YouTube
Murma Traditional Khas Heritage Village Video
Village & Lifestyle
Murma Traditional Khas Heritage Village
Nestled gracefully on the sun-drenched southeastern terraced mountain slope at approximately 3,200 meters elevation, Murma Village (मुर्मा गाउँ) is the sole preserved indigenous human settlement remaining within the immediate mountain amphitheater enclosing Rara Lake. When Rara National Park was officially established in 1976 AD (2032 BS), the ancient lakeside settlements of Chapru and Rara were entirely relocated to the Terai plains of Banke District. Murma, situated above the designated lake basin in Ward 9 of Chhayanath Rara Municipality, was uniquely preserved, safeguarding centuries of unbroken Khas heritage and traditional mountain lifestyle. The architecture of Murma represents an authentic living museum of vernacular western Himalayan craftsmanship. Clustered densely against the hillside, the two-to-three-story homes are constructed with dry-chiseled fieldstone, massive rough-hewn pine timbers, and flat earthen mud-slate roofs (*poko* or *chhato*). In this distinctive stepped arrangement, the flat rooftop of each lower residence serves as the front courtyard, grain-drying terrace, and threshing floor for the home above. Hand-notched timber log ladders (*lihno*) connect the ascending terraces, while intricately carved wooden lattice windows (*aankhijhyal*) and wooden balconies adorn the facades. In recent years, Murma has emerged as a celebrated model for sustainable community-based eco-tourism and cultural homestays. Operated with warm mountain hospitality, local homestays offer visitors wholesome traditional meals prepared from native highland crops—including buckwheat pancakes (*fapar ko roti*), roasted barley flour (*tsampa*), organic mountain potatoes, and fragrant wild Timur pepper. Serving as the primary trailhead and community gateway for travelers hiking to Murma Top, Murma Village offers an enriching glimpse into the resilient cultural soul of Karnali.
Overview
Nestled gracefully on the sun-drenched southeastern terraced mountain slope at approximately 3,200 meters elevation, Murma Village (मुर्मा गाउँ) is the sole preserved indigenous human settlement remaining within the immediate mountain amphitheater enclosing Rara Lake. When Rara National Park was officially established in 1976 AD (2032 BS), the ancient lakeside settlements of Chapru and Rara were entirely relocated to the Terai plains of Banke District. Murma, situated above the designated lake basin in Ward 9 of Chhayanath Rara Municipality, was uniquely preserved, safeguarding centuries of unbroken Khas heritage and traditional mountain lifestyle. The architecture of Murma represents an authentic living museum of vernacular western Himalayan craftsmanship. Clustered densely against the hillside, the two-to-three-story homes are constructed with dry-chiseled fieldstone, massive rough-hewn pine timbers, and flat earthen mud-slate roofs (*poko* or *chhato*). In this distinctive stepped arrangement, the flat rooftop of each lower residence serves as the front courtyard, grain-drying terrace, and threshing floor for the home above. Hand-notched timber log ladders (*lihno*) connect the ascending terraces, while intricately carved wooden lattice windows (*aankhijhyal*) and wooden balconies adorn the facades. In recent years, Murma has emerged as a celebrated model for sustainable community-based eco-tourism and cultural homestays. Operated with warm mountain hospitality, local homestays offer visitors wholesome traditional meals prepared from native highland crops—including buckwheat pancakes (*fapar ko roti*), roasted barley flour (*tsampa*), organic mountain potatoes, and fragrant wild Timur pepper. Serving as the primary trailhead and community gateway for travelers hiking to Murma Top, Murma Village offers an enriching glimpse into the resilient cultural soul of Karnali.
