A three-day, two-night self-reliant camping expedition on the rim of the Kathmandu Valley, from Nagarkot through Dhulikhel to Balthali.
Price on request
This six-day programme combines planning and training in Kathmandu with a three-day, two-night expedition that tests physical and expedition skills. It is designed for students to develop skills such as communication, navigation, self-reliance and team building, and a better understanding of other key curriculum topics. It helps them develop independence and a sense of personal responsibility.
Students backpack along the rim of the Kathmandu Valley, from Jarsing Pauwa to Nagarkot, Dhulikhel and Balthali, with the mountains on the horizon, and learn about sustainable trekking and self-reliant camping in the hills.
Adventure Milestone is not an approved D of E Activity Provider. We design the route, help with preparation, practice and navigation, and look after safety and logistics; supervision, assessment and sign-off stay with your school's own award leader and assessor.
Sleeping altitude, walking time, meals and lodging for every day.
D of E Silver Expedition: Nagarkot to Balthali: day by day
6 days
Arrive in Kathmandu and transfer to the hotel, where we help with check-in. Afterwards there is a welcome briefing, followed by dinner.
Today is for preparation. Students get to know the Kathmandu area and are divided into the small groups they will work in throughout the trip. We provide the equipment needed for the expedition and take the groups to the local market to buy their own food, which gives them a real idea of how to prepare properly for an expedition. In the afternoon they pack everything, ready to set off.
After breakfast we drive to Jarsing Pauwa and start the walk to Nagarkot, following the groups' own plan. Nagarkot (2,175 m) is a popular viewpoint, and in clear weather many snow-capped peaks of the Himalayan range can be seen. On arrival at Nagarkot the groups set up camp and prepare their dinner.
After breakfast we walk for about an hour and a half along a wide dirt track through the forest, then descend into a valley, another hour and a half, for a lunch break near the small town of Nala. The panorama of snow-capped peaks to the north and the terraced fields are the highlights of the day. After lunch we climb to Mane Bhanjyang and descend to Rabi Opi village, where there is a chance to meet local people, which adds another dimension to the Himalayan experience. From the village another hour's walk brings us to Dhulikhel, and our campsite lies just beyond the town. On arrival the groups set up camp for the night.
After breakfast we walk to Sarada Batase and then on to Sankhu. Beyond Sankhu we climb into pine forest, then descend to the Roshi River, cross it on a suspension bridge and walk up to Balthali. From Balthali we continue to Salmitar and on to Khopasi. Terraced fields, rivers, forest and farmland are the highlights of the day, and at the end of the walk the team can reflect on what it has achieved before the drive back to Kathmandu.
Free time for shopping in the colourful streets of Thamel until the transfer to the international airport.
In the price on this page
Budget for these separately
The full breakdown, the kit list and the insurance requirement are sent to you before any deposit.
Request the leader packWhat each student should pack for this programme.
Tents, mattresses, stoves and cooking utensilsWe lend thisIssued on the preparation day
Sleeping bagRated to around 0 °C for spring and autumn nights
Rucksack, 50 to 65 litresStudents carry their own kit on expedition
Head torch and spare batteries
Mess tin, mug and cutlery
Quick-dry T-shirts and trekking trousersNo jeans on the trail
Fleece or warm mid layer
Waterproof jacketShowers are common in spring and autumn
Sun hat and a warm hat
Underwear and socks for every day
Broken-in walking boots or trail shoes
Sandals or trainers for the evenings
Personal medicationWith a copy of the prescription
Sunscreen and lip balm
Hand sanitiser
Insect repellent
Passport valid for six months
Two passport photographsFor the visa and any permits
Copy of your travel insurance
Shot on this trail by our guides and the groups who walked it.
Students practising pitching a dome tent indoors on the preparation day
Students laying out their expedition kit on sleeping mats on a hotel lawn in Kathmandu during a kit check
Terraced hillsides and scattered houses below Nagarkot, with snow peaks on the far horizon
Walkers with trekking poles and loaded backpacks climbing stone steps near Dhulikhel
An expedition group resting with their packs in a clearing of pine forest on the way to DhulikhelA walker with a backpack crossing a long steel suspension bridge over the river on the way to Balthali
Green terraced fields and a small village on a hillside in evening light
A line of walkers with backpacks following a narrow grassy ridge path through green forested hillsNo. Adventure Milestone is not an approved D of E Activity Provider. We design the route, help the groups with preparation, practice and navigation, and look after safety and logistics. Supervision, assessment and sign-off are done by your school's own award leader and assessor.
Three days and two nights, days 3 to 5 of the programme. The groups walk from Jarsing Pauwa to Nagarkot and Dhulikhel, camping each night, then walk via Balthali to Khopasi on day 5 and drive back to Kathmandu.
Students are divided into the small groups they will work in, we issue the equipment needed for the trip, and we take them to the local market to buy their own food. In the afternoon they pack everything, ready for the expedition.
In a hotel in Kathmandu on nights 1, 2 and 5, and at campsites at Nagarkot and Dhulikhel on the two expedition nights.
Still deciding? The people who answer are the people who run the trek. Ask us anything: fitness, insurance, kit, or whether your dates are a sensible idea.
Message a trek specialistThe same care and paperwork, at a different length and pace.
D of E GoldModerateModerate5–6 hours a day · 3,500–4,500 mLonger days with real ascent, and at least one acclimatisation day built in. Some training helps; hill walking most weekends for two months is enough.7 days · Kathmandu Valley rim, Nepal
Price on request
EasyEasy4–5 hours a day · Below 3,500 mWell-made trails, teahouses close together, and nothing that needs a head for heights. Anyone who walks regularly at home will be comfortable.
ModerateModerate5–6 hours a day · 3,500–4,500 mLonger days with real ascent, and at least one acclimatisation day built in. Some training helps; hill walking most weekends for two months is enough.
EasyEasy4–5 hours a day · Below 3,500 mWell-made trails, teahouses close together, and nothing that needs a head for heights. Anyone who walks regularly at home will be comfortable.
ChallengingChallenging6–7 hours a day · 4,500–5,600 mConsecutive days at altitude, cold nights and a pre-dawn start or two. You need to arrive fit rather than plan to get fit on the trail.We reply with a costed plan for your group.
At least one adult for every eight students. Every leader and guide holds a first aid qualification.
Yes. Our itineraries are flexible and are shaped to the students' needs and the school's requirements.
Yes. We arrange charity treks and community projects with schools, orphanages and villages, from fundraising to building, painting, farming and cleaning.
Price on request
6 days
