We are looking for volunteers for an Outdoor Leadership Programme this April, 2024.

This is a special learning programme in the Himalayas for an international school in Mussoorie. We believe it will make a big difference to the way you look at a trek.

The program is between April 19th and April 26th, 2024.

It will be held on four of our treks: Deoriatal-Chandrashila, Brahmatal, Ali Bedni Bugyal and Kuari Pass. (Volunteers cannot make a choice on which slope they would like to work on. It will be decided based on your strength and background. This assessment will be done based on interviews with you.)

This time, we will be taking just 30 volunteers. Given we get over 400–500 applicants usually, the chances are a bit tight, but it will be worth it.

Having said that, volunteering for an experiential learning programme is deeply rewarding. You not only get to trek in some of the most beautiful locations in our country, but you also get to be part of a futuristic learning programme. 

Such volunteering is rare. We only open these opportunities once or twice a year at Indiahikes. 

What is the Outdoor Leadership Programme?

In this Experiential Learning Programme designed by Indiahikes, students go on a trek, and learn leadership and teamwork skills. The focus is on building resilience, confidence, and the ability to overcome difficulties in young learners.

We do this through a trek that is specially designed to bring out these aspects.

As a volunteer, you play a crucial role in helping us administer the programme, working closely with us in the reflection sessions, and gradually drawing out natural learning from the outdoors.

This is not an easy volunteership, which is why we are very choosy about whom we take. You need a certain amount of wisdom to administer the programme; that comes only with work experience. Which is why we are looking at 2-3 years of minimum work experience. You also need trekking experience, without which you cannot relate to the programme. You also need to be very fit, because it involves being active all the time, going up and down the slope whenever required. 

This means waking before others, sleeping after all are tucked away in their sleeping bags, and helping with facilitating the programme.

Being an insider and an active member of the team conducting the programme is a big opportunity. You not only get to trek in some of our most beautiful locations in our country, but you also get to be part of a futuristic learning programme.

Volunteering for the OLP also carries a lot of weight. You get to test your leadership skills in a natural setting. It is a true experiential learning programme for both students and us, the organisers. You’re conducting the programme for young people, many of whom are doing a Himalayan trek for the first time, battling circumstances completely out of their comfort zones.

As a volunteer, a lot of the program’s success depends on you. That is why at Indiahikes, an experiential learning program is not just transformative for the students it is equally transformative for us, the organisers, too.

At the end of the volunteership you also earn a certificate.

What are we looking for in our volunteers?

We are extremely picky about our volunteers for two reasons.

First, you must be good with children. We have students from the age of 9 all the way until 17.

Second, volunteers play a big role in administering the whole programme. This requires good people skills, discipline, and leadership ability.

Third, the entire volunteering period is a 6-day marathon with hardly any time to breathe, eat, or sleep. Volunteers need to be physically and mentally capable to handle these situations.

Must have at least 2-3 years of work experience

Must have done at least one Himalayan trek with Indiahikes

If you have worked with children before, that is a bonus.

The programme is happening between April 19th and April 26th.

Your responsibility is to be at our pick-up point in Rishikesh on April 19th by 6 am. To prevent last-minute delays, we highly recommend that you reach Rishikesh by the evening of April 18th.

Volunteers will be back in Rishikesh on April 26th by 7 pm.

You will also be required to attend a few online training sessions, which will be organised on Saturdays, taking into account that you might be working during the week.

Indiahikes will sponsor your volunteership throughout the trek, covering all lodging, food, and trek costs. Indiahikes will also cover the cost of your travel from Rishikesh to Rishikesh. You will have to travel to Rishikesh and back on your own. 

Please note: Even though the programme is a volunteer experience and Indiahikes will bear all your expenses, any last-minute dropout of chaperones is a significant setback to the programme. 

Therefore, to confirm your volunteering, you must pay a refundable deposit of Rs 5,000. This will be refunded within 7 days after you return from the trek. If you cannot make it to the programme, this deposit will not be refunded.

We have a two step process to select volunteers.

