Gosainkunda green hiker/ leave no trace expedition
11 April – 20 April 2012

Gosainkunda Green hiker / Leave no trace Expedition was organize by Initiative Outdoor, outdoor Leadership School and sponsor by WWF Nepal.

Nepal is one of the very few places in the world where people of different origin gather together in one particular pilgrimage center for worship, pray and celebrate their practice and traditions. Gosainkunda is one of such pilgrimage centers where Hindu, Buddhist, Bon and shamanistic practitioners of other streams go for pilgrimage and perform their spiritual duties according to their own traditions and beliefs. The expedition was designed by Mr. Chandra Ale, Director of Initiative Outdoor outdoor Leadership School.

The expedition started from April 11 – 20, 2012 from Kathmandu and on the way at Dhunche we were welcome by LACCOS (Langtang area community conservation society). We discussed about Gosainkunda green hiker expedition and Leave No Trace principle with them. We stayed at Thulo Barkhu for the night. We had an evening briefing about the day, tomorrows plan and choose the leader for next day. On day second we started our journey from Thule Barkhu to Thulo Syabru. Through out the day, on the trail, we collected the trashes. We had our lunch at Brabal where we also had a meeting with local community, youth as well as Ama samuha about Leave No Trace. They were positive and encouraged for the proper management of waste. After good lunch and meeting at Brabal, we headed towards our hotel at Thulo Syabru. Once we were at our hotel,We again organized meeting with local youths and Ama samuha.

Next morning after breakfast we kicked on our heels to our unreached destination again with all those positive thoughts and energy. We bought some fresh vegetable on the way at Dursag. We made our lunch by our self. After lunch we started walking again cracking jokes and singing songs which made us forget all those difficulties that we were having on climbing up hills. We reached at Danda teashop for tea break and we talked about Leave No Trace principles with the hotel and shop owners. They were so impressed with the principals that they started practicing it right then. They all collected the rubbish that was thrown around everywhere. We reached our hotel at Chandanbari and went for dinner at 7.30 pm. After dinner we did our same routine, briefing and selecting leader for tomorrow.

As usual again after breakfast we started hiking on top of Chandanbari. In between we also played our own version of TUG OF WAR and learned some first aid skills. We had dinner and went to bed finishing our regular schedule.

It was our fourth day, after having breakfast we had meeting with locals about Leave No Trace principles. We also talked about the renovation and preservation of local Gumba there which was in the verse of collapsing. Despite of what Gumba’s condition was, while talking with them, we felt that they were more conscious about the environment and its awareness. It snowed that afternoon because of which hiking became abit more challenging but that was not only the reason. We climbed 1000 meter that day and it was obvious for the participating to have some hard time who had never climbed that high before. We had an early dinner that evening and went straight to bed as soon as we were done with our regular schedule.

Our Routine was the next morning as well. We had a breakfast, talked about leave no trace with the local and local communities and then we headed towards Kunda. The day was little bit exiting though because we were crossing the laurebinayek pass, the highest pass of the expedition (4610 meters), that day and when we reached the pass we all felt so rejuvenated that we started playing with snow like a small kids forgetting all those pains and difficulties. We crossed the pass and had our lunch at Phedi. We also did a short knot session during our lunch time. Our next station for the night was Ghopte. We had the dinner, finished the regular schedule, and went to bed.

Next day we walked towards Tharepati. Most of our route was up hills. Practical rescue training was taught at Tharepati. Then, we reached to Mangengoth an elevation of 3220 meter. We all took knot classes and Wilderness First Aid Courses, which was really interesting and meaningful for our daily life. Half of the group acted as victims and half were the rescue team members. We played different roll with different time.

Marketing and Communication Manager of WWF-Nepal, Akash Shrestha was presented profile figure about WWF-Nepal and Gosainkunda green hiker/leave no trace expedition. We got lots of knowledge about WWF – Nepal after the session. LNT presentation was presented with local communities. Nest day we continued our journey towards Kutumsang an elevation of 2470 meter. On the way we passed Danda where we found a person who sell basket, pen stand and many more…. by using cover of noodle, biscuit and other material. We were really appreciated and encouraged him by buying some of his art and recycled products. We discussed about his skills and how can we implement his skills in the local communities along the way in the trails.

Now the journey was all the way downhill. About couple of hours walking down the hill we reached Kutumsang where we talked about the Leave No Trace principles and how can we solve the problems of wastage and proper management of it with Ama Smuha, locals as well as hotel owners. We took responsible role for the Wilderness First Aid practical. It was another useful and memorable training for everybody in their daily life.

Next day we moved towards Chisapani which was our last night. The route was very difficult thought we ought to meet it. We had tea break at Gul Bhanjyang and Lunch was at Chipling Danda we called this place chicken airport because most of chicken was ready position with their wings to fly. We reached at Chasipani around evening. This was our last night of the expedition so we celebrate well. With sun rise from Chasapani we moved to the end of our expedition. The route all the way was down to the Sundarijal all the way through Shivapuri National Park. Lunch was at Mulkharka with delicious Nepali taste. We end up our expedition around 4.00 pm and drive back to Kathmandu.

The expedition was successful, educational and useful. The leave no trace orientation and Wilderness First Aid course took an important part in our expedition. We have had really amazing time making in such place like Gosainkunda with full of snow in the Kunda as well as in the pass with delicious vegetable from the vegetable garden and such expedition with Leave No Trace principle in our life.

Hope to see you all in the next expedition soon.

Thank you

Krishna Khadka

Participant

Some Photos from the Expedition