Amazing Places to Visit in Mugu: The Ultimate Bucket List
Nepal has always been a paradise for trekkers through past decades. The reasons for being paradise are rich in natural beauty, ethnic diversity, hospitality, and much more. Today, we are going to talk about the beautiful district of Mugu.
Mugu district lies in the Karnali Province of Nepal. It is in the northwest of Nepal and close to the border of China. The altitude variation of the Mugu district is lowest 1201 meters to the highest 6,717 meters above sea level. Mugu district is under the remote part of Nepal and least developed places rich in natural and cultural diversity. The district headquarter of this district is Gamgadi.
The landscape condition of this district is very rugged. Due to the geographical barrier, the development process had been slow. But the Mugu district is famous for many tourist attraction destinations. This district had attracted many tourists yearly, mainly from Rara Lake which is also called “Mahendra Daha”. This lake lies at an altitude of 2,990 meters.
The people living in Mugu village are called “Muguali or Mugum”. This district is inhabitant with major groups of Brahmins, Chhetri, Tamang, Rai, Sherpa, Magar, and Thakuri peoples.
How to go There?
From Road
Mugu is about 900 km northwest far from the capital, Kathmandu. Road trip maybe longer because it will take 3-4 days of drive-through Karnali Highway. There is no direct route for Mugu, so you have to change the bus. First, the bus will directly take you to Nepalgunj and then Surkhet to Dailekh to Kalikot to Jumla to Nagma Sija. A road trip is recommended for those travelers who have more time to spend their holiday and want more adventure on tour.
From Air
This district has its own domestic airport called Talcha Airport also called Rara Airport. This is the fast but little hefty way. First, you have to fly to Nepalgunj which takes about 50 minutes of flight. From Nepalgunj, you have many options to go to Mugu. You can take the bus or hike to Mugu or take a flight to Talcha Airport. Some of the regular airlines include Nepal Airlines, Summit Air, and Tara Airlines.
Best Seasons to go There
As Mugu is a Himalayan region so winter season may not be favorable for all peoples. If you are adventure seekers then you can go to the winter season too. The rainy season is also not favorable as the weather will be bad. Both by air and road will be difficult to reach there. So, the best time to go to the Mugu district is March to May month and September to December.
Rara Lake
Rara lake is a freshwater lake in Nepal Himalaya which lies at the latitude of 2,990 meters. Rara lake is declared as Ramsar Site in September 2007 which covers the area of 1,583 ha. The maximum depth of this lake is 5.1 km long and 2.7 km wide. This lake is located inside the Rara National Park. Tourists can also do recreational activities like horse riding, boating, and camping.
The best time to visit this lake is from September to October and April to May. Summer will be quite pleasant but winter will be cold due to heavy rainfall. From December to March month, the temperature will drop below the freezing point. The route will be blocked due to heavy snowfall.
You can either take a flight or go by bus from Kathmandu. If you are going through flight, from Kathmandu you have to fly to Nepalgunj and then Talcha Airport. It takes about 50 minutes to fly Nepalgunj from Kathmandu. Then from Nepalgunj, you can go to Talcha by air or by jeep or by trekking. By jeep, it takes about 2 hours and by trekking, it takes about 5-6 hours. From Kathmandu, you can go by bus but it takes more than 2 days to reach Rara by bus.
Rafting and Kayaking
For Rafting lovers, Karnali will be an amazing place for kayaking. Flowing with the current of crystal-clear water with deep blue color will attract make adventure seekers. You have to trek to Gamgadi and use potters or donkeys to carry heavy materials like rafts.
Nearby Destinations
Mugu offers a mesmerizing view of the Koiji Himal and the vast forest of the district from Kanchan Bagar. A rivulet flows from Tibet, snaking through the hills. You can hike the nearby hills for impressive nature and green hills.
Other popular pilgrimage sites in Mugu are Tihar Gumba, Chhayanath, Tama Khani, Tihar Dhobhav River, Phalam Gumba, and Changje Chhahara. According to the locals and other authorities, there are about 1200 gumba which are larger in the Mugu district and all are open for visitors.
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