Step 1: A questionnaire to get to know you and your skills

Step 2: If you're shortlisted, a video interview to assess your potential as a volunteer

Please fill out this form if you’d like to apply as a volunteer - https://forms.gle/tCrTYHWtF7wJDYMv5

We’ll get back to you within 72 hours if you’re shortlisted after filling out the form.

If you have any questions, please drop in a comment below.

This is a rare chance for you to learn leadership skills by volunteering for an outdoor leadership programme by Indiahikes.

Volunteering Opportunity for a Learning Programme in the Himalayas

Volunteer with Indiahikes for a School's Learning Programme in the Himalayas

How do we rethink education in a high-octane, unpredictable world? A world where talent isn’t a prerequisite for success and “jobs” don’t look like how they used to. Where despite being connected 24x7, we’ve grown more disconnected from ourselves, our families, our communities, and our planet.

Innovation is the need of the hour. Yet, most education systems the world over remain largely rigid. 

To kickstart these crucial discussions in education circles, Indiahikes organised a one-of-a-kind panel discussion on February 8, 2024 around a theme close to our hearts – Outdoor Experiential Learning for children.

Our panel comprised leading educators, outdoor facilitators, and advocates of Experiential Learning (EL). Many of them have successfully integrated “learning by doing” into school curriculum over the years.

We asked some of our panellists if they saw changes in children after a prolonged period of outdoor learning? What short or long-term benefits (if any) did they observe in students?

Here are some of the incredible things they shared.

1. Children learn to value care and compassion over competition

Renu Dimri - Principal, DPS Bangalore (West) and Shantanu Das - Principal, Sarla Birla Academy, Bangalore

“Children nowadays are so preoccupied that they don’t even look at the person sitting next to them. The outdoors give them time to look around, to talk to their friends, and help each other. It’s one of the few spaces where they don’t have to compete with each other. I’ve noticed this care across age groups, from the younger ones to Grade 12.” - Renu Dimri, Principal, DPS Bangalore West (Bangalore)

2. Prevents bullying and transforms classroom dynamics

Shantanu Das - Principal, Sarla Birla Academy, Bangalore

“I’ve seen definite, long-term and very gratifying changes in children after being outdoors. As an educator, I work in boarding schools where bullying and ragging exist in many forms.  We see children who direct all their energies towards bullying because they believe that’s what “strength” looks like. After being outdoors for a prolonged period of time, I have seen them mellow down and rethink what strength actually means. True strength is about helping friends and younger schoolmates.” – Shantanu Das – Principal, Sarla Birla Academy, Bangalore.

3. Valuing interdependence over hyper independence

“On a trek, you realise you can’t survive on your own. There will be moments when you need support, even if you don’t want it. Children begin understanding that it’s good to ask for help. They don’t need to fight their battles alone.” - Renu Dimri

4. A deep understanding of emotions, relationships, and human beings 

Kavya Chandrashekhar - Founder and Montessori Guide, The Montessori School and Kriyasthala (Bangalore)

“One of the biggest things we see when children are outdoors is how they develop deep relationships. Relationships that were a bit hostile inside the classroom transformed if children received help and support outdoors. If relationships are great inside but become frayed outside, children begin to understand that you can view people differently. Sometimes people are helpful, other times they’re not. All emotions are acceptable in a human being. When children view people differently, they go beyond superficial understanding of human beings.” – 

5. The best place to learn life skills? The real world

“Schools have specific sessions and periods for Life Skills and Value education. We actually don’t need it. Take children outdoors instead – even if it’s just once a week – and life skills learning happens on its own. Children learn what they want to (and more) at their own pace. When children feel learning is in their own hands and not controlled by teachers, it makes a huge difference. They come back much more engaged. Learning imbibed through first-hand experience remains with you forever.” - Renu Dimri

