I was going through a difficult time in my life around March-April 2024, for both academic and personal reasons, to be precise, I was burnt out and was going through existential crisis. Travelling far from Kathmandu had been on my mind for quite some time—I wanted to escape the hustle of the city and enjoy nature in peace.
I had been plotting my travel plans even before then, and I think in March, I chose Rara Lake as my destination. My plan was to trek as much of the route as possible, starting from Jumla’s Khalanga. A friend of mine had agreed to join me, but he had to back out later due to illness, so I was left to go alone. Even though I had prepared a week-long itinerary after extensive research, I started second-guessing my destination. This uncertainty grew when I checked the weather forecast—a week of rainfall was supposed to start just on the day I would leave Kathmandu for Surkhet. It’s not like I fear rain, but it would make the already dangerous road from Surkhet to Jumla even riskier, and it would also mean I wouldn’t get to fully witness the beauty of the Karnali region.
Trekking to Tsho Rolpa had been on my bucket list for over a year. I had even considered doing it in May 2023, but I couldn’t muster the courage to go alone. A year later, it was back on the menu. I didn’t care if I had to go solo—I just wanted to escape the city. So, I started planning my itinerary for Tsho Rolpa alongside my dream of reaching Rara. I consulted a colleague for tips, as he had done the Tsho Rolpa trek a couple of months earlier. After gathering enough information, the day to decide came. I chose to solo trek to Tsho Rolpa and, on the same day, bought a bus ticket for the next day. In the span of a week, I went from being set on Rara to choosing between Rara and Tsho Rolpa, and finally deciding on the latter. I can be a bit of a roller-coaster ride sometimes.
It was officially going to be my first trek. While I was thrilled to finally head toward my dream destination, the idea of doing it solo made me a bit anxious. Still, I felt mentally and physically prepared to face any challenges along the way.
The beginning
Day 1 - May 3, 2024 (Friday): Kathmandu to Chetchet on bus, then trek to Simigaun (1771m)
The day finally came. I had to reach the buspark at Jadibuti, Kathmandu by 05:15 in the morning. I got there just in time to catch the bus. It was a route I hadn’t traveled beyond Bhaktapur before.
The road had lots of twists and turns, which made me feel pretty nauseous. Looking back now, though, it’s funny how those twists and turns weren’t as unpredictable as life. The road’s curves were temporary, but life’s ups and downs? Well, that’s a whole different story—just something I’m reflecting on as I write this.
Anyway, we passed through beautiful landscapes, rivers, forest fires that felt a little heartbreaking, and plenty more nauseating twists and turns before we finally reached Chetchet in Dolakha at 03:20 pm.
The image I had in my mind of this place…it was nowhere near reality—it was much more beautiful. There were a few houses, a couple of hotels, and Tamakoshi River flowing between Chetchet and the steep hill, at the top of which was Simigaun. A bit farther off, on the other side of the Tamakoshi River, was a waterfall—it was a beautiful scene.
After getting off the bus, I freshened up and had lunch at a nearby hotel. I chatted with the owners for a bit, then my trek officially began. I was really excited to start, but when I saw how steep the climb to Simigaun would be, my excitement dipped a little. Still, my dream of reaching Tsho Rolpa kept me going.
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| Looking down the stairs I climbed up so far |
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| Looking up the stairs I’ll have to climb next |
I started from Chetchet at around 04:15 pm. It was a unique feeling—I was on my own, the climb was steep, but the views were surreal. I was walking up the stairs pretty quickly despite the uphill trek, and it took me about 45 minutes to reach Simigaun. My legs were stiff, but I still had more climbing to do. This time, there were no stairs. I had to rest at several points, but after another 45 minutes, I finally made it to my destination—Mitini Hotel, at the top of Simigaun, around 05:45 pm.
