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Rolwaling Valley Trek Overview
Rolwaling Valley Trek is one of the off-beat trekking in Nepal. Rolwaling Valley is located between the Langtang region and Everest region. It is recognized by different nicknames like “the Grave”, “Land Yeti” and “the Home of the Summiteers.”
Visiting this hidden valley in the Eastern Himalayas lets you be familiar with the Yeti. The people of this valley narrate interesting stories about the abominable creature Yeti. Therefore, it is called the Land of Yeti.
As this region was less visited by the national and international tourists. This is why, it is also said to be the grave, the place which is the least visited by the people. Most of the Sherpa males of this valley are involved in expeditions and mountaineering. Hence, it is also known as the Land of the Summiteers as well.
Rolwaling Valley Trekking is a perfect combination of natural beauty and cultural diversity. The flora and fauna of Gaurishankar Conservation Area (GSCA) are the attractions of this trek.
The Sherpa or Tibetan Buddhist culture and tradition are the assets of this valley. You will visit the ancient monasteries, chortens, and mane walls decorated by prayer flags.
You will witness nearly 50 snow-capped peaks of the Langtang region, Rolwaling Range, and Everest region. Mt. Gaurishankar (7,134 m), Mt. Melungtse (7,181 m), Mt. Dorje Lakpa (6,966 m), Mt. Tashi Lapcha (5,755 m) and numerous natural waterfalls all over the valley. Tso Rolpa (4,580 m) and Omi Tso are the two glacier lakes in this region.
Rolwaling Valley Trek Highlights
- Yeti stories
- One of the offbeat trekking in Nepal
- Exploration of the ethnic villages including Sherpa villages
- Appropriate destination for flower-watching tours, ice climbing, trekking, and peak climbing
- Tso Rolpa Lake (4,580m)
- Flora and fauna like white monkeys, snow leopards, musk deer, and red pandas of Gaurishankar Conservation Area
- Nearly 50 snowy peaks including Gaurishankar (7,134m), Mt. Melungtse (7,181m), Mt. Dorje Lakpa (6,966m), Mt. Tashi Lapcha (5,755m), etc.
Rolwaling Valley Trek Difficulty
The Rolwaling Valley trek takes you to one of the offbeat paths of Nepal. To talk about the Rolwaling Valley trek difficulty, we should consider some vital factors. They are trekking hours per day, the condition of Nepal trekking trails, the altitude gain and the availability of teahouses or lodges including the support of a porter or guide.
You have to walk for about 5/6 hours per day along the rugged trails going uphill and downhill. The trails to the Rolwaling Valley trek are less frequented, so they may not be in perfect condition throughout the year.
5 days of this trek (Dongdong, Beding, Na, Dongdong plus acclimatization day) will be spent above 2,500 m. You know as soon as you reach higher than 2,500 m, there is the possibility of altitude sickness.
Besides, Tso Rolpa Lake (4,580 m) is the highest place to reach during this trek. You should take some precautions to avoid altitude sickness. Keeping hydrated; having enough food and resting including walking slowly by taking rest are some ways to fight back against this health hazard.
As it is a teahouse trekking in Nepal, you don’t have to worry about accommodation and food services. The teahouses and lodges en route Tso Rolpa Lake are of basic types providing basic facilities.
Moreover, if you have a guide or porter, you can do Rolwaling trek without any difficulty. They will help you in case of health problems like altitude sickness.
The children and senior citizens cannot do this trek due to its difficulty. You should have a habit of regular walking and exercise. For beginner trekkers, this trip may be difficult, however, for the ones who have previous Nepal trekking experience, it is not a problem!
Rolwaling Valley Trek Permits
Rolwaling Valley trek lies in the Gaurishankar Conservation Area (GSCA). Therefore, you should have a GSCA Entry Permit and TIMS Card as Rolwaling Valley trek permits. Both permits can be received from the Tourist Service Center, Kathmandu by paying the specified charges.
TIMS Card cost is USD 10 for an organized Nepal trek while USD 20 for an independent trekking in Nepal. For the GSCA Entry Permit, you have to pay USD 30 for a permit.
If you an independent trekker, you should manage this yourself. But, if you book this trip with a local tour operator, they will manage this for you.
Talking about GSCA Entry Permit, you can also get it from its office at Shivalaya Checkpoint, Dolakha. Shivalaya lies between Jiri and Jagat. The officers check you at the checkpost and let you move ahead only if you have the necessary permits.
Best Time for Rolwaling Valley Trek
Rolwaling Valley Trek is accessible throughout the year. However, sometimes the Tso Rolpa Lake section remains closed due to heavy snowfalls in winter. Similarly, the lower sections are muddy and slippery in the summer season if it rains heavily over there.
Rolwaling Valley is a famous tourist destination in Nepal for its seasonal activities. In June and July, a large scope of diverse species of colorful flowers blossom there. So, it is best for flowering viewing trek flowering viewing trek in this time.
From mid-November to February, it is good to plan Rolwaling hiking to experience ice climbing and playing with Himalayan snow. Likewise, Spring and Autumn are the best times for peak climbing and trekking in Rolwaling Valley. In these seasons, the weather remains stable and appropriate for these activities.
Rolwaing Valley Trek Itinerary
Rolwaling Valley Trek is a customizable package. You can consult with the local tour operator you book this trip. Generally, the Rolwaling Valley trek itinerary can be customized from 6 days to 21 days.
Your holiday, budget, and willingness are some major factors to consider while planning this trek. The itinerary of the Rolwaling trek can be extended if you want to cross Tashi Lapcha Pass (5,755 m) and do the Everest region trek.
Crossing Tashi Lapcha Pass gives you a lifetime memory of crossing a High Himalayan pass of the Nepalese Himalayas. Additionally, this pass connects you with the Everest Base Camp Trek as well.
From Tashi Lapcha Pass, you have glimpses of the mountain giants of Langtana and Khumbu region. Nevertheless, a Pachermo Peak Climbing permit is required for the Rolwaling Tashi Lapcha Pass trek.
Rolwaling Valley Trek Map
Rolwaling Valley Trek begins from Jagat where you can drive within 10 hours from Kathmandu. You drive along the blacktopped and dusty-bumpy road past Jiri and Shivalaya to reach Jagat. From Jagat, you trek further through Simigaun, Dongdong, and Bedding. From Bedding, you hike to Na Village, which is located just underneath Tso Rolpa Lake (4,580 m). By keeping your backpack at a hotel, you ascend toward one of the highest-placed glacial lakes of Nepal.
After getting the lifetime achievement of reaching Tso Rolpa Lake, you descend towards Na. Spending a night at Na, you return to Dongdong and then Gonger Khola the following day. Finally, you drive back to Kathmandu via the same pitch and off-road for about 10 hours.
