Rara National Park

Rara National Park lies in Mugu and Jumla districts in the mid-western Himalaya, about 371 km by air west-north-west of Kathmandu. The southern border is about 24 km north of Jumla.It was gazetted in 1976 with an area of 106 sq. km. This is the smallest Park in Nepal, containing the country’s biggest lake (10.8 sq. kms) and scenically the most beautiful lake at an elevation of 299m. The Park was established to protect Rara Lake which is an important staging point for migratory birds, and to conserve representative flora and fauna of the central Himalaya. The Park flora consists of 1074 species, of which, 16 are endemic to Nepal, 51 species of mammals, 214 species of birds. The lake has a rich invertebrate fauna, Snow trout Schizothorax hodgsoni and S. progastus occur in Nepal (Byrne, 1982).

Protected Area: Rara National Park

Established: 1976

Climate: Temperate to Sub-alphine Summer is pleasant, however , winter is cold with heavy snowfall ( up to one meter).The winter is quite severe with ground frost occuring from October December through March is the time of snowfall with the temperature dropping to below freezing point .High passes remain closed by heavy snowfall during this time .The month of April brings the warmer weather and monsoon season lasts from June to August. The average precipitaion duing monsoon is 462mm.Mean maximum and minimum temperatures are 27°C (June) and -4°C (December), respectively. The park is likely to be drier because of the intervening Dori and Churchi ranges. Fox (1975) recorded 156cm of snow falling between December and 5 February 1975. .

Annual Rainfall:

Eco-zone: High -Mountain

Physical Features:

East	West	North	South
From Malika in a south- easterly direction to a marked point on the Rara-Gum track known as Bajadi. Thence following a line of markers along the lower edge of the forest in a southerly and easterly direction to a market point on the eastern end of Badali Kand above Shrinagar village at approximately 9000 feet (2744m) a.s.l. Thence following the lower limit of the forest of Badali Kand in a westerly direction to a marked point on the Jari Chapra track. Thence in a southerly direction following a line of markers along the lower limits of the forest to a marked point on the headwater of the Jhari Bitha Khola. Thence following the right (south) bank of the Jhara Bitha Khola to a point on the Jhari-Pina footpath. Thence following a line of markers in a south -easterly direction a along the upper limits of cultivation to a point on the main shoulder between the Dauligar Khola and Mandu Khola. Thence southwards to Churchi Langa, following the crest of the main shoulder between the Dauligar Khola and Mandu Khola. Thence following the footpath to Chauta south-westwards to its first crossing of the Chauta Khola headwater (seasonal). Thence following a line of markers in a westerly and southerly direction to a marked point (pt 13136) above and north-west of Chauta. Thence in a southerly direction following the crest of the ridge to a marked point about one mile to the south west of point 13136.	From the top Lamnya following the ridges and settlements of Ratah Khola upto Gorosinga. Thence continuing along the Rotah Khola (here called the Ponelli Khola) to a marked point above its highest head-water. Thence in a north-westerly direction for several hundred metres to the nearest headwater (seasonal) of the Nyowd Khola. Thence following the left (west) bank of the Nyowdi Khola to its confluence with the Khater (Nisa) Khola. Thence crossing the Khater (Nisa) Khola to a market point on the Nigalibot-Rara track which runs roughly parallel to, and north of , the Khater (Nisa) Khola. Thence following the said track in an easterly direction for about a mile and a half (2. 4km) to its crossing of the Khater (Nisa) Khola. Thence following the talweg of the Khater (Nisa) Khola to the confluence of the Dhamche Khola east of Murma. Thence following the Dhamche Khola to its most northerly headwater on Rumka Kand and continuing directly to the point of commencement reffered to as point 12238.	Starting at the highest point of Rumka Kand (pt 12238) Eastwards along the crest of the ridge to the point known as Malika (pt 11295)	From a marked point about one mile to the south west of point 13136 westwards to a marked point on the Jiun Khola. Thence in a north-westerly direction along the crest of the main ridge to the highest point of Lamnya (pt 12801). Thence south-west down

Geographical Features:

Longitude:	82.000786	82.15374	Nearest town	Jumla	District:	Mugu
Latitude:	29.439857	29.551334	Dist. to town	32	Area(km2)	106
Altitude	2800	4038	Park H.Q.	Hutu, Rara	Annual Rainfall:

Current Custodian:
HMG/Nepal

Category of Ownership:

Responsible Agency & Ownership:
Department of National Parks & Wildlife Conservation
P. O. Box 860
Kathmandu
Phone : 220850
977-1- 220912
Fax 977-1-227675
Email: dnpwc@bdcin.wlink.com.np
www.south-asia.com/dnpwc

IUCN Management Category:
II ( National Park)

Conservation Status:
The "Lake Rara National Park Management Plan" was developed in 1976 by Bolton. The National Park and Wildlife Conservation Act 2029 and Himalayan National Park Regulation 2036 provide legal basis for the conservation of flora and fauna. Illegal hunting of musk deer are often reported. Traditional uses of the lands inside the park are for pasture, collection of medicinal herbs, fodder, fertilizer, timber and wood to heat homes, provide light and to cook. Local people are allowed to collect leaf litter (pine needles) and dry grass for certain days during the month of March and October. They are also allowed to graze their sheep and cattle in the park in the buffer area. Annual meeting among the party leaders, school teachers and influential people from the neighboring villages use to organise every year.

Measures Needed:
In order to control illegal hunting, grass cutting and to protect scenic beauty of the park, conservation education for the villagers residing near the park is needed. A management plan needs to be updated and implemented.

