Hiking

Hiking, one of the adventurous journeys to a short distance, is merely walking on a footpath, whether on a neighbouring trail that runs along a riverbank or a more adventurous trail to a mountain ridge. However, we will not be doing justice to the term ‘hiking’ if we confine it only within the aforementioned definition. Hiking, therefore, does not mean walking only in the narrow tails running up and down but a purposeful walk in a group to religious places, forts, cultural heritage sites or a simple walk through national parks or wildlife reserves, which give a feel of adventure when on foot, can also be incorporated within the domain of hiking.

Hiking is turning up as a popular way of recreation in the present days among the people dwelling in urban areas. Be it in Nepal or any developed country in the world, hiking trails are getting busy day by day. The reason behind the popularity of this ‘sports’ is rather intelligible. The growing environmental pollution and noise contamination has pushed people to seeking seclusion, on the one hand and availability of luxurious and cheap means of transportation has made people lazy making them chubby to stand on two feet, on the other. The hectic daily schedule has further added to the monotony of city life. Being Nepal full of mountains and hills offering diverse landscape and scenic beauty, hiking through a hilly tail can be a great way to escape the monotony of city life.

The nearest hiking trail that can escape the pollution, noise and crowd of Kathmandu city is none other than the trail leading to the temple of Champa Devi – a beautiful spot on a hilltop. Nothing can surpass the joy of scaling the hilltop. I claim this without any hesitation for I had an experience recently. This trail begins from somewhere on the way to Dakshin Kali. The beginning point of the hiking trail itself fills one with excitement as it runs through a Salla Ghari. The steepy trail filled with fallen Salla leaves challenges you to balance your body to keep your strides strait and controlled. The fellow walking behind you keeps his/her hands stretched as if he/she is ready to hold you from falling down. However, this is just a thrill of the moment, not a single member of our group, most of whom were the students of class XI, experienced a fall. As you scale above, the greenery lures you to spend your whole life there. You come to forget your swollen breath and the thirst for water has so weak stimulus that it cannot make you reach for the water bottle in your bag taking your attention away from the joy of the sight.

The real fun starts when you tread nearly the first quarter of the trail. This is when you reach to a place from where Kathmandu city looks like a miniature design kept in a glass-box by the architect before bringing it into reality. By now you have walked nearly one hour but you don’t have time to feel the pain given by the steepy trail. The amazing sight of the Tau Daha, all the corner of which do not come into vision even when you are there on the spot,  easily come into vision from here and it  does not look bigger than a artistically designed swimming pool on the yard of a luxury hotel. Wow, the curling Bagmati River! The landscape on the west-southern side while facing towards Daksin Kali, the panoramic sight of major attraction of the Kathmandu City like Dharahara, Swyambhunath, the airport, etc. so vivid and distinguished that it gives a feel as if you are turning the pages of an album all of them in it.

The trail was being renovated and paved when we had the ‘hike’. It had added to the thrill further as we needed extra caution while going downhill in the middle of the hiking. I am sure the improvised trail facilitates you to have extra fun of sightseeing as you need not concentrate more on balancing your body while running downhill. The gorge, the colourful hills at a distant sight and heightened desire for managing the destination at the earliest takes your fatigue away from you.

Once you get past the valley-like structure of the place, your real ordeal begins. This is where you will start feeling like giving up. The stony narrow path begins you on the straight uphill journey. However, this is where I realized the real charm of hiking and I would like to suggest you to give a try.

This is just a synopsis elaboration of one of the hiking trail to exemplify what hiking is. This is not the complete description of the hiking trail. I have not mentioned the name of the place where the trail begins from and what the names of the places mentioned in this article are. I have done so to save the excitement for you. The trail is a three-hour (one way) journey from the beginning point to the destination point – the hilltop where the temple of Champadevi stands dignified. I am sure you would love to know the story behind the temple from the guide who leads you there.

Hiking without a guide is equivalent to Nepalese proverb ‘curry without salt’. The presence of professional guide makes the trail more fun-filled and exciting as they keep on jotting down the stories related to the places, giving the way for viewing the spots, landscape and scenery from different perspective and angles so as to make them the perfect sights. If you ever happen to be guided on the hiking by Pioneer Event Management Group, I am sure, you will never know when you reached the atop and how you spent the six hours as you will be busy during the hours playing funny and interesting games, listening to the legendary stories associated with every important places and spots and ‘snacking’ in the proper intervals. You may be amazed to read the rules and regulations which they hand over to you before the beginning of the journey.

Among the many advantages of hiking, a few of them are more beneficial to the students of city area. It can serve the dual purpose such as the purpose of field-trip-project-work and the purpose of acquainting them to walking habit. It will help break the monotony of classroom as well. A regular hiking habit can replace the rigor of gym, the hiking specialists proclaim.

Published in the Essence– May, 2011 issue,  And the Scholar – 2