Call from the Mountains – Daman

MAJESTIC MOUNTAIN VIEWS, STUNNING RHODODENDRONS, A PEACEFUL BUDDHIST MONASTERY AND CRISP FRESH AIR —  DAMAN 

Moin Uddin

Daman

I wanted a break for some time and when a trip to Daman, 80 km west of Kathmandu came to me, it was an instant yes. So, on a sunny Friday afternoon, I along with a friend set off to the hills of Daman.

Once we crossed Naubise, we were greeted by the tranquil fresh countryside air. The scenic lush green hills made the four hour long drive to Daman end in no time. The smooth road turned serpentine as a magnificent sunset greeted us just as we were about to reach our destination; the sun never looked as beautiful as it did when it coyly glided beyond the hills.

Around six in the evening we reached Everest Panorama Resort daman2where we were staying for the night. Early the next morning, a view of the mountains and the gorgeous sunrise was simply breathtaking. The resort’s private view tower, equipped with binoculars brought the mountains from Mount Everest in the east to Kangchenjunga, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu, Manaslu, Annapurna and Dhaulagiri to the west much closer.

After a hearty breakfast we headed to a tranquil Tibetan Buddhist monastery. A thirty-minute leisurely walk from the resort, where the trail meanders through pristine forests, the monastery is draped in colourful buddhist prayer flags. We then went to Simbhanjyang. Hundreds of rhododendrons line up the trail, blooming in all their beauty – a walk around the surrounding area is an experience in itself. Rock climbing, cycling, hiking are some of the many activities possible here. For those who love hiking, one from Simbhanjyang to Bhimphedi-Deurali makes a beautiful hike. Other attractions include, Mountain Botanical Garden- famous for its bio-diversity and topographical settings and the the View Tower of Daman. The tower offers spectacular view ranging from the Palung to the beautiful Chitlang and the mountains.

Sadly for me, my rendezvous with Daman lasted only for a day. On the same afternoon, I headed back to Kathmandu leaving behind pristine pine forests, beautiful mountains and the chilly temperature of serene Daman.

A version of this article appears in print on February 19, 2015 of The Himalayan Times.