Gaurab Neupane
The trail welcomed us with a steep incline - where the participants slowly climbed, sharing stories and excitement. After grabbing the tickets, we headed through the stairs - reaching an army camp stationed at the trail. We took this chance to talk to one of the army men stationed there and heard about his stories. Moving forward, we went deeper into the forest and crossed a small stream with a tough balancing act.
At around 10:30 AM, the weather stopped favoring us as we encountered rainfall. Taking shelter at a nearby tea shop, we refilled ourselves with a quick snack and the veterans among us shared their experiences on previous hikes. Half an hour later, the rain had calmed down enough for us to resume, and we picked up where we left off.
After another 2 hours of walking, we finally reached the destination. The rainfall had turned the waterfall quite stronger and with the weather cleared up a bit, we could see the sun reflecting into the water below us. Turning our heads around, we could finally enjoy the view of the hills we walked across as the fog that followed the rain had previously turned the trail gloomy. We sat there for around 30 minutes and slowly began making our way down the trail.
The way back posed a challenge too, as the rain had made the muddy trail slippery but slowly we all made it back to the stop without any harm. A short refreshment break was needed at the stop for us to continue back on the bus. Around 5:30 PM, we parked at Lete Thakali - ready to engulf ourselves in calories. I must say there’s no better feeling than lovely food after an entire day of walking.
The day tested everyone’s fitness and fortitude but ultimately I feel we all learned to face challenges together and enjoy the rewards as a team. The stories we shared and the memories we made complimented by the picturesque view at the top has surely made this one of the best hikes I’ve participated in.
