The Biggest Barrier To Children Trekking? Adults. Here’s Why, And How We Can Fix This

For many schools and colleges, the idea of taking students on a trek is met with a smile—and a polite, non-committal “maybe next year.” 

Trekking, after all, is fun…for other people. Adventurous, “sporty” people. Adults who wear harnesses and hang off cliffs in icy conditions. Surely not for young people in schools and colleges?

Not quite. Trekking as a sport has been muddied by assumptions and misunderstandings—many of which are outdated or plain incorrect. 

It’s time we cleared up some of these myths.

Myth 1: Trekking ≠ Mountaineering

Let’s begin here. Trekking is not an extreme sport. You won’t need ropes, ice axes, or a daredevil attitude. Mountaineering is a different sport altogether—with very different risks and requirements. The two should never be confused.

In fact, organised trekking (the kind that InSOUL facilitates) is more an immersive outdoor classroom than a high-risk expedition. 

Trekking is a walk in nature (just more intense than your average walk), at a pace that suits your group, with accessible trails and thoughtfully designed activities. 

Our expert trek leaders ensure excellent levels of care for student groups. They are fantastic with young people and help bring out the best in them while outdoors.

Myth 2 Everyone Can’t Trek, Especially Children

Reality: Who can trek? The short answer: almost everyone—with the right preparation.

Trekking doesn’t need you to be an athlete. It’s building functional fitness, embracing minimalism, and embracing a spirit of exploration. 

We’ve had 7-year-olds and 60-year-olds complete Himalayan treks. What they had in common wasn’t superhuman stamina—it was preparation, curiosity, and embracing unpredictability in the outdoors.

Myth 3: Trekking means eating Maggi and dry bread.

Reality: The food is tasty, nutritious and an experience in itself.

We don’t exaggerate when we say food is among the highlights of high-altitude treks with us.

On the menu includes nutritious, delicious food such as: hot rotis, seasonal sabzis, rice, dal, khichdi, rajma chawal, pancakes, sandwiches, and sometimes, our beloved high-altitude cake. 

There's science, research, and method to our menu. Every meal is designed with the nutritional needs of children in mind. From energy-rich carbs in the morning to protein-packed dinners, the food we provide supports endurance and recovery on a trek.

Food is freshly cooked and locally sourced where possible, keeping our sustainability goals in mind. 

Myth 4: Tents are freezing and miserable.

Reality: Children camp in custom-designed Hillman Expedition tents built to withstand rain, wind, and the most tempestuous Himalayan moods. The tents have a separate zone in front for shoes and wet gear, too.

Inside, a thick foam mat and carpet insulates trekkers from the cold ground. Children sleep in high-altitude sleeping bags with liners for hygiene and extra warmth.

Myth 5: The trail is steep and dangerous.

Reality: Trekking trails are well-marked and well-trodden.

Trails are chosen based on terrain, weather, and the age group. Every group is led by trained trek leaders, support staff, and equipped with medical backup. 

Myth 6: You need to be super fit.

Reality: You need to be fit for the trek you choose. And that’s highly achievable.

We don’t expect pro-athlete fitness levels. What we do expect is a fitness commitment—one that includes walking, cardio, strength, and consistency for a few weeks prior. 

Not only does being fit make your trek enjoyable, it also helps prevent injuries on the trail.

Myth 7: Someone will always carry your bag.

Reality: Not unless absolutely necessary.

Carrying your own backpack is part of the learning journey. It teaches self-reliance, resilience, and respect for the environment. 

Offloading (hiring someone else to carry your bag) isn’t just discouraged—it’s against the spirit of trekking at InSOUL. It adds unnecessary load on animals or people, which we actively try and avoid.

Myth 8: You need fresh clothes for each day of the trek.

Reality: You need 2-3 sets of quick-drying clothes.

Children don’t need fresh clothes for each day of the trek. Just 2-3 sets of quick-dry clothes, and fresh inners every day. That’s enough, even for multi-day treks. It’s easy to rinse and reuse clothes as needed.

Packing light is part of trekking minimalism. It makes you more efficient while walking. 

When you’re not worried about clothes, you enjoy the experience of disconnecting from urban life and connecting with nature, others, and your own self.

Myth 9: Getting to the trek location is difficult.

Reality: Not at all. Every Indiahikes basecamp is accessible by air or rail and then onwards by road. The trek itself is far from city life, but getting there is easier than you think.

Myth 10: Children will go hungry and need to carry packaged snacks from home

Reality: There’s absolutely no need for junk food on our treks.

Our daily food plan includes multiple meals, high-calorie snacks, hot beverages, soups, and more. Meals are planned at the right intervals throughout the day to fuel energy and recovery.

Trekking builds a child’s character, confidence, and curiosity—qualities every student needs, but few classrooms can teach.

At InSOUL, we design every trek to nurture those values—while keeping students safe, happy, well-fed, and warm at night.