Detail Itinerary
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Day 01 : Drive to Kohalpur (150m/492ft) -500km/11 Hours
On the first day, you begin the journey to Nepalgunj early in the morning by driving along Prithvi Highway up to Motel Du Mugling. Then , the jeep turns the left turn along the banks of the Narayani River until you reach Narayangadh, Chitwan. From there, you drive through the Mahendra Highway (also called East West Highway) to reach Nepalgunj.
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Day 02 : Drive to Manma (2,033m/6,670ft) -250km/8 Hour
Today’s journey is not as long as that of the previous day, so you begin the travel after breakfast. You drive further through the dense tropical forests of Terai region by crossing Bardiya National Park. If favourable, you can take a short break to see the nature and culture of Bardiya district. Following the blacktopped road except in some sections, you reach Manma, the administrative center of Kalikot district
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Day 03 : Drive to Nagma (2,319m/7,608ft) via Sinja Valley (2,500m/8,202ft) and Trek to Rara Lake (2,990m/9,810ft) – 62km + 10km/7 Hours
Today, you have to drive along the pitched road for most of the voyage whereas off-road to some extent. Driving along the Karnali Highway, you can enjoy the green hills, snowcapped peaks of the far western region and mountain villages. The road passes through the Sinja Valley enlisted in the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List. This valley is a must-visit historical and cultural site while you are on Rara Lake trek or tour. Finally, you reach the beautiful Rara Lake premises in about seven hours. Enjoy the sunset view of the entire Mugu Karnali region. You can spend the night at a tented camp on the bank of Rara Lake or a good quality lodge established around the lake premises.
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Day 04 : Exploration around Rara Lake
Today is the full day exploration around Rara Lake and Rara National Park. However, you should wake up as early as you can to capture the sunrise view of Rara Lake and the surrounding in both your mind and camera as well. On the south of the lake, you see the glittering Chuchemara Peak (4,019m) plus Ruma Kanda and Malika Kanda peaks on the north side.
You can do boating on Rara Lake to explore the lake premises as well as wildlife and vegetation around it. You can experience jungle safari in Rara National Park to observe the diverse flora and fauna conserved here. Horse riding around the lake and national park is also a noble experience. If you want, swimming in the lake is also allowed but the water is cold and may not be suitable for your health.
In the daytime, you can set off for village tour around Rara National Park. You can observe the typical lifestyle, culture and tradition of the remote region of Karnali Province. Similarly, you can do a short hike to Murma Top (3,770m) to have the splendid view of the freshwater lake and its area. The snowcapped peaks of the southern and northern sides reflected on the turquoise water of the alpine lake.
Don’t forget to observe the endemic fish species of Rara Lake: the Cyprinid Fish, the Rara Snowtrout and the Nepalese Snowtrout. You can even do fishing in Rara Lake by taking the required permission from the concerned authority. You can enjoy the sunbath on the bank of the lake as well.
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Day 05 : Drive Back to Manma -9 Hours
By enjoying the sunrise view of the Rara Lake area, you commence the retreat travel towards Manma via Sinja Valley. Within nine hours’ drive along the off-road and blacktopped highway, you reach Manma for the night station.
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Day 06 : Drive Back to Kohalpur -11 Hours
After having breakfast, you start the return journey to Kohalpur, Nepalgunj by riding along the East West Highway. You drive past Bardiya National Park en route.
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Day 07 : Drive Back to Kathmandu -12 Hours
As today’s journey is the longest one, you have to start quite early from Kohalpur to Kathmandu. If the time favours and the itinerary suits, you can take a quick excursion of Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha. Or you can even extend the itinerary by consulting with our agency. Driving for about eleven hours, you arrive Kathmandu and go to the hotel for the accommodation.