Photos
2 available
Videos
1 available
Discover More
Nearby Destinations in Mugu & Region
Temple
Chhayanath Dham Sacred Himalayan Sanctuary
Rising in majestic spiritual isolation amid the glaciated peaks of northeastern Mugu at an altitude of approximately 4,500 meters, Chhayanath Dham (छायाँनाथ तीर्थ / छायाँनाथ धाम) stands as one of the holiest, most remote, and mythologically revered Shaiva-Shakti pilgrimage sanctuaries in the entire Himalayan realm. Eponymously immortalized in the name of Chhayanath Rara Municipality, this sacred sanctuary is venerated in classical Hindu tradition and regional epics as the hallowed site where the spine and divine shadow (*Chhaya*) of Sati Devi fell to earth as Lord Shiva carried her lifeless body in his divine grief-stricken dance across the cosmos. Geographically anchored within Ward 1 of Mugum Karmarong Rural Municipality beneath the towering crags of Chhayanath Peak (~5,200m) and the eastern Kanjiroba massif, the sanctuary comprises natural rock sanctums, open-air stone altars, and sacred glacial tarns known as Dudh Kunda. For eleven months of the year, the sanctum remains engulfed in deep snow and ice, while its venerated silver idol (*Chhayanath Murti*) is guarded in the winter repository temple at Chainagaun near Gamgadhi. Each year during the monsoon festival of Janai Purnima (Shrawan Shukla Purnima), a grand state and community procession carries the sacred idol across five rigorous days of wilderness trekking through alpine gorges, high birch forests, and glacial moraines to the holy Dham. Thousands of devout pilgrims, ascetics, and regional shamans (*Dhamis*) from across Karnali and western Nepal undertake this arduous pilgrimage to perform sacred ablutions in the icy glacial waters, break ritual bonds of worldly suffering, and offer worship amidst swirling Himalayan mists and hypnotic shamanic drums. With its dramatic blend of raw trans-Himalayan wilderness, profound mythological significance, and living intangible spiritual tradition, Chhayanath Dham represents the supreme sacred beacon of Mugu.
MuguExplore
Viewpoint/Hill Station
Murma Top Viewpoint
Perched majestically at an elevation of approximately 3,710 meters on the northwestern ridgeline of Rara National Park, Murma Top (मुर्मा टप) is widely celebrated as the ultimate panoramic vantage point for beholding the breathtaking grandeur of Rara Lake and the high Karnali Himalayas. While the sapphire shores of Nepal's largest freshwater lake offer tranquil lakeside beauty from below, it is from the lofty heights of Murma Top that its magnificent, crescent-shaped expanse is revealed in full glory, cradled amidst an emerald amphitheater of ancient blue pine, spruce, and rhododendron forests. The ascent to Murma Top begins with a scenic ridge trek departing from the traditional settlement of Murma Village, winding gently upward through fragrant alpine meadows, subalpine birch groves, and grazing pastures frequented by Himalayan sheep. At the summit stands a wooden panoramic observation view tower, erected to provide an unobstructed 360-degree vista spanning far across western Nepal. To the east and south, the glistening turquoise waters of Rara Lake reflect the sky like an enormous Himalayan mirror, while across the horizon soar the glaciated ramparts of Kanjiroba Himal, Chhayanath Peak, Sisne Himal, and the distant Saipal range. Murma Top is also a vital natural vantage point for sunrise and sunset photography, as early dawn paints the distant snow peaks in shades of amber and rose gold, casting soft mist over the tranquil water surface. Visited by both day-trippers from the Rara shoreline and long-distance trekkers acclimatizing along the classical Jumla–Rara trail, Murma Top represents an indispensable highlight of any wilderness expedition into Mugu District.
MuguExplore
Lake
Rara Lake
Rara Lake is Nepal's largest lake, a pristine alpine jewel set at 2,990 metres altitude in the remote Mugu district of Karnali Province. Covering 10.8 square kilometres, the lake is renowned for the extraordinary clarity and colour of its water, which shifts between deep blue and turquoise depending on time of day and weather conditions. The surrounding Rara National Park, established in 1976, is Nepal's smallest national park by area but one of its most pristine. The lake sits in a bowl of dense juniper, pine, and Himalayan oak forests, backed by snow-dusted ridges. Wildlife in the park includes Himalayan black bears, red pandas, musk deer, leopards, grey langurs, and over 200 bird species. The lake itself contains the Asiatic snow trout, a protected species. Reaching Rara Lake requires a short flight from Nepalgunj or Jumla to Talcha Airport, or a multi-day trek from Jumla (approximately 4-5 days each way). Activities at the lake include trekking around the 13 km perimeter, photography, wildlife watching, and camping. Because of its remoteness, Rara sees relatively few visitors, preserving its exceptional natural character. The best seasons are September to November (post-monsoon, clear skies) and April to May (spring flowers). The lake is partially frozen and inaccessible in mid-winter from December through February.
