NOLS Patagonia semester

NOLS Patagonia semester is an 80-84-day course where we started with sea kayaking and went on to the hiking and rock climbing sections. I was initially nervous as I am an Indian and did not know Spanish, but the warm welcome and support I received from the NOLS staff helped me overcome this obstacle. The NOLS base in Coyhaique was beautiful as was Chile's country and culture. Before starting this 84-day journey, we learned much about Chilean culture and maté. We packed rations, took care of the equipment that would be needed on this trip, and went over the route that we would take. After all this Patagonia still managed to take my breath away as the terrain was stunningly beautiful from the oceans to the mountains the serenity of Patagonia was clear. We learned different skills in sea kayaking, hiking, and rock climbing and worked on individual and team goals with the support of our amazing instructors. Safety, Risk management, and LNT were the three main topics we focused on in our everyday routine, whether it was sea kayaking, hiking, or rock climbing. The highlight of my trip was the Independent Student Group Expedition (ISGE)
at the end of the three sections or ration period, students choose a route to hike on for 10 days without the instructors in a group of 4 to 5 people where we students plan our rations
for 10 days. We as a group decided to hike through two high passes on our 10-day route and 2 peak ascends. I had fun getting challenged differently navigating through the forests and oceans of Patagonia and learning the skills needed to do it safely. I would recommend this course to anyone who is looking for a new perspective, challenges, and a lot of fun while doing it.