- The Southern Ridge Walk
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THE STORY Twenty five years ago, the hills around Kathmandu were barren, deforested mostly. Today, they are green, full of forests, thanks to the community forestry projects that have helped Nepal become one of the leaders in reforestation in the world. Few years ago, the Chandragiri Hills project set up a cable car to reach the southern hilltop at 2540m. The hike from here to the the Hattiban Forests, an old preserved forest, is spectacular. This is probably the best hike in Kathmandu valley, notwithstanding the steps that sometimes can be a pain. Starting at Chandragiri using the new cable car, we start by enjoying the views all the way to the Annapurnas on a clear day and the whole Himalayan range where the big giants are in Nepal. From there, we follow the ridge all the way to the Hattiban forests, where four to five hours later, we could end with a delicious lunch at the Hattiban Resort, or get picked up for a rest in our hotel. The trail is partly forest, partly open grassland, and it always has great views. You will be having a picnic lunch atop one of the hilltops.