Rupina La Pass Trek

Welcome to the Himalayas, Nepal! We will pick you up from Tribhuvan International Airport and drive you to your hotel. After checking in, we will brief you briefly about the program. We will also fix the time for a welcome dinner at a Nepali restaurant.

The Rupina La Pass Trek is a long and strenuous trek that requires thorough preparation. You might need an extra trek preparation day if you haven’t bought any gear or clothes yet. This is that day. Today, you will get your luggage ready. If you haven’t bought anything, you can do so at Thamel, Kathmandu. Don’t forget to buy electrolytes, energy bars, dates, nuts, medications, etc.

On this day, you can even explore Kathmandu’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Ensure you have packed everything and are ready to leave for the trek.

After breakfasting early in the morning, you will travel from Kathmandu to Barpak, a large village of the Ghale and Gurung communities. On the way, you will pass through Basukang, a junction leading to the Rupina La Pass. This route is popular among Manaslu trekkers. It takes about eight to nine hours to reach Barpark from Kathmandu. Upon reaching this ancient village, you can explore the local markets. Today, you will stay at the lodge or a tent.

Barpak village is a large Ghale and Gurung village in the Gorkha district. It is well-known for producing many ex-army men who served in the British and Indian armies. The village is also the home of the late Capt. Gaje Ghale, a Victoria Cross medal recipient. Barpak features clustered stone-roofed houses, narrow stone-paved alleys, and stunning views of Boudha Himal.

You will find well-organized homestays, standard hotels, and tented accommodations here. It’s a great place to spend a day. Before starting a several-day trek, you can enjoy internet access to send emails to your family or update them about your journey. You will stay overnight in a tent.

After resting and saving energy in Barpak, you will begin your trek to Gai Kharka. The trail descends to Tumsiak village and follows along the Daraudi Khola. From there, you will begin a steady ascent through beautiful forests and peaceful surroundings. Throughout the trail, you will be able to witness Mount Manaslu, Baudha Himal, Ganesh Himal Range, and many other mountains. After walking for about 6 to 7 hours, you will reach Gai Kharka. You will stay overnight in a tent.

If you wake up early in the morning, you can witness the sunrise over the Barpark and the Gupsi Pakha Settlement. Upon having your breakfast, you will start trekking towards our next stop, which is Mircha Karkha. The trail, at first, goes through the pastures where you can witness cattle like goat, cows, and buffalo grazing. Unlike other days, you will experience multiple ascents and descents on this day, and that too frequently. While heading towards the Rushi Kahrka, you will enjoy the breathtaking views of Boudha Himal. You will reach the base camp later in this trek. Arriving at Rushi Kharka, you will rest for a while for lunch. After that, you will have to walk around 2 to 3 hours to get to Mircha Kharka, where you will call it a day and stay overnight at the tent.

The hike today is relatively shorter, with only two or three hours of walking. Since you will cross the Rupina La Pass (4,720 m) tomorrow, with an elevation gain of about 900 meters, it is better to acclimatise before doing that. It allows your body to adjust to the thinning oxygen level. So, for that purpose, you will not just rest upon reaching Rupina La Base Camp, also known as Rupina La Phedi. You will have your launch and hike up to Rupina La Top. That said, you will spend the night in the tent. We recommend you sleep early and allow your body to heal. You have a long hike ahead of you.

Since you will have to hike about 7 to 8 hours today, you will start early in the morning after having breakfast. The trail before reaching the Rupina La Pass is an ascent. The trail contains a rhododendron forest, prayer flags, and a signboard. Reaching the pass will take about 4 to 5 hours from the Rupina La Base Camp. You will stay at the pass, take photos, and start trekking again. The trail then goes downwards towards the Baudha Himal Base Camp, which will take about 3 hours. Like always, you will spend a night in the tent.

After crossing the Rupina La Pass at 4,720 meters and staying at Baudha Himal Base Camp, you will descend towards Zhong Kharka at 2,960 meters. The total elevation loss is around 640 meters. Initially, you will walk alongside a glacier to reach Jorang at 3,420 meters, where you can have a lunch break. After this, you will follow a trail between the Chhuling Khola and Rebing Khola rivers. Along the way, you will enjoy breathtaking views of Gorkha Himal, Himalchuli, Buddha Himal, Peak 29, and many other peaks.

After walking for about 6 to 7 hours, you will arrive at Zhong Kharka, where you will spend the night in a tent.

