The Sport and Recreation Bureau of the Society of Pharmacy Students (SOPHYS) organised an activity to explore the Cadamba Forest in UiTM on December 17th, 2022 and January 14th, 2023. This activity involved the participation of 55 students and 5 staff from the Faculty of Pharmacy. The purpose of this activity was to provide an opportunity for the students to explore the natural environment and to gain knowledge about the flora and fauna of the forest.

The students were introduced  to the basics of hiking activities, provided safe climbing skills, and introduced to the diversity of plants and animals found in the forest. Furthermore, this kind of activity enables them to feel refreshed and has a number of merits associated with it. While walking, our legs, arms, and other parts of our body move, providing good physical exercise that keeps you fit and healthy. Spending quality time in nature can boost mood, improve mental health and social life, reduce stress, calm anxiety, and lead to a lower risk of depression.

Cadamba Forest offers an easy to moderate hiking trail suitable for people of all ages, with a relatively low hill offering one of the best views around. The starting point of Cadamba Forest, located at Tasik Lima, is a 3.5 km or 2-hour hike, depending on your fitness level. The activity began at 7.45 am with a warm-up session, which is important to increase blood flow to the muscles, prepare for the activity and reduce the risk of injury. The participants then began trekking up the trail, which is pretty straightforward with only moderate slopes and a clear pathway for hikers, so following it will ensure a safe journey.

We encountered a few checkpoints, using them as an opportunity to sip some water before arriving at an open-air space area to rest. At the end of this hiking activity at 12.00 pm, students reflected on their experiences finding this easy breezy hike to be the best experience of their lives!