Tso Rolpa Lake, lying at an altitude of 4183 m, is between the mountain ranges of Langtang and Everest and is one of the biggest glacier lakes in Nepal. Situated in the north eastern region of the country, the road to the starting point of the trek (the trading town of Dolakha) passes along the route from Kathmandu to Lhasa, Tibet. The lake itself is situated in the Rolwaling Valley, one of the seven hidden valleys where the Yeti is said to live! Although it is highly unlikely to meet a Yeti on the trail, there are interesting terraced fields, fast-flowing rivers, forests and two great glaciers to see as well as the stunning glacier lake of Tso Rolpa. This trek starts at a low altitude so there is plenty of time for trekkers to get acclimatized before reaching the lake. Although the trail does not reach high altitude, trekking days are generally 6-8 hours long so a good level of fitness is required.
Mountains that can be seen on this route include Gauri Shankar (7,145m) and Menlungtse (7,181m), among others. The trail runs through Brahmin, Chhetri, Tamang and Sherpa villages, as well as past Bigu Gompa, home to over 300 nuns. This area is mainly Buddhist as can be recognised by the mani stones along the trail and prayer flags fluttering in the wind.
For those who do not want to trek at very high altitudes and are interested in the culture of the peoples of the Everest region this trek is a good option.
| Days | Itinerary | Altitude | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Kathmandu to Shigati (Drive) | 950 m | 10 hr |
| Day 2 | Shigati to Jagat | 1050 m | 6 hr |
| Day 3 | Jagat to Simi Gaun | 1900 m | 5 hr |
| Day 4 | Simi Gaun to Gyalchen | 3300 m | 6 hr |
| Day 5 | Gyalchen to Beding | 3650 m | 4 hr |
| Day 6 | Beding to Na Gaun | 4100 m | 4 hr |
| Day 7 | Acclimatization Day | 4100 m | 3 hr |
| Day 8 | Na Gaun to Tso Rolpa Lake | 4183 m | 4 hr |
| Day 9 | Acclimatization Day | 4183 m | 3 hr |
| Day 10 | Tso Rolpa to Beding | 4100 m | 6 - 7 hr |
| Day 11 | Beding to Daldung La Pass | 3976 m | 6 hr |
| Day 12 | Daldung La Pass to Simi Gaun | 1900 m | 5 hr |
| Day 13 | Simi Gaun to Jagat | 1050 m | 4 - 5 hr |
| Day 14 | Jagat to Shigati | 950 m | 5 - 6 hr |
| Day 15 | Shigati to Kathmandu (Drive) | 1380 m | 10 hr |
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