Introduction
This extremely beautiful and tranquil lake with its crystal clear water lies inside The Rara National Park in the region of Jumla.Rara is pristine and remains totaly unspoilt by tourism.Situated at an altitude of 2,990 mtrs it is surrounded by spruce and juniper forest it is also the largest lake in Nepal. The best way to reach Rara is to take a flight from Nepalgunj to Jumla from where Rara is as short as 2-3 days walk away the trek below however provides an opportunity to truly experience the surrounds of the national park. The trek starts at Jumla where many apple orchards are in evidence. The trail leads through remote countryside toward the Tibetan border before entering Rara National Park,the smallest national park in Nepal at only 106 sq kls. Rara is surrounded by blue pine, black juniper, west himalayan spruce, oak and Himalayan cypress, it remains a popular pilgrimage site for Nepalis.
Very few tourists and natives visit Rara Lake and there are no tourist facilities either along the trekking route or inside the park. Camping is the only option and trekkers must be self-sufficient in all their needs.
The region of Rara was designated a National Park in 1976 it is located in Mugu and Jumla District five hundred and fourty five kms west from Kathmandu and it covers an area of 106 sq km.