About the Expeditions

  • How demanding is the expedition physically? I am not sure If I am fit to be part of the expedition.

    All our expeditions come with a difficulty rating called the “Expedition Grade” which will help you choose the expedition suited to your needs. None of our expeditions involve climbing mountains, so you don’t need to be a mountaineer. There is trekking involved and the level of difficulty of the trek is mentioned as per the Expedition grade guidelines.

    Grade 1 (Easy): There will be minimal physical activity on the expedition, which might be a small trek to the village. These trips are perfect for those who are looking at really focusing on creating an impact without worrying about the adventure.

    Grade 2 (Moderate): There will be some physical activity in these trips, which might be a couple of hours hike to the village or some biking. You Don’t need any physical preparation, just lots of heart to share with the communities.

    Grade 3 (Challenging): looking for a mix of high adventure and impact, These are the trips for you. You might be hiking for a couple of days and also engage in some physical activities. A good level of fitness is required for these trips.

    Grade 4 (Hard): Max out your adventure and impact experience with these trips. Crossing mountain passes at 15000+ feet and engaging in rafting on rivers, these are the trips for the adventure enthusiasts looking to create a meaningful journey.

  • Do I need to be an engineer to join the expedition? I am a designer and I don’t have a background in electrical or microgrids.

    You don’t need to be an engineer to be part of the impact experience. The technology that we use is designed in a very simple plug and play manner. Once we reach the villages, we work with the local community to setup the Solar Grids and you will be engaged in

    • Survey of the village households
    • Setting up bulb holders using screws and C Clamps
    • Setting up the Solar Panels on the roofs

    Our team leaders will simplify the process for you and make it very easy to understand. We will have our Engineering team who will take care of the wiring and the connections. All we are looking for are Travelers who really want to create a tangible change in the lives of the remote communities.

  • Is it safe for Women to travel to these remote areas?

    The communities and the locations we conduct our expeditions are first surveyed by our team of experts whose prime focus is to ensure the safety of the Travelers in these areas, be it men or women. We work with the local community leaders and the authorized travel agencies to ensure a seamless experience for you.

  • What is the minimum age requirement to be part of these travel experiences?

    As a general criteria, we encourage Travelers above the age of 15 to be part of our expeditions. In case you are below 15 or you want to send you child who is below 15 years of age, we would recommend having a chaperone or a guardian along with the child. Again the decision for the same will depend on the region that the expedition is in along with the fitness level required to be part of the expedition.

  • Who will I be travelling with to these remote villages?

    On our impact expeditions, we get diverse Travelers from all across the globe who join us with the common vision of bringing electricity and development to the remotest communities of the world. Aged anywhere between 18 to 65 years, each individual Traveler brings in a wealth of knowledge and experience of making our world a better place to live in. While on the one hand, you might end up meeting cyclists who travelled across the globe to raise awareness for drinking water, you will also meet people who are on the lookout for inspiration and have the passion to become a changemaker. The diversity of Travelers that joins our expeditions makes it for a very unique experience and when there is no facebook and whatsapp to distract, people talk to each other and get inspired at multiple levels. What really brings everyone together is the purpose and the idea of coming together for a greater good while experiencing the world’s remotest areas in its most natural way, leaving behind a legacy of the vist.

  • Where can I find all the trip essentials?

    Every expedition page has a tab with has a list of all the necessary trip essentials for that particular itinerary. We have a detailed list of what clothes to wear, what equipments to bring, what all essentials will be required along with fitness guidelines as well. However, in case you still have a question, you can reach out to us and we will do our best to help with your query.

  • What all is included in the expedition fee?

    The Expedition fee involves

    a) Your logistic costs for the expedition which is the hotels, airport transfers, breakfast, lunch, dinner, local travel, camping and all other charges during the time of the expedition

    b) Costs of the Solar micro-grid material which are shared amongst all the participants

    The expedition fee does not include your air travel to the region and any other additional stay which you want to do beyond the dates of the expedition. Also if there is something additional that you purchase from the hotel beyond what we provide, that will be at your own personal cost. We ensure a very comprehensive cost coverage so that you will not feel the need to spend any extra money beyond buying souveniors and for tipping.

During the Expedition

  • What kind of food will we get on the expedition? What If I have a dietary restriction such as being Lactose Intolerant?

    Each impact expedition gets together a diverse set of Travelers coming from different parts of the world. On our expeditions, we ensure that the food that you get in the hotels or during the camping or inside the village is unique but at the same time, simple and basic as possible for everyone to eat while also taking care of your gastronomic appetite. Enjoy the local food in the villages but in case you don’t find the appetite for it, we will be having something for you in our menu as well. In case you have any dietary requirements, please inform us beforehand so that we can carry appropriate food for you on the expedition.

