Tsho Rolpa Lake Trek

•  Biggest Glacial lake Tsho Rolpa.
• Terraced farmlands and mind-blowing snow-capped Himalayan peaks.
• Ethnic settlements of Sherpas.
• Historical Dolakha Bazaar.
• One of seven hidden Valleys, Rolwaling valley. 
• Beautiful and culturally rich Beding village.

Tsho Rolpa is a beautiful glacial lake in the wonderful Rolwaling valley. Tsho Rolpa Lake, lying at an altitude of 4580 m. in the Dolakha district of Nepal, is an unexplored hidden gem. The average depth of Tsho Rolpa lake is 55 meters, having a maximum depth of 270 m. The length of this lake is 3.45 kilometres and the average width is 0.5 kilometres. Tsho Rolpa lake comprises a total area of 1.537 Kilometers. 

The Tsho Rolpa lake trek route follows the trekking from Simigaun at an altitude of 1400 m. Tsho Rolpa lake trek passes through the beautiful terraced lands, fast-flowing rivers, lush green forests, snow-capped soaring High Himalayan peaks, some glaciers along with the greatest Tsho Rolpa. The trek starts at Chet Chet, Simigaun. Since the trekking starts at a lower altitude, there is enough time for acclimatization making it less prone to altitude sickness. Though the trekking is not so extensive, it generally requires 7 to 8 hours of trekking for 8 days, so a good fitness level is required to trek in this region.

The trek from Simigaun will take you to Dongang following the villages of Uttise and Surmuche along the way. The further trail follows Dongang to Thanding Kharka leading to the Beding village. A further trek from Beding will take you to the beautiful Naa village. Naa village is a beautiful village in Rolwaling valley. You can reach Tsho Rolpa lake around 2-3 hours from Naa. Since there are not any accommodation services in Tsho Rolpa you have to return the same day to Naa village. From Naa, you will trek downwards to the beautiful Khanding Garkha. Following the route to Chet Chet, you will return back to the Kathmandu valley. 

Trekking to Tsho Rolpa takes you to the wonderful Tsho Rolpa lake, passing through the beautiful meadows and villages, terraced lands, forests, and cultural villages in rural settlements. You will get to experience the diverse cultural things along with the villages. The major ethnicity being the Sherpa, the sherpa villages and settlements along with their lifestyle is also another major thing to experience in the Tsho Rolpa lake trek. Since the trekking takes you to the Tibetan border side in the Himalayan region of Nepal, the majority of Buddhist influence can be seen along the trail. 

Day 01: Drive from Kathmandu to ChetChet, trek to Simigaun (2019 m.) 

Early drive from Kathmandu will take you to the Chetchet of Dolakha district. It is around 195 KM from Kathmandu valley and takes around 7-8 hours to reach there. The driving route follows Kathmandu-Dolalghat-Mudhe-Charikot-Singari-Chetchet. From Chet Chet, around 2 hours of walking takes you to the beautiful Simigaun. Simigaun lies in the Gaurishankar conservation area project and is the beginning point of the Tsho Rolpa lake trek. The agricultural farmlands and terraced potato and cornfields in the villages are beautiful and the mountain views in the rural settlements are other things to experience. You will stay in a hotel/ small lodge in Simigaun. The maximum altitude gained this day will be 2019 m. 

Day 02: Trek from Simigaun to Dongang 

Early in the morning, after breakfast at Simigaun, you will start your trek to Dongang. From Simigaun, you will trek towards Uttise and Surmuche village taking you to Dongang village. You will stay overnight in Dongang village. Overnight stay in a lodge in Dongang village. 

Day 03: Dongang to Beding village. 

From Dongang, you will trek to the Beding village while exploring Thanding Kharka. Beding village is a beautiful Sherpa village where you get to experience the pristine Sherpa culture and lifestyle. You will stay overnight at Beding village in a teahouse. 

Day 04: Beding to Naa village 

Early in the morning, after breakfast, you will start your trekking to Naa village. Naa village is also the gateway to the wonderful Rolwaling valley. The Rolwaling mountain range is the major attraction in Naa village. Also, the culture, tradition and lifestyle of Sherpas can be explored in Naa village. Overnight stay in a teahouse in Naa village.  

