Our History

 

Today’s competitive academic environment puts increasing demands on students to spend greater and greater amounts of time in the classroom, and less time pursuing other activities

 

What is I.O?


Initiative Outdoor (I.O.) is a Nepal-based company established in 2003, that operates outdoor leadership and adventure courses for participants of all ages and all walks of life. Our courses are as many journeys of challenge into remote and rugged land as they are voyages of discovery of one's surroundings both natural and cultural, of the ins and outs of teamwork, and of one's own potential. 

The aim of all I.O. courses is to assist participants in developing leadership and technical skills, to foster awareness and appreciation of the environment, and to nurture within individuals new attitudes, perspectives, and ways of thinking and participating in the world around them. I.O. courses are based in Nepal's incredible wilderness and consist of activities such as white water rafting and kayaking, hiking, mountaineering, rock climbing, canyoning, and caving. Programs are either activity-specific or include a combination of these activities.


 

On I.O. expeditions participants will test their physical abilities, develop skills, and come to master activities. Moreover, they will gain confidence in their own ability to work with a team to meet defined goals, and lead the team safely, courageously, and with integrity when called upon to do so. These abilities require skills of communication, cooperation, sound judgment, reflection, and awareness- qualities that are carefully fostered in all I.O. courses. Such skills are ones that students take with them long after the course is over; they are Life Skills.

 

Initiative Outdoor Values

 

At the basis of all that I.O. does lay the following core values. These assist us in creating a safe and trusting environment in which participants can discover the outdoors, develop skills and open themselves to the world around them and within them. 

Challenge and Adventure Both of these terms invoke an element of the unknown, the unusual, something exciting, even risky, which demands great effort. When we are taken out of our comfort zone we are invited to test our limits and discover our strengths. To embrace the unknown is to be able to adapt readily in the face of adversity. We move beyond personal apprehensions and fears in order to grow into our innate abilities.

 

Core Values

 

The following core values form the foundation of all I.O. programs

 Challenge and Adventure: taking participants out of their comfort zone to test their

limits and explore and discover personal strengths

actions and keep the welfare of themselves, their team-mates and their surroundings in mind

through the development of leadership qualities

  Awareness and the Environment: projecting awareness of Ourselves and the World

around us to actively become stewards of nature conservation and protection

  Sangha and Seva: coming to understand ourselves as part of a bigger whole, acknowledging interrelatedness as well as participating actively in the community

through selfless service

  Personal Development: uncovering personal potential and developing qualities

essential to becoming creative, compassionate, and balanced human beings

 Learning by Experience: creating a safe environment in which ideas and concepts

can be tested and challenged to facilitate learning through direct experience

  Leave No Trace (LNT): I.O. considers it their responsibility to help conserve those places we explore and use for our own pleasure and education. LNT is a set of guidelines devised to reduce the impact of one's activities on the environment while

traveling in the outdoors. And is adhered to on all I.O. trips.

 

Responsible Adventure

 

we at I.O. consider it our responsibility to help conserve those places that we explore, enjoy, and learn from. LEAVE NO TRACE (LNT). is a set of guidelines devised to reduce the impact of one's activities on the environment while traveling outdoors. I.O. adheres to LNT principles and enforces them on all trips and brings positive benefits to the local communities. initiative Outdoor subscribes to a number of core principles in relation to responsible travel, of which the main ones are:

 

1. Protect the environment – its flora, fauna, and landscapes
2. Respect local cultures – traditions, religions, and heritage
3. Benefit local communities – both economically and socially
4. Conserve natural resources – across all stages of the journey, from planning to destination
5. Minimize pollution – through the noise, waste disposal, and congestion
6. Ensure the welfare of staff – fair pay, insurance, and the appropriate kit for all our staff