Trips Created to Encourage Discovery, Exploration, & Adventure
Thanks to YOUR generosity during the Fund-A-Need Auction at Trivia Night 2023, three groups of our children were able to attend Discovery Field Trips that were filled with sightseeing, learning, and hiking!
As our NGO partner in Nepal, Bhuvaneshwori Satyal Foundation’s (BSF), Executive Director Leena Satyal said, these outings provide the students, “more of an educational tour where they can learn, be with their friends, and enjoy the environment outside of their school. That is how they are able to learn more and develop a connection with one another.
It is also a wonderful opportunity for the BSF coordinators to develop a stronger connection with the students and a greater understanding of the students’ personalities and needs.”
The first Discovery Trip was attended by our 6th-9th grade students.
The trip took place during the children’s end of term break, and allowed them to have fun, but also continue learning while they were out of school. It was a two day/one night excursion, and the students were accompanied by staff and volunteers from BSF as well as a tour guide. They were able to do some sight-seeing in the ancient heritage city of Bhaktapur, spend the night in Nagarkot, and go on a hike!
Not only was the drive to Nagarkot wonderfully scenic, they were also able to view the sunrise and the Himalayan mountains in the morning from their hotel.
Before leaving for the trip, the students were instructed on a travel “code of conduct” which was very important for their own safety and ensured no one would be inconvenienced by an individual’s behavior or conduct.
The second Discovery Trip was attended by our 11th and 12th grade students.
They also went for a two-day educational excursion with the BSF staff, but instead of Bhaktapur and Nagarkot, they visited Chandragiri, Chitlang, Markhu and Kulekhani. Another area of Nepal that is rich in history and tradition.
Prior to the construction of the first highway in Nepal, the Tribhuvan Highway, travelers to and from Kathmandu used the historical route of Thankot-Chandragiri-Chitlang-Markhu and onward to travel to the Terai region of Nepal and on to India. Now, our students have not only learned about this historic route, they can also say they have seen it with their own eyes.
Chitlang is a scenic village with historical and cultural significance. One of the aspects it is famous for is the ancient settlements of the Newar people, the indigenous people of the Kathmandu Valley.
On the first day, the group traveled to the top of the Changragiri Hill by cable car! Then, in the afternoon they made their way back to Chitlang where they stayed for the rest of the night.
On the second day, they went for a short hike to a goat cheese factory and some other nearby attractions in Chitlang. They had their lunch in a peaceful pear garden, and also visited the Kulekhani Dam (hydropower reservoir) before traveling back to Kathmandu using the Tribhuvan Highway.
The final Discovery Trip group was attended by our Bachelors level university students.
Like our 11th and 12th grade students, they also visited Chandragiri, Chitlang, Markhu and Kulekhani.
After the adrenaline inducing cable car ride to the top of Chandragiri mountain, the group hiked down a ways before embarking on the scenic drive to Chitlang.
Before the building of the Tribhuvan Highway in the mid 50’s, this historical trade route was solely used by travelers on foot. The students were able to walk a piece of this historic trade route and see firsthand what that journey may have been like. While in Chitlang, they visited the Ashok Chaitya, an ancient Buddhist Stupa.
We are very thankful that our children were able to have this opportunity, as this was the first time they have been able to go on an excursion outside Kathmandu. This experience enabled them to learn so much about their history and culture. All together, the Discovery Trips were highly enjoyable for the students as well as the accompanying teachers and volunteers!
Without you, these trips would have never been possible. Thank you.
