Tsho Rolpa Lake Trek- Cost & Itinerary

The magical journey to a week-long Tsho Rolpa trek starts with nearly a 7-hour drive from Kathmandu to Chhet Chhet, a 190 km ride. 

We head on the road after having a decent breakfast at the hotel in Kathmandu. The private/local deluxe buses for the trip to Chhet Chhet are trekkers' favourite. 

As we leave Kathmandu, we start viewing inspiring landscapes, rivers, and towns of the Sindhupalchok and Kavre districts. Our road trip halts at Sukute for a tea break. This place is famous for rafting and night stay among Nepalese and foreigners. 

The trip takes us to Mude, Khari Dhunga, and Charikot before lunchtime. After lunch at Charikot, we took a road trip 3 hours further to Chhet Chhet. The rushing Upper Tamakoshi River, a couple of waterfalls, and terrace farming keeps the trip entertaining. 

For foreigners, a Tsho Rolpa Trek Permit check is necessary before entering the Gaurishankar Conservation Area. Thus, before climbing to Simi Gaun, a prior permit check at Chhet Chhet is mandatory.  The hike to Simi Gaun is short and takes nearly three hours, but tiring. The stairs on vertical cliffs make the trek thrilling. But, there are multiple water taps where you can refill your bottles and wash sweat. 

The Buddhist village of Simi Gaun gives the sense of an unspoiled village lifestyle. The villagers often smile as they encounter any travellers here. There weren't many tea houses in Simi Gaun, but in recent times, tea houses are increasing to meet the trekker's demand. NepTrek ensures your meals and accommodation at the best tea house in Simi Gaun. 

The chirps of birds from the forest behind Simi Gaun wake us up in the early morning. The first glimpses of sunrise to the east hills from Simi Gaun start the day beautifully.

After some refreshments and breakfast, it's time for us to hike to Dongang. Dongang sits beautifully on the shore of the Rolwaling River with inspiring hills and waterfalls.

After leaving Simi Gaun, we hike a few minutes on flat trails before climbing steep stairs. Glimpses of Simi Gaun, farmlands, and surrounding hills from the hilltop are inspiring. From here, the trail follows a gradual descent until we reach a suspension bridge at Uttise, en route to Rigu village.

The trail from the bridge to Surmuche is a gradual climb. The trekking route is stone paved and well maintained, but hundreds of stairs are tiring. The lush forest with frequent waterfalls and culverts accompanies the hike to Surmuche. Surmuche is only a place for lunch on our second-day trek to Dongang.

After having a decent lunch and replenished energy, we further headed to Kyalje for three hours. The route follows a gradual hike but entertaining with the sublime glimpses of terrains. Small caves, truss bridges, and lush forests make the trek entertaining.

There's only a tea house at Kyalje. If needed, the team will stop here for some rest before heading to Dongang. Dongang is a one hour hike from Kyalje. Your heart dances as you glimpse the tea houses on the Rolwaling river's shore in Dongang.

Tea house-based meals and accommodation in Dongang provide us with complete rest.

The serene sound of the Rolwaling River wakes you up in the early morning in Dongang. We have to start the hike early today as we have to reach Na Village at 3,943 metres.

After a decent breakfast at a tea house in Dongang, we first hike to Thandding Kharka via the shore of the Rolwaling River. The voluminous boulders and rushing sound of this river fade away as we start climbing to Thandding Kharka. It's also an ideal spot for a tea break and some rest before being back on the trail to Bedding.

Possibly, the route from Thandding Kharka to Bedding is one of the best trekking trails in the Himalayas. The change in vegetation and terrain gives us the sense of high-altitude trekking as we hike a few hours from Thandding. Snow-capped mountains on either side, the streaming Rolwaling River throughout, and alluring terrains make the landscape and hike serene. The remoteness and unspoiled aesthetics of the trekking trail give the experience of peaceful trekking.

Bedding, at 3,721 metres, is a final stopping place for lunch before hiking to Na Village. It sits on the left bank of Rolwaling River and beneath the towering snow-filled rocks. The traditional houses with vibrant colours, Buddhist monasteries, grazing yaks, everything ornate Bedding. Tea houses at Bedding offer fresh vegetables and decent meals to trekkers. The hike continues after some rest after lunch at Bedding.

Na from Bedding is a two and half hours hike. The trek to Na from Bedding is a relatively flat terrain of inspiring landscapes with mountains, alpine bushes, and decreasing lush vegetation. The well-organised tea houses in Na Village serve decent meals with warm accommodation.

