Find time to reflect on your NOLS experience and how it will impact the rest of your life. Milam Valley Photo: Madhu Chikkaraju

Touch down in the ancient world of the Himalayas and prepare for a semester packed with unparalleled language and cultural opportunities in one of the most breathtaking backcountry classrooms in the world.

The Himalayas, or “Abode of Snow,” swing in a wide arc across four countries and are home to both Everest and K2. Your Semester in India begins at NOLS Pacific Northwest in Conway, Washington, to prepare rations and gear before flying to New Delhi.

A bus ride through the plains of northern India to the mountain town of Ranikhet in Uttarakhand will deliver you to the NOLS base, located in an idyllic setting at 6,500 feet in the foothills of the Himalaya.

From here, you will travel through the valleys of the Kumaon and Garhwal regions where the thick conifer and broad-leaf trees of the lower altitudes turn to evergreens, rhododendron, and juniper forests in the high ridges and shrubs, grasses, and wildflowers in the alpine zone.

Wilderness Advanced First Aid (WAFA)
While in Ranikhet, you’ll experience rural mountain life while you receive your WAFA certification through the Wilderness Medicine Institute of NOLS. This 40-hour course focuses on injury stabilization, treatment, and evacuation guidelines of patients in backcountry environments.

Whitewater rafting and Hindu religion mesh on the holy river Ganges. Rishikesh Photo: TC Rammelkamp

Whitewater Rafting
This 12-day section is based in the area around Rishikesh, one of the holiest places for Hindus and home to many of their rituals and mythology.

You will begin rafting on the holy Ganges River as you hone paddling fundamentals. Once your skills advance and you begin to “read” the water, you’ll be ready for a few multiday expeditions where you will learn to be paddle captain and row an oar raft.

Courses in India offer students the unique opportunity to encounter a different culture while learning wilderness skills. Photo: Craig Lenske

Culture
The village of Kalika, a tiny hamlet at 6,000 feet near the town of Ranikhet, will be the hub for these ten days. Pairing up with a fellow coursemate, you will participate in a homestay to experience firsthand what it takes to live in remote, rural India. You will be engaged in domestic chores and eat meals with your host family.

Group classes will include subjects such as landscapes, forest use and farming as a means of livelihood, and yoga. You will travel to learn about local food products, economy, and alpine ecology, as well as to visit Gandhi Ashram, a national monument to the Indian independence movement.

Milam Valley Backpacking 
The Milam (Johar) Valley was once the trade route between India and Tibet. You’ll travel in those traders’ footsteps over high altitude passes, through remote villages, and across lush river valleys and flower-strewn meadows, all with alpine glaciers in the distance.

Student Expedition
Your semester will culminate in India’s Pindari Valley with an opportunity for a student expedition, a chance to apply with a small group of your coursemates all the skills you have learned over the past months.

Although groups will travel without the immediate supervision of your instructors, you will work closely with them to craft a travel plan, work out a proposed route, and plan for contingencies. Independent student group travel is typically 7 to 10 days in length and is a reward for working hard throughout your entire semester.

Semester in India Duration: 80 Days Age: 18 and Older (Average Age: 21) Tuition: 2012 Spring: $15,300 Fall: $15,600 Dates: 2012 Spring March 7-May 25, 2012 March 22-June 9, 2012 WAFA, River Rafting, Culture, Backpacking 2012 Fall August 23-November 10, 2012 September 9-November 27, 2012 WAFA, Backpacking, Culture, River Rafting College Credit: (Optional) 16 Semester Credit Hours 4 Hours Biology 2 Hours Environmental Studies 2 Hours Leadership Techniques 4 Hours Skills Practicum 4 Hours Risk Assessment Course start/end: Conway, Washington / New Delhi, India Equipment Deposit: $700 Fly in/out: Seattle, Washington / New Delhi, India Additional Information: Course Description (pdf) Equipment List (pdf)

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Ravi Kumar, director of NOLS India, summarizes some of the experiences NOLS India students can expect on their courses.