Membership Benefits
What are the Benefits of becoming a BASCOOL Member?
- Unlimited treks for 1 year!
- Canyoning trips (for canyoning graduates)
- Caving trips (for caving graduates)
- Curated treks to pristine locations.
- Tents for camping during multi-day treks.
- Treks will be led by qualified Trek Leaders / Instructors graduated from premium trekking or mountaineering institutes.
- Instructors / leads trained in CPR, Basic Life Support and Wilderness First-Aid.
- First Aid kit for the group.
- Planning and arranging the treks.
- A company of like minded individuals who trek not just for leisure but for learning as well.
- Gear rental facility for BASCOOL members. (tents, sleeping bags, helmet, harness etc.)
Why are you providing free treks?
We believe, all hills, mountains, rocks, rivers etc. belong to all residents of the country. It is the right of every resident to get fresh air and to live a healthy life. There should not be any fee to hike or trek a hill (yes, there could be fee for trail maintenance and trekker safety). So, if you have your own transportation and if you can arrange your own food for the trek (pack and bring), your trek should be free.
Moreover, due to the covid scenario, more folks want to go for outdoor activities in a smaller group of trusted folks. Hence, we want to keep our treks and events open only for members.
Also, every year, we explore and find pristine waterfalls, caves, trekking area etc. We feel, in order to conserve the pristine nature of those places, we should not create hype and publicise about those locations in social media.
These are some of the reasons why we arrange member-only free treks program.
What do you mean by unlimited? How many treks will be conducted in a year?
A minimum of 30 treks will be scheduled in a year ( 52 weeks ). This means an average of 2.5 treks in a month.
Membership Fees
How much is the Membership Fee?
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Individual Membership:
₹2999 on annually and a ₹2999 sign-up fee.Family Membership:
₹5999 on annually and a ₹5999 sign-up fee.
What is the validity period of the membership?
You may become a member anytime of the year. If you join as member during the middle of a month, you will not be charged for that month. You will be charged only starting the first day of the upcoming month. At the same time, if you leave the membership program, in the middle of a month, there will not a refund for the remainder of that month. Instead, your membership will end on last day of that month.
If I am joining in the middle of the calendar year, will I get any reduction in membership fee?
You may become a member anytime of the year as you will be charged only on monthly basis. If you join as member during the middle of a month, you will not be charged for that month. You will be charged only starting the first day of the upcoming month. At the same time, if you leave the membership program, in the middle of a month, there will not a refund for the remainder of that month. Instead, your membership will end on last day of that month.
Members will have an option to pause their membership once for a maximum period of 1 month. Please email to membership@BangaloreAdventureSchool.com. That way, you will not have to pay the setup fees again while re-starting.
On the contrary, if you cancel your membership, there will be a setup fee when you decide to become a member again.
What is Included
- Unlimited treks for 1 year!
- Canyoning trips (for canyoning graduates)
- Caving trips (for caving graduates)
- Curated treks to pristine locations.
- Tents for camping during multi-day treks.
- Treks will be led by qualified Trek Leaders / Instructors graduated from premium trekking or mountaineering institutes.
- Instructors / leads trained in CPR, Basic Life Support and Wilderness First-Aid.
- First Aid kit for the group.
- Planning and arranging the treks.
- A company of like minded individuals who trek not just for leisure but for learning as well.
- Gear rental facility for BASCOOL members. (tents, sleeping bags, helmet, harness etc.)
Can Non-Members participate for individual treks?
No, the member treks are NOT open to the public.
Can I bring a friend for a hike?
Member treks are NOT open to the public.
Trek Details
Some treks will be one day trek within 200 km of Bangalore. While other treks may be a little far from Bangalore and hence will be a multi-day trek.
What are various trek destinations?
As of now, we have identified at-least 30 treks. Every year, we explore and add new treks to the arsenal. We don’t reveal most of our trek destinations to the public; only members will be informed about “on what date?”, “which destination we are heading to”, etc.
Can I attend any trek / event organised by BASCOOL?Accordion Title
Yes. However, some trips or events need advanced skills. For instance, trip to advanced caves or canyons will need you to be proficient in technical rope skills. Such events will open up for you as you acquire those skills.