On the way, I chatted with a few locals—two porters carrying supplies from Chetchet, a middle-aged couple, and an old man. I learned a lot about their experiences. All supplies have to be carried up to Simigaun, either by people (as in the first photo) or by yaks using an alternate route. Even schoolchildren from Simigaun have to climb these stairs twice a day to catch bus to school, which is almost half an hour’s drive from Chetchet.
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| Simigaun (1771m) |
My stay at Mitini Hotel was great. I had some nice conversations with the owners, who were really friendly. The hotel had all the necessary facilities—comfortable rooms of various sizes, good WiFi, and clean toilets (both western and squat). The prices were quite reasonable too.
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| At Mitini Hotel (2030m); screenshot from Gaia GPS app | |
| (I used Gaia GPS offline map a lot during the whole trek. It gave me very useful information such as the altitude, which helped me plan well for the type of path coming next.) |
Day 2 - May 4, 2024: Simigaun (1771m) to Dongang (2790m)
The next morning, I got some good news. The evening before, I had shared my concern with the hotel owners about potentially encountering wild animals on the trek—it was one of the few things that had me worried. To my relief, they introduced me to two strangers who had just arrived from Chetchet that morning and were also heading toward Tsho Rolpa. They had come all the way from eastern Nepal on their bikes the previous day, stayed overnight in Chetchet, and reached Simigaun early in the morning.
We set off toward Dongang at around 08:45 am. We introduced ourselves, shared life stories, and talked about various things along the way. They were about a decade older than me, and it didn’t take long for us to bond. Trekking with them was going to be awesome—they had already done treks to Langtang Valley, Tilicho Lake, Rara Lake, and other places. Their experience made me feel like I was in good company.
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| On the way to Surmuche | Red & white rhododendrons |
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| Kyalche |
We stopped for morning meal at Surmuche, where we rested for about 1 hour and 45 minutes. After that, we continued our trek and reached Dongang at around 3:45 pm. That’s where we called it a day since we couldn’t move any further. We stayed at a riverside hotel (lodge), which didn’t have a name, at least back then. It was one of the only two hotels there!
The hotel was right by Rolwaling river, which flows down from Tsho Rolpa and other glacial lakes. I took the opportunity to meditate by the river. The sounds of birds and insects in the forest, the rhythm of the flowing water, the coldness of the river, and the fresh air—it was all incredibly captivating. I sat there reflecting on how far I’d come, how far I still had to go, and other thoughts about life. It was a really enlightening moment.
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| Dongang (2790m) |
Listen to the soothing sound of Rolwaling:
Later that evening, everyone—those of us heading to Tsho Rolpa and those coming back—gathered around a fire (not open fire, it was rather enclosed in a metallic structure with chimney outside, I’m not sure what it’s called) at the hotel. We shared stories about life and our experiences. But, as usual, my introverted side got the better of me. I talked, but didn’t open up as much as I would’ve liked to, especially as it was a larger gathering. Still, it was a memorable experience overall.
Day 3 - May 5, 2024: Dongang (2790m) to Naa (4183m)
Originally, I planned to break this journey into two days—Dongang to Beding, then Beding to Naa the next day—to allow my body to acclimatize to the increasing altitude. But since I was with two experienced trekkers and felt fine (at least until halfway between Beding and Naa), I decided to continue with them and reach Naa the same day.
We woke up early, knowing we had a long distance to cover. We left Dongang around 6:39 am, and the morning trek offered mesmerizing views. The golden rays of the sun reflected on the Rolwaling river, making the water sparkle—it was a surreal sight. I tried to capture it on camera, but the photos couldn’t do justice to what I saw with my own eyes.
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| Beautiful early morning scenes |
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| On the way to Thangding (3344m) |
We stopped at Thangding and Beding along the way to rest and eat. The climb to Thangding was steep after we crossed the Rolwaling river, so we took a break for almost two hours. When we reached Beding around 12:40 pm, we rested again until 02:05 pm before continuing on to Naa. I still wasn’t feeling any symptoms of altitude sickness at this point, so I decided to push on. If I had felt any signs, I would have stayed the night at Beding.
