Junior Achievement Dharamsala Trek, India Kingdom of Gaddis 29th March – 9th April

Travel to India and experience this stunning 5 day trek passing through the multi-coloured mountain range ornamented with villages, monasteries, temples and stupas and the incredible Taj Mahal

India is a land that truly suspends belief and defies description. Stretching from the frozen barrier of the Himalayas to the tropical greenery of Kerala, and from the sacred Ganges to the sands of the Thar Desert, India’s boundaries encompass incomparable variety. This superb trek takes us to Dharamsala, in the Kangra valley, Northern India against the backdrop of the dramatic Dhauladhar Mountains. Once a British hill station, today Dharamsala has become the synonymous to the Tibetan government in exile and the home of Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama.

This stunning trekking challenge passes through the Kingdom of Gaddi, a semi nomadic race who spends many months wandering the high pastures with their sheep. The trek offers splendid views of the Daula Dhar mountain Range, trekking through the mountain villages with terraced fields, dense mixed forests of oak, rhododendron, pine and bamboo, which offers some of the best camping spots throughout the trek, along with the rivers and streams, together with mixed forest offering some fine bird-watching. The journey also offers a visit to the H.H. Dalai Lama’s monastery and residence.

Our Indian adventure, wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the immense and beautiful Taj Mahal – the biggest monument ever created for love!

Detailed itinerary

Day 1: Depart Manchester Depart Manchester for Delhi, India

Day 2: Arrive Delhi sightseeing Arrive Delhi and transfer to the hotel where you have some free time. After lunch there is a guided visit to Red Fort and a chance to enjoy a cycle Rickshaw ride through the silver market. In the evening we will have dinner before boarding the overnight sleeper train – an exciting true India experience.

Day 3: MacLeod Ganj Arrive Pathankot early morning where we will be met and transfer approx. 3hrs to McLeod Ganj, Dharamsala at 1750m. Afternoon is free to explore the town, known as little Lhasa.

In the evening we will visit the residence of H.H. Dalai lama and soak up the spiritual and atmospheric atmosphere monastery. After dinner in the hotel we will have a full trek briefing about the challenge ahead.

Day 4: Mcleod Ganj to Kareri Village (2070m) 7hrs trekking After an early breakfast our trek begins! We walk past Tibetan Children’s Village and continue on to Satobari Village and begin our steep descent through thick pine forest to Ghera Village. We stop for lunch after crossing a small stream over a wooden bridge, then start our ascent to Kareri Village. After around two hours we reach the top of the ridge and continue along the ridge, enjoying the views of the valley below. Arrive in Kareri in the afternoon and set up camp in a lovely meadow just outside the village.

Day 5: Kareri to Bal (2330m) 7-8hrs trekking We enjoy an early breakfast then begin our trek by making a gradual ascent to a lovely mountain village. We stop here to enjoy the distant views of the Dauladhar range and enjoy a hot cup of chai. Afterwards, continue through the open meadow and pine forest before beginning our descent through the valley to a beautiful mountain stream. We stop for lunch and maybe a dip, then begin our ascent to Bal village, passing through dense mixed forest of bamboo, oak and pine. We set up camp for the night just outside Bal village, near a rushing river and in the shadow of Camel peak (5,300m).

Detailed itinerary

Day 6: Kereri to Truind (3000m) 7-8hrs trekking We begin today’s trek by crossing a suspension bridge before a steep ascent through the rhododendron and pine forest, with spectacular views back to Dharamsala. We continue for about 2 hours, until we reach a small chai shop. After a short rest, and a cup of hot sweet chai, we recommence our ascent, passing Gaddi tribal people taking their cattle to the high pastures of Lak and Triund, on the way. Triund is an alpine meadow on top of a ridge with breathtaking views of the peaks of Dhauladhar on one side and Kangra Valley on the other. We will make the most of this beautiful campsite and stay here for two nights.