We begin our Tsho Rolpa Lake hike from Na as the sun shines the next day. The overcast of clouds after 11 am obstructs the sightseeing otherwise.

Hiking early in the morning from Na gives us a picturesque window of viewing mountains around the lake. The scintillating Gaurisankhar on a bright sunny day makes the hike worthy. Besides, alluring alpine terrain, slopes, and flat lands entertain the hike.

The overall hike to Tsho Rolpa from Na is on a flat surface. However, the final section near the lake is a strenuous climb. The strong wind blows on this slope often make ascending and descending challenging.

The faint greenish milky-colored water of Tsho Rolpa Lake comes from the melted mountains and glaciers around it. Trakarding Glacier and Trambau Glacier are two major sources of water in this lake. You can also spend some time for photographs and sightseeing and descend to Na village for lunch.

We begin our return hike to Bedding after some rest and lunch at a tea house in Na. Many grazing yaks on pasture lands are a joy to witness en route to Bedding. Overnight at a tea house in Bedding replenishes the tired body for the next day's descent.

Our return hike to Dongang follows the standard Tsho Rolpa trekking route we hiked a few days ago.

In spring, the landscape becomes lush with fresh greenery and a clear outlook. The autumn colours on the landscapes make the whole viewing experience vibrant.

We start hiking down after breakfast at Bedding. Reaching Thandding Kharka takes us nearly three hours when we stop for rest and tea break. Another one-and-half-hour hike from Thandding takes us to Dongang, where we'll have lunch before heading for Simi Gaun.

The route to Kyalje from Dongang is the only tiring climb. Besides, the overall trek route to Uttise is ideal for a comfortable descent hike. Many trekkers hike down to Chhet Chhet the same day from Bigu Village. In doing so, struggle to get the vehicle back to Charikot. Also, the nine hours hike till the Uttise from Bedding already tires trekkers to some extent. So, to get proper rest and catch the next day's bus to Kathmandu, we stop at Simi Gaun.

To catch the bus to Kathmandu from Chhet Chhet, we start our descent hike with an early breakfast at the tea house. The descent hike first follows the trails on the farmlands and later on the stairs. The tiring stairs ascending will now become ideal for a comfortable descent.

The bus from Chhet Chhet takes us to Charikot via beautiful settlements on the shore of the Upper Tamakoshi River. We'll stop at Charikot for lunch before the bus leaves for Kathmandu.

Our representative will pick you up from the bus stop and transfer you to the hotel. It marks the end of our amazing six days of Tsho Rolpa trekking in the Gaurishankar Conservation Area.

When it comes to a meal in Tsho Rolpa Trekking, the most liked Tea houses are the most preferred. We'll eat dinner and breakfast at the lodge we stay in for overnight accommodation.

Unlike the Everest Base Camp trek and Annapurna region trek, the trek route of Tsho Rolpa Lake lacks commercialization. As trekking ascends further higher, food items on the menu reduce significantly. You won't get broad menu choices of meals as you start climbing Simi Gaun. Hence, the meals the tea house serves here are plain and basic but have great taste.

For breakfast, you can opt for porridge, noodles, soups, pancakes, boiled eggs, omelettes, cooked beans, potato fries, and roti (bread). Tea houses in the Tsho Rolpa Glacial Lake trek route, unlike other commercial trekking routes, don't make trekkers pay extra fees for hot water.

Lunch items include the staple Nepalese dish, Dal Bhat Tarkari. It consists of cooked rice and fresh vegetables with lentil soups. Regular vegetables in lunch meals include spinach, mushrooms, radish, potatoes, and wild spinach. Locally fermented pickles with boiled Yak ghee make the lunch mouth-watering. Apart from these, the menu item also includes bread, noodles, canned fish, etc.

The menu for dinner is almost identical to the lunch menu. You can also ask for an ethnic dish like Dhindo (cornmeal porridge) combined with vegetable soup, thukpa, etc.

Every menu item you eat in this trek is 100% vegan. Tamang and other ethnic here practise Buddhism. Hence, they never kill animals for meat. Carrying meat to higher places becomes expensive, and locals try avoiding it.

You can experience the best accommodation and meals in star-rated hotels in Kathmandu. The cost of the one-week Tsho Rolpa Lake Trek package excludes accommodations in Kathmandu.

Nepal, home to countless mountains, is best for trekking in the Himalayas. One week-long hike on Gaurishankar Conservation Area's focal destination, the Tsho Rolpa trek becomes perfect on crystal clear outlook, stable temperature, and mild humidity. These conditions are properties of the days in Spring and Autumn.