History:
Lake Rara National Park was gazetted in the year 1976. A proposal was made by FAO Wildlife Management Advisor and his Nepali colleague after their visit in the area in May 1972. Thakuris were the local resident of the area. About 600 people were living in two villages Chapru and Rara. The park was closed for public settlement after they were resettled in the terai Banke and Chisapani (1980) First proposed as a national park following a visit by the FAO Wildlife Management Advisor and his Nepali colleague in 1972 (Bolton, 1976), Lake Rara and its surrounding area was gazetted as a national park in 1977, following the establishment of an office in July 1976. To conserve the unique beauty of Rara Lake and representative flora and fauna of Humla- Jumla.

Heritage Significance:
The Thakuris, who live by subsistence agriculture, have been resident in the area for many years. They are descended from the court at Jumla which fled to Rara with the advances of the Gorkha king into Jumla over 200 years ago .The residents of the two villages were resettled in Bardia district outside the park,

Vegetation:
The park consist of coniferous forest.Blue pine (Pinus wallichiana)is predominant below 3,150m, particularly around the lake where it may be mixed with oak (Quercus semecarpifolia), rhododendron (Rhododendron arboreum), juniper (Juniperus indica) and spruce( Picea smithiana). Pine forest becomes increasingly mixed with spruce and fir Abies spectabilis at higher altitudes on the northern slopes of Chuchamara. Above 3,350m fir is the dominant conifer, while oak and birch Betula utilis are relatively more plentiful and juniper persists as a shrub. Above 3,660m fir gives way to birch-rhododendron scrub and a narrow belt of dwarf rhododendron, which fringes the alpine grassland. The lake is oligotropic, its clear blue water obviously containing little plankton. Patches of marsh with reeds (probably Phragmites) and rushes (Juncus sp. and Fimbristylis sp.) occur around the lake's margin, and there is a rich growth of Myriophyllum sp. in shallow water. A large open area of marshy meadows and abandoned fields lies south of the lake, with species such as Polygonum sp., Oxygraphis polypetala and Ranunculus sp.

For selecting Flora & Fauna, Please visit at top Right of this page.

Entry Rate:
NRs. 1000

Best Season:
The best time to visit is October to December or March to May.

Language Spoken:
No people living within the park.

Accommodation:
There is no accomodations within the park.So it is necessary to make arrangements through a trekking agency.

Ethnic Group:
No settlement

Medical Facility:
Since there is no health post in the area it is recommended to bring a comprehensive first -aid kit.

Route:
Fly to Jumla and thence two days trek to the park. Rara National park can be visited either from Jumla (2.5 days trek ) or from Surkhet 9 10 days trek). Trek routes are: Jumla - Cherechaur - Danphe Pass - Nyauright- Chautha - Bhukbule (entry point )- Jhyari- Rara and return Surkhet- Ratalagna - Dhungeswor - Dulludanda- Ghumnekhli- BHajhangeneta- HaudePass- Kalikath- Takula- Jubetha- Khalla- Ranchuli- Nagma- Chiuri- Narakot- Dhapa- Ludku- Sinja- Okharpata- Goursinha- Majhgatta - Rara

Park Regulation:
All visitors must pay a park entry fee at Bhulbhule guard post or at park HQ or National Parks ticketing counter at rhe Dept of Immigaration in Kathmandu. Be sure to keep your entry ticket with you as it might be checked by the park personnel . Flora and fauna are fully protected and must not be disturbed. Visitors entering the park should be selfsufficient in fuel supply (kerosene).Use of firewood is strictly prohibited. Camping inside the park except in designated areas is strictly prohibited. Movement inside the park before sun-rise and after sunset is prohibited.

Richard, C., Basnet, K., Sah, J. P ., and Raut, Y., 2000 Grassland Ecology and Management in Protected Areas of Nepal Proceedings of a workshop Bardia National Park Thakurdwara,Bardia ,Nepal March 15-19, 1999.Volume III : Technical and Status Papers on Grasslands of Mountain Protected areas.ICIMOD Majupuria, T.C., and Majupuria, R. K.,1998Wildlife, National Parks and Reseves of Nepal ,Resource and Management ,Know Nepal Series No 11.Craftsman Press Ltd Biodiversity Profiles Project. 1995.Biodiversity Profile of the high Mountains and Himal Physiographic Zones,Biodiversity Profiles Project Publications No . 14. Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation , Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation . His Majest,s Government of Nepal , Kathmandu Rara National Park Management Strategy Framework 2000 Department of National Parks and Wildlife Consevation www.dnpwc.gov.np www.south-asia/dnpwc www.unep-wcmc.org Blower J. H. 1973. Proposed Lake Rara National Park. Unpublished Report. Ministry of Forests Kathmandu. Bolton, M. 1976. Lake Rara National Park Management Plan 1976-81. FAO Document For NEP/72/002. Project Document No. 3. Kathmandu 70 pp. Bryne, P. 1982. The Rara Expedition. Explorers Journal 60: 114-121. Fox, J. 1975. A Short Survey of Lake Rara and Sinja Khola Areas. HMG/UNDP/FAO National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Project, Kathmandu. Unpublished report. Hagen, T. 1969. Report on Geological Survey of Nepal. Vol 1. Orell Fussli, Arts Graphiques S.A., Zurich. Shrestha T. B. 1982. Ecology and Vegetation of North-west Nepal. Nepal Academy.
Source:
Unofficial translation from Nepal Gazette Srawan 24, 2034.