Elevate and immerse yourself in this sacred land and culture.
Photo: Kevin Emery
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 Himalaya, or “Abode of Snow,” swings in a wide arc across four countries and includes Everest and K2 but reaches even higher in imaginations.
This semester 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 6,000 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.
Pindari Valley Backpacking
A nine-day hike to the Pindari Valley will introduce you to the skills you need to travel comfortably and responsibly, while also helping you build the leadership techniques that you’ll carry with you the rest of your life. You’ll journey through villages while gaining spectacular views of the Himalaya and its wildlife, crossing some passes in the 9,500- to 10,500-foot range. This section will also be a good initiation into customs and rituals of the mountain people as well as Indian culture as a whole.
Wilderness Advanced First Aid (WAFA)
Back in Ranikhet, you’ll experience the 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.
You'll have the opportunity to experience this land in a way that few others do.
Photo: Erika Cowley
Whitewater Rafting
This 12-day section is based in the area around Rishikesh, one of the holiest spots for Hindus and home to many of their rituals and mythology. You will begin rafting on the holy Ganges as you hone paddling fundamentals. Once your skills advance and you begin to “read” the water, you’ll be ready for a few multi-day 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 Sarmoli, a tiny hamlet at 7,500 feet near the remote town of Munsiari, 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 landscape and forest use as a means of livelihood. You will make field trips to higher elevations and study alpine ecology, and also travel down to about 2,500 feet to study river ecology.
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. The trek will culminate with an independent student group expedition where you will use every skill you’ve acquired thus far.
Semester in India
Duration:
80 Days
Age:
18 and Older (Average Age: 21)
Tuition:
Spring: $14,100
Fall: $14,500
Dates:
Spring
March 10-May 28, 2009
March 25-June 12, 2009
Backpacking, WAFA, River Rafting, Culture
Fall
August 24-November 11, 2009
September 20-December 8, 2009
Backpacking, WAFA, Backpacking, Culture, River Rafting
