Trekking and outdoors is a fast growing interest in the
country and India with its diverse geographical spread is on the top five Go-To
destinations in the world. Hence, numerous trek locations and offbeat outdoor
vacation destinations are attracting a lot of travellers from not only India,
but from around the world.
Wilderness travel is as exotic and attracting, as it
is challenging. Though trekking is a hit in a lot of locations in the country,
The Himalayas are the unbeaten king in the category, because of the magical experience
and the dream-like terrain. Every season, The Himalayas witness huge number of
trekkers and hikers – both, first timers as well as experienced adventurers.
While the Himalayas are attracting more and more trek
enthusiasts every season, the safety, however, still remains an issue. The high
altitudes, tough & remote terrains and extreme & unpredictable weather
conditions – everything is a potential problem that is known to halt treks,
leaving people stranded or trapped. Hence, Safety is probably the biggest
concern in the current outdoor adventure travel scene.
Recently, the Chadar Trek of Ladakh was put on a hold by Leh
Govt because of a potential natural mishap. The various groups of trekkers that
were already starting this popular trek, were hence, stranded. Last season, the
Valley of Flowers trek was in news because of a broken bridge that closed down
commute.
Himalayan treks are often faced with landslides blocking the roads, snow
fall covering ever surface, strong winds making it impossible to camp outside
and the simplest to deal with – rains. All this is what a travellers’
nightmares are made of, not to mention, the travel company’s too. To combat all
the above, this is what is required:
- An extremely well thought of trek plan. The trek has to be well thought through, including the trail, the time of travel and the group strength. It is best to travel in small groups because it ensures more safety and attention.
- Expertise, experience and leadership quality of the guides. To lead the trekkers expertly under unpredictable weather conditions, to have the kind of experience that helps you foresee the nature conditions, and to act quickly and cleverly in times of need.
- A strong back up for safe stay, that has to be a part of the main plan. The backup planning need to count for every possible What-If situation, with the safety of trekkers in mind.
At GIO Adventures, safety of our trek groups is our first
concern. When you go outdoors for an offbeat or adventure activity such a
trekking and camping, along with your physical well being, your mental state is
equally important. One tiny detail, like a smelly sleeping bag can make you
feel unsafe or uncared for. In India, especially for first timers, mental and
emotional fitness is often overlooked, which is a pity. A trip should never
make you want to change your mind about outdoors and head back home instead. This
is something we at GIO Adventures treat as a priority.
We believe that a trek is successful only when every
possible crisis condition is thought about, tended to and prepared for. When
you are in the Himalayas, anything less that fully prepared is not acceptable,
and we follow it like our Bible. From small trek groups, minimum of two professionally
trained mountain guides per group, and a strong backup from our Himalayan Eco
Lodges – GIO Adventures is the safest outdoor offbeat and adventure firm in India.
And take it from us – Safety is the MOST crucial factor in outdoors.
At GIO Adventures we pride ourselves on well trained, safety
savvy and an extremely experienced team of guides and experts for all our
activities. GIO Adventures has a team over a hundred highly experienced and
motivated Outdoor Specialists. All our guides are professionally trained and
the team is led by the legendary Mohan Singh Gunjiyal. Mohan Singh is a Padam
Shree awardee and a mountaineer par excellence and is GIO Adventures’ Chief
Instructor.
When it comes to safe practices, small groups come on top. Operating
in small groups of never more than 12 people at a time, is our mantra. Each
group has a minimum of 2 guides who have proven their capability over the years
– from leading treks efficiently in the wilderness, to even carrying trekkers
on their backs in cases of emergencies. The commitment and compassion are the
driving force in the team, that has been our pride since 1999. Safety is
crucial and critical when it comes to outdoors.
The nature is wonderful and exhilarating, and there is
immense joy in exploring new places, but remember – safety first! Adventure is
out there, go explore. But start after making sure it is as safe as it is
thrilling. In short, what we want to say is, please put safety first when
planning a trek.
