City Pride School, Nigdi

Guardian Giripremi Institute of Mountaineering (GGIM) has been actively working with schools across Maharashtra to introduce adventure-based education that complements classroom learning and contributes to the holistic development of students. As a part of this vision, GGIM partnered with City Pride School, Nigdi, to establish a structured adventure education programme that encourages students to learn through exploration, challenges, and meaningful outdoor experiences.

The academic year 2025-26 marked an important milestone in this partnership with the successful launch of the Avhaan Programme for students of Grades 5 and 6, along with the City Pride School Mountaineering Club for students from Grade 7 onwards. Together, GGIM and City Pride School have created a platform where students can develop confidence, leadership, teamwork, resilience, environmental awareness, and a lifelong appreciation for nature through carefully designed outdoor activities.

Throughout the year, students participated in a series of treks and adventure-based learning experiences across the Sahyadri mountain range. These activities were not merely recreational outings but structured educational journeys where every trek served as an outdoor classroom. Students explored the rich history of Maharashtra’s forts, understood geographical features of the Western Ghats, observed local biodiversity, and learned practical outdoor skills while developing physical fitness and mental resilience.

The programme included treks to iconic locations such as Tikona Fort, Lohagad Fort, Rohida Fort, Garbett Plateau, Torna Fort, Tamhini Hills, Valane Hills, and the Bhadas–Waghajai Temple trail. Students experienced diverse landscapes, from monsoon-covered forts and dense forests to open plateaus and river valleys. Along the way, they learned about local flora and fauna, geological formations, fort architecture, environmental conservation, and responsible outdoor practices. The year concluded with a Himalayan adventure expedition, giving selected students an opportunity to experience high-altitude trekking and apply the skills they had developed throughout the programme.

The impact of the programme extended far beyond trekking. Students learned to work together as teams, support one another during challenging situations, take responsibility for their actions, and step outside their comfort zones. These experiences helped nurture qualities such as cooperation, empathy, self-reliance, discipline, leadership, and perseverance. Adventure became a powerful medium through which students discovered their own potential and developed a deeper understanding of themselves and the world around them.

During the 2025-26 academic year, the programme recorded 281 student participations across eight Sahyadri treks, one multi-day adventure, and one Himalayan expedition, making it one of the most impactful experiential learning initiatives conducted at City Pride School Nigdi.

Programme Highlights

Learning Outcomes

Students gained practical exposure to:

• Trekking and outdoor skills
• Teamwork and leadership
• Environmental awareness
• Biodiversity observation
• Fort history and heritage appreciation
• Physical fitness and endurance
• Risk management and decision-making
• Self-reliance and confidence building