Pupils from a range of year groups embarked on an incredible trip to Nepal over the Easter break (28th March-9th April) where they hiked, rafted and absorbed the best of what the country has to offer.
From the start of the trip, not only were they awed by the breathtaking scenery of Nepal, but they also immersed themselves in the Nepali cuisine.
After embarking on their mountain adventure, over the next two days, some pupils also had their own taste of Nepali “PE Enrichment” by engaging in friendly volleyball matches with the local students, whilst others put on their artistic caps and painted a couple of classrooms in a school.
The fourth day of the hiking journey began with an early start at 6.25am. The target was to reach the jungle camp (alt. 2500m) by lunchtime, taking in farmland, waterfalls and streams along the way, and they succeeded in arriving ahead of schedule at 11.00am. Due to dreary weather conditions, they headed back for some refreshments and called it for the day.
On the fifth morning in Nepal, the temperature had plummeted but the pupils enjoyed the clean crisp air and the warm sunlight. Led by their experienced guide, Ram, the group completed their challenging but rewarding trek and returned to the hotel. A feast arrived at nightfall, and excitement turned to the rafting journey starting the next day.
The bumpy bus ride, dusty roads, broken houses and corrugated roofs marked the contrast between the city and countryside on route to the rafting adventure. The area reminded the pupils of the devastating Nepal earthquake in 2015.
A five-hour rafting session ensued, with the pupils working in teams to navigate their way down the river, criss-crossing with rapids along the way. The crossing made them realise that how dangerous it was for the locals to get across the river every day. A campfire, punctuated with countless diamonds in the sky, provided a tranquil end to the day’s physical pursuits.
The penultimate day of the expedition saw the pupils visit Tharu village, where they were intrigued by its history and continuous development, followed by a trip to the Royal National Park. The array of animals was the highlight of their trip, including an insights into elephant and crocodile breeding centres, and a jeep safari where they witnessed rare white rhinos, peacocks, wild boar, deer and a variety of other brightly-coloured birds.
Rounding off their jungle adventure, and as part of the village traditions, the pupils were invited to join a few dances, to everyone’s entertainment.
The route back to Kathmandu marked the beginning of the end of the trip in Nepal. After a tour to the Swayambhunath, also known as the Monkey Temple, the pupils learnt about the Hippie culture in Nepal.
The whole trip proved to be a completely enlightening experience, and as much as they wanted to continue the Nepali adventure, which resulted in an unforgettable trip coupled with a bundle of happiness.
Mr. Brian Murphy, Harrow Hong Kong’s Expeditions Coordinator, said: “The trip exceeded all of our expectations. Four days of trekking and camping, a MasterChef competition, painting school classrooms, two days of rafting, canoe and jeep safaris – looking back it’s hard to believe that we fitted so much into just 12 days!”
You can find out more about the pupils’ adventures on their Nepal blog by clicking here.