Overview
The Rolwaling Valley Trek is a hidden gem in Nepal, tucked between Langtang National Park and the Everest region, within the Gaurishankar Conservation Area. This moderate teahouse trek is part of the Great Himalayan Trail and offers a quieter, off-the-beaten-path experience compared to the more popular Everest and Annapurna routes.
The trek passes through charming Sherpa villages, with Beding—a three-day walk from Gonghar Khola—being the largest settlement in the valley. Nature lovers will be awed by Tsho Rolpa, one of Nepal’s biggest glacial lakes, which also serves as a turnaround point for trekkers. For experienced climbers, this route can be combined with Tashi Lapcha La (5755 m) or Pachermo Peak, though proper guidance and climbing experience are essential.
Getting There
You can reach Rolwaling Valley via local buses from Kathmandu to Singati-Lamabagar, departing early in the morning (around 5–6 am). The trek officially starts at Chhechhet, 25 km north of Singati, with a 9–10 hour journey on dirt roads. Private jeep transfers can be arranged upon request, but the standard package includes the local bus ride.
Permits
- Gaurishankar Conservation Area Permit: NPR 3,000 per person
- TIMS Card: NPR 2,000 per person (optional but recommended for safety)
- Na Village & Chhorolpa Lake: USD 20 per person per week
Trek Facilities & Logistics
The trail features basic teahouses and homestays, offering local meals like dal bhat, noodles, and fried rice. Expect simple menus—far less extensive than Annapurna or Everest trails—which keeps the trek affordable. Shops are rare beyond the main road, so bring sufficient supplies. Lodging options are limited, so planning ahead is essential.
Acclimatization & Trek Highlights
- Take a rest/acclimatization day in Beding to explore the surroundings and adjust to the altitude.
- The trek to Tsho Rolpa and back to Beding is a long day (~22 km, 10–11 hours). For a slightly shorter route, staying at Na village is an option, but it may be closed in winter.
- Ensure arrangements are confirmed at Beding before heading to Tsho Rolpa, especially in colder months.
We take an early local bus to Jagat today; it is about 196 km to east from Kathmandu, takes 9-10 hours via Lamosangu (750m.) Charikot (1980m.).After about ten minutes you'll get to the bridge that crosses the Tamakoshi River. As soon as you cross you start ascending. Follow the trail until you get to the lovely village of Simigaon. The lodges are on the ridge at the top of the village, so you still have about 40 minutes of walking the minor trails through the village until you get to the lodge. The village itself is beautiful. It is spread all over the side of the hill, and you can spend the rest of the day walking around. There is also a monastery on top of the ridge. Overnight in lodge or home stay.
Max Altitude: 2036 Meals: Lunch & Dinner Accommodation: Teahouse
As you start walking from Simigaon, you take the trail the heads out towards the other side of the ridge and up the Rolwaling river valley. Most of the day you'll be walking inside a forest, but the way is rather clear, and if you stick with the main trail there is little chance you'll get lost. After about one hour of ups and downs you'll see two small shacks. This is a good place to refill some water since from here you are only ascending and there won't be too many places to rehydrate on the way. From here you enter a Rhododendron forest and you star ascending. It is a rather steep way up and after about two and a half hours and a couple of small bridges you get to a small teahouse where you can take a break. This teahouse is not open all the time so don't count on it for food or supplies. From here you keep ascending. The higher you go the more the forest is governed by Juniper and Rhododendron. After about three hours you'll get to Gyalche. There is a lodge here, and it is possible to stop here for the night if you wish. Half an hour down the trail is Dongang, which is located on the bank of the river. There are two places to stay in Dongang, and both of them are run by very nice ladies. The one run by Zangmu Sherpa is lovely. overnight in lodge or homestay.
Max Altitude: 2791 Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Accommodation: Tea House Duration: 6 Hrs.
