DIY Trekking Field Course
The OG outdoor learning program where you get all the skills & knowledge you need to hike independently with confidence without compromising on your safety.
60+ independent hikers graduated since Apr 2021
What you’ll learn
🌄 Intro to Wilderness
Benefits of being in the outdoors and learning the technical language of trekkers
🧭 Outdoor Navigation
Learn navigation methods so that you never lose your way — and what to do when you do
🌦️ Weather & Seasons
Understanding different hiking seasons and knowing when to hike & when to avoid
👟 Hiking Techniques
Overcome your fears with right techniques and figure out your hiking pace
⚡ Nutrition & Hydration
Never run out of food and water on the trail. Different strategies for day-hikes vs overnight camping
🎒 Backpacking Gear
Experience different kinds hiking gear pieces and learn how to select what you need
⛺ Camping & Hygiene
Camp site selection, choosing the right kind of shelters & learning to pitch
🛡️ Wilderness Safety
Ways to avoid animal conflicts and staying safe in the outdoors
🗺️ DIY Route Planning
How to apply what you learn on your next hike
By the end of this 7-day course, you will…
- Break your mental barriers
- Start seeing the whole world as your playground
- Be able to explore far more in far less time
- Understand how to do treks at a fraction of cost
- Know how to execute more challenging treks with minimal resources
- Navigate the wild with confidence without the need to hire a guide
- Be able to prepare for going solo
- Stop excessive reliance on gear
- Have skills to assist in rescue ops
- Experience diverse terrains like forest, meadows, snow slopes, streams, etc
- Get a head start to build a career in the outdoors (if that interests you)
- Become an independent hiker
Hi, I’m Manav
Founder, Creedaz
I am a fulltime hiker & outdoor educator.
I have 10000+ kms under my feet and have spent the last 7 years extensively hiking & mapping various parts of Himalayas and Sahyadris.
I’m on a mission to make the outdoors more accessible & this course is just one of the many ways I am trying to achieve that goal.
Here are some key highlights of how I’ve designed the course :
- 7-days is all you need. Since first launch in Apr 2021, I’ve optimized the course for an outstanding learning experience.
- 4-6 participants only. This means I can give a more individual attention to ensure you are not left behind on ANY topic. This is impossible to achieve in larger batches of 8 or more.
- ~80% of the time spent learning on the trail. This ensures you actually translate theory to practice immediately to grasp the concepts.
I look forward to your application to join me in one of the upcoming batches. 🙂
More than a just a course.
Tons of advanced hiking resources 😃
Get access to a growing library of invaluable hiking resources like maps, trail database & more.
An ROI guarantee that makes it a no-brainer 💪
You will recover the fees you pay in the first few hikes you do after course.
Come for the course, stay for the community 💛
Become part of a private community of reliable hiking partners to share an adventure with.
This Field Course is for you if…
✅ You’re done following the leader
You’ve tagged along on guided treks, following someone else’s pace and plans. Now, you’re ready to ditch the tourist mindset and hike on your own terms. Time to be your own adventure boss.
✅ You’ve conquered Sahyadris etc and want more
You’ve tackled the Sahyadris and now have your eyes set on the Himalayas. You’re itching for the next big challenge in high-altitude terrain. Bring on the mountains.
✅ You’re an adventure junkie who needs a starting point
You binge-watch outdoor content & dream of your own epic journeys. You’re just not sure where to start.
✅ You’re a seasoned trekker hungry for more skills
You've been hiking for a while and have confidence in your abilities. Now, you're looking to enhance your skills to expand your adventures.
❌ Who is this course NOT for :
- you’re not serious about learning and just want a laid-back holiday
- you’re on the fence about whether outdoors is your thing
- you aren’t aware of how much time & money guided treks cost
- you don’t plan to hike at least once a year
- you view this course as an expense & not an investment in your skill & life
Field course details & admission
Admission
Admission is by application only.
You will be offered a seat if you are selected.
