Hiking Field Course
A week-long, hands-on outdoor training program that teaches all essential hiking skills like navigation, camping, route planning, wilderness safety & more — designed for anyone looking to build confidence and skill in the outdoors.
Most outdoor courses in India, like BMC and AMC, focus on technical mountaineering, leaving little room for essential hiking skills like navigation, camping, route planning, wilderness safety, etc.
The lack of focused & structured hiking education directly leads to more frequent rescues as hikers venture out unprepared. This causes unnecessary strain on already limited search & rescue resources.
The Hiking Field Course was started in April 2021. This 7-day field course is carefully designed to address your fears and ensure progressive learning through immersive outdoor experience. The program enables students to explore the outdoors safely, independently and responsibly.
Starting with fundamentals like camping, gear, hiking techniques and LNT, it advances to navigation, risk assessment, trek planning, and more. Participants learn to navigate themselves, carry their own gear, set up camp and cook meals. They gain hands-on backcountry experience through hiking assignments and multiple outdoor lectures.
With an instructor-to-student ratio of 1:5 or better (international standard for top outdoor courses), participants receive individual attention, quick feedback and better safety oversight.
The curriculum is developed over half a decade of fieldwork and refinement. It’s designed for high practical utility without unnecessary fluff and covers every skillset required to be an efficient and responsible independent hiker.
- ✓Develop confidence by overcoming mental barriers.
- ✓See outdoors as an accessible, inclusive and navigable space.
- ✓Learn cost-effective strategies to explore more with fewer expenses and less time.
- ✓Acquire the skills to undertake solo and challenging treks.
- ✓Reading topographic maps and using GPS tools for precise navigation.
- ✓Learn how to identify hazards and mitigate risks.
- ✓Understanding animal behavior and avoiding conflicts.
- ✓Learn hiking techniques for diverse terrains — forests, meadows, snow slopes, streams etc.
- ✓Develop a deep respect for the wilderness through responsible hiking practices
The entire course is divided into 3 phases: Foundation, Field Course and On-going Support.
Foundation
After enrolment, you will get access to the online pre-course Foundation Kit to build a strong foundation before the field course.
There will be live online sessions for Q&As to ensure you are well-prepared for hands-on learning in the field.
- ·Foundation Kit
- ·Live Q&A Session
- ·Fitness Improvement Protocols
Field Course
- Welcome and Orientation
- Hiking Styles
- Wilderness First Aid
- Backpacking Principles
- Gear Check & Gear Issue
- Hike #1
- Topography
- Outdoor Navigation
- Offline Navigation Apps
- Sleep System
- Campcraft
- Camp Hygiene
- Hike #2
- Outdoor Cooking
- Hiking Techniques & Pace
- Altitude & Hiking Seasons
- Stream Crossing
- Hike #3
- Weather Forecasting
- Steep Slopes
- Clothing System
- Footwear
- Nutrition & Hydration
- Hike #4 : Independent Student Group Trek (ISGT)
- Human Animal Conflict
- Risk Assessment
- Self-rescue & Safety
- Hike #5
- Trail Database & Maps
- GPX Files
- Unique Hiking Opportunities in India
- Trek Planning Framework
- Skill Retrospective
- Advanced Navigation
- Long Distance Hike Planning
- Farewell
It is optional but recommended to arrive a day early to be well rested and stay for few days after the course to do independent hikes to make the most of the course.
On-going Support
After the course, students continue to receive educational and planning support.
- ·Trek planning support to confidently apply your skills on your first few hikes.
- ·Accountability to stay committed towards making time for the outdoors
- ·Updated versions of course content
- ·Option to join the exclusive DIY Community of like-minded hikers and explorers
Minimum Fitness : There is no minimum fitness criteria.
I believe that outdoors is for everyone — so the course is deliberately designed to be inclusive of all fitness levels while allowing each individual to learn and hike at their own pace.
The principles you learn in the course applies to any hike you may choose to do in the future.
Note : If you have a specific health condition or concern like heart condition, respiratory condition etc, please contact us before enrolling.
Minimum Age : 10 years or older
Regular batches are open to ages 16 and above.
Special Parent-Child batches are open for younger participants (10-16) where they are accompanied by a parent or guardian.
- Course fee
- INR 35,000 / USD 495
- Location
- Manali, India
- Duration
- 7 days
- Instructor : student ratio
- 1 : 5