Rara National Park

Activities:  Trekking, birdwatching, horse riding, boating, mountain biking

Accommodation: Camping, lodge

Access: Fly from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj (1 hour); Nepalgunj to Talcha Airport (35 minutes) then 2-hour trek to Rara Lake or 2.5 day trek via Jumla

Wildlife: Endangered red panda and musk deer, Himalayan black bear, leopard, jackal, Himalayan Tahr, wild yellow-throated martin, wild dog, wild boar, common langur, rhesus macaque and common otter; three species of snow trout can be seen in the lake

Birds: During winter 214 species of birds are seen here including coots, great-crested grebe, black-necked grebe, red-crested pochard, mallard, common teal, merganser and gulls; migrant water fowls and gallinaceous birds can also be seen during certain seasons

Vegetation: Coniferous forests and blue pine dominate the park and the lake area respectively; rhododendron, juniper, spruce, oak and cypress are found around 3,000 m while at higher altitude, pine, spruce and fir are more common

Best Season: February-April and October-November

Park Headquarters: Hutu 

Entrance Fee: Nepali - NPR 25 per person per entry, SAARC nationals - NPR 1,500 per person per entry, foreigners - NPR 3,000 per person per entry