Camping and Outdoor Adventure

On 16th March 2023, 100 students of DAIS from classes 5 to 9, went on a camping trip into the Great Indian Outdoors. The location of the campsite was Shivpuri, a small town nestled in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand. The camp was organized and conducted by Snow Leopard Adventures. At the camp, the children lived in tents and the large group was divided into 3 smaller groups to facilitate the conduct of the varied activities.

 

 

Every day started with an early morning yoga session and warm-up exercises, to calm the children and help them focus on the day’s activities. This was followed by a host of supervised outdoor activities like rafting, zip lining, treasure hunt, outdoor games, team-building activities, outdoor education, rope and knot techniques, tree climbing, wall-scaling and trekking.

 

 

We went rafting across the Ganges river. It was a challenging course covering a few rapids like 'initiation', 'club-house', 'double-trouble' and 'hilton'. The spray of the icy cold water on our faces, as we crashed through the rapids, was a sheer adventure. The children paddled in a competitive spirit and dunked into the freezing water of the Ganga.

 

The zip lining was done at a height of 70 meters. It was a scary yet exhilarating experience. The children experienced a feeling of victory on reaching the opposite side of the river.

The outdoor education and treasure hunt taught students how to be prepared to live in the rustic outdoors, how to read a compass, how to cross a river on a log of wood, how to light a fire, how to pitch a tent, and how to cook, eat and enjoy a simple meal. The students made ‘khichdi’ and soup, which was a delicious survival fare.

 

 

The team-building activities required students to strategize, collaborate, and coordinate, honing their planning, decision-making, and time-management skills.

 

 

A bus ride took us to Sirasu, a village holed up in the wilderness, from where we began the trek. A walk along the Sirasu bridge, which is a suspension bridge, brought us to the other side of the holy Ganges. A trek took us through the fields, wilderness, and village. We got a glimpse of the simple life led by the people of the village, which is not without its fair share of difficulties.

 

 

The students returned to school with an integral part of nature- plants for their class. They are encouraged to nurture the saplings, thus inculcating the attribute of 'Caring' towards their environment.

 

The evening was the time for a tryst with our Indian culture; the famous Ganga Aarti. The atmosphere was serene and charged with religious fervour. It was amazing to see the devotees participate in the aarti and the bhajans.

 

 

Our children tested their physical strength, endurance, and concentration while tree climbing and wall-scaling as recreational activities. Dressed for the occasion in in rope, helmet, and harness further enhanced their spirit of adventure.

 

It was performance time during the camp-fire, when students and teachers showcased their talents at acting, dance, and singing. The five busy days of adventure and fun just whizzed past and it was time to board the flight back home. The children reflected on the last 5 days with fondness and enthusiasm, recollecting happy times and the fun incidents and stories.

 

 

The dynamic staff at the SLA camp worked tirelessly, day and night, to ensure that our students have a fun time. The food served at breakfast, lunch, teatime snacks and dinner was delicious and varied, with every main meal beginning with soup and ending with dessert.

 

 

The SLA staff ensured that all safety precautions were in place during the activities and that help was offered for all difficulties faced by the students, including the times when monkeys entered their tents and carried away their snacks.

 

 

The camp was the perfect opportunity for our students to bond, make new friends, learn life skills, and make fond memories to last a lifetime. Thank you SLA, for a wonderful outdoor experience.