This is also a day long ascent, and possibly the hardest day of this trek because of the altitude gap. Although most of the maps may suggest otherwise, since 2010 the wooden bridge crossing from Dongang is almost out of use and there is a new bridge up the valley. As you leave Dongang you head north along the main trail and past the scolding NMA sign ("no one profits from illegal mountaineering. So stop doing it right now."). After about two hours you get to a bridge and cross the Rolwaling Khola. From here the valley starts opening up a bit, and you get some nice views of Chekigo (6257m). After about one hour you cross the Themlung Khola which comes down straight from Gaurishankar, and you get a chance to look up the Themlung valley and get a close look of Gaurishankar. From you here soon enough you'll start passing some random houses, most of them probably locked and the owners are grazing their yaks somewhere higher. It is still three hours of ascent up to Beding, passing the villages of Jobalu, Nyiamare, Ramding and Chhimu Golche before reaching Beding. If you are trekking in spring, these villages will probably be empty since their residents are grazing their yaks in higher pastures or working as climbing Sherpas for the season. 40 minutes before Beding you pass the regional Lama Monastery School, and they'll want to see your permits. From here it's a rather short walk to the village. Beding itself is beautiful and the valley starts widening up at this point, giving you some fine views of the mountains surrounding it. It is also the biggest village in the Rolwaling valley. Overnight in lodge or home stay.
Max Altitude: 3740 Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Accommodation: Tea House / Home Stay Duration: 6 Hrs.
This day depends a lot on how you acclimatized. If you are well acclimatized, then this walk should not be a problem. If you are not sure, or wish to make a short day, it is possible to go up to the lake the next morning and then just keep going down from Na. The trail from Beding is clear, and this part of the trek is just spectacular. As you ascend, the valley slowly opens up, and from a V-shaped valley it is gradually becoming a U-shaped valley. The sides of the valley are filled with icefalls and waterfalls, and at this point there are no trees, only grassland and some Juniper bushes here and there. After about two hours you reach the village of Na, which is situated on the north bank of the river. You can put your backpack at one of the lodges in Na, and take only water and warm clothes up to the lake. From Na you take the trail that goes north up the valley. After ten minutes you cross the Rolwaling Khola and from there you keep walking for about an hour on the right (south) bank of the river. After one hour of walking you'll get to second bridge and cross the Rolwaling Khola again - still one more hour left to get to the lake. From here you keep going on the bank of the river, until the main trail forks left and up to the lakeshore. To get back to Na you take the same trail you took on the way up. It should take about an hour and a half to reach Na. *There are two interesting side trips around Na. One is to another alpine lake called "Dudh Pokhari" (27°53'28.388"N, 86°27'57.278"E. Meaning 'milky lake'), which is located up the Ripimoshar Glacier. It is possible to do a one day round trip to both lakes from Na. This would be a long day, and you should consult locals in Na about the condition of the trail from Tso Rolpa to Dudh Pokhari, which is not very clear and is changing all the time since it is over the end of the Ripimoshar Glacier. The second is to the small monastery located about 30 minutes before Na, a bit northern to the trail. There is also a big Mani Wall and a mural on one of the big boulders.
Max Altitude: 4180 Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Accommodation: Gauri Shankar Lodge Duration: 6-7 Hrs.
This is the day you start descending, following the same trail that you took on the way up. Those of you who wish to go up towards Dadlung La should turn at the bridge after Niyamare.
Max Altitude: 2791 MMeals: Breakfast, Lunch & DinnerAccommodation: Tea HouseDuration: 6 Hrs
Still on the same trail back. Ask the lodge owners to sort out your bus ticket to Kathmandu for the following morning.
Max Altitude: 1377 MMeals: Breakfast, Lunch & DinnerAccommodation: Tea HouseDuration: 5 Hrs
We take the local bus to Kathmandu, this is a long day ride. It could be about 11 hours bus ride to Kathmandu.
Max Altitude: 1400 Meals: Lunch & Dinner Accommodation: Not Included Duration: 9-10 Hrs.