  • Where do we sleep while trekking in these remote areas?

    The expedition staff along with our Travelers setup the camp area by putting in the tents. This itself is a very great way to bond with the other expedition members and the staff as well. Each tent is able to accomodate 3 people but we sleep only 2 people per tent to allow for space for luggage as well as to make the stay comfortable. While sleeping in the tents, we will provide mattresses to sleep and Travelers will be using their sleeping bags to ensure a comfortable sleep inside the tent.

  • I have heard that it is not safe to drink water in the villages. Is that true?

    The availability of drinking water depends on each region or country that we are in. As part of our expedition surveys, we check the availability of drinking water and make appropriate arrangements to ensure that you do not feel thirsty. We will make sure that you have enough water to drink at all possible times.

  • Will I be sharing my hotel room and the tents with someone else?

    Yes, because happiness is not as much in having than in sharing. We believe that the core experience of our expeditions is in the bond that your form with your fellow Travelers. At the beginning of the expedition, we assign buddy pairs, groups of 2 people who will be staying together in the hotels and the tents and will be responsible for each other. We pair up people from the same gender but from diverse backgrounds so that there can be mutual learning.

  • What all facilities are available at the campsite?

    The campsites will have all the basic amenities to ensure a comfortable stay. Each tent will be good enough to accomodate 3 people but we will only sleep 2 people in each tent so that there is enough breathing space and space to keep luggage as well. There will be a dining tent for the team to get together over meals and a kitchen tent where our staff will be working tirelessly to ensure the best food for you.

    Inside the tents you will get a soft mattress which you can use along with your sleeping bag for a comfortable sleep in the tents.

    There will be a provision to refill your water bottles using mineral water that we will carry or using boiled water from the local streams which will be advisable to drink by the local team.

    We will also set-up toilet tents with western seats and toilet paper rolls.

  • Can I store any extra luggage at the hotels before we move to the villages

    Yes, in case you are carrying extra bags and clothes beyond what will be needed for the expedition, you can store it in the hotel storage space which is used by our team. Once you come back from the trip, you can collect the bags from the hotel and proceed to your onward destination. Please be careful to secure your luggage with a lock and we recommend that you store the bags in the hotel at your own risk.

  • Will I need a sleeping bag? Will I need a mosquito net?

    Sleeping bag is an absolute necessity given we will be sleeping in tents or in the village houses where it is advisable to have a sleeping bag for your own personal comfort and hygiene. The rating on the sleeping bag will vary for each expedition and we would advise you to look at the expedition essentials for each trip specifically to understand the requirement of the sleeping bag.

    Some of the communities will require prevention against mosquitoes but you don’t need to carry any mosquito nets. We will provide the same, however we will definitely advise you to carry mosquito repellents to ensure double protection.

  • Will there be a western toilet at the campsite?

    Given that our Travelers come from diverse backgrounds, we ensure to provide the basic common facilities for the comfort of all. Each campsite will have multiple toilet tents equipped with a western toilet seat and toilet paper rolls.

  • Will I be able to wash my clothes?

    We cannot guarantee the washing of the clothes because it depends on multiple factors such as the weather conditions and the area where we will be working. Kindly pack and assume that there will be no wash of clothes available so that you have enough clothes for the entire duration of the expedition. In case we do get an opportunity to wash clothes, we will let you know but that will be at your own expenses or at your own effort.

  • Will I be able to access internet or be in a good mobile connectivity area?

    In majority of the cases, we will be travelling to remote communities where there will be no access to any cellular or internet connectivity. For each expedition, the advisory for the same will be found in the expedition essentials document on the number of days that we will be in zero connectivity and you can inform the same to your family and friends so that they don’t have a reason to worry. Our expedition leaders will work with the local communities on the communication channel but that is only for the purpose of emergency such as using satellite phones.

    The most memorable part of our expeditions according to the Travelers is being disconnected from the rest of the world and building true meaningful relations with the communities and with the fellow Travelers.

  • Will I be able to charge my mobile, camera batteries and any other electronics?

    Partially yes, you will be able to charge your mobile phone and camera before the expedition begins but we cannot assure the charging facilities during the expedition. So ensure that you carry extra batteries to be on the safer side.

  • What all documents do I need to carry with myself on the expedition?

    It is absolutely important that you have your passport with you at all times, since that is a universal document accepted by all national and regional government agencies for the purpose of any permits that will be required during the expedition. Also ensure that you have your Visa and travel insurance with you at all times during the course of the expedition.