MuguExplore
Village & Lifestyle
Amaltari Tharu Community Homestay
Amaltari Tharu Community Homestay (अमलटारी थारु सामुदायिक होमस्टे), nestled in the traditional riverside village of Baghkhor in Kawasoti Municipality Ward 15 of Nawalpur District, is a nationally celebrated model of community-based eco-tourism and indigenous cultural preservation. Located approximately seven kilometers south of Danda Bazaar directly on the northern banks of the Narayani River, the homestay lies within the fertile buffer zone of Chitwan National Park and the Gundrahi Dhakaha Community Forest. Initiated in 2013 by local indigenous Tharu, Bote, and Musahar families, the project was designed to generate sustainable eco-tourism livelihoods while simultaneously protecting biodiversity and community wetlands. Guests stay in meticulously maintained traditional homes crafted with natural clay walls, timber beams, and thatched verandas, blending authentic rural warmth with modern hospitality comforts. Visitors are treated to unforgettable evenings of cultural heritage, including the exhilarating Tharu stick dance (Lathi Nach), fire dances, and traditional feasts featuring ghonghi (water snails), freshwater fish, duck curry, and indigenous rice specialties. Amaltari serves as a pristine, tranquil alternative to commercial safari towns like Sauraha. From the village boat harbor, visitors embark on tranquil wooden canoe safaris along the Narayani River to spot endangered Gharial crocodiles, marsh muggers, and migratory waterbirds, or venture into the Gundrahi Dhakaha community grasslands on guided jeep safaris to observe the Great One-Horned Rhinoceros, Bengal tigers, and spotted deer in their natural habitats.
NawalpurExplore
Village & Lifestyle
Bahundanda
Bahundanda, perched prominently on a dramatic 1,310-metre mountain saddle in Marsyangdi Rural Municipality Ward 3, is an iconic and visually stunning traditional hill settlement along the classic Annapurna Circuit route in Lamjung. Meaning 'Brahmin Hill' in Nepali, the village was historically settled on a strategic ridgeline commanding 360-degree views up and down the Marshyangdi River canyon. The defining aesthetic feature of Bahundanda is the staggering amphitheater of sculpted green rice paddies that plunge thousands of feet down steep ridgelines to the river gorge below. These masterfully engineered agricultural terraces, cultivated by generations of Gurung and Brahmin farming families, represent one of the most remarkable human-shaped landscapes in rural Nepal. The village itself features a charming stone-paved main street lined with traditional slate-roofed teahouses, schoolhouses, small shrines, and welcoming community lodges shaded by majestic pipal trees and prayer flags. Trekkers ascending from Bhulbhule climb a steep stone staircase to reach the village crest, where they are rewarded with refreshing cool breezes, panoramic river vistas, and traditional hospitality before continuing into the higher reaches of northern Lamjung.
LamjungExplore
Village & Lifestyle
Balthali Village
Known as Balthali Village, and also simply called Balthali, this picturesque countryside destination in Kavrepalanchok district is a hidden gem renowned for its peaceful rural lifestyle, scenic landscapes, and authentic cultural experiences. Nestled at an elevation of around 1,730 meters, the village is surrounded by lush forests, terraced farmlands, rolling green hills, and panoramic views of the Langtang, Dorje Lakpa, Gaurishankar, and Everest ranges on clear days. Home to Newar, Tamang, and Brahmin communities, Balthali offers visitors a chance to experience traditional village life, local cuisine, and warm Nepalese hospitality. The area is a popular destination for hiking, cycling, birdwatching, and short treks connecting nearby attractions such as Panauti, Namobuddha, and Khopasi, making it an ideal escape for nature lovers and adventure seekers. Spring and autumn are the best seasons to visit, when the hills are vibrant with greenery, blooming flowers, and crystal-clear mountain views. Visitors can stay in charming homestays and eco-resorts, enjoying peaceful sunrises, starlit nights, and the tranquil atmosphere far from the bustle of city life. Whether you're seeking cultural immersion, outdoor adventure, or a relaxing retreat in the Himalayan countryside, Balthali Village (Balthali) offers one of the most authentic rural experiences in central Nepal.
KavrepalanchokExplore