Adventure and Culture Immersive Program
Trip Details
Trip Type: Immersive School Program
Region: Himachal
Grade: Moderate
Price: Custom
Duration: 13 days
Batch Dates: Custom Trips Only
Adventure and Culture Immersive Program Overview
The Adventure and Culture Introductory Program is designed for students visiting India as part of an introduction to the diverse religious and cultural ethos of the subcontinent. The Adventure element of the program is designed to bring in an outdoors aspect to the trip and introduce students to India's varied geography.
Our 12-day program is run in Dharamshala, Naggar, and Amritsar. Participants meet Tibetan refugees in Dharamshala and learn of the Tibetan way of life and their struggles with their freedom movement. They also meet women entrepreneurs, community leaders, and volunteer in government-run daycares for the less privileged. Interspersed with a 3-day trek in the Himalayas, the program makes for a unique blend of learning and fun outdoors time. We end the program in Amritsar where the students visit the most auspicious site of the Sikh religion - the Golden Temple and volunteer at the communal kitchens.
During the program, participants are exposed to a myriad of different lifestyles, struggles, religions, and ways of life. The program is by no means exhaustive. It is meant to introduce students to take a step out of their comfort zones and explore the world around them. The program should be thought of as a launchpad for appreciating the world that we live in and being comfortable with being uncomfortable. The learnings on the program stay with students for a lifetime and many of them choose to come back to India for a longer immersive stay.
Trip Cost
Please write to us for a custom quote
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Amritsar early morning and transfer 4 hours to Dharamshala. Check in the hotel. Briefing on India, Dharamshala and the Tibetan community living in exile in Dharamshala. Walk to the local market in the evening.
Day 2: Visit and tour the Tibetan Parliament in exile, introduction to Tibet, meet a Tibetan member of Parliament. Back to the hotel for Lunch. Afternoon visit an NGO led by a woman entrepreneur Dolls for Tibet. Evening Introductory Hindi Lesson.
Day 3: Visit the Dalai Lama's Monastery and the Tibet Museum. Back to the hotel for Lunch. Talk on the importance of the Tibentan Plateau on world climate by a representative for Tibetan Center for Policy at the hotel in the afternoon. Evening at leisure.
Day 4: Morning Yoga session before breakfast. After breakfast, drive to the Norbulingka Institute where Tibetan handicrafts are being preserved and taught to a younger generation. Back to the hotel for Lunch. Visit a Hindu temple with a short talk on Hindu religion, culture and the Gods and Goddesses. Evening visit to Dharamshala Market.
Day 5: Travel 8 hours to reach Naggar. Overnight in a hotel.
Day 6: Drive to Rumsue and start the trek. Walk on an easy trail for 4 hours to reach Stiling. Evening at leisure.
Day 7: After breakfast, leave for Chanderkhani Pass. Reach the top of the pass and be rewarded to great Himalayan views. Return to Stiling for the night.
Day 8: Trek Stiling to Rumsue and drive back to Naggar. Evening talk on the Pagan Gods and Goddesses of the mountains, their integration with Hinduism and the culture of the Himalayas.
Day 9: Travel Naggar to Dharamshala.
Day 10: Volunteer at a government-run daycare center and interact with children. Start a service project. Back to the hotel for Lunch. Visit the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics in the afternoon for a talk.
Day 11: Return to the daycare center and continue work on the service project. Back to the hotel for Lunch. Visit Tong Len in the afternoon. Market visit of any last-minute shopping in the evening
Day 12: Finish the service project at the daycare center. Back to the hotel for Lunch. After lunch, an India fun afternoon with a henna application and Bollywood dancing.
Day 13: Travel to Amritsar. Check-in Hotel. Visit the Golden Temple and volunteer at the community kitchen. Return to the hotel. Late-night drop to the airport. Trip Ends!
- Accommodation in hotel and tents
- All meals.
- Qualified program leaders
- Good equipment
- Medical kit
- Boiled and filtered water
- All activities mentioned above.
- Transport as mentioned in the itinerary
- Any expenses of personal nature - phone calls, laundry etc.
- Any transport not included in itinerary
- Any activities outside of the itinerary
- Insurance
- International flights.
- Backpack / rucksack (70 lts)- This will go on Horses until BC
- Backpack small ( 20 - 30 Ltrs) - This is what you can use everyday for the hike and to go to the training area.
- Warm hiking pants and shirts/ t shirts / sweat shirt.
- T-shirt Wicking Layer.
- Good hiking shoes.
- Head light with extra batteries.
- Sunglasses.
- Suntan lotion and toiletries.
- Camera.
- Insulated Water bottle/ 750 ml flask.
- Warm fleece jacket.
- Windproof shell jacket and pants.
- Down jacket.
- Warm gloves thin to work in the ice.
- Warm gloves thick woollens usually do but if you want something water proof then that is also cool.
- Warm socks.
- Warm Beanie.
- Thermal underwear's.
- Hiking Poles.
- Raincoat.
- Personal climbing harness.
- Helmet.
- Prescribed medication if any.