Apart from treks and trips, BASCOOL conducts training programs, practice sessions and trips exclusively for graduates of our courses. They are not part of the membership program but, attending those courses unlocks those high-skill trips for you.
Will there be any water activities, rope activities etc. during the treks.
Some of the trip might have water or rope activities. The risk level and the eligibility criteria will be informed prior.
I am working M-F and is free only during weekends. Will there be treks over weekends?
Yes, in fact majority of our events are planned for the weekends.
I cannot get leave on weekends. Will there be treks during the weekdays?
Yes, there will be treks during the weekdays as well.
Will the hikes/treks be strenuous?
We will be arranging trek of different difficulty. All such treks will be specifically categorised and mentioned as H1, H2, H3, H4, B1, B2, B3 etc..
Membership Eligibility
How fit do I need to be to attend this?
All of the treks will be graded as H1, H2, H3, H4, B1, B2, B3 etc. in increasing order of difficulty. This grading will help you make an informed decision whether to attend, prepare to attend or not to attend at all. Please refer to this list for trek grades.
However if you have any heart conditions, allergies and any other condition that could potentially be a hazard, please consult your doctor or physician before you enrol. We also request that you let us know of any condition that you think we need to be aware of. .
What is the age limit to enroll?
05 – 15 years old: Must come with an adult
15 & above: Can come on their own.
Safety
Are these treks safe for girls?
Yes.
First Aid, Emergency and Safety Policy?
At BASCOOL we give supreme importance to safety. BASCOOL’s all trek leaders are Graduates of Wilderness Trekking Course (WTC) and/or Trek Leader Course (TLC). They are also certified first responders trained in Basic Life Support and Wilderness First Aid.
Sorry, we can’t allow pets.
Equipments
Do I need to buy any equipment for this program?
For one day treks, you will not have to buy anything new; you just need the general trekking attire. However, for multi-day treks, you will need to have your own backpack, sleeping bags etc. Some of those gear will be provided by BASCOOL without a rental fee and other can be rented from BASCOOL.
If I need to buy or rent any equipment, will I get any guidance from BASCOOL?
Yes, the trek leaders and instructors of BASCOOL are always available to help you choose the best equipment for your needs.
Location
What is the location of the program?
All the 1 day treks/hikes will be within 200 kilometers of Bangalore. Multi-day treks could be beyond 200 km.
Can a non-resident of Bangalore participate in this program?
Yes, you may, but please note, as of now, this member hikes are planned keeping Bangalore in mind.
Transportation
Will Bangalore Adventure School provide transportation for the hikes?
Bangalore Adventure School will be providing very limited transportation for a fee. However, BASCOOL encourages everybody to arrange their own transportation.
You may also discuss in the FB Event page or WhatsApp group and find carpool options. If you have a vehicle and can take more passengers, please post in the FB event page and help a fellow participant.
Is Transportation Expenses also free?
If you are coming in own transportation, you need not pay anything to BASCOOL. If 5 friends want to join for a trek, it will be cheaper if you guys come in your own vehicle. You will not have to pay anything to BASCOOL
If anybody bringing their vehicle has empty seats in their vehicle, you may join them and you will not have to pay anything to BASCOOL.
If you opt to avail BASCOOL transportation for the trek, there will be a fee ONLY for transportation.
What will be the fee for BASCOOL Transportation?
- For 1 day treks, the transportation fee will be 799 per head and
- For weekend treks (3 nights & 2 days), the transportation fees will be 2500 per head.
- For out of state trips, the transportation fees will be 3000 per head due to the road tax that we need to pay at the state border.
Cancellation and Refund Policy
Will I get a refund if I want to leave the membership midway?
No.
If you leave the membership program, in the middle of a month, there will not be a refund for the remainder of that month. Instead, your membership will end on last day of that month.
More Questions?
Have More Questions. Can I talk to someone?
WhatsApp group to ask queries :
BASCOOL Membership – Interested
Facebook group to ask queries : Friends of BASCOOL
Or Fill the form below. We will contact you.
Related pages
Please visit the following pages
1. Difference b/w Hiking, Trekking, Backpacking & Mountaineering
2. Wilderness Trekking Course (WTC)
3. Wilderness Backpacking Course (WBC)
4. Mountaineering Course