Uttrakhand, May 17, 2018: It was an adventurous and refreshing start to the bristling heat of the summer vacations, as 102 students of Class XII and their teachers embarked on a three-day trip to Jim Corbett National Park and the Sylvan hill station of Nainital. Students boarded the buses on 15th May and reached Banyan Retreat, a luxurious resort set in a quaint little village by the name of Choi. They visited Jim Corbett Museum, Garija Devi Temple and the Kosi river banks in the evening.  The second day saw the spirits of the students soar high as they set off to Nainital for a day long visit to the beautiful hill station, set amongst picturesque lakes and hilly trails. Students took a leisurely stroll around Naini Lake, paid obeisance in the Naini temple and shopped for trinkets and souvenirs in the local market on the bustling Mall Road. In the evening, they let their hair down with friends on the dance floor in the party hall of the resort.

The final day started early at 4 am as the students and teachers excitedly set off in the forest jeeps for a peep into the dense forest area. The wilderness was awake with the shrill calls of the jungle – the single-crested eagle, multi-coloured green-bee-eater bird, in tandem with the splendid colours of the peacock, spotted deer, wild boar, bison, elephants, langurs and monkeys, to name a few. An ancient Sita Temple, nestled in the deep forest amidst a serene natural waterfall and an oval pond was a discovery for all.

The students and teachers bid adieu to the sleepy town of Ramnagar and the Banyan Retreat, with an untold promise to return again. The trip was a close brush with the raw beauty of nature and a successful attempt to understand the flora & fauna of the region.