6. Children’s logical, thinking, and analytical skills improve

“At TMS and Kriyasthala, we encourage children to pack their own bags for a trek. We recommend what they should pack but never tell them what to do, even for their first trek. After a few treks, children arrive at what they need and don’t need. They begin reasoning things out because of their lived experiences, not because of what their parents or teachers told them to do. They see it’s alright to pack 2 trek pants instead of 6 pants for 6 days. It’s a rewarding journey to see how beautifully their learning progresses over time.” – Kavya Chandrashekhar

“A classroom provides only one type of atmosphere where the academically inclined tend to thrive. Children who are quiet in class often get overlooked. The same children come back more confident after trekking. The trek perhaps gave them opportunities to achieve something significant, such as helping others.” - Renu Dimri

The “learning” in Outdoor Experiential Learning goes beyond grades and examinations to the larger purpose of education. Does it make us good human beings who make better choices? The engaging forum reiterated the need to rethink how we teach and help children learn.

7 Life-changing Benefits Of Outdoor Experiential Learning, According To Educators

We’re all too familiar with the scenes inside an average Indian classroom - textbooks, notebooks, the sciences vs. humanities, and rote learning.  But a radical shift in the Indian education system is in the offing thanks to the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

NEP 2020 has a clear vision for Curriculum and Pedagogy in Schools. “Learning should be holistic, integrated, enjoyable, and engaging.” 

A standout feature of the policy document is its clear emphasis on Experiential Learning.

“In all stages, experiential learning will be adopted, including hands-on learning, arts-integrated and sports-integrated education, story-telling-based pedagogy, among others, as standard pedagogy within each subject, and with explorations of relations among different subjects.” - Section 4.6

It's gratifying when government policies align with our Outdoor Experiential Learning programs.  Over 12 years ago, Indiahikes began with one simple conviction —Everyone Must Trek, because trekking transforms the body, mind, and spirit.

We saw trekkers coming back from the mountains with renewed energy, purpose, and insights about the self. We envisioned outdoor learning programmes to amplify these takeaways. Children would benefit the most from such a programme.

Thus, Outdoor Experiential Learning at Indiahikes was born in 2011. Over 8000 students from leading schools across the country have trekked with us since then. 

Read on for an overview of our programmes and how they meet the goals of NEP 2020.

Overview of Experiential Learning (EL) at Indiahikes

Too many young people today struggle with self-confidence. Many crumble under the slightest pressure since they are unaccustomed to hardships. Others have never experienced the joys of working together towards a common goal.

Indiahikes believes Experiential Learning can help students view their own selves and abilities in a new light. 

Our programme combines the joy and adventure of treks with targeted learning objectives.

Immersive, accelerated learning: EL delves faster and deeper into aspects that might take time to emerge in classrooms or at home.

Real-world contexts: There are no simulations or role plays on a trek. Our programme design ensures that every action and consequence is real.

The role of the facilitator: EL affects enduring change to mindsets and behaviour through “learning by doing.” Expert facilitators guide participants toward sustained behavioural transformation.

How Experiential Learning at Indiahikes aligns with NEP 2020

How NEP 2020 and Outdoor Experiential Learning at Indiahikes align

1. NEP Section 4.4 Holistic development of learners

1.1 Learning how to learn - “To move the education system towards real understanding and towards learning how to learn - and away from the culture of rote learning as is largely present today.”

Regular treks tend to have a singular focus. Everyone gets to the summit or navigates from one point to another. 

At Indiahikes, the focus is on the learning process rather than outcomes. Reaching the summit might be the end goal, but the journey there is far more significant.

Trek: Children embark on an invigorating trek to the Himalayas or hills close to the city. 

Activities: Driving the trek are carefully-designed learning activities with specific takeaways.

Reflections: Guided reflections with a trained facilitator enable students to act on learnings.

Children form ideas and learn through experience. Since experience is dynamic and unique each time, so too is the resulting knowledge.  

Our treks develop children’s skills and behaviours to respond to different situations. Through experience and reinforcement comes the ability to apply new knowledge.

1.2 Holistic learning and developing 21st century competencies - “The aim of education will not only be cognitive development, but also building character and creating holistic and well-rounded individuals equipped with key 21st century skills.”