Today’s trek includes a mix of ascents and descents through wide grasslands and dense forests. Along the trail, you will pass an emergency shelter before reaching a junction. Here, you will take the left path that leads to Sherang. On the way, you will cross several wooden bridges and walk through bamboo forests. The day ends with an overnight stay at a tent in Sherang.

After having a hot breakfast, you will begin your trek toward your next destination. Today’s walk takes you through forests and a few villages. Most of the trail goes downhill towards the Nyak Village. You will follow the left side of the Chhilung Khola, which passes from Gomna and Sherang village. After walking for about 4 to 5 hours, you will reach Nyak village. You will spend the night in a tent.

Today, your trek begins with a descent to Nyak Phedi, followed by a crossing of the Budhi Gandaki River. From there, you will climb steadily through grasslands and forests. The trail is a zigzag all the way to Lokpa at 2,240 meters. Today, you will enter the lower Tsum Valley by staying on the right path. After trekking for a few hours, you will reach Lokpa, the gateway to the Tsum Valley. Like usual, you will stay in a tent.

Leaving Lokpa, you will walk down through the forest for about an hour to reach the river from Tsum Valley. Then, you will follow an uphill, zigzag trail and cross a suspension bridge. After walking for 3 to 4 hours, you will reach Chumling.

From Chumling, you will cross another suspension bridge at the village corner. The trail then passes through small villages and rich farmland. In this part of the trek, you will see classic Tibetan-style houses with firewood stacks and roof terraces along the mountainside. After walking for 6 to 7 hours, you will arrive at Rainjam, where you will call it a day and prepare yourself to trek deeper into the Tsum Valley and witness the Tibetan-influenced culture.

Today, you will explore the major places of Tsum Valley. You will cross the Sarpu Khola on a suspension bridge and climb to Gho. From there, you will continue walking uphill to Chhekampark. After about 2 to 3 hours, you will reach the large village area, one of the main rest stops in the Tsum Valley Trek.

Then, you will climb north to a retreat where Lama Kongchog meditated for 26 years before passing away. His reincarnation, a child found in the village, was featured in the award-winning film Unmistaken Child.

That said, the trail then leads east, passing small villages and a local school. You will climb over a ridge with chortens and walk past Lamagaon at 3,302 meters. The path continues through flat fields with views of wide farmland and a fast-flowing river. It then reaches the large courtyard of Rachen Gompa (3,240 meters), a monastery for nuns.

In the morning, you will visit the prayer ceremony at the Rachen Gompa. After that, you will return to the camp for breakfast and get ready for the day’s hike to Mu Gompa.

You will follow the Shiar Khola, which passes through Pangdung village and then Chhuele. After Chhuele, you will take the trail on the right side of the Shiar Khola and cross a wooden bridge to reach Chho Syong. Along the way, you will stop at a good spot for lunch. After lunch, you will continue walking until you reach Mu Gompa at 3,700 meters.

You are now nearing the end of the Rupina La Pass Trek. In the next few days, you will trek down to Machha Khola, from where you will take a jeep or a bus to Kathmandu. That said, today, you will hike to Mu Gompa early in the morning to observe the monks’ ceremony. After the visit, you will return to the dining tent for breakfast. Then, you will begin your trek back down, stopping somewhere along the way for lunch. After walking for about 5 to 6 hours, you will arrive at Chhekampark, which is the ending point for the day.

You will descend from Chhekampar and head towards Gho. There are two routes to Lokpa from Gho. One option is to cross the Shiar Khola and go through Dumje and Rupchet village, then follow the left side of the Shiar Khola all the way to Lokpa. The other option is to follow the same trail back on the right side of the river to Lokpa. The total walk will take about 6 to 7 hours. You will spend the night in a tent.

Today, you will descend to Jagat. The trail takes you through Ekle Bhatti, Philim, Sridibas, and Salleri. You will then cross the Pang Khola to reach Jagat at 1,340 meters. Jagat is a clean, flag-stoned Gurung village that once served as a tax collection point for Tibetan trade. You will spend the night in a tent.

Today, you will walk through many villages and cross several suspension bridges on the way down to Machha Khola. Along the way, you will stop for lunch at Tatopani, where you can relax and enjoy the natural hot springs during the break. After lunch, you will continue walking through Khorlabesi. After 1 to 2 more hours of walking, you will reach Machha Khola at 869 meters. You will spend the night in a tent.

Now that you have completed the Rupina La Pass Trek, you will take a private vehicle back to Kathmandu from Machha Khola. The road initially is not gravelled. However, it becomes smooth as you cross the Arughat Bazaar, with some unpaved sections in between. It will take about 7 to 8 hours to get back to Kathmandu from Machha Khola.