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Rara Lake Trek via Jumla and the Sinja Valley, 10 Days

Walk in from Jumla over the Jaljala pass and through the Sinja Valley to Rara Lake, the largest lake in Nepal, and fly out from Talcha, for 2027

From US$1,785 per person

Duration
10 days
Grade
Moderate
Highest point
About 3,585m/11,762ft (Jaljala pass)
Group size
1 to 20
Starts and ends
Kathmandu
Best time
Sep to Nov and Mar to May

Govt RegdTAAN #1586300+ ★ reviews

  • Three generations of family guides in the Himalayas, independent since 2016
  • Government-licensed Nepal trekking company (Reg 147653)
  • TAAN Member #1586
  • 300+ reviews
  • Secure payment via Himalayan Bank
  • Four-time TripAdvisor award winner (Travellers' Choice 2020, 2023, 2024 and Certificate of Excellence 2019)

Overview

From US$1,785Updated Oct 22, 2026

Rara Lake Trek via Jumla and the Sinja Valley, 10 Days is the classic way to Rara Lake (2,990 m), the largest lake in Nepal. You fly to Jumla, then walk for five days over the Jaljala pass (about 3,585 m) and through the Sinja Valley, once the centre of the Khasa Kingdom, to the lake. After a rest day at the water, you walk down to Talcha and fly out. It is graded Moderate. The price from is USD 1,785 per person (Budget, couple). The price per person is the same for a private trip and a group of the same size, and it falls as the group grows.

Rara Lake Trek via Jumla and the Sinja Valley, 10 Days at a glance

Duration10 days, 9 nights, Kathmandu to Kathmandu
Highest pointJaljala pass, about 3,585 m. Rara Lake is at 2,990 m
Getting thereFly Kathmandu to Nepalgunj (night), then to Jumla. Fly out from Talcha to Nepalgunj (night), then to Kathmandu
Walking6 days on foot, 4 to 6 hours a day, with a rest day at the lake
PermitsRara National Park and TIMS. Not a restricted area
Best monthsSeptember to November and March to May
Group size1 to 20, private by default
From priceUSD 1,785 per person, Budget, couple. Standard USD 2,950, Luxury USD 3,985

Which Rara trek is for you

Our Rara Lake Trek, 10 days flies straight to Talcha and keeps you around the lake, with the flight home from Talcha. This trip walks in from Jumla instead, so you see the Sinja Valley and cross a high pass on the way. It asks for more walking. If you do not want to fly at all, take the Rara Lake Trek by Road, 12 days.

We run this as a private trek by default, and we never merge separate private bookings. If you would rather have company, you can join one of our fixed departures instead. Either way the price per person is the same.

Every booking helps us pay the teacher's salary at our Nagarjun Learning Center in Saldum, where 70 children get free education.

Why book with The Everest Holiday

  • Three generations of family guidesFamily-run since 2016 with three generations of guiding heritage. Not an agency — the family that runs the company leads your trek personally.
  • Private group, no strangersEvery trek we run is private. Your group only. We never combine bookings or add strangers to your party. If you book solo, you walk with a guide; if you book as four friends, your group stays four.
  • Nagarjun Learning Center givebackA fixed share of every booking funds the Nagarjun Learning Center — 70 children, 7 community centres, 3 full-time teachers, 600+ medical interventions, 275+ women supported. You can visit the centre before or after your trip; we arrange the visit separately.
  • Government registered, TAAN memberGovt Regd. No. 147653/072/073. Trekking Agency Licence 2090/072, Travel Agency Licence 2838/072. TAAN Member #1586. Over 300 reviews on TripAdvisor, Google and Trustpilot. We are a real, audited Nepal company — not a booking-platform middleman.

Day by day

2,0003,0004,000Day 2: 3,055 mDay 3: 3,585 mDay 4: 2,680 mDay 5: 3,050 mDay 6: 2,990 mDay 7: 2,990 mDay 8: 2,260 m12345678910Highest 3,585 mDay
Altitude in metres: the highest point named in each day’s plan. Hollow dots are rest and acclimatisation days.

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Prices

The Rara Lake Trek via Jumla and the Sinja Valley, 10 Days with The Everest Holiday costs $1,785 (Budget), $2,950 (Standard), or $3,985 (Luxury) per person for the 10-day trip. Allow about $20 a day for personal expenses, and buy your travel insurance at home before you travel. Book with a 10% deposit; the balance is payable in Kathmandu.

