A great introduction for anybody looking to do harder treks and beginner mountaineering summits, this mountain skills course focuses on navigating through snow and ice fields safely and for building confidence and enabling you to tackle difficult terrain with competence.
DAYS 1-3
- Day 1: Delhi – Manali
Arrive at ISBT Kashmiri Gate by 8 pm to board the bus to Manali. The Volvo Semi –Sleeper bus takes 13 hours to reach our destination. Board waiting vehicles to drive to our lodge away from the bustle of the city at Haripur – 15km away.
- Day 2: Manali
Reach Manali by early morning and transfer to the hotel. Relax in the morning. Afternoon hike to Lamadugh to get acclimatized.
- Day 3: Manali – Bakarthach
Drive 1.5 hours to reach Dhundi. From Dhundi we take a steadily ascending trail to reach Bakarthach, our base for the next few days. We learn some basic navigation enroute. Learn how to choose a campsite and set it up.
DAYS 4-6
- Day 4: Training & Practice
Spend the day on the slopes near camp practicing ascending & descending using toe-kicking & edging techniques on snow. The instructors help participants get the body position & body balance right. By the end of the day, you should be able to navigate steep snow slopes confidently.
- Day 5: Training & Practice
Another day on the snow slopes. Practice everything learnt yesterday. Learn arresting your falls and get introduced to basic rope work.
- Day 6: Training & Practice
On the snow slope again, we practice yesterday’s class and learn how to move roped up in a group and how to navigate a glacial field. Also practice belaying and team arrest.
DAYS 7-9
- Day 7: Training & Practice
Move to the glacier for some ice climbing! We practice the same skills learnt on the snow fields but with much more commitment. Come back to camp for the evening.
- Day 8: Height Gain
We go up to a high point and get to utilise some of the skills we’ve learnt in the past few days. Back to the base camp for the night.
- Day 9: Manali – Delhi
We wrap up camp and move back down to Dhundi where our cars await us. Drive back to Manali and catch the evening Volvo bus back to Delhi.
Inclusions:
- All transfers in a non-AC vehicle as per the itinerary
- All arrangements for staying and camping while on trip
- Accommodation on twin sharing basis in tents / hotel
- All meals as mentioned in itinerary & safe drinking water
- All trip arrangements with India’s most experienced guiding team, camp staff and cooks
- Porterage upto 15kg/person
- Peak fee / sanctuary fee / royalty / permits where applicable
Exclusions:
- Sleeping bag
- Flights not included in the above-mentioned cost
- Any transfers or meals outside of itinerary
- Bottled water
- Items of personal clothing
- Expenses of any personal nature (laundry / phone calls / alcohol / cigarettes / insurance / camera fee / etc.)
- Any expense incurred due to force of nature such as landslides, bad weather or reasons beyond our control
- Tips & gratuities (we recommend 5-10% of your trip cost- to be distributed among the team) – personal choice
- Travel & cancellation insurance
FROM PREVIOUS EXPEDITIONS
Take a look at photos & videos from previous journeys. Read testimonials from our new & regular clients.
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Basic Mountain Skills Course
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WHY GO WITH AQUATERRA ADVENTURES
A question easy to answer, you may wonder, in an age where adventure travel is apparently booming. Varying costs are available and there is no shortage of operators willing to run your trip. This is possibly the most important decision for you to make, after you have chosen to take on an adventure trip.
An Experienced Team
Our team of guides has years of experience of travel throughout the Indian Himalaya, from running rivers to leading treks – from the barren Zanskar to the tropical rainforest of Arunachal Pradesh. They speak English, have completed graduate school, are current with First Aid and CPR certification and form the most experienced guiding team in the country today.
Value for Money
The prices of our trips provide a high value for money returns. They are priced to keep our standards high and your trip, smooth. Cost usually is a deciding factor for many a trip, but for an adventure trip, the deciding factor should be confidence in your operator. We combine high operator confidence with a pricing balanced to give you a trip to remember.
Best Equipment
Equipment on all our adventure travel trips matches worldwide standards. On treks, we use 4 season 2-person tents, which can withstand the harshest weather conditions, and keep you dry and protected from the elements. Outfitter wings accompany all mountain trips for dining under.
Great Food
Our staff is trained in hygienic preparation of meals and offers a great variety of food on an outdoor trip. Good equipment, food and guides is what makes an outdoor trip an experience to savour.
WHAT TRAVELLERS SAY ABOUT US
Uday Bengal
Musician & Lead Band Member – Indus Creed
A bunch of us friends recently got in touch with Aquaterra Adventures to set up a whitewater rafting trip on the Tons River in the north Indian state of Uttarakhand. The Aquaterra team were excellent in every way: they were superbly efficient, highly reassuringly safe and extremely warm, friendly and hospitable.
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Pooja Dhameja
Avid Trekker
There isn’t a more classy example of a team that is so well organised, courteous, warm and welcoming! The arrangements right from the camping sights, food, refreshments and stay were so extremely comfortable, of-course the food and the variety offered just beat everything else.
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Mr. Rajesh
Avid Adventurer
Camp Bagi (near Mori, Uttarakhand) is a beautifully located and professionally maintained wilderness camping site. Operated by Aquaterra, the gold standard in adventure tours in India, it offered us a highly memorable rafting, hiking and camping experience over the 4 days that we stayed there (May 28-31, 2019)
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Geetika
Adventure Enthusiast from Gurgaon
Great job by the team, especially Rana. We went with 2 kids aged 2.5 yrs and 6.5 yrs and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. My elder one loved the trek and the rafting experience was great too! Definitely recommend it for others.
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GET IN TOUCH TO BOOK!
Join us for a trip of a lifetime, if you crave for some high end adventure!
We strive to create the best trips possible for you, with uncommon professionalism, unsurpassed personal service and a commitment to protect and preserve the cultures and environments through which we travel. Get in touch with us to plan your next holiday