Day 05: Acclimatization at Naa

You will stay at Naa village today. You will explore Naa village. After the extensive trekking to Naa, you can have a rest this day and prepare for the further trek. 

Day 06: Naa village to Tsho Rolpa, trek back to Naa village 

You will trek to Tsho Rolpa today. The trekking will take around 2-3 hours to reach Tsho Rolpa lake from Naa village. And after exploring Tsho Rolpa, you will return back to Naa village. Since there are not any accommodation services, you will have to return to Naa village unless you have some camping plans. You will stay overnight in Naa village. 

Day 07: Naa to Dongang 

Early in the morning, you will start your trek from Naa to Dongang. Explore the villages around and wonderful sceneries along the trail. You will stay overnight in a teahouse in Dongang village. 

Day 08: Dongang to Chet Chet

This is the last day of your trek to Tsho Rolpa lake. You will trek to the Chet Chet from where you can have your drive back to Kathmandu valley. You will stay overnight in a teahouse in Chet Chet. 

Day 09: Drive from Chetchet to Kathmandu 

You will have a drive to Kathmandu valley today. After the extensive yet wonderful trekking to the Tsho Rolpa lake in the Rolwaling valley, you will return back to the capital, Kathmandu. You can explore the nightlife in Thamel in the evening. 

Tsho Rolpa Lake trek is an offbeat trekking area of Nepal. This trail is popular for its virgin natural beauty and a wide range of mountain vistas. The trail to Tsho Rolpa is remote, pristine and offers a unique experience to the trekkers. The banks of the Tama Koshi river during the trek and the never-ending panorama of Gaurishankar mountain offers a lifetime experience. 

The best time to visit Tsho Rolpa for trekking activities is during the Autumn and Spring seasons. The Autumn starts in September and lasts till November. During this time of the year, the sky is clear, the weather is pleasant and visibility is better than other times. So, trekking in the Tsho Rolpa Lake in Autumn is rewarding and adventurous in northeastern Nepal. 

Spring begins with the blooming Rhododendron and lush greenery in the low mountain areas. It starts in March and lasts till May. At this time, the sky is clear, the climate is moderate and pleasant and the visibility of the mountains and the surrounding areas is better. So, Spring and Autumn are the best time to visit Tsho Rolpa Lake. 

The best adventurous and rewarding way to reach Tsho Rolpa lake is to trek. The trekking to Tsho Rolpa begins after a drive to Simigaon. From Simigaon, the trek begins. The average trek distance per day is about 5-6 hours with a moderate walking speed. You will trek to the Dongang and Beding Village that leads you to Naa village. From Naa, you will trek to Tsho Rolpa Lake and return to Naa. Following the same trail, you will return to Dongang and Chetchet. From Chetchet, you will get a drive that takes you to the Kathmandu valley. 

Tsho Rolpa Lake is a moderately difficult trek in north-central Nepal. The trekking in this area is fascinating as you will be exploring one of the biggest glacial lakes of Nepal. The lush green flora and diverse vegetation along with various birds and faunas and impeccable sight of the mountain ranges can be explored during the trek to Tsho Rolpa. 

While the Tsho Rolpa trek is pristine and untouched, this trekking area is comparatively difficult and not so developed. Small teahouses and lodges and basic food facilities are available during the trek. However, expecting fancy services as in commercial trails might not be a good idea. 

People with a moderate level of physical fitness and hiking habits can complete the Tsho Rolpa trek easily. The trekkers can also enjoy the scenic views of various mountain panoramas.  

The pristine Tsho Rolpa trek takes about 7-8 days to complete. However, considering getting to the Khumbu region, if you have good physical fitness and avid trekking experience, can be rewarding. The Tsho Rolpa Lake trek can be combined with Tsho Lapcha La Pass that takes you over an elevation of 5755 m above sea level. The adjoining trek to Tashi Lapcha is extremely difficult, however, very rewarding in terms of the mountain vistas, Sherpa lifestyle and an untouched Rolwaling trekking experience.