About halfway to Naa, I started to feel short of breath and a bit dizzy, but we kept pushing, rather slowing our pace.
Now here’s a funny story (well, funny in hindsight). I’d been told that Timmur (Nepali Pepper) powder would help with altitude sickness, it was packed by my mother for the trek. If you haven’t tried it, Timmur gives a different kind of sensation to your tongue, I don’t know how to explain it properly, but it makes you feel like your tongue is sort of vibrating. But what I didn’t know was that you’re supposed to take only a small amount at high altitude. I took, well, not exactly a small amount. Almost immediately, I felt like I couldn’t breathe. I needed to take long, deep breaths, but the air was already too thin at that altitude. Drinking water didn’t help, and neither did energy bars. It was a tough moment, but after a few minutes of struggle, I started to feel better—though I was still short of breath. Now, looking back, it feels kind of funny.
We finally reached Naa village around 03:37 pm, all of us exhausted. The hills on both sides of the Rolwaling river were enormous, with patches of snow visible on some of them. The area was cold and barren, with little vegetation.
We checked into Rolwaling Mountain View Hotel, and I immediately crashed. The hotel owners (Pemba dai and his family) were incredibly kind and caring. In the evening, they checked on my condition, gave me oil to massage my temples, and taught me how to breathe properly at high altitudes. I also learned an important lesson: you should take altitude sickness medication the night before you ascend, not right before you go to a higher altitude.
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| On the way to Beding |
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| Beding (3707m) |
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| On the way to Naa |
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| Naa / Na (4183m) |
Day 4 - May 6, 2024: Rest at Naa
My travel partners were perfectly fine, so they continued their trek to Dudhkunda (another glacial lake) and Tsho Rolpa, while I was going to rest for the day at the same hotel. That was the final goodbye to the trek with them, and I would be completely alone for the rest of the trek.
It felt like a long day. There was no Internet, no cell network, and no books. Luckily, it snowed in the afternoon, which made the whole ambiance even prettier. The hotel was near a mountain, so the scene was already beautiful. With the snow, many of the hills were covered in white. I simply can’t explain with words how peaceful and awesome it felt.
Following Pemba dai’s advice, I spent the morning and evening walking up and down to help acclimatize. I made several trips to lower altitudes and even pushed myself to slightly higher elevations. Although I felt better than the previous day, dizziness still hit whenever I climbed higher. There were moments when I seriously considered turning back, but my determination to reach Tsho Rolpa kept me moving forward.
That evening, I spent time with Pemda dai and his family and a few others. We chatted about all kinds of things—my hometown in Parbat, their expeditions to nearby tourist destinations, their lifestyle and culture, etc.. I was able to really open up and share my own stories. It turned into a memorable evening.
I went to bed early, hoping that I’d feel better the next morning, knowing I’d have to wake up early.
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| Early morning view from my room (05:33 am) |
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| Naa from across Rolwaling in the morning |  |
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| During snow |
What it felt like while it was snowing:
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| A few hours after it snowed |
Went to a bit lower altitude in the evening:
Day 5 - May 7, 2024: Naa (4180m) to Tsho Rolpa (4552m) to Beding (3707m)
Finally, the day I had been waiting for had arrived. I woke up feeling almost completely normal, a huge improvement from the previous day, so I decided to continue my trek to Tsho Rolpa.
Initially, I hadn’t planned to visit Dudhkunda, but after hearing how beautiful it was compared to Tsho Rolpa, I considered adding it to my itinerary. However, with the risk of altitude sickness being higher—since it’s at an even higher elevation—I was advised to stick with Tsho Rolpa, and that’s what I did. (According to the locals, it’s easier to visit Dudhkunda first and then come to Tsho Rolpa via another route, though they mentioned the Dudhkunda trail can be confusing.)
