Office Retreat Event 2023
March 4th - 5th, 2023 (8.30 am)
Kulekhani Hill Lodge | Markhu, Kulekhani
Our office retreat for 2023 was scheduled for March 4th and 5th at Kulekhani Hill Lodge, nestled on the hill of Indrasarowar, Markhu, Kulekhani. The main reason why we chose Kulekhani as this year’s venue was because of its several unavoidable reasons such as breathtaking views, river boating, speed motor boating, majestic Mohini Waterfall and many more.
Without any further delay, let’s have a quick light-hearted recollection of our two-day adventure –
Day 1 – March 4th
Our journey started off with a classic start: our 8:30 am departure morphed into a 9:30 am escape due to the usual regrouping delays.
Still, it’s better late than never! There was a lot of chatter and excitement during the bus ride. In the midway, we stopped bus for a breakfast. By this, we also got some time to stretch our legs and admire the views during the journey.
At approximately 1 pm, we arrived at Kulekhani Hill Lodge, greeted by its charming hillside setting. With its warm ambience and breathtaking views, the lodge instantly felt us like a second home. Due to some hours of traveling by bus, we were starving as a horse as well. So, we had a superb lunch and a short nap, making everyone ready for day’s adventure.
Post-lunch, we explored the surrounding lush green areas, soaking in the mesmerizing sceneries of the rolling hills. We relaxed and savored every moment of the lush surroundings. Fantastic, wasn’t it?
At around 5 pm or so, concerning mainly on team-building activity to promote cooperation and communication among team members, the office organized some team-building games such as – Ping Pong Ball Relay, Blindfolded Treasure Hunt and Water Ping Pong. The key? Cooperation and a lot of patience!
Games we played
- Ping Pong Ball Relay: In this game, teams must work together to transfer a small table tennis ball balanced on the tip of a bottle using only their dot pens, and must return that ball in the shortest possible time.
- Blindfolded Treasure Hunt: In this game, the team leader, also called “snake head” should collect all the items scattered in the playground space, but there are some unique challenges – a member in a team who is leading snake is blindfolded and other members in a group behind him/her can’t talk to each other but can communicate by tapping on teams’ and leader’s shoulders for left or right directions and tapping the head to signal when to sit down and collect nearby items.
- Water Ping Pong: In this game, each member in a team must transfer a pin pong ball (aka TT ball) on the top of a glass filled with water, by blowing from one glass to another in the shortest possible time.
After the games, we got together for dinner, which was delicious and much satisfying. Later in the evening, we had a BBQ session featuring fish and chicken, followed by impromptu dance parties, singing, and late-night chatter with colleagues. That’s why, it was our great night, filled with much fun and laughter.
Day 2 – March 5th
On the second day, we kicked off with a fantastic sunrise that cast the hills and mountains in captivating colors. After a healthy breakfast at sharp 8 am, we chose to begin our morning with a short hike to the stunning Mohini Waterfall, also known as Mohini Jharna. There were not more than 10 members joining the hike.
However, our hike would only start after crossing the Kulekhani River (aka Kulekhani Dam), so we took a riverboat which added more flavor in our adventure.
Weather being sunny and clear, we embarked on a 30-minute walk filled with ups and downs. Eventually, we reached our most awaiting destination – Mohini Waterfall, standing at about 300 feet and surrounded by lush greenery, which did not disappoint us as well. There, we spent roughly an hour playing in the water, snapping photos, and simply enjoying the natural beauty.
Capturing unforgettable memories along the way, we made our way back to the lodge at around 12.45 pm. Thereafter, we filled our stomach with a scrumptious meal. Perfect, wasn’t it?
After a quick break, we took part in the short program organized by Diagonal Technologies on the occasion of 5th Anniversary. Our office commemorated its big day with cake cutting, and sharing wonderful experiences (by our COO, and CEO, including some diagonal members). Besides, it also honored 6 members (3 being absent in this retreat) with a token of love as they already spent a good 5 years in the Diagonal.
What’s more, the celebrations went on through group dancing and lots of laughter!
As the Holi festival, the festival of colors, and love, was also approaching nearer, we couldn’t resist a mini celebration as well. Therefore, embracing the spirit of fun and unity, we colored each other as a precursor to the joyful celebration.
Hmmm… it was around 4 pm and we were already running late, so we quickly regrouped, packed our bags, and unwillingly said our perfect goodbyes to Kulekhani Hill Lodge and its stunning ambience.
Creating memories with pictures!
Wrapping up:
As we bid farewell to the lodge, we departed with priceless memories and a stronger team spirit. Thank you Diagonal Technologies for organizing such a great retreat event…. here’s to many more laughs and adventures in the future!