The area immediately around Prakriti itself offers splendid opportunities for short and less strenuous exploratory options. One can take a leisurely walk around the serene Dhhap Lake (wetland), keeping a discreet eye out for birds and wild animals that inhabit the area or alternatively, you can take a short hike to the local trout farm or the tea estate, or even visit the famous cheese factory nearby. Come in spring design and walk your own trail through dense, full bloom Rhododendron forests ablaze in all their glory. Should you want to indulge in cultural, walk over to Sankhu or Bajrayogini passing en route through Newari, Gurung , Tamang, Brahmin or Chettri villages.
The Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park itself is a playground for adventures and naturalists alike from the most part untouched by fantastic short treks and hikes that allow you to set a slower pace and truly immerse yourself in the rich culture and lifestyle of village life. Amble along ample walking trails of the Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park or let the explorer in you take you to Mainchur, Okhreni, Kune, Chisapani or Bagdwar, or even “Conquer” the Shivapuri Peak.
Also, being located on the crossroads of the famous hiking route network that crisscrosses the outskirts of the Kathmandu Valley such as the ones to Kakani, Gurju Bhanjyang, Baghdwar, Chisapani, Sundarijal, Sankhu, Nagarkot and Dhulikhel, the resort can be used as a convenient base for hiking excursions to these places. These make up for perfect short treks for those who do not have sufficient time to venture further into the Himalayas and can be undertaken with simple preparation.
Prakriti is a convenient gateway for invigorating treks to the Langtang National Park, Gosainkunda and the Helambu region. In this regard, the resort is an ideal first-night stopover, which will help you get acclimatized before you reach the higher altitudes of Langtang.
Below information are provided in order to familiarize the area for hiking around Prakriti to our guests.
Dhaap Pokhari: Dhaap Pokhari was once a wetland famous for various types of bird watching & wildlife experiencing activities is now converted into a dam. The esteem project is constructing 24 mts. high dam to increase water flow in Bagmati River. The dam would store 8, 50,000 cubic meters of water and would be released at the rate of 400 liters per second during dry season. This ongoing project is being carried out by High Powered Committee for integrated development of Bagmati Civilization and is under the finance support of ADB-bank with budget of Rs 520 million which includes upgrading of the access road. The dam construction will be finished by the end of 2020. To reach Dhaap Pokhari , it is 1.5 kilometers far from our resort. The hike is fairly easy except for the first ten minutes, hikers need to hike up the hill and after that the journey is smooth which follows through the national park route. The hike is mostly preferred before or after having breakfast as one can watch birds along the way.
Chisapani & Cheese Factory: One of the famous destinations for hikers/trekkers near Kathmandu is Chisapani hike. It’s a small hill station and the entry point for trekking to Kakani, Nagarkot, and the Himalayan region of Langtang and Helambu. The small hamlet commands breathtaking views of the Himalaya mountain range from Annapurna in the west to the Everest region in the east. Despite being famous for mountain views it is also famous for its cheese production as they have their own cheese factory where our guest can have a bite of yummy organic cheese produced and sold by them. Unfortunately during the 2015 earthquake all the hotels & houses were destroyed & the guests visiting Chisapani can still see the ruins of the local houses and hotels. From our resort its five kilometers far passing through Dhaap Pokhari and the route comprising of plain terrain which takes about three hours hike to reach Chisapani and come back.
Nagmati River: Take one hour of hiking from our resort following the route via Hille Bhanjyang and into Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park. This gradually descending hiking trail leads you through an old growth Oak forest and a spell binding Rhododendron jungle and up to river Nagmati. The river Nagmati is so clean flowing from the areas of Dhhap Pokhari . Taking the hike to this area after breakfast is so refreshing and rewarding especially with the sound of birds chirping and river water splash. It takes you one hour and fifteen minutes to come back to the resort. Those guests who want to visit all the way to Mulkharka village; it takes further one more hour from Nasgmati River.
Our Organic Farm: The resort is aiming to achieve self-sufficiency through integrated and sustainable farming practices that combine the cultivation of organic vegetables and other farm produces. Our organic farm is set alongside the resort and is constantly evolving to produce fresh and healthy vegetables, fruits, herbs, spices and dairy products for guest at the resort. Any of our guests interested to visit our farm could take a stroll around and even pick up themselves some of the fresh vegetables and ask to cook for dinner.
Mulkharga Village: Shivapuri National Park is one of the unique parks in the world, in the sense that not only natural wildlife, birds and plants inhabit the park, but a local community is also located within the premises of park. This aspect of the park adds a fascinating cultural dimension. Mulkharga village is entirely surrounded by the national park. The village spreads alongside the trail. There are about 70 households and around 60 percent of the population consists of women with majority of them engaged in agriculture. The remaining households operate the tea houses and trekkers’ lodges along the trail.
Trout Fish Farm: One of the most popular activities which can be done near our resort is visiting the famous trout fish farm which is one hour of downhill hiking and one hour fifteen minutes of uphill return hiking. It’s famous for trout fish as many Kathmandu residents come to take a bite of the freshly caught trout fish from the farm. Our guest can get the experience of catching the trout fish from the farm via fishing nets, barbeque them in our resort or eat it in the restaurants of the fish farm. Along the way to the fish-farm one can witness the traditional lifestyle of Gurung village residing near the fish farm.
The Everest Tea Garden: Bhotechaur is well known for the tea garden (known as Everest Tea Garden) located in Hibung Village in Melamchi Municipality , Everest tea garden which is also popular as “Mini Ilam” is one of the beautiful places near Kathmandu for short duration outing. Mini Ilam is accessible by hiking route of 3 km from Prakriti Resort. Everest Tea Garden used to be a trending traveling destination of the people of Kathmandu valley for Picnic, photo shoot, refreshment visit as well as one night stays. Presently, the management of the Everest garden has closed the entry of visitors for some safety reasons of the plants itself. The visitors are allowed to view the garden only from far distance apart.
Bird watching Hiking: Experience the 3 and half hours hike with stunning scenery and excellent views of snow capped mountains, serene lake, and river.
One of the most interesting hiking routes would be surely a walk around the serene Lake (Dhaap Pokhari) and proceeding downhill to Sindure Jhyan by the crystal clear Nagmati River and hike back to Prakriti Resort. With a range of easy to moderate walks, this would suit most to the nature lovers – Birds and wild life that inhabit the area.
Other Hiking options around Prakriti Resort and Organic farm
Short Hikes:
Hiking out from Prakriti Resort: