Kathmandu, June 21 -- By the time I reached the Chhaimale Resort, the only resort in the village of Chhaimale, it was already noon. I had been riding for almost an hour and a half. It was a hot day, and I was parched. After gulping down two glasses of water, followed by an ungodly amount of dal, bhat and tarkari, I retreated to my room and collapsed.

Located northwest of Kathmandu, Chhaimale, a portion of which also hugs the Dakshinkali-Kulekhani-Hetauda highway, is one of the many pocket villages that dot the hills surrounding the Valley. After the establishment of the Chhaimale Resort in 2013, the sleepy village has seen a regular flow of weekenders from Kathmandu. This was my second visit, after one in 2014.

At 2pm, Suresh Prajapati,...