Treks are ideal backdrops to strengthen children's Social and Emotional Learning. 

Trekking elicits joy and adrenaline. It also brings up doubt, anxiety, fear, or frustrations. 

Our programme design uses the joy and adversity inherent in treks to reinforce learning. 

Children experience real-time obstacles and learn how to overcome hardships together. 

We design activities and reflections that help children recognise and address their emotions without fearing judgement. 

Consequently, children learn and imbibe 21st century Life Skills through first-hand experience, crucial skills such as:

2. NEP Section 4.5 Enhance essential learning and critical thinking

Learning core essentials - “Curriculum content will be reduced in each subject to its core essentials, to make space for critical thinking and more holistic, inquiry-based, discovery-based, discussion-based, and analysis-based learning.”

Treks are ideal learning grounds since the outdoors are unpredictable. Our EL treks combine this element of unpredictability with thoughtfully-designed learning activities.

Learning on our treks is both student-led and facilitator-led. We create an environment where students can actively explore and question. 

Our facilitators set the stage for discovery, gradually fading into the background and allowing students to take the lead in their own learning journey. 

While on the trail, children encounter real-life challenges that need thinking through and solving on the spot. Students step out of comfort zones, ask questions, collaborate, and solve problems together. 

Facilitators step in during guided reflection sessions to nudge learning in the right direction. They enable students to see the world differently and think deeply. They help students make connections between various experiences on the trek. 

“Education must build character, enable learners to be ethical, rational, compassionate, and caring, while at the same time prepare them for gainful, fulfilling employment.”

Practising compassion and kindness for the self and others is a core objective of the program through myriad activities and experiences.

The goal is getting to the summit together. The activities and experiences we design ensures this. Nobody gets left behind on an Indiahikes trek, unless it’s a medical emergency. 

Children get to know their peers better in the outdoors.

On a multi-day Himalayan trek, they come across people they otherwise might not in their daily lives. They meet people across cultures, ages, and religions. 

These interactions build students’ curiosity and empathy beyond who and what they know. These qualities go a long way towards fostering healthy, positive relationships in the working world. 

4. NEP Section 4.23: Curricular Integration of Essential Subjects, Skills, and Capacities

Environmental awareness - “Certain subjects, skills, and capacities should be learned by all students to become good, successful, innovative, adaptable, and productive human beings in today’s rapidly changing world.”

NEP 2020 lists several essential skills every student must learn, which includes environmental awareness and resource conservation. 

Caring for the environment is the essence of treks with Indiahikes

Children learn about sustainability concepts such as thrifting, repairing, and recycling. All our treks are zero plastic. 

Being outdoors brings theoretical concepts alive for students. Through activities, storytelling, and reflections, our facilitators help students see interconnections - how they are part of nature, not separate from it. 

Camping in the wilderness immerses students in minimalist living. They camp near water sources and observe first-hand how water is a finite resource. Camps at Indiahikes use specially-designed contraptions to conserve water. 

Students actively participate in “Green Trails” – an Indiahikes initiative to leave the mountains better than we find them. Through Green Trails, Indiahikes trekkers have removed over 1 lakh kilos of waste left behind by others on trekking trails. 

The younger generation today is more aware about environmental degradation than others.  Ironically, they are also the most disconnected from the natural world. 

Beyond present-day buzzwords, we believe building connections with the environment begins with a simple step – take children outdoors more often.  


Through Outdoor Experiential Learning, Indiahikes envisions a generation that continually discovers the self and others, forges friendships, finds community, and builds enduring relationships with the natural world.

We believe it echoes what the NEP reiterates is the true purpose of education, “to develop good human beings.” 

A standout feature of NEP 2020 is its emphasis on Experiential Learning. Indiahikes' Outdoor Programmes for Schools align perfectly with the vision of NEP 2020.

How Experiential Learning At Indiahikes Aligns With NEP 2020

Kavya Chandrashekhar is Founder and Montessori Guide at The Montessori School (TMS) and Kriyasthala, and Executive Director, Montessori Institute of Bangalore.   With decades of experience - from early childhood to high school programmes - her strength lies in understanding the needs of children from birth to 18 years.

