I could hear the sound of rain hitting against the window. Accompanied by thunder, it was a familiar sound that filled me with a sense of calm. I was half awake, still lost in the world of dreams, when I looked at my phone. The time was 6:00 AM. One hour before the morning safari starts. I sighed deeply, knowing that the rain meant that the tigers would not come out to drink today.

I had been waiting for weeks to go on this safari, and I had hoped to see these majestic creatures up close. But the weather was not on my side. I closed my eyes and listened to the sound of the rain. It was a soothing sound, but it also filled me with a sense of disappointment. I knew that I would have to wait for another day to see the tigers.

But as I lay there, half-awake, I began to notice other sounds around me. I could hear the sound of birds singing, and the rustling of leaves in the wind. The forest was alive, even in the rain.

The following day, we arrived at the park’s office to reserve our safari. Unfortunately, the fee for the two of us was quite steep, and we were charged 10000 NPR. However, our vehicle and guide arrived shortly after, and they greeted us warmly. We were given a quick briefing on the proper etiquette to follow during the safari, particularly when inside the park. Our guide suggested we wear dark clothing. As soon as we entered the wilderness, we were captivated by the aroma that surrounded us. The vehicle moved at a slow pace to minimize noise. We engaged our guide in conversation, and I inquired about the population of tigers in Bardiya. According to him, there were over 152 tigers. Our first stop was one of the most popular spots for tiger sightings. There were several areas tourists could visit in hopes of encountering a tiger. We reached the shoreline of a stream, where tigers frequently come to drink water. Our guide shared a memory of narrowly escaping a rhinoceros attack.

The safari guide continued his story, reliving the adrenaline rush and the fear that he had felt. It had been a close call, and he had been lucky to escape unscathed. The memory was still vivid in his mind, even though it had happened several years ago.

As he spoke, we leaned in, fascinated by the tale of the rhinoceros attack. We could almost feel the heat of the sun and the coolness of the water as we imagined themselves in the same situation.

Frequently asked questions on Annapurna Base Camp trek.

• Where can I start ABC trek to save time?
• How to reach Ghandruk directly from Pokhara?
• What is the shortest ABC trek route?
• How difficult is the ABC trek?
• How are the conditions of Tea Houses?
• What are the costs of food and shelter?
• Can I get altitude sickness at ABC?
• Is Jhinu Hotspring worth visiting?
• Do I need Rain Cover?

Currently Corona semi-lockdown is active in our city where we cannot travel outside the state. I can hear far away tall-snow mountains whispering in my ear and I am unable to reach them. Hope is alive and soon I will see them again. Until then I was on lookout to search for quiet haven of nature near me that isn’t known to many people. To seek quiet heaven away from city - to forget about work and responsibility for a while, and get myself immersed in sounds of nature. As if mother nature heard my wish I found an information about a secret creek in dense jungle located in hills some 1 hour away from the city. I have been preparing and waiting for little bushcraft adventure and this opened an opportunity. It would be great hiking adventure with my first attempt in starting bushcraft.I made a plan for hiking to that place and cook a whole roast chicken in little bushcraft style on campfire near that creek. Winter has marked their arrival but it’s not fully cold yet - still have one more month to feel the chilly needles into skin. I woke up early morning and prepare fresh countryside chicken from local farm near-me. I made all the preparation of spice-mix, additional seasonings, grill plates, matchsticks, drinking water and my camera equipment. We were set to go.

Hike was an uphill trail with landslide prone path at the beginning. After 15 minutes forest started to grow and soon we had a thick foliage and beautiful canopy above our head. More deeper we went, and old aged trees start to make appearance with their majestic girth and thickness standing tall reaching sky. Beautiful blue wild flowers were jostling playfully with wind. All stress and worrisome was forgotten. We reached the mountain creek.

List of Fruits name in nepali and english

Mulberry - किम्बु

Mulberry is known as Kimbu in Nepali. Riped Black mulberry fruits are large and juicy, with a good balance of sweetness and tartness.

Barberry - चूतरो, चौतारी

Barberry is known as Chutro in Nepali. They are ripen to red and have a tart taste. They are also fermented to wine in rural homes.

I went outdoors to forest in hills of Nepal to forage mushrooms and identify them. Monsoon has announced its presence and marks the season for some edible mushrooms from Amanita family to be found in wild. Amanita is tricky family and recommended to avoid by non-experienced mushroom foragers. We were looking for mainly edible Caesar’s Mushrooms or Amanita Caesarea. There are poisonous imposters so be careful and be 100% sure.

I am an inexperienced mushroom forager beginner with no experience in mushroom identification. This marked my first field experience in identifying wild mushrooms. I brought along my mother who has some experience in identifying edible mushrooms - mainly caesar’s mushroom. Right now, Forest is lush green and so fresh like springtime of youth from monsoon rains and making appearances of Amanita mushrooms that is common native to this nearby region during from months of June to August.

January mostly is the coldest month in Nepal. This year we received heavy and lasting snowfall in mountains. The hills where snowfall is not frequent and rare were covered under white blanket. I planned a winter hike and outdoor cooking trip in Arghakhanchi district - to a small village Darakateri. There is an observation point surrounded by forest at the peak which was our destination.

I made a stop at my cousin’s place who lives in beautiful village Amlabas in Palpa district. Amlabas is some 30 KM away from Arghakhanchi district. Rain started pouring in noon. Generally it is a good indication for the weather next morning because it could become clear of haze and we have a perfect view of Mt Dhaulagiri. By evening rain had stopped and our decision to ride in motorcycle to Darakateri village was confirmed. We would stay a night in Darakateri and early morning we would start our hike to the peak. Late evening when sun did set half an hour ago we reached Darakateri village. It was freezing cold. We sat around wood fire and enjoyed the basking in heat to warm our bodies. After dinner we tucked in our bed early for our next morning.

I see the sleeping giants wrapped under red tint of blanket that covered the skyline. Birds with their beautiful chirps tries to awake them from night’s slumber. At home I never feel such peace running through my body. I kept watching at the horizon until red blanket spread by sun melted away into sparking cool blue hue.

Ghandruk Trek. A short beautiful hiking trail in Kaski district of Nepal that we completed in 2 days. We hiked a loop starting at Syaulibazar then Ghandruk to Australian Camp through Landruk. Last week I had an opportunity to visit Kaski District and made a plan to do a short hiking of Ghandruk during my short leave. I had total 4 days and had to be back home on the 4th day. That left me with 2 days of hiking. I made a plan to hike small section of Ghandruk loop trail that starts from Syaulibazar and ends in Kande after Australian camp. Ghandruk loop trek is very short beautiful trail in Nepal on foothills of Annapurna range. My cousin tagged along.

Here we go.

• How tough is the Ghandruk Trek?
• What should I carry on Ghandruk Trek?
• How is food quality at tea houses on Ghandruk Trek trail?
• How is Hygiene and Sanitation on Ghandruk Trek?
• Do I need a guide for Ghandruk Trek?
• Can I get altitude sickness at Ghandruk Trek?

Our hike started from Sisne Khola. It’s few meters after or before Jhumsa Bridge if you are coming from Butwal or Tansen. There is a message board with direction too but in Nepali language so if you are a foreigner you could ask tea houses. They will guide you to the start of trail.