Rara and Phoksundo Lakes to be Linked by Road Network

A major road upgrade project is underway to link Dolpa’s Tripurakot with Jumla’s Maure, paving the way for road access to two of Karnali Province’s most prized tourist destinations—Rara and Phoksundo lakes.

According to the state-run news agency RSS, the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Urban Development of Karnali Province has begun upgrading the Tripurakot–Maure road section at a cost of Rs 259.9 million. Provincial Minister Sher Bahadur Budha said the project has been taken forward through a contract process after allocating the required budget.

Officials say the improved access is expected to ease travel for residents of Jumla, Mugu and Dolpa and enhance convenience for tourists visiting the region.

Minister Budha told RSS that the road connectivity to both Rara and Phoksundo—lakes widely celebrated as the jewels of western Nepal and the heart of Karnali Province’s tourism—will significantly support tourism promotion in both districts. The two lakes draw thousands of domestic and international visitors each year. With road access, local communities are expected to expand tourism-related businesses and strengthen their income.

The provincial government has also allocated Rs 40 million to initiate work on the Chungard–Liku–Balangra road section, he added.

According to Tek Hitan, chief of the Dolpa Infrastructure Development Office, the multi-year project is designed to link Tripurakot, Chal, Kaigaun, Maurelek and Jumla to Mugu’s Rara Lake. The agreement for the upgrade was signed in July, with a two-year completion deadline. The total length of the Tripurakot–Maure road is 68 km, and the track-opening phase has already been completed, RSS further reported.

Using the current budget, the contractor will build gravel roads with drainage up to the sacred Budal Mashta Temple area in Chal, Hitan told RSS.

Local stakeholders and conservationists have expressed concerns that new road access could disrupt traditional trekking routes to Rara and Phoksundo. As these trails are key attractions for visitors seeking remote Himalayan experiences, they say any changes to existing footpaths must be carefully managed to avoid harming trekking tourism.

Sneha Shrestha, who visited Rara Lake a few years ago, stressed the need of preserving the traditional foot trails and also raised concerns about the quality of roads.

“The roads in Karnali are very dangerous and poorly built. It’s safe to travel on foot,” she told New Business Age.