Budget price by group size
Travellers in your groupPrice per person
1US$2,475
2 to 4US$1,785
5 to 8US$1,455
9 to 12US$1,445
13 to 20US$1,405

Discounts are determined exclusively by the size of your group. We do not add additional members to your group.

Book Budget

Himalayan Bank logoSecure payment by Himalayan Bank.

What is included

On the Budget level.

Included

Transport

  • Airport pick-up and drop-off between Tribhuvan International Airport and your Kathmandu hotel, by taxi or private transfer.
  • Flight tickets Kathmandu to Nepalgunj to Jumla on the way in, and Talcha (Rara) to Nepalgunj to Kathmandu on the way back, for you and your guide.
  • Two nights in a basic hotel in Nepalgunj (one on the way in, one on the way back).

Accommodation and food

  • Food and drinks are not included. You order and pay for your own meals.
  • Seven nights in local teahouses, lodges and village homes, in shared rooms.

Guide and porter

  • An English-speaking, Nepal government well-trained guide for your group, and a second guide for groups of 9 or more.
  • There is no porter on the Budget tier. You carry your own bag.

Permits and fees

  • TIMS card (NPR 2,000).
  • Rara National Park entry permit (NPR 3,000 for foreigners). The standard Rara route is not a restricted area, so no restricted-area permit is needed.
  • All government taxes and official fees.

Medical and safety

  • First aid kit and an oximeter to check blood oxygen.
  • We arrange the rescue in an emergency; the cost is paid by your travel insurance.

Complimentary

  • A company T-shirt and cap before the trek.
  • A farewell dinner and a certificate of achievement for those who complete the trek.
  • Free storage for your extra luggage in Kathmandu while you trek.
  • A local SIM card on arrival in Kathmandu; your guide shows you how to buy a cheap data pack, which you pay for.

Not included

Food and drinks

  • Meals and drinks on the trail.

International flight

  • International flight cost.

Nepali visa

  • At Tribhuvan International Airport you can pay USD 30 for a 15-day visa, USD 50 for a 30-day visa or USD 125 for a 90-day visa on arrival, in cash.

Kathmandu hotels

  • Hotels in Kathmandu before and after the trip are not included. We quote them separately.

Insurance

  • Travel insurance. It must cover trekking to 4,000 m and emergency helicopter rescue.

Tips

  • Tips for guides and porters (recommended).

Other expenses

  • Extra costs from delays outside our control, such as flight cancellations, weather, illness or strikes. A spare night in Nepalgunj if a flight is cancelled.
  • Wifi, hot showers, charging, heated blankets and anything else outside the room price, paid by you directly to the teahouse or hotel.

Dates

Your trek, your choice, your price. Choose the style that suits you. Book a private departure on any date with just your party, or join a fixed group departure and trek with fellow adventurers from around the world. Same routes, same guides, same quality — 3 comfort tiers on both options. Per-person price follows our group-discount tiers based on YOUR party size (a couple pays less per pax than a solo trekker, 5+ pays less again) — the same tiers apply on both booking types.

Private departure

  • Any date you choose
  • Just your party + dedicated guide
  • 3 comfort tiers (Budget, Standard, Luxury)
  • Per-pax price tier set by YOUR party size

Fixed group departure

  • Scheduled dates (see below)
  • Join other trekkers from around the world
  • 3 comfort tiers (Budget, Standard, Luxury)
  • Per-pax price tier set by YOUR party size (same tier as Private)
Book private departureView group departures
Prefer email? Send a question and we will reply within a few hours.

Peak season (Sep–Nov) — our guides book up fast. Get in touch 6–8 weeks ahead to secure your preferred dates.

  • Apr 10, 2027 to Apr 19, 2027OpenUS$2,290Book
  • Apr 24, 2027 to May 03, 2027OpenUS$2,290Book

Other dates

Need a different date? Other dates are available on request. Contact us or message Shreejan on WhatsApp.

Fixed departures are dates we have already committed to run. Your party still treks as its own private group with its own guide; we never merge bookings or add strangers, and solo trekkers are welcome on any date. Private departures on any other date you choose are also available. On both, the per-person price is set by the size of your own party.

Shreejan Simkhada, Director of The Everest HolidayShamjhana Basukala, Co-founder of The Everest Holiday

Shreejan and Shamjhana plan every trek personally

Your hosts since 2016. Ask us anything; we reply within hours.