I set out for Tsho Rolpa at 05:45 am. On the way, I encountered grazing yaks, which made me pause. Here’s another funny bit—I was told that disturbing yaks while they graze could get you charged by their long horns. I also noticed stone walls marking the boundaries of private land but couldn’t find a clear path forward, ending up circling back to the same spot multiple times. Thankfully, there was a group heading up as well, so I crossed the yak pasture with them. Once clear, I continued alone, as I tend to walk faster. I know it sounds a bit silly, but I find it funny 😁.
The scenery was breathtaking—snow-capped mountains, snowy patches along the hills and the trail, and the Rolwaling river flowing beside me, creating a peaceful soundtrack. After crossing a tributary of Rolwaling, the path grew steeper and more challenging. But I pressed on with all the energy I had left, and at around 07:40 am, after nearly two hours of trekking, I finally reached Tsho Rolpa. The sense of accomplishment was overwhelming—it felt like I’d won a personal battle.
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| Trail becomes somewhat difficult after this; way to Dudhkunda is on the left after crossing the river |
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| Looking back to where I came from |
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| Flowing from Tsho Rolpa… |
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| Tsho Rolpa is on the other side; but it’s not as near as it seems |
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| Looking back to where I came from; I think the trail at the bottom left is where I took the previous photo |
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| Looking back to where I came from |
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| First glimpse of Tsho Rolpa; that’s when it felt like I’d won a personal battle |
At the lake, I met two brothers from Bhaktapur who had come on their bikes up to Chetchet. We spent some time together, taking photos and exploring the area.
It was getting colder as the sky grew cloudy, blocking the warm rays of the sun. Their plan was to reach Chetchet that same day, so although I didn’t want to leave I joined them, knowing it would be a tough descent. We left Tsho Rolpa around 09:15 am and arrived back in Naa by 10:45 am. The warm welcome from Pemba dai and the others when they saw me returning from Tsho Rolpa made me emotional. After packing my bags, I said my heartfelt goodbyes and left with the two brothers.
By the time we reached Beding, I was completely exhausted. It was already noon, and I couldn’t push on any further. I decided to stay at Gaurishankar Hotel in Beding, while the brothers continued their journey to Chetchet. I was alone again, but content, as I knew I had achieved the biggest milestone of my trek.
The hotel was close to the Rolwaling river, and the sound of the water, along with the coolness brought by the rain later in the day, created a soothing environment.
Only later did I realize I’d forgotten my spare t-shirt at the hotel in Naa. With no other option, I decided to wake up early the next morning, return to Naa to get it, then grab my bag from Beding and continue on to Chetchet.
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| That’s me, but I’m not much of a photogenic person 😄 | Screenshot from Gaia GPS app |
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| Returning back to Naa |
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| Visiting card of the hotel at Naa |
Day 6 - May 8, 2024: Beding (3707m) to Chetchet
I woke up early as planned and set out for Naa at around 6 am. I hadn’t brought my raincoat, wanting to avoid carrying extra weight of my bag, so when it felt like it would rain I had to make a decision—whether to continue to Naa or return to Beding. I chose to head back, even though I was already almost halfway to Naa. Despite the change in plans, I enjoyed the walk. With the fog blocking the view ahead, it felt like I was walking into nowhere. At one point, I nearly got lost, but thanks to the Gaia GPS map, I was able to find the correct path.
After returning to Beding, I quickly set off again for Chetchet at 07:22 am, this time alone. I think some foreigners and their guides left the hotel after me, but I was walking at a fast pace, soaking in the beauty around me. The trail to Thangding was quite easy, with a gradual descent. I stopped for breakfast there and then continued on. Most of the route was downhill until Dongang, then some uphill stretch to Kyalche, followed by more downhill sections after that.
