Rolwaling Valley Trek

Today, after eating breakfast in Kathmandu, we board a local bus to travel the approximately 196 kilometers (9–10 hours) to Jagat from Kathmandu via Lamosangu (750 meters) and Charikot (1,980 meters). 

Even though the day is short, the ascent is hot and difficult. You begin heading northward up the new road as soon as you leave Gongar. You'll arrive to Chetchet, a collection of houses on the right side of the road, after around 45 minutes. You now turn off the road and proceed along the path that leads through Chetchet. You'll arrive at the Tamakoshi River bridge after about ten minutes. When you cross, you immediately begin ascending. Until you reach the charming village of Simigaon, continue on the trek. 

From Simigaon, you set off on foot along the path that ascends the valley of the Rolwaling river and leads to the opposite side of the ridge. You'll spend the majority of the day traveling through a forest, but if you stay on the main track, there is little risk you'll get lost. You will come across two little shacks following roughly an hour of ups and downs. Since you will only be ascending from here, there won't be many opportunities to rehydrate along the road, so here is an excellent point to fill up on water. From here, you enter a forest of rhododendrons and begin ascending. 

The dominance of Juniper and Rhododendron over the forest increases as you ascend. You'll arrive in Gyalche after roughly three hours. There is a lodge nearby, where you are welcome to spend the night if you choose. Dongang, which is situated on the bank of the river, is reached after 30 minutes of hiking. In Dongang, there are two places to stay, and both are managed by lovely women.

Due to the altitude difference, this day-long ascent may be the most difficult of the entire expedition. Although the majority of maps may indicate otherwise, a new bridge up the valley was built in 2010, replacing the wooden bridge that crossed from Dongang. You travel north along the main route as you leave Dongang. You arrive at a bridge and cross the Rolwaling Khola after about two hours. From this point, the valley begins to widen a little and offers some lovely views of Chekigo (6,257m). You cross the Themlung Khola, which descends directly from Gaurishankar, after roughly an hour, giving you the opportunity to glance up the Themlung valley and have a close look at Gaurishankar.

Soon after leaving this location, you'll start passing several strange residences; the most of them are probably locked and their owners are likely grazing their yaks higher up. Before reaching Beding, there is still a three-hour ascent through the villages of Jobalu, Nyiamare, Ramding, and Chhimu Golche. These settlements will likely be deserted if you go hiking in the spring because the locals are off working as climbing Sherpas or grazing their yaks in higher pastures. You pass the local Lama Monastery School 40 minutes before Beding, and they will ask to see your identification. The settlement is a short stroll away from here. Beding itself is lovely, and the valley begins to spread here, providing you with some lovely views of mountains.

Altitude can drastically harm a hike if not treated seriously. It is strongly advised that you take a day to adjust. The village of Beding is attractive, and there are some nice acclimatization walks there. A large rock that has been marked with prayer flags on the mountainside in front of the village serves as a beautiful lookout point with excellent views of Gaurishankar's north face and the surrounding peaks. You'll have to navigate through bushes to get up there because there isn't an obvious path that leads there. A little Gompa that is exquisitely carved into the cliff above the town is also present.

How you adapted greatly affects how this day goes. If you are properly acclimated, this stroll shouldn't be difficult for you. The following morning, you could travel up to the lake and then simply keep traveling back down from Na if you're unsure or just want to cut your day short. This portion of the walk is quite breathtaking, and the trail from Beding is well-marked. The valley gradually widens as you climb, changing from a V-shaped valley to a U-shaped valley over time. At this point, there are no trees to be found, only grassland and a few scattered Juniper bushes, and the slopes of the valley are covered in icefalls and waterfalls. Two hours later, you arrive in the settlement.

You follow the trail that ascends the valley to the north from Na. After ten minutes, you cross the Rolwaling Khola and continue walking on the right (south) bank of the river for almost an hour. You'll reach the second bridge and cross the Rolwaling Khola once more after an hour of trekking, leaving you with another hour to reach the lake. From here, follow the riverbank until the main route splits to the left and ascends to the lakeshore. The same trail you used to ascend can be used to return to Na. 

Around Na, there are two worthwhile side trips. One is to Dudh Pokhari, another alpine lake up the Ripimoshar Glacier (27°53'28.388"N, 86°27'57.278"E; meaning "milky lake"). From Na, one can go to both lakes in a single day. It would be a hard day, and you should speak with locals in Na about the Ripimoshar Glacier's terminus, the Tso Rolpa to Dudh Pokhari path, which is not very clear and constantly changing. The second is to the tiny monastery that is a little north of the trail, around 30 minutes before Na. In addition, one of the large boulders has a painting and a large Mani Wall.

Today is the day that you begin your descent along the same route that you used to ascend. The bridge after Niyamare is where you should turn if you want to ascend to Dadlung La.

Return along the same route.

Transfer to Kathmandu