An Expedition to the Realm of Clouds

There is a saying, “The journey is more important than the destination.” My visit to Sajek was nothing but the same. My college mates from Gazipur and I traveled to Sajek. Sajek is a union located north of the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh. The distance between Dhaka and Sajek is approximately 370 km. The trip was fascinating. It took about 8 hours to reach our destination, Sajek.

To begin with, we had to take a bus to reach Khagrachari from Dhaka. The bus fare was only 620 taka. Then, we reached Dighinala from Khagrachari through Chander Gari. The fare for a jeep was 300 taka per person. The hilly route is single-lane, so the jeeps can only go up or down simultaneously. The security of that place is very tight. Hence, the army always keeps patrolling. All the tourists visiting get the assistance of a safe journey led by the army so that the tourists can reach their destination safely.

We arrived at Sajek at 4 pm. Even though it was winter, the weather was still hot as there were no clouds, and the sun’s beams directly hit us. However, we were so mesmerized by the view that we became speechless. All the arduous journeys and mountainous road struggles faded in an instant. The intertwining of the clouds and mountains felt like heaven. After taking some photos, we went to a helipad from where we could see the entire Sajek. I awoke early the following day to witness the dawn. The scenery was so beautiful that it appeared like the clouds and mountains were giving birth to the sun. After watching the sunrise, we went to Konglak Mountain, the highest mountain in Sajek. From that very mountain, we had the most incredible view of Rangamati. The view from there was bewitching. After that, we went to Alutila Cave. The cave was pitch black, so I had to take a burning torch there. The overall expedition was indeed a wonderful experience.

The food was also exciting to taste. They had some food items I had never even heard of, and their main item was Bamboo Chicken. The chicken is marinated before being placed in the bamboo. After that, they cook it over an open fire. I had the bamboo chicken, and it was tasty. A point to note, I enjoyed the hotchpotch and tea the most. It was my first time trying wet-leaf tea, and it tasted like nothing I had ever had. The restaurant we ate at was 1552 feet above sea level. I think 1000 taka is enough for a person to spend an entire day in Sajek.

All of us together had the best time of our life. We helped each other climb mountains to visit a cave. There was not enough oxygen because it was 1500 feet above sea level. As a result, a large number of our pals became ill. We cared for friends who got sick from hiking and traveling on a lengthy highway. Those recollections are permanently etched into the deepest recesses of my psyche. I would return to Sajek if any opportunity arose.