Rara Lake tourism season begins

By Harikrishna Aidi,Mugu, Mar. 28: The perfect time to visit beautiful Rara Lake has arrived. Stretching from March to June, this season offers the most ideal environment to experience the lake's stunning beauty.

Aman Paudel, a visitor from Chitwan, shared his experience of enjoying pleasant weather during his visit to Rara. “The lake’s colour keeps changing with the sky -- sometimes blue, sometimes black and even white. The shifting shades of the sky reflect beautifully on the water,” he said.

He added that Rara appears even more captivating when clouds cast shadows on the lake or when the still morning water mirrors the snow-capped mountains.

According to Rara National Park officials, the period between March and June is the best time to visit Rara. Assistant Officer Mahesh Neupane reported that by the first week of March in the current fiscal year, 7,779 domestic tourists and 186 foreign ones had visited the lake.

Rara Lake is situated at an altitude of 2,880 metres above sea level. It spans 167 metres in depth, 5.1 kilometres in length and 2.7 kilometres in width, with a shoreline stretching 14.6 kilometres.

Walking around the lake takes around seven hours. Visitors can enjoy cycling or horse riding around the lake, however swimming and bathing in the lake are strictly prohibited.

The Rara area is home to religious sites such as Rara Mahadev, Chhabru Mahadev and Laguda Temple. On the eastern side of the lake lies the Chhayanath Himal, with the snow-covered Rinimoksha Peak visible round the year.

Local Rup Bahadur Malla criticised the lack of government attention toward promoting Rara’s tourism. “There are no regular flights, reliable road access or well-equipped hotels. Marketing efforts for Rara are minimal and the potential for establishing a yoga and meditation centre has been ignored,” he remarked.

Tourism entrepreneur Durga Rawal highlighted the need for infrastructure development and promotion along the trekking route from Jumla to Rara, extending to Khaptad, Dolpa and Humla. 

“Building a trekking trail connecting Rara to Chhayanath and Rinimoksha pilgrimage sites would attract tourists seeking longer treks,” he said.

Bishnu Kumar Bham, Mayor of Chhayanath Rara Municipality, said that various programmes are being prepared to promote Rara's tourism. He added that the municipality plans to provide training in hospitality, tourist guiding and other tourism-related skills to create employment opportunities for local youth.