Rara National Park
Rara National Park is a protected area in the Himalayas of Nepal and was established in 1976. Covering an area of in the Mugu and Jumla districts, it is the country's smallest national park. Its main feature is Rara Lake at an altitude of. The park was established to protect the unique flora and fauna of the Humla–Jumla Region of Nepal.
The park ranges in elevation from to at Chuchemara Peak on the southern side of Rara Lake. On the northern side, the peaks of Ruma Kand and Malika Kand frame the alpine freshwater lake, which is the largest lake in Nepal with a surface of and a maximum depth of. It is oval-shaped with an east–west axis, a length of and a width of draining into the Mugu-Karnali River via Nijar Khola.
Rara National Park is managed by the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation and protected with the assistance of the Nepal Army.
Climate
The climate of Rara National Park is pleasant during the summer, but becomes very cold during the winter, because of the altitude. The best times to visit the park are in September, October, April, and May. During the winter, temperatures drop below freezing, and many high passes become blocked by snow. The summer is warm, but June to August is monsoon season, making the trek to Rara National Park difficult.Vegetation
Rara National Park is rich in flora and fauna, with 1,070 plant species known to occur in the park. The vegetation is generally temperate and subalpine, and is dependent on the altitude. Below, the vegetation consists of mainly blue pine, rhododendron, west Himalayan spruce, black juniper and Himalayan cypress. Above, the vegetation changes to a coniferous forest consisting of a mixture of fir, spruce and pine.Fauna
51 species of mammals reside in the park including musk deer, Himalayan black bear, Indian leopard, jackal, Himalayan tahr, yellow-throated marten, otter, dhole, gray langur, rhesus macaque, and red panda.There are 241 recorded species of birds, including 49 wetland species. Coots are often found in the lake. During the winter, great-crested and black-necked grebes, red-crested pochards, mallard, common teal, and common merganser are common. Other birds seen often include the Himalayan snowcock, chukar partridge, Himalayan monal, kalij pheasant and blood pheasant.
In 1979, three endemic snowtrout species were collected in Lake Rara and described as new species: the Nepalese snowtrout Schizothorax nepalensis, the Rara snowtrout, and Nepalese snowtrout. Also in 1979, the frog species Paa rarica has been first recorded as endemic to the lake.
Tourism
GORP founder Bill Greer described Rara Lake as:Another travel writer describes a trek in the park: