In my final few weeks in Timor-Leste I revisited a number of my favourite hikes in and around Dili, more confident and fitter than I had been. Walking them in the middle of the wet season, when I’d done most before in the dry season, was quite a different experience. It was far greener but paths were often overgrown and more slippery. The Bihare to Darlau hike was one of my favourites first time around, and even better the second time when I found a number of paths that replaced previous road walking. This is the video from when I walked it in the dry season, quite different to the photos below.
It was a beautiful and varied 10km hike, with superb views and interesting chapels, shrines and Uma Lulik. I parked my bike at the top of Bihare, a village at the saddle of Becora Hill (between Dili and Hera), and started with easy walking along somewhat muddy roads.
Without any real effort I got good views of Dili below.
The landscape was incredibly green and lush though sunshine was rare today, and it even rained a bit toward the end, which is rare in the morning.
Some of the many cemeteries and graves I passed on the walk.
My telephoto lens helped capture the landscape.
Coming over a hill I got great views of Hera below.
It was followed by a rather long slog up a dirt road with only this basic Uma Lulik of interest. Coming down the other side though is a lovely section through long grass, though the clay like earth was incredibly slippery. There was a huge spider in the middle of the path, which I wasn’t able to focus the camera on, but was glad that I spotted it before walking through it…
Gruta Nossa Senhora Peregrina Bairro Caisabe was an impressive shrine to the Virgin Mary.
A more traditional Uma Lulik followed, more green views and a stream.
I took a detour to Capela JPII Buburlau, a well situated chapel with a view, and a statue of Saint John Paul II welcoming people with outstretched arms. Coming down I had to be careful with the buffalo in the path.
There was a final hill to tackle with possibly the best views of the hike, though the weather had changed by then, before a short road section to return to my motorbike.