Rhododendron blossom of March, the picturesque landscape of April, and the magical experience of the trek in May make the trek to Tsho Rolpa the best time of the year.

Viewing of snow-occupied Gaurishankar Himal, Langtang range, Everest, and several peaks gives unmatched sightseeing pleasure in Spring. The Tsho Rolpa Glacial Lake freezes in early Spring, which becomes a joy to witness. The fresh outlook accompanied by lush vegetation fosters this trek as peaceful and serene.

Another fantastic season Autumn is undoubtedly the best time for mesmerising landscapes, greenery, dust free, and rain-free days. September to November, the post-monsoon time lets you glare at the magical landscape filled with towering mountains and rocks without obstruction. The Tsho Rolpa Trek Route runs almost through verdant pine and oak on either side of the shore of the rushing Rolwaling River. Hence, the unmatched peaceful hike with a picturesque landscape on the backdrop overjoys you on every step.

Nepal welcomes the festive season in Autumn. The lively environment, crispy visibility, locals decorating their houses, smiles, and happiness, everything makes this trek in Autumn memorable. You can also take this trip as trekking combined with a cultural escapade.

The weather and temperature must be stable for the ideal Tsho Rolpa Lake trekking experience. The two windows, Spring and Autumn, have stable temperatures and weather for comfortable hikes and the ultimate viewing experience.

April marks the rise in daytime temperature by around 16 °C  on average. -4°C is the lowest average temperature during Spring around the Tsho Rolpa trek route. However, places like Simi Gaun and Dongang remain hotter than others. You may encounter some snow while trekking here in early Spring.

Post-monsoon Autumn months shift the temperature of summer to mild. The lower terrains remain hotter and humid, but Bedding, Na, and Tsho Rolpa Lake remain colder. The unprecedented rain often creates snowfall, dropping the temperature.

The daytime average temperature of 18°C and the nighttime average temperature around freezing are bearable. A sleeve, cap, and sweatpants won't make you sweat much. Also, a decent down jacket or a layered sleeping bag can keep you warm all night.

Around 80 km long Tsho Rolpa Glacial Lake trek route is not an arduous hike, but things can be worse if the weather becomes terrible with rain and snowfall.

Few sections of the trek route are prone to landslides during the monsoon season, particularly in July and August. Rockfall, slippery trails, and increased water levels of Rolwaling River put the hike at risk. It's not that trekking Tsho Rolpa Lake is not doable in monsoon, but the rain adds additional risks.

Another worse weather window for this trek is winter. The harsh snowfall and freezing water sources even make locals escape the villages and settle in Kathmandu for some months. The tea house owners close their shops to escape the harsh cold. Hence, January and February, the coldest months, are not ideal for this trek.

The Rushing Rolwaling River flows just below the trekking route. Hence, the slippery snow puts trekkers at risk of falling into the river.

Even though the trekking route is moderate grade, the harsh weather conditions in the Summer and Winter months are not an ideal time.

There won't be any health issues for trekkers to reach Tsho Rolpa lake without acclimatisation. There's a very negligible chance that trekkers get altitude sickness.

Off the beaten trail to 4,580 metres high glacial lake, Tsho Rolpa is a comfortable to moderate grade trek. Stone-paved hiking trails with a well-maintained route won't be an issue for trekkers.

But, the final ascend to Tsho Rolpa for half-hour becomes challenging due to the steep climb. Still, the route offers a comfortable hike.

Tsho Rolpa trekking trail gains altitude gradually. Also, we start our trek from Chhet Chhet, which is around 1,398 metres. The route nearly gains 700 to 800 metres each day. On top, the lush vegetation till Thandding and alpine forests till Bedding provide adequate oxygen to breathe.

Tsho Rolpa trek is a comfortable to moderate grade trek where the final climb to the lake is the only arduous section. This trek route is best for aspiring high-altitude trekkers and for those trekkers who have little trekking experience.

Stone paved trails, stairs, truss bridges, suspension bridges, clearly indicated route map, and altitudes navigate this route the best. Besides, there are no routes branched from the main trek route. Thus, trekkers can hike on the main track throughout.

However, you must be in ideal physical shape and mentally prepared for this trip. The longer hiking hours are only the issues for fatigue. Besides, there's no need to get acclimatised in this trek.

To prepare for the fitness, practice some physical exercise routine a month before joining the trip with us. We highly recommend our clients have an ideal mind and body, ready to set out for the adventure.

Trekking Tsho Rolpa for a week without acclimatisation is doable. Those who can hike for multiple hours each day on this trek can complete it comfortably. Having said that, not every trekker's body reacts similarly to the high-altitude environment.