Day 7: Truind – Lake Got (3500m) – Truind 6-7 hrs trekking Today we will trek to Laka Got, the highest point of our trek (3,500m) and a grazing ground for the local Gaddi shepherds. After a steady ascent through conifer and oak forest and across alpine meadows we arrive at our destination, which is located at the base of a glacier. We have the opportunity to walk on the glacier itself to reach Lahes Cave – an overnight shelter used by shepherds travelling over the mountains with their sheep. After lunch we make our return descent to our campsite at Triund.

Day 8: Triund to Bhagsu Nag Village (1740m) 5-6hrs trekking. From camp we trek over a grassy ridge for about 4kms with fine views of the valley below and the snowy peaks on other side, from here, we start a steep descent trough the mixed forest of oak, rhododendron, and bamboo to the small Bhagsu Nallaha (stream). After crossing the river by hopping over boulders to a small Chai Shop and short rest, we continue our gradual descent to a waterfall, which is the perfect place for lunch. After lunch we trek to Bhagsu Nag Village, which has a lovely temple and natural springs - great for a refreshing dip! Our jeeps will be waiting here for a short ride of 15 mins to our hotel in MacLeod Ganj. Tonight we celebrate our achievements with a special dinner.

Detailed itinerary

Day 9: Dharamsala to Delhi Free time to visit the Tibetan Bazaar and the Monastery before we board the overnight sleeper train back to Delhi.

Day 10 : Delhi to Taj Mahal Arrive Delhi 0545am and transfer 4-5hrs to Agra, stopping enroute for lunch.

Guided visit to the stunning Taj Mahal, one of the seventh Wonders of the World.

Overnight dinner and hotel, Agra.

Day 11: Transfer back to Delhi and departure Transfer back to Delhi. Day rooms will be available at a hotel before transferring to the airport early evening for flight back to Manchester.

Day 12: Arrive Manchester

© Ultimate Challenges This itinerary is complex and subject to change

Challenge grade Moderate to tough

Breakdown of Costs

£300 sign-up fee (none refundable) Cost of the trek £2,999 per person This fee includes fundraising for Junior Achievement Included

• Scheduled international return flights from Manchester airport to – Delhi return

• Overnight sleeper trains Delhi-Dharmsala return • All ground transportation and transfers in India • Head English speaking guide to accompany the

trek • Local guides • During the trek porters / mules will carry your

duffle bag daily to each location and to set up tents when required

• Twin shared accommodation in hotels and tents • All meals included - full board throughout • UK Expedition Medic/Doctor • UK Expedition Leader (on groups of 20+) • Entrance to Taj Mahal

Not Included

• India Visa (approximately £25 per person) • Single supplement if you do not want to share • Tips for the ground crew and porters • Personal expenses • Personal travel insurance (approx. £30 / £50) • Vaccinations which need to be arranged and paid

for via your GP or Boots • Return travel from the Isle of Man to Manchester Payment To secure your place on the trek you are required to pay an initial £300 sign-up fee (which is not refundable). 80% of the balance (£2,399) to be paid 10 week prior to the Trip the remaining 20% (£600) to be paid before the end of May 2021

For more information or to book your place on this trek contact

Jo 666266 or email jo.pack@jaiom.im

Our pricing policy We believe that we are very competitive and offer excellent value for money. However, it can be confusing when comparing prices, a small alteration in an itinerary, can make a substantial difference. We would be happy to review proposals you may have received from other tour operators, as we are confident that we can beat any genuine quote.

Why choose Ultimate Challenges

• We have over 20 years experience running pioneering charity challenges e.g. Kilimanjaro , the Inca Trail, California Bike • We choose the most unexplored and upcoming regions for our amazing expeditions • We are built on a team of Senior Event Fundraisers • Our team is driven to provide inspiring, life changing and effective fundraising events for our charity partners • We use the best ground agents, the most experienced trek staff and doctors to ensure your supporters have a safe and

memorable challenge • We operate an Ethical Code of Conduct with all our ground handlers to ensure fair treatment of all our local staff. We have

high health and safety expectations and all our partnerships are conducted with respect for local cultures and environmental concerns

• We offer an end-to-end service to ensure our charity partners are given full support from our experienced staff ensuring you maximise your income

‘ Choose your Tour Operator with your head, so your supporters can follow their hearts when they travel’