are must visit places in life time.

Lakes and rivers are always beautiful. Crystal clear and freshwater natural lakes can be as mystical and magical as mountains. There is nothing more relaxing than sitting by a beautiful lake and enjoying its attractive beauty. The waves look great and the surroundings are fascinating.

Rara is one of the most beautiful lakes in Nepal. Everyone knows how blessed Nepal is with nature and geography. There are hundreds of lakes in this country and each of them has its own value and uniqueness. Rara is the largest lake in Nepal. It is located in a remote area of ​​Mugu district in western Nepal. This lake is located at an altitude of 2,990 meters above sea level area of total 10.8 Sq km. Rara National Park surrounds lake. Therefore, it is home to a variety of unique butterflies, birds, flowers, plants, fishes and aquatic life. This incredible lake is a place to relax and observe.

This lake offers a peaceful environment and soothing nature. Here we can read our books, write dairies /journals and take many pictures. But visiting there was not easy in the past. Currently, road conditions are drivable, but during the winter snow season they are slippery and dangerous and air transport through Talcha airport is another option. but it is quite expensive and not frequent We traveled to Rara on essential budget with food, transport, guest house and other necessities. Jumla is famous for Organic healthy Apple, and Karnali has many rare, distinct and healthy Jadibuti( Herbs) and Organic foods.

Rara Lake Tour Highlights

Rara National Park, Largest Lake of Nepal also called Mahendra Daha- Lake

Beautiful Landscapes and Valleys Karnal local People, Language, Culture, Traditional Village, Organic Vegetation, Marsi Rice, Chyangra Meat etc.

Jeep ride and thrilling experience along Karnal river, Horse riding to Rara lake and Boating

Magnificent views of snowy mountains, hills, lakes, waterfalls and rivers

Lonely and isolated walking, hiking, trekking and driving on snow, hills

and mountains.

Hard rocks and stones, rocky hills and mountains

Spotting rare animals, birds, plants, flowers, butterflies, fishes and aquatic creatures

Photography, paintings and drawings

Organic Apples in Jumla, Rare Jadibuti( Herbs) and healthy organic foods in the region

Sinja Valley, Jumla - where Nepali language, Devanagari script first originated

Jumla, Karnali and Accham, Sudurpaschim Provinces- Brahmin castes ancestors lived, place of our origin and ancestry Dhungani, Mangalsen, in Accham is the place our Dhungana forefathers and generations migrated to other parts of the country, some families are still staying there.

Sinja Valley, Jumla - where Nepali language first originated

Surkhet District Visit- Large Valley, Deutibajai Temple Kakre Bihar, Bulbule Lake etc

Sinja Valley, one of the most famous and beautiful tourist destinations of Karnal district with a remarkable history, is located in a beautiful area – Jumla. Isolated from the western mountains, the Sinja Valley is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The ancient capital of the Khasa Kingdom in the 12th and 14th centuries, which existed until the 18th century. Sinja valley has several historical values.

Some signs of Pancha Dewal, stone pillars and palaces ruins found in this area indicate the existence of very important ancient structures. Ancient temples like Kanak Sundari, Tripura Sundari and old settlements around the valley were discovered during excavations.

Hima River passes in Sinja Valley, there are cliffs and caves, earliest Buddhist shrines and chaityas settlements are there. Buddhism has high influence, even Shemans still practice ancient rituals and traditions in different temples in the region.
The valley is recognized as the birthplace of the Nepali language. Stones with Devanagari scripts, Nepali Language inscriptions carved from the 13th century have been found in and around Dullu, said to be the earliest Devanagari script found so far in Nepal.

Tourists usually visit the Sinja Valley on its hiking trails, such as the Rara National Park.

From our recent travel experience, necessary medicines and proper clothing as must need of the weather in the region. But we should have very light and easy carry Backpack for comfortable travel. There are regions in Karnali where mobile phone and internet connection may not be properly available. Karnali people have their own Nepali language speaking dialect, so it is really good to interact with them. Higher male populations reach different parts of India for employment and income to support family. Households are left behind with women, children and elder people.

There are many rough climbs, and winding roads. There are many bumpy/ jumpy

ups/ downs and curve roads. We ride through dense forests and attractive landscapes.

Journey starts early with a soothing ride towards Nagma through the Sinja valley. The views are great, with different flowers and animals along the way. Off-road experience begins once we cross the Nagma valley.

It is now off-road all the way up. The 4 hours long off-road drive is exciting, traveling alongside the banks of massive Karnali river. We leave Talcha airport, then drive for about 20 minutes before reaching the spot where we park our vehicle, Salleri, Mugu. that far as Jeep goes. We also have to climb for 60 minutes through dense forests

After a 60-minute walk or horse ride will reach a point where we can see the spectacular Rara Lake. We will soon forget how tired we felt from this trip.
The scenery is amazing and the lake itself is wonderful. We can stay overnight in a lodge or campsite.

Who needs an alarm clock when we can wake up to the soothing songs of the birds? The morning is exciting. We can hear the singing of the birds, the whistling of the trees and the sound of the waves. It looks like we are in heaven. There is nothing more pleasurable than a huge lake at the foot of incredible hills.
A whole day in Rara is awe-inspiring. We can participate in various activities like boating and horse riding are some with we travel fellows. Explore this worthy place and I can guarantee we will have one of the best time of our life.

Rara Lake is big and beautiful. Boating is a great way to explore this gorgeous lake. Rent a boat and go to the corners Lake and nearby areas has variety of unique species, aquatic creatures, butterflies, birds, flowers and plants. We might even see red panda.

We can paddle boats in the morning while the wind picks up in the afternoon. A rare boat ride is the best way to spend the morning. We can fully explore this attractive lake.

Horse riding
Another exciting experience for us is horse riding in a group with our travel friends. There is a path around the lake which is an incredible experience. We can get to know this magical lake even more. Guides are also available.

The forest whistles and we see a huge blue lake next to you. When we ride horse, we can see distinct flowers and plants, we may feel like cowboy,

feels great. We will hear nothing but the wind, the forest and the footsteps of the horse. There are some open places where we can take our

horse and speed it more. I highly recommend riding horse

We can make a wonderful excursion to the Murma viewpoint. It is a perfect hiking destination. We walk through pine dense forest. We hear birds singing, might see rare species like red pandas and wild horses.

It's a short walk and the view from the top is awesome. We can see the whole lake and the majestic mountains in the distance. We can also see the surrounding and nearby villages.

Draw Paintings
Rara offers the best landscapes and sceneries and we can be a great artist. I suggest you bring your own drawing kits or buy them in Kathmandu. Natural beauty of, snows, mountains and water make us pull out our drawing tools and get started. We can find a suitable place and sketch our nice paintings as a good painter.

Nishesh Dhungana is Lawyer/ Advocate and Scholar of Law and International Relations, MA International Relations/ Diplomacy- JNU, BALLB( Law)( TU), Nepal. Email nishesh.dhungana@gmail.com