Eligibility
Age : 18+ years
Fitness : Open to all ✨
Current Fee
Fee : Rs 25,000
Inclusions : Instruction, shared accommodation, all meals during the course, any gear issued to you.
Exclusions : Personal expenses, paid transport of any kind, anything not mentioned in inclusions.
Course Logistics
Duration : 7 days (Sunday to Saturday)
Reporting : On a Sunday, 8 AM
Farewell : On a Saturday, 3 PM
Batch Size : 4-6 individuals only ✨
Location : Ladakh / Himachal / Uttarakhand / Maharashtra
Includes:
✨ All course modules taught in a friendly & supportive environment
✨ Daily outdoor sessions & field assignments to practice concepts
✨ Certificate on successful completion of the course
✨ 1-1 assistance to plan & execute your first independent hike.
✨ Access to hiking resources (maps, trail database & more)
✨ Lifetime membership of the private community of verified independent hikers
R.O.I. Guarentee
You will save far more money than you invest in the course.
You will recover your fees within your first few hikes if you implement what you learn in the course. Beyond that, it’s unlimited savings of both money and time for the rest of your life. If you unable to achieve that, I will work with you address any gaps & help you achieve your goals.
See for yourself how cost effective independent hiking (based on my hikes on these routes, documented on YouTube).
Annapurna Circuit Trek
Normally Rs 50,000 & 14 days.
DIY-style Rs 8,000 & 8 days.
Save Rs 42,000 & 6 days 🤯
Kedarkantha Trek
Normally Rs 9,000 & 5 days.
DIY-style Rs 500 & 1 day.
Save Rs 8,500 & 4 days 🫠
Bhrigu Lake
Normally Rs 8,000 & 4 days.
DIY-style Rs 500 & 1 day.
Save Rs 7,500 & 3 days 👀
60+ graduates
Devansh Purohit
Perfect for beginners who have never hiked before For a beginner like me who has never hiked before, it was really fortunate that I got to start my hiking journey with this course. This course covers every fundamental aspect around hiking. Manav is extremely patient and his ability to teach well makes this course even better. I can't recommend this course enough. After completing this course you will definitely get confidence to try out independent hiking!
Avijeet Mandloi
Gave me the confidence to explore outdoors on my own I had been on many hikes earlier and found organized tours by companies to be ecologically unsustainable. I was not sure if I can go hiking without them. This course gave me the confidence to explore outdoors on my own in a safe and sustainable way. The best part of the course was we ended up doing several independent hikes before it even finished. Manav is observant and calm and gives ample time and attention to each individual and it would be a delight for you to meet him in person.
Pinank Shah
Hiking will change your life Most efficient use of 7 days, having power packed practical and theory sessions. What amazes me are the varied topics covered in such great depth. Excellent skill transfer program by an extremely resourceful and humane person! Other than for developing independent hiking skills, Do the course for a different perspective to life!!
Shabeer Ali
I did Everest Base Camp on my own after learning from Manav I am extremely happy that I got trained through Manav’s course. He knows his stuff in and out. After the course I ended up complete the Everest Base Camp (EBC) trail all by myself without a guide and porter. This course is definitely going to break stereotypes and you will get to meet amazing people.
Shubrank Mukhiya
This was a reminder that there's a lot more to life It blows my mind to know that it is really possible for a regular guy like me to reach amazing places like these — without spending half of my salary on one trip. Learning and experiencing the outdoors along side these individuals has changed my mindset about the whole trekking thing.
Kruthi OP
Manav is extremely patient and gave us individual attention This course covers all that is needed to enable you to begin hiking independently. The highlight for me was that each one of us came with different expectations on what we wanted to take away from the course and Manav gave us that individual attention. Manav is genuine and extremely patient and has the ability to teach and explain things clearly. I am glad and thankful to have been part of this course through which I have gained enough confidence to go out and explore the outdoors on my own.
More student stories coming soon (I am bad at collecting testimonials 😅)
FAQs
Gallery
Check out what the field course experience looks like on this link 🙂