Ms. Chandrashekhar is a passionate advocate for outdoor learning beyond the customary visits to parks, lakes, or gardens. The children from TMS and Kriyasthala regularly go on treks instead. 

From toddlers to teachers, parents and guardians – the community has actively taken to the scenic hills around Bangalore for years now.  Some have even gone on a Himalayan trek. 

Inspiring, pathbreaking - just some of the adjectives that come to mind when we see an entire school trek together!

Curious about how all of it began, we had the pleasure of chatting with Ms. Chandrashekhar on what brings these remarkable children back to the hills every year.

What is the value of outdoor learning for children, especially in a world that increasingly places little to no emphasis on it?

“What is learning?” is the first question we must ask. I think our idea of learning needs a radical shift. We are conditioned to believe that tests and testing are the way to measure a child’s progress. In my two decades of experience of working with children, I know that this belief compromises a child’s learning outcomes; it's almost a disservice in honouring their natural human development.

Learning is a multifold approach and learning in the true sense happens everywhere, all the time. It is imperative that we clear our lens and look at learning as a multifold, multidimensional curve supporting human development in every form.  This will then enable each one  of us to consider outdoor experience as learning. 

We’ve seen that many people tend to view outdoor learning as an “outing” without meaningful outcomes - simply a means to take children away from the class for a break.

Learning inside and outside should be seamless for healthy human development. If  children are engaged and have choice in their learning then we do not have to impose an adult-led break to support optimal human development.  In the redundant educational model, we put a lot of undue, unwanted milestones as a checklist on children. There is no research which proves that if you crack all the tests, you will be happy and successful. Questioning the predominant traditional education outcomes makes one uncomfortable because we are trapped to believe that is the most sure way to be successful. 

Fun times outdoors for Kavya Chandrashekhar and the children

"Our role as educators and parents is to show or highlight to children what they may not be seeing." 

It’s rare for schools to include treks into the curriculum and across all age groups! What inspired you to integrate trekking as a regular part of learning? 

The inspiration came from the fact that I myself enjoy spending a lot of time outdoors. Secondly, just observing children these days - almost confined to the indoors, to their gadgets and devices - breaks my heart because they don't know any better. 

One of my mentors said, our role as educators and parents is to show or highlight to children what they may not be seeing. To do that,  it is important we consistently clarify to us the true meaning of education. 

It is up to us to show them the way. We can't make children do what we want them to do, but we need to open up the doors for possibilities. What they do after that is their independent decision or choice. But if you don't even show them the door - the door to numeracy and literacy, the door to empathy, kindness, and communal living; how will they be able to make informed decisions about what they want and what brings them immense joy. 

And in what ways does trekking align with the values and belief systems of the school?

For us, being outdoors is a solid check system on how your body is doing. It indicates to us if we are taking care of our body. With trekking, you get to know where you are with your body.

It’s vital for us to build a generation of people who can take care of themselves, who can take care of others, and who understand the value of interdependency. This is the ethos we follow inside a Montessori classroom as well.

I think no other experience teaches that than being outdoors – treks bring out everyone’s true nature. Think about it. You’re outdoors. You might be doing very well on a trek. But are you willing to stop, pause, and help someone struggling?

We believe in the goodness of human nature and we want children to experience that day in and day out. The learning must happen both indoors and outside.

Trekking is a good check point on whether our robust Montessori pedagogical principles reflect in other settings.

The goal is to get children to be capable of feeling, “Yes, I can do this and help everyone along!” 

True. Plus, the outdoors provides a setting for children to learn new behaviors and attitudes or reinforce what they learn in school.

Yes, because nature is unpredictable. Anything can happen. Within your own environment, you can still have self-control and system checks, but nature is very unpredictable. It's very free flowing. You have to go with the flow. Human nature is what comes out when you have to go with the flow. For us, all of those things are important.

