Thinking of a School Trek? Read This First

We’ve met many schools keen on introducing trekking into the curriculum. Since it's a relatively niche activity in our country, the misconceptions about trekking are still high.

Some assume it's an excursion; others think there will be access to roads or vehicles all the time.

Recently, a faculty member was taken aback while on the trek, when there was no phone network for days! And this, despite multiple presentations, Q&A sessions, meeting the team in person, and due diligence before the trek.

To address this, here is a list of important things that schools need to know before signing up for a trek. This way, your students (and you) know exactly what to expect beforehand.

Walking on foot in stunning but steep terrain

Your students and you will be walking for several hours each day, typically 4 to 7 hours.

The benefits:

• Students become more agile, sure-footed, and confident in navigating rough terrain
• The long walk helps students appreciate the natural world and immerse themselves in it
• Students learn to lean on their peers and ask for help when needed
• Students learn the value of collaboration instead of unhealthy competition

What does the terrain look like?

• Uneven, rocky, often steep
• Sometimes you’re climbing, sometimes descending
• There are no paved paths or shortcuts

The distances covered may not seem vast on paper, but the altitude, uneven terrain, and weather conditions add to the challenge. We’ve been trekking with children for over a decade, and can confidently say that they are always up for the challenge!

The altitude: the air gets thinner

Most of our Himalayan treks for schools climb up to altitudes between 11,000-12,000 feet above sea level. At these altitudes, the air has less oxygen, and the body takes time to acclimatise.

Students may feel more tired than usual. They may need more time to recover after exertion. 

It’s completely normal, but it’s also why physical preparation and mental readiness are critical before the trek begins.

Trekking is a wilderness experience, not an excursion

Trekking takes you far away from human habitation or motorable roads. Most of us are accustomed to weekend trips in hill station towns – far from urban spaces yet still offering creature comforts. Trekking is much more exciting!

The benefits of a wilderness experience:

• We venture into places most people will probably never see in their lives – all because we choose to walk there
• Trekking gives you and your students an opportunity to disconnect from technology. Away from incessant screen time, classmates get to know each other better. Friends become closer. Acquaintances may become friends
• Students start to see their teachers in a new light while trekking. Since outdoor learning is not the same as classroom learning, the role of the teacher shifts. You can step back from having to “teach.” Teachers who accompany students on InSOUL treks aren’t instructors, they are enablers. Read more on the role of a teacher during an InSOUL programme

What to expect:

• The remoteness means that vehicles are not readily available. You cannot hop into a car to complete the rest of the trek. The only way is to keep walking ahead or turn back on foot.
• In case of emergency evacuations, our team members walk back with you, often for hours. We descend the trails on foot until we can get you safely to the nearest village with a motorable road
• It’s important that schools are physically and mentally ready for this level of remoteness

No mules or porters to carry your bags

Everyone carries their own backpack on an InSOUL trek. We insist on it.

The benefits of carrying your own backpack:

• Students learn self-sufficiency and independence in the outdoors
• Students learn to pack and live light. Trekking is a practical lesson in minimalism for children growing up in a world of over-consumption
• Carrying your own backpack prevents additional burden on animals or other people

What to expect:

• We assign a specific number of porters and mules to carry essential trekking equipment only
• There won’t be mules to carry your bag, unless it is a health/injury-related emergency
• Whether you’re a student or teacher, you carry your own backpack. It becomes imperative to pack light

Trekking in Bad Weather

An integral part of trekking is embracing the unexpected. You go into it with a sense of adventure; knowing that things might not turn out the way you expect them to, and enjoying it anyway.

The benefits of trekking through bad weather:

• Students learn to accept and stay resilient in discomfort
• Students push through self-doubt, meeting and overcoming challenges they never thought possible
• Students learn to adapt when things don’t go the way they want

What to expect:

Weather in the Himalayas is unpredictable. It might rain, it might snow. We keep walking. The team turns back only if our trek leaders have assessed the situation and consider it unsafe.

Sleeping in Shared Tents: A Practical Necessity

If you choose to trek, you will experience camping under the stars and open skies. Camping is a raw, unfiltered way to live in harmony with nature. Living in shared tents is a crucial part of the experience.

The benefits of sleeping in tents:

• Sleeping in tents brings everyone together
• Sharing tents keeps students safe and warm
• Students remain cosy and comfortable while still getting a feel of roughing it out in the outdoors  

What to expect at campsites:

• We provide tents designed for the conditions - lightweight yet sturdy for high-altitude terrain
• Inside, students will share tents (usually 2 or 3 to a tent) to stay warm when temperatures dip at night
• We do not provide plush mattresses, pillows, or private tents. The focus is on safety, warmth, and a shared adventure

Freezing Temperatures; Can Drop To Single Digits

Never underestimate how cold it can get in the Himalayas. Even in summer, temperatures in the Himalayas can drop to single digits especially at night.

Many schools underestimate this, leading to students arriving underprepared. Warm layers, thermals, good socks, gloves, and woollen caps are not optional. They are essentials for survival and comfort.

No Phone Signal on the Trail

How often do we talk about how screens are taking over children’s lives? Here’s your chance to get them to ditch the phones for days! Actually, students don’t have much of a choice. There will be no phone signal where we’re headed, which makes confiscating their phones much easier for you and us!

The benefits of disconnecting

• Disconnecting from the digital world helps students connect more deeply to nature, to others, and to their own selves
• Without endless notifications and over-stimulation, students learn to live in the moment and just be
• Students are more able to focus on the tasks at hand

What to expect:

• Once the trek begins, you will be out of network range for several days. You will not be able to make calls or send messages/emails 
• Certain sections of treks might receive mobile network, but the connection is patchy at best

We’ve had instances where a trek was delayed for hours because someone from the organisation insisted on finding a signal to send office email! 

Instead, we urge school staff to make use of this golden opportunity to disconnect, and encourage it in students as well.

Summing up

Treks take students out of their comfort zones and into a space where they must rely on themselves and their peers. It’s a powerful learning experience; only if expectations are clear from the start.

Before you consider a trek for your students, it’s important everyone—teachers, parents, and students—knows exactly what it involves.

Trekking is far from easy, but it’s an experience that will shape students positively for life.