Ask Shreejan on WhatsApp

Essential information

Before you go

  • Flights: Nepalgunj to Jumla and Talcha to Nepalgunj are small aircraft and depend on the weather. Keep a spare day at the end and do not book an international flight home for the day after day 10.
  • Walking: six days on foot, 4 to 6 hours a day, the highest point is the Jaljala pass. Nights at Chauriya Chaur, Chalachaur, Bota, Ghorasinga, Rara Lake and Talcha are in simple lodges and village homes.
  • There are no ATMs between Jumla and Rara Lake and cards do not work on the route. Bring Nepali rupees from Kathmandu for drinks and tips. Mobile signal is very limited.
  • Porters: Standard has one porter for every two trekkers, so each guest keeps to 10 kg. Luxury has a porter each, with a bag of up to 20 kg. Budget has no porter.
  • Insurance: buy it at home. It must cover trekking to 4,000 m and emergency helicopter rescue.
  • Kathmandu hotels before and after the trip are not included.

Questions people ask

How much does the Rara Lake trek via Jumla cost?
For a couple, the price per person is USD 1,785 Budget, USD 2,950 Standard and USD 3,985 Luxury. A solo traveller pays USD 2,475 Budget, USD 3,535 Standard or USD 4,835 Luxury. The price falls as the group grows, and it is the same for a private trip and a group of the same size.
What is the difference between this trek and your 10-day Rara Lake Trek?
This trek flies to Jumla and walks five days to the lake over the Jaljala pass, then walks down to Talcha and flies out. The 10-day Rara Lake Trek flies to Talcha and stays around the lake, so it has no pass and no Sinja Valley. Both take 10 days from Kathmandu to Kathmandu.
How do you get to Jumla?
Fly Kathmandu to Nepalgunj, spend a night there, then take the morning flight to Jumla (about 40 minutes). On the way back you fly Talcha to Nepalgunj, spend a night, and fly to Kathmandu. Flights in the far west depend on the weather, so we keep a spare day in mind.
How hard is the trek?
Moderate. Five days of 4 to 6 hours walking to the lake, a rest day, and one day of about 5 hours down to Talcha. The highest point is the Jaljala pass at about 3,585 m. You do not need climbing experience, but you should be able to walk 5 to 6 hours a day on forest trails.
What permits do I need?
The Rara National Park entry permit (NPR 3,000 for foreigners) and a TIMS card (NPR 2,000). Both are included and arranged in Kathmandu. The standard Rara route is not a restricted area.
Is a guide required?
Yes. A licensed guide is required on this route under the Nepal Tourism Board rule from 2023, and the trail is remote with little signposting. Your guide is included.
Who carries my bag?
Budget: you carry your own bag. Standard: one porter for every two trekkers, so you keep to 10 kg each; a solo guest has no porter and the guide carries up to 10 kg. Luxury: your own porter, with a bag of up to 20 kg. Our own limit is 20 kg per porter and we keep to it.
Where do we sleep?
In simple lodges and village homes at Chauriya Chaur, Chalachaur, Bota, Ghorasinga, Rara Lake and Talcha. Expect a bed, a blanket, home-cooked food and shared toilets, with limited hot water. In Nepalgunj we use hotels.
What is the best time?
September to November, when skies are clear, and March to May, when the lake is green and the rhododendrons are out. June to mid-September is monsoon, with rain, cloud and leeches on the approach. December to February is cold and snowy.
Can I go without flying?
Not on this trek. If you do not want to fly, take our Rara Lake Trek by Road, 12 days, which drives from Kathmandu to Surkhet and up the Karnali Highway to Talcha.
What if my flight to Jumla or from Talcha is cancelled?
We wait for the next flight and your guide tells you the plan each evening. A spare night in Nepalgunj is not included in the price. This is why we ask you not to book an international flight home for the day after day 10.
How do I pay?
A 10% deposit holds your dates, and the rest is paid in Kathmandu or online, in US dollars or euros, in cash or by card. We cover the card fee on the deposit. If you pay the balance by card it carries a 3.5% bank charge, and cash has no fee. We do not take Nepali rupees from foreign guests.
What if I need to change my dates?
Free rescheduling: tell us at least 72 hours before departure and we move you to any date within one year. The 10% deposit is not refunded if you cancel. If we cannot run the trip, we refund what you paid less taxes, bank charges and money already spent on permits and flights.
What group sizes do you take?
From one person to 20. We run every trek as a private trek by default. If you want company, you can join one of our fixed departures instead.
From, per personUS$1,785