Sophie Cicale
On Sunday, January 11th, the staff of DDS embarked on a successful day hike to Kot Kalika in Dhading. It was a day full of bonding, exercise, and fun. The morning began around 8:45 AM, when participants gathered at the school, dressed comfortably and equipped with their hiking gear. Before departure, everyone enjoyed a delicious and nutritious breakfast of eggs, toast, fresh fruit, and curry. At approximately 9:30 AM, the group set off on a short and pleasant drive, with the hike itself beginning just before 10:00 AM.
The journey started in Naubise with a humorous, teamwork-driven challenge: building a makeshift passage over a stream by carefully placing large stones to walk on. The team members tossing the stones down were so filled with energy and determination that it was quick work. You would believe they were professional engineers building bridges on a regular basis! This lighthearted moment set the tone for the day, keeping both spirits high and feet dry. After about an hour of walking, we paused briefly to rehydrate and enjoy some milk tea in Purandi before continuing on the main stretch of the hike. While there, we enjoyed some conversation and jokes, and Rudra Dai even showed off some yoga skills! He can do vrikshasana like no other. Once things really took off, we traversed uphill and witnessed a variety of sights.
We passed through farmland, small communities in Jeevanpur with locals pointing us in the right directions when we needed it, and narrow passages with small footholds. One silly moment occurred when a local advised us that a car would be best for reaching our destination. Perhaps our hiking shoes, backpacks, and sweaty backs didn’t give away that walking was the whole point! We chuckled and moved on by foot. A portion of our group forged their own path through local vegetable gardens, which was great for us since it provided us with snacks straight from the Earth! They plucked large, beautiful radishes out of the ground to enjoy at the summit. Don’t worry about theft- the owner of the garden was found, and dues were paid for the delicious vegetables! There was laughter and conversation all along the way as we also took in the views of the towering hills and terraced farms in the distance. This hike was the perfect setting to discuss things like the local flora, what life is like high in the hills, as well as the surrounding landscape and what makes it beautiful. We took short breaks here and there to drink water, and after a few hours, we even made time to take group photos and do a fun team dance. The choreography was short and sweet, and we managed to produce a fun and whimsical TikTok together in under 10 minutes!
While the hike was filled with joy and fun, it did not fall short of challenges. The sun was quite strong as we ambled upwards, and the dryness of winter left the trails and roads quite dusty. If it had not been for the kindness of locals, we surely would’ve been lost more than once! At one point, the trail became barely defined, leading us up a steep section thick with lemongrass. We had to burst through the foliage with no clear path. Although it was tricky, the grass was firmly rooted for an easy hold and pleasantly fragrant. Nature truly helped us as we bounded toward our target. It certainly added another memorable element of adventure to the climb.
Just before 2:00 PM, we reached the top of Kot Kalika. We rang the bell at the top, sat down in the shade of the big beautiful tree in its center, and opened up a delicious spread of snacks to share. Included in our snacks were bhuteko makai, bhatmas, sadeko gundruk, nun khursani, small bananas, cucumbers, radishes, and a big grapefruit! Unfortunately, knives were amiss, but Rohit Dai had no trouble giving the cucumbers a good smash to divide it amongst us. The radishes, too, were broken up with bare hands. At Deerwalk Dhading School, our strong hands are just as effective as any old piece of cutlery! After relaxing and taking in the panoramic views surrounding us for about 15-20 minutes, it was time to descend. On the way down, we passed through Dhakal Gau and again were assisted by the locals. Some areas were quite steep, and it was a tough core and quad workout, not just to let gravity take us and run down the hill! It was a valuable moment of discipline, taking our time to descend.
At about 3:30 PM, we took a short break at the home of one of our students in Kumai Khola, where we were kindly offered black tea with lemon, which was a very welcome treat. While we sat, we were able to share with each other some of the photos and videos we had taken throughout the day, as there were many. Thank goodness, because it was a day definitely worth remembering! After 13 km and over 18,000 steps, the hike concluded just under an hour later, and our bus pulled back into the school at about 4:45 PM. With tired legs and a feeling of achievement, we made our way into the kitchen, where we took great pleasure in a hot meal consisting of dal bat tarkari with mutton. It was a wonderful, relaxing conclusion to such an active day in the shining sun. The hike was more than a physical excursion; it provided an opportunity to strengthen friendships, share laughter, and enjoy the beauty of the outdoors together.