As a team leader, the other indirect benefit of the treks is an indicator of your own team's well-being. When a trek is coming up, the educators know that they need to be in good health and shape! I struggled initially to convince my team members that this is something we will be doing long term. There was a little bit of resistance. But they’ve been going on treks for the last three to four years and have seen the value and benefit. My goal through this is to get a community of Montessori Educators to priortise self care, we need our educators to be committed to their wellbeing if we want to offer the best to our children. 

That must have been quite an undertaking for you to get everyone on board.

Yes. But the experience broke plenty of myths for me. I used to think the younger team members could navigate the trek well  and others would have a challenge, but it's not true. Sometimes it’s the opposite. I think it's a reflection of how you care for your body. Good health and fitness were yardsticks I had in mind for the team. I tell them very clearly - everyone has to take time to participate in the trek, and they all put in effort and take it up.

Why did you choose the Indiahikes Experiential Learning Program for your students?

We have certain value systems and beliefs and we wanted to collaborate with people who share and complement our values. We felt Indiahikes was a perfect fit. When I first spoke to Izzat from Indiahikes, I didn't have to spend a lot of time explaining what we needed for the children.  She got it immediately. It worked really well because we could plug in exactly what we wanted.

I wanted it to be a long-term collaboration and not a one-off thing. For something like this, you will not see results after one trek or even after a year.

The other big thing that makes it sustainable is the pricing that Indiahikes offers. It's a very sustainable option for many organisations. 

Additionally, it’s another way for us to have a knowledge exchange with people outside the Montessori sphere who share the same values – to engage in collaboration, engage in understanding. We don't know everything and seek to learn from others as well.

The children have been trekking with Indiahikes for a few years now. Can you share how they have benefitted from trekking?

The biggest takeaway for us is community building - the way children lend support, are empathetic and understanding to each other. For them, trekking isn’t about reaching point A, but how are we going to get to point A? Together.

It’s never an independent journey. It's a community journey, and that gets stronger and stronger with each trek.

Some children are outdoorsy. They say yes to it all the time. But success to me lies in the progress of the ones who feel like physically they're not capable.

Certain temperaments don't like that kind of strenuous physical stretching. They say they’re tired. They say they will never ever go on a trek again. I've seen these children come back to trekking a fourth, fifth, and sixth time!

Maybe because the whole community is doing it. The community is so excited about the trek which rubs off on the others too. The other takeaway is the children’s organisation and planning skills - on a trek, they’re clear about why they're doing what they're doing.

Overall, the treks are a nuanced experience. With every trek, they're getting better and better at it. Children get used to physical exertion and are accustomed to overcoming hardships.

Looking ahead, how do you envision outdoor experiential learning with Indiahikes evolving at your school?

Our goal is to get the youngest children (ages 1 to 3) and their families to go on an easy walk to start. We want to explore the program for the younger children a bit more.

For very young children especially, we see how crucial it is to talk about the possibility, as you previously mentioned. To encourage children (and their parents) to try in the first place.

Yes, one must. Our program covers children from ages 1 to 18. The 6 to 12 age group is going on very well with fantastic turnouts. We don’t have enough children between ages 3 to 6 going out and about more often. We don't have enough parents and children signing up. Plus, the toddler community is what I want to target in the coming year. That is my vision for 2024.

We have added an adolescent program this year since we see it as a continuous learning. I would like to build on the skills for the 12 to 18 year age group too. These are the possibilities.

Any final thoughts on the big vision for outdoor learning?

I think the biggest outcome for us across all programs or any collaboration that we do is this: how will my skills benefit the community at large? It's not just learning the skill so that I can get better at it. How can I inspire ten more people to be engaged in it? That is really the big vision.

Thank you so much for your time and sharing your thoughts, Ms. Chandrashekhar. It was a pleasure.

Indiahikes believes everyone must trek. When schools like TMS and Kriyasthala trek together mindfully as a community, it’s as if the vision is unfolding right before us. 

We're thrilled to see a growing awareness among schools about incredible learning opportunities in the outdoors. It’s a privilege for us to partner with schools to turn those possibilities into reality.