Some trekkers often develop minor altitude sickness symptoms like headaches, nausea, shortness of breathing, vomiting, fatigue, etc.

To dodge altitude sickness, we request you to eat plenty and drink 3 litres of purified water. Carrying Vitamin C tablets, choco bars, and some medicines for headaches and nausea can relieve stress. We discourage you from consuming caffeinated drinks like coffee and alcohol. They cause dehydration and prompt altitude sickness symptoms.

Trek guides from NepTrek have expertise in first aid and can handle altitude sickness issues effortlessly. They'll give you the necessary medicines during such struggles. But, in some situations, the severity of altitude sickness increases, and trekkers often encounter serious health issues. You may need helicopter evacuation to lower altitudes or hospitals nearby during such a period. With decent travel insurance, you can get emergency helicopter evacuation without worrying about the fares and medication bills.

High altitude terrain often puts trekkers on unforeseen weather changes. As of which, the risk of trekking increases. Often, trekkers struggle to move forward due to altitude sickness issues.

At such events, you may need helicopter evacuation. You can get helicopter evacuation for free if you have decent travel insurance. It becomes easy for a helicopter to come and pick you up to lower altitudes when you have travel insurance.

You can save hundreds of dollars on medication bills during such unforeseen events with the travel insurance compensating your expenses. It doesn't mean you'll encounter such events in this trek, but preparing for them is always wise.

Communication in Tsho Rolpa trekking is possible at places like Simi Gaun, Kyalje, Thandding Kharka, and Bedding. You can find the signals of the carrier Nepal Telecom at these places. 3G internet services are also possible in these places. A tea house in Dongang has a satellite telephone with which you can communicate with people.

There are no internet and wifi facilities at tea houses throughout this trekking. We recommend you to enjoy the picturesque nature more and use mobile devices less for the internet and communication. After all, trekking means being away in the Himalayas to escape hustle-bustle for some period.

Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower has now supplied electricity to Bedding village. It powers every settlement in the Tsho Rolpa Glacier Lake trek route. From June 2022, there's a regular supply of electricity to the villages.

The tea house owners don't take additional fees for charging your mobile devices and gadgets. Even with solar backup, they let you charge spare batteries for free.

There's no need to worry about hot drinking water throughout this trek. Like electricity, the tea house owners provide free hot water to trekkers. Since this route is far from commercialization, owners here still care about the trekkers and let them enjoy some services as complimentary.

For cold drinking water, our trek guide provides chlorine tablets for purification. It's safe to drink the water from the tap in the Himalayas, but some trekkers may develop stomachs. Hence, if you like carrying the purification tablets, you can put them in your backpack. If not, the trekking guide gives the chlorine tablets for you. Also, to recharge the essential body ions, we recommend you to carry Orange Juice powders and some ORS packets.

NepTrek covers expenses of overnight accommodation, meals, and necessary trek permits for one week of Tsho Rolpa trekking. Rest of these, we don't cover your beverages, snacks, and other expenditures.

Clients joining our Tsho Rolpa Lake Trek in 2023 group have to bear all their accommodation expenses in Kathmandu.

You won't find ATMs on the trek route. Hence, carry Nepalese currency to pay your expenses. If you don't have an idea about the amount to carry on this trek, you can consult with our tour manager and trek guides for further information.

NepTrek focuses on clients' safety and security on every trek. Also, we equally value the safety of our trek guides and porters. We assure your 100% health safety, gear security, and personal belongings.

Tsho Rolpa Route is one of the least explored trekking routes in Nepal. The snail-paced commercialization here is ideal for peaceful hikes with very few trekkers. Thus, there won't be any risk of robbery because you'll get twin-sharing private rooms for overnight accommodation. On top, Tamang people respect trekkers as their guests. The trekking route sees trekkers, Tsho Rolpa Glacier Lake Trek guides, and porters that minimise the security risks.

On unforeseen health issues, a helicopter evacuation takes you down to a safe place and hospital, if needed. We practise safe trekking with a 100% success rate.

We encourage groups joining Tsho Rolpa trekking to tip their trek guides and porters some satisfactory amount at the end of the trek. There's no hard and fast rule for tip culture, but usually, trekkers tip USD 15 for guides and USD 10 for porters.

Trek porters and guides care for you throughout this trek to make it successful. On your smile and tears, these are the ones to cheer you up. On top, they become part of the team for a week. Hence, to put a smile on their face and respect their job throughout the trek, tipping is an encouragement factor for them.

Tip from the treks is a primary income source for trek guides and porters. Hence, a tip from you helps light fire in their kitchen.