Eight students left college last Friday to start the adventure of a lifetime - a month long trip to India and trekking across the Himalayas.

Students, Harriet, Tom, James, Beth, Jenny, Rachel, Vanessa and Joseph are taking part in a World Challenge and have been working hard over the past year to raise £3,000 each to fund the project. Accompanied by Carmel Tutor, Ed Swann, and World Challenge Expedition Leader, Jennifer, the group flew out from Heathrow to Delhi last Friday. 

On Saturday they began the long journey by bus to Manali, a journey of around 12 hours, or more depending on the condition of the road. They stayed overnight in Chandigarh, finally arriving in Manali on Sunday 4th July where they found accommodation and had a well earned rest!

Monday was spent acclimatising, learning about life in the Himalaya and exploring the surrounding area by going on a walk at a higher altitude. The group also bought all the food and other supplies they would need for the forthcoming trek.

Tuesday saw the group leave Manali and make the 10 hour journey to Kaza. The route takes in stunning views and crosses the Rhotang Pass into the Spiti Valley.

Today (Wednesday) is another acclimatisation day where the group will be going on short treks from Kaza in preparation for the start of the main trek tomorrow.

Tomorrow they will leave from the village of Langza in the Spiti Valley to begin the trek which will take 12 days to complete. Along the journey they will visit a Tibetan monastery and experience Buddhist culture, high up in the Spiti Valley. The group will try new foods such as Tibetan momos and will learn about the cultures and customs of the Himalayan people. They will have to set off early each day so they can cross any rivers before midday when the water level rises too high to cross safely. Following glacial streams, they will pass prayer flags in remote areas of the Himalaya and will climb to an altitude of 4890 metres! The last 3 days of the trek will be spent taking in the views of the surrounding valleys and stunning mountains whilst descending through meadow filled valleys and heading downhill to the village of Kafnu.

The final 10 days of the trip will see the group enjoying 2 “rest and relaxation” days, when they will visit the awe-inspiring Golden Temple in Amritsar and the sights of “The Pink City” in Jaipur. In Jaipur the group will spend 5 days working with the community in a local school, a great opportunity to immerse themselves in the culture and get stuck into a challenge!

The last 3 days will enable the group to do some sightseeing, including the Taj Mahal.

Watch this space to see how they got on!