Trek Difficult of Rolwaling Tashi Lapcha Pass trek Itinerary
Rolwaling Tashi Lapcha Pass trek is among the most difficult trekking trail in Nepal that is considered an extremely difficult trek, which you should not ignore. You will be hiking between 6 to 8 hours almost every day. The trails will not be clearly marked all the time, and you will have to trek through rocky, moraine and uneven terrain most of the time.
Altitude is the main challenge, since most of your days will be spent above 4,500 meter and the highest of the pass will reach even more at 5,775 meter which can ruin your experience if you are not careful enough.
Crossing Tashi Lapcha Pass is the day you will reach 5,5775-meter altitude, which will be the most difficult part of this Tashi Lapcha Pass Trek. While crossing this, you need to be prepared for the steep ice, use of fixed roes and crampons. This pass is not something that can be compared with other passes in Nepal, which are usually easy to walk through.
Many of steep ascents and descents will occur during the whole Rolwaling Tashi Lapcha Pass trek, particularly before and after the pass. Your legs and knees will suffer greatly from this route. Due to this, physical fitness is compulsory and you should be able to hike for several hours carrying a daypack and having several high-altitude days one after another.
It is necessary that you have previous experience in high-altitude trekking. It is best if you have done it before at an altitude of over 5,000 meters. If you have good physical condition and experience, then this is the right trek for you.
Preparation and Training for Rolwaling Tashi Lapcha Pass Trek
There are certain things you have to prepare for before going on this trek. The physical training in advance will play an important role when you start your journey.
First focus on cardiovascular exercise to improve the endurance needed for walking at high altitudes for hours. Training in running, cycling, and swimming will do the job if done regularly (three or four times per week). Another crucial thing to work on is the practice of walking a great distance. You should learn how to walk from six to eight hours straight, not on flat roads but on uneven grounds.
Walking up the hill is one more useful training. This exercise prepares you physically for ascending during your journey. Even if there are no hills around, you may use stair climbing instead.
It is also necessary to pay attention to your strength training. The training of legs, back, and core muscles should be considered because you need them to walk a lot. Practice hiking while wearing a loaded backpack as well. Even just 8 to 10 kg while training hikes will help you get used to carrying weights across the terrain.
This trip requires a number of consecutive trekking days. Do not train once in a huge load and then rest but make a habit out of small regular exercises.
General 6–8 week plan: three workouts per week at first, including three cardio sessions and one hike. Add strength training twice a week starting from the fourth week. Combine everything during the last two weeks with loaded hikes on weekends.
Best Time for Rolwaling Tashi Lapchi Pass Trek
Autumn (September to November)
Autumn is the most popular season due to clear skies, consistent climate condition and good visibility throughout the entire pass. It is impossible to find better mountain views than those in autumn.
Spring (March to May)
Spring is also another appropriate season for the trek. At the beginning of the season, temperatures remain cool, but with time they become warmer. During this time, there is rhododendron blooming in forests in the lower valley part of the trek which make the Rolwaling Tashi Lapcha Pass trek more beautiful with mountain view in the distance.
Winter (December to February)
The winter might bring heavy snowfall in the high altitudes. It becomes extremely difficult and sometimes even hazardous to cross the Tashi Lapcha Pass during this season.
Monsoon (June to August)
Monsoon season (June to August) is also not recommended. The rains make the trails slippery, clouds often cover the views of mountains, rivers can become dangerous, and leeches appear in the forests.
Overall autumn is preferable for this trek if you want to go. Spring is another good option, but do not plan winter and monsoon unless you have some proper reasons and experience.
Required Permit for Rolwaling Tashi Lapcha Pass Trek
The trek passes through two different regions, so you have to obtain several permits before you can begin the trek.
First, you will need Gaurishankar Conservation Area permit for the Rolwaling trek. It will cover the entire stretch starting from Simigaun and going past Beding, Na, up to the pass.
As Rolwaling trek is located in a restricted zone, another permit called the Restricted Area Permit needs to be obtained. The reason behind the existence of this permit is the fact that the valley is located very near to the Tibet border.
Once you have passed through the Tashi Lapcha Pass and reached the Khumbu area, you will need to get a Sagarmatha National Park Entry Permit and Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality Permit, which allows you access to the places of Thame, Namche Bazaar, and the path towards Lukla.
You will also need to pay a fee to the local rural municipality, which is collected at some checkpoints on the way. The fees are different from the permits, but they are also mandatory.
Accommodation on Rolwaling Tashi Lapcha Pass Trek
Accommodation option varies widely based on location. The earlier days from Simigaun to Na village offer basic teahouse with simple rooms, usually twin share and thin mattress.
Once you move beyond Na village, there will be no accommodation. The only option is camping which the team will manage for you. You team provides you with tents and you will sleep in a proper expedition style for several nights. This will be same until you cross the pass and reach village area.
Toilets are basic, shared and outdoor during camping days. There will be very basic washing facilities beyond Na village and wet wipes with basic sponge bath than hot showers. Electricity will be available in the teahouse but not during camping day. There will be mobile signal and internet coverage in the lower villages but none near the pass and forget about connectivity after Na village.
Food and Drinking water
On Rolwaling Tashi Lapcha Pass trek, food is kept simple, hearty, and fulfilling. There will be no complicated menus, but there will be sufficient energy to carry you along through many days. For most of the time Dal Bhat remains the primary food on this route. Rice, lentil soup, and vegetables provide you with sustained energy, and it’s available in unlimited quantities in almost all hotels and campsites.
Noodle and pasta are also served several times as well, particularly instant noodle soups as that are easy to prepare and perfect for light lunch on long trekking days. Breakfast is normally made up of porridge, eggs, toast, or Tibetan bread along with tea or coffee to kick off the day.
Soups are also common for lunch and dinner too. Garlic soup is the most recommended one by many trekkers to adjust altitude. Snacks such as biscuits, chocolates, and energy bars should be carried with you because of the limited choices that will be available after the last village.
For drinking water, there is boiling water supplied during teahouses and camps. It becomes hard to find bottled water after the Na village, so you have to carry some water purification pills or water filters.
Safety and Emergency Information on Rolwaling Tashi Lapcha Pass trek
The safety aspect of this trip should not be underestimated. This path requires a good preparation, and knowing all possible threats beforehand will assist in preparing properly.
First of all, altitude sickness can become an issue. Spending several days above 4,500 meters and reaching the highest point that is 5,755 meters high, you should pay attention to any sign of sickness that might appear, such as headache, nausea, and dizziness. In case of severe symptoms, you need to descent immediately.
The weather conditions may change instantly in a matter of hours in such altitudes, especially when crossing the area of Tashi Lapcha Pass Trek. Even clear mornings can easily turn into snowy and windy conditions. The guides have experience in monitoring the weather and will alter their plans, when necessary, at times even postponing the crossing for a day.
The area is remote and harsh. Beyond Na village, there are no rescue stations, there are no roads to facilitate evacuation from this area, and no outside help is available.
Guide assistance plays a great role on this path. Our guides have experience in traversing the terrain, know altitude patterns and have sufficient training for glacier and pass parts of the Rolwaling Tashi Lapcha Pass Trek.
An emergency evacuation, when necessary, will mostly be done using a helicopter. Helicopters can access most areas along this route depending on the weather, although campsites near the pass can take some time.
This is the reason why you have to buy the right travel insurance for your trek. Your travel insurance has to cover high altitude treks to up to 6,000 meters and the emergency evacuation using a helicopter.
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