Are you an educator keen on getting your students outdoors to learn?

Write to us at izzat@indiahikes.com and we’ll make it happen.

Real-world lessons on empathy, kindness, and community living

An educator explains why everyone in her school treks, from toddlers to teachers

An Educator Explains Why Everyone In Her School Treks, From Toddlers to Teachers

In April 2022, we introduced Adventure Therapy treks at Indiahikes. The response, even to our very first group, was unexpectedly overwhelming. 

“Within three days, over 178 people applied to participate. I was truly surprised,” Izzat Yaganagi, Head of Experiential Learning at Indiahikes says. “Even though we could select a maximum of 18 participants, it was heartening to see that the growing openness towards therapy,” she adds. 

We had a few more Adventure Therapy groups after that, again with the same impact. 

So after several extremely successful groups, we are very excited to announce our next Adventure Therapy trek groups.

When: March 6th to 11th, 2024
Where: Kedarkantha Trek
Available Slots: 12
Trek Fee: 13,725 + 5% GST

When: June 10th to 15th, 2024
Where: Dayara Bugyal Trek
Available Slots: 12
Trek Fee: 12,845 + 5% GST

When: September 16th to 21st, 2024
Where: Dayara Bugyal Trek
Available Slots: 12
Trek Fee: 12,845 + 5% GST

When: November 11th to 16th, 2024
Where: Dayara Bugyal Trek
Available Slots: 12
Trek Fee: 12,845 + 5% GST

Click here to register for the Adventure Therapy trek -- https://indiahikes.com/registration?batchId=10026

To give you context, he's a story narrated by Izzat Yaganagi, the head of Experiential Learning at Indiahikes. It is a story that dates back to 2011, when Izzat was on her first Himalayan trek. The story gains more significance if you know Izzat’s background. She is a psychological counsellor, who has worked extensively with couples, youth, and families.

“It was September 2011,” begins Izzat. “I was going through a difficult phase in my life. I was at a crossroads with everything — my personal life, my professional life. I felt low. I wanted to get away from everything.” 

“That’s when, on the recommendation of a colleague, I signed up for a Himalayan trek with Indiahikes. Not to cure myself, but just to get away from everything for a while. Little did I know that the trek would change everything about my life,” she reflects. 

“I remember this one moment I was sitting by Gadsar Lake, watching the blue waters lapping the shore. Small rivulets trickled down the mountainsides, feeding the lake. On my right, I could see the Gadsar Valley stretching into the horizon. 

“It was at this point that somehow, my mind hit a reset button. I felt all my problems disappearing away. I felt light and relieved, like no problem was too big. For the first time in the past few months, I could feel a sense of lightness in my heart,” recollects Izzat. 

Later that night, when Izzat was reflecting on the trek, she realised that what she had gone through was very different. The trek had a big role to play in it. “The trek had helped me get out of a troublesome environment into a space where I could see my own problems from a bird’s eye view. In the city, I was constantly rushing from one day to the next, never able to give myself the mental space required to heal. I felt trapped in a bubble of my own thoughts.” 

“But on the trek, I had the luxury of time and space to open up. I was never in a rush. I had no other responsibilities. I felt calm. I could see things more objectively. The feeling of being overwhelmed all the time withered away and my problems seemed manageable.” 

“This is what most therapists do in the process of working with their clients. But the trek was naturally lending itself to such a profound outcome – in such a short duration,” she says.  

“After returning I strongly felt  ‘why not bring my clients here. It would have such a deep impact on their state of mind. It could do what months of therapy could not,” recalls Izzat. 

It was back then that Izzat decided to join Indiahikes with the intention of using trekking as a medium to help those struggling with personal issues. 

In these 11 years, Izzat Yaganagi among other things, set up the Experiential Learning Division at Indiahikes. Today, we work with innumerable professional institutions and schools to bring these learnings from the outdoors into our daily lives. The impact of these programs has been enormous. 

Adventure Therapy is not a new concept. It is something that has existed in many forms for over a century. 

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