Height: 2194m from sea-level
Distance: 14km walk (mostly uphill) from Sundarijal, Kathmandu
Walking uphill, especially on stone steps till you reach the end of Mulkharkha, is not easy but the rewards you get then after – almost three more hours of walk through the jungle of Shivapuri Wildlife Reserve and the place called Chisapani on a hilltop – are lifetime experience.
The most important thing not to miss on the way is the Kharka [plain grazing land on the hills] just five minutes uphill from the last house/teashop of Mulkharka.
The plain, with greenery and beautiful green hills behind, is somewhat hidden from the hiking path but it’s walking on it was one of the best part of the hike.
During the uphill walk, the local life and the Kathmandu Valley down below are something to watch.
I saw no animal on the jungle walk but the peace it gives to soul made me forget the aches on legs.
Chisapani itself is not a big village, only a few houses – half of them lodges. No mobiles. But it’s cool – for the cool breeze, for the fog that comes and goes covering hills.
From Chisapani, though my team walked back, we could have walked six hours to reach Nagarkot.
“That’s nice of you, we all Nepali should see our own country,” a villager told us after knowing we hiked to Chisapani. And, I agree.