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| Who doesn’t love these beauties (cuties)? |
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The sky looked like it would rain, so before reaching Dongang, I put on my raincoat and swapped my trekking boots for slippers. One of my biggest concerns during this trek was crossing the dense forest between Kyalche and Surmuche—alone. I’d read in blogs about wild animal noises in this area, and while I had company on the way to Tsho Rolpa, this time I was by myself. The pressure of getting through the forest quickly so I could reach Chetchet before dark added to the tension. I rushed through the forest, which took about an hour and a half, if I remember correctly. It was drizzling, I cruised through the forest accompanied by the sound of my movement reflected on my raincoat, along with the sound of birds, insects, and flowing rivers. Thankfully, there were no encounters with wild animals, though I was ready to defend myself if needed 😄.
Once I reached Surmuche, my worries about wild animals faded, but new ones emerged—my legs were aching, and my fingers were sore. I had lunch there and chatted with a local who was also heading to Chetchet with his yaks. He planned to return with supplies the next day. But as was with his yaks, he said it would take him hours, so I continued alone. After switching back to my boots, I started the final descent to Chetchet. I didn’t take the Simigaun route, as I’d been told the alternative was faster. However, the continuous downhill walk made my legs hurt so much that by the end, I could barely walk properly. Still, I managed to enjoy the stunning natural scenery along the way. I finally reached Chetchet at 03:30 pm, then booked a bus ticket to Kathmandu for the next day and then booked a room (at Hotel Chhyotchhyot Inn) to rest for the night.
I was utterly exhausted and wanted nothing more than to sleep, but unfortunately, a group of people had booked the rooms next to mine. They were loudly arguing, making noise, and smoking, which was really disturbing. It felt like torture, and I couldn’t fall asleep until several hours later.
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| Left: Way to Chetchet via Simigaun; Right: Alternative route to Chetchet |
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| That’s only one section in the route! |
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| No more stairs! But we aren’t at Chetchet yet ;( |
Day 7 - May 9, 2024: Chetchet to Kathmandu
I woke up early to catch my bus, still feeling sleepy from not getting proper rest due to the disturbances the previous night. Once on the bus, I dozed off almost immediately. Unfortunately, the journey back turned out to be another unpleasant experience in an otherwise amazing trek (well, besides the altitude sickness). The bus staff were quite rude, especially towards an elderly passenger, which left a bad impression. Later, the driver switched, and I overheard from fellow passengers that we had nearly met with an accident due to reckless driving while I was asleep. Soon the previous driver took over again, at least he drove carefully.
Thankfully, I reached Kathmandu safely, but I wouldn’t recommend that bus service to anyone. The one I took on the way to Chetchet on day one was much better, with all the staff really caring and cheerful, and I’d suggest taking that one instead.
The closing
Looking back, there’s so much to remember. In life, you’ll experience all sorts of moments, but it’s up to you which ones you choose to hold onto and cherish forever. For me, despite the challenges and negative moments, I’m incredibly glad I chose this trekking route. It didn’t resolve my personal or academic struggles, but it made me mentally stronger to face them; it gave me a fresh outlook on life.
My main goal was to experience the natural beauty of the Rolwaling Valley and learn about the local lifestyle. I’m sure achieved both, but the unexpected kindness of the people I met also made me reflect on being more kind and caring myself.
I’m grateful to the two brothers and fellow trekkers I met at Simigaun, whose company made the trek to Tsho Rolpa possible. A special thanks to … dai and his family for their warmth and care, and to everyone else—locals and fellow trekkers—I encountered along the way.
As a colleague once said to me, “Enjoy the journey, not just the destination.”
I still hope to reach Rara one day and learn about the lives of the people there, and Dudhkunda remains on my bucket list as well. But one thing’s certain—these won’t be my last adventures. Nature has so much more to offer, and I’m eager to explore it all.
Hope you enjoyed it. If you have any feedback or suggestions or comments, I would love to read them, please mail them at jarp0l [at] proton [dot] me!