Discover Himalaya Program
The way away from future ‘ecological doom’ comes from sensitizing the people of tomorrow to as many beautiful ecosystems of the present-day world. The philosophy behind Beyond The Wall’s Discover Himalaya Program is built on this. Having explored the Himalaya for the most of our adult lives, we have come to realize that the more we connect with the great outdoors, the better we connect with ourselves. In lands yet untouched by technology, we see the real machinery of local communities working in great rhythm to help us with our travels and keep their lands clean and functional, and calming. Every land we’ve crossed has piqued our curiosity for the charms of the next, and every time we have been spellbound. That is the sense of wonder we aim to inspire.
Be it through rock-climbing and challenging our individual strengths, or pitching tents and cooking together in the wilderness, we devised ways to function as a strong team and felt safe sharing ideas. We developed a awareness for simple things like LNT, respecting people, being kind and curious, and exploring the unknown without harming it. We learnt to pack our bags right so they don’t weigh us down. Building mud houses, we revelled in our love for all things natural and ourselves become the guardians of a better world.
The Discover Himalaya Program philosophizes this very journey to becoming masters of the wild, to continually protect the very pillars of Self, Community, Earth and Wonder.
Below is a showcase video and some photos of an adventure program in Himalayas shot and instructed by our team to give a better picture of why the Himalayas is the ideal destination for this outdoor education program.
Safety Is A Must!
Safety Protocols
We understand safety is of paramount importance when working with kids especially in remote regions like the Himalaya. To ensure maximum safety we have certain safety protocols apart from safety standards mentioned above that we always follow. These protocols are designed with years of experience in working in Indian Himalaya and keeping local resources in mind.
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Daily communication between grounds and office team.
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Backup vehicle to act as ambulance.
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Working with local authorities like Forest Department, NDRF (National Disaster Response Force), Police Department to ensure availability of local resources.
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Carrying Oxygen Cylinders with the team at all times during the high altitude part of the program.
We are more than happy to work together on additional safety protocols to satisfy SWC's standards of safety.
Activities
1. Himalayan Trek Expedition
In this activity, the kids will be led on a High Altitude Trekking Expedition through the heart of Himalaya where not only they will have to deal with Himalayan terrain but will also have to put all their other survival skills to test.
This activity would be preceded by smaller day hikes around the base camp to help kids brush up their wilderness skills before heading for the expedition.
Duration - 7 to 9 days long.
Possible Locations - Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh
Altitude - Up to 5000 Meters
Hard Skills - Camping, Navigation, Outdoor Cooking, Planning & Preparation, First Aid, Altitude Medicine, Mountaineering Skills.
2.Rock Climbing
In this activity, the kids will be taught various skills required to become independent rock climbers. Climbing on Himalayan rocks comes with its own challenges and this activity will take the kids to two to three different locations to climb.
Duration - 7-10 Days of Rock Climbing in 2-3 different locations.
Region - Ladakh
Hard Skills - Bolted lead climbing, Lead belaying, Anchor building & Rappelling, Bouldering and a lot of climbing.
3.River Rafting Expedition
This activity is about rafting in the Ganges. The holy river whose water flows all the way from the glacier in the high Himalayas and has plenty of rapids and a current that can be challenging.
The kids get to learn how to work well in a team while rowing past rapids and other challenges the river might throw at them.
Duration: - 3-5 days
Region - Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh
Hard Skills - White water rafting, teamwork, riverside camping.
4.Farming & Mud House Building
Putting your hands in the soil can connect you to mother earth which is why we have devised this activity. While cement houses are all the norm, we want to educate the kids about how well natural buildings work and their benefits.
From bamboo to clay, we will design a small build based on which the kids can get a good idea about how strong mud houses can be and how well they function depending on the weather and location.
Terrace Farming in the Himalayan geography is a unique type of farming and the kids can learn how the local's grow various crops here. They will be working with the farmers, helping them with the harvest.
Duration: - 3-5 days
Region - Uttarakhand
Hard Skills - farming, mud house construction
5.Community Service
While the Himalayas have their own charm and aura, they come with their own set of challenges. There are numerous remote villages, too far to reach by road and too deep in a valley for vehicles to transport goods and people. Hence there is always a demand for good teachers, for a good waste management system and good people.
This activity solely focuses on these remote villages and getting help there. From waste management, upcycling and teaching at the schools, we want to get the kids to put their hands deep in the remote life, understand why the waste management system fails, and why these people need help from outsiders.
Duration: - 3-5 days
Region - Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh
Hard Skills - Waste Management, Teaching
Sample Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in New Delhi Airport.
Uttarakhand State
Day 2: Road journey to Gilli Mitti Farms, Nainital. (9 hours)
Day 3 - 6: Farming, Community Service and Mudhouse Building
Day 7: Road journey to Rishikesh. (6.5 hours)
Day 8: Sightseeing Rishikesh.
Day 9 - 12: River Rafting expedition in Ganges.
Day 13: Road journey to New Delhi Airport (5.5 hours) and catch a 1 hour flight to Leh.
Ladakh Territory
Day 14 - 20: Rock climbing, day hikes and community service in Leh.
Day 21 - 29: Himalayan Trek Expedition
Day 30: Closing ceremony
Day 31: Flight to New Delhi Airport from Leh.
Mode of road Transport - 12 seater Mini bus.
Content Creation
By being able to reach those unreachable places and shoot in those unseen landscapes we've created a unique visual language for various brands which we would like to propose to SWC as well.
We would like to document the entire trip and provide showcase videos and photographs at the end of their journey. We have a strong content team that is more than used to rappelling down hills to click those perfect shots in the outdoors. These photos and videos don't only serve the marketing purposes but also works as a wonderful showcase for the parents.
Team
Closing
These activities have been chosen keeping the SWC's four pillars in mind. However, we will discuss details for each activity like duration, the location, etc. before moving ahead and coming up with the finalised itinerary together.
Hoping to come up with the best possible itinerary for the kids and give them an adventure-filled experience in the Himalayas.
Please let us know your thoughts on this proposal and when can we connect to explore the next steps.
Extras
These are some videos created by our team to help you give more insight into our team and also the Himalayas.