  • How much cash should I carry for the trip?

    Since the trip is already paid for in advance, you can carry some cash to buy souvenirs or to buy some local food. While some areas do have card machines where you can swipe your debit or credit card, in some areas only local currency in cash works. We will share more details for each expedition specifically in the expedition essentials document.

    Also during the conclusion of the expedition, it is mandatory to tip the local staff and expedition team for the care that they take of us. We do not encourage tipping directly but we collect the money from all the participants and distribute it to the entire expedition staff. Each expedition region will have a different minimum recommendation on the tipping amount and you can find about the same in the expedition essentials.

  • Do I need to tip the expedition staff or the hotels during the expedition?

    Tipping is a basic expectation of all the expedition staff and the hotels that we engage during the expedition. However, we do not encourage tipping directly. We collect the entire tip amount from all our participants and then distribute it fairly in front of the Travelers to the expedition staff and any other people from whom we have taken any services during the course of the expedition. Each expedition region will have a minimum recommended amount for tipping which will be mentioned in the expedition essentials document for that impact expedition.

  • Who will be leading the expeditions?

    Each impact experience is led by an experience expedition leader who belong to the region and are brilliant in not just communicating with the local communities, but also have the same passion and desire to create change and give our participants the experience of a lifetime. You will be in safe hands with our expedition leaders who will put in their best effort to ensure that the trip is as smooth and enjoyable as possible.

  • How many people will be there on the expedition

    The group sizes can vary from a minimum of 8 people to a maximum of 20 people per expedition. We believe that in order to build meaningful connections and truly appreciate the remoteness of the areas we are going to, it makes sense to have smaller group sizes. Also, we do not want to overwhelm the communities by taking a large number of people.

  • What medical facilities are available during the expedition? If I fall sick or get injured during the expedition, what will happen?

    Each expedition leader on our team is also trained on basic medical care and first aid. We do carry a medical kit with all the necessary medicines for the common ailments. In case you are already on a medication, please carry it with you since the same medicines can be a challenge to get in the communities we visit.

    If you fall sick or get injured, we will transport you to the nearest medical centre for immediate care and then based on the seriousness of injury, take appropriate action,This is where your travel insurance will help you in case there is a need of emergency evacuation.

Modification and Cancellation

  • Can I just do a part of the trip and return?

    There is no such thing as a race half ran. Our expeditions provide you with an experience that weaves through cultural immersion, community impact and bonding with the fellow Travelers. We would expect you to be part of the entire experience. However, in case of a personal emergency, we do understand and can try our level best to ensure your requirements are met. However, you will not be reimbursed for any portion of the trip not used.

  • If I cancel at the last moment, Will I get my money back?

    The preparations of our impact experiences begin months in advance starting from the hotels to the logistics and buying of the Solar Grid materials. Hence we follow a non-reimbursable policy where we clearly mention that once you have paid for the seat, the entire amount is non-refundable and if you do decide to cancel, we cannot refund the money back to you. Please be sure that you will be part of the expedition before you decide to pay the fee.

  • Can I extend my travel dates beyond the dates of the expedition

    Sure, why not! We can also recommend you hotels and experiences but that of course will be at your own personal cost and will not be part of the expedition cost. You can deal with the hotels and travel agencies directly and we shall give our best recommendations.

  • What If the expedition get cancelled from your side? Will we get a refund?

    In case that the expedition gets cancelled from our side due to some political unrest or due to a situation where we feel it is not safe to travel to that region, we will try to make alternative arrangements as a first priority. But if we feel that no alternate arrangements can be made, we will cancel the trip and refund you your money post the taxation charges.

Visa and Insurance

  • Do I need to purchase a travel insurance? Which company and what policy will you recommend?

    Yes, we recommend every Traveler purchase a travel insurance. We will be taking the details of your insurance before you arrive to ensure that you have the necessary insurance. We would recommend getting your travel insurance from World Nomads https://www.worldnomads.com/

    At a minimum, your travel insurance should be 'comprehensive', providing cover against personal accident, death, medical expenses, emergency repatriation and personal liability, and should also cover cancellation, curtailment and loss of luggage and personal effects.

  • Do I need a Visa for the expedition? Will you help with the Visa

    We encourage our Travelers to check with the embassy directly on the need for a visa for the purpose of tourism. Please do take care to not confuse the embassy with the electrification work since they might not understand the concept of impact tourism. For all purposes, you are a Traveler and coming to the region for the purpose of tourism.

    We do not deal with the Visa applications but we can definitely help you with invitation letters and letter from our hotel partners regarding your stay.