Third Annual Nepal Leadership Trek

Third ANNUAL Nepal Leadership Trek

May 26 to June 10

As George McGregor Burns once said, “Leadership is one of the most often studied yet least understood fields of inquiry in the history of human thought.” Why might that be? Authentic leadership is a very personal matter that draws on a deep understanding of yourself and manifests in ways that models your beliefs and in the pursuit of things that matter most you. Developing a vision, articulating it, and inspiring others require not only a deep understanding of yourself but also a sense for what is important for your organization and for the people in and around it.  Mastering these abilities is a lifelong endeavor, and the Nepal Leadership Trek provides an opportunity to continue your self-development, exercise your body, and reflect on your life and your leadership with fellow graduates of Johnson.  

Mountain views, trekking, volunteer service activities, remote villages, reflective exercises, and cross-cultural and spiritual exploration resonate deeply and give us the inspiration necessary for envisioning a more fulfilling future for ourselves. It’s a magnificent setting and opportunity for taking stock, renewing ourselves, and developing fresh perspectives on work, life, success, and contribution.  

Last year we hosted 13 participants ranging from the classes of ’77 thru ’09. It was a diverse group that came together very well and is already planning its next trip together. Testimonials from last year’s experience included “A fascinating insight into the Nepalese culture, great exercises, and illuminating discourse on leadership,” and “A fantastic experience and a great way to build your personal vision and develop long term relationships with other alumni.”

LOCATION AND BASIC ITINERARY AND PROGRAM

We fly to Kathmandu, capital of Nepal for 3 days for touring, and learning the language, culture, health habits, and yoga. We then bus to Pokhara in the West, one of the main tourist destinations of Nepal and the launching point for trekking on the front side of the magnificent Annapurna range. We will trek for 7 days in the lower Annapurnas staying in lodges in the villages along the way and of course enjoying the local customs. The apex of the trek will be volunteering at a local school in the very last village before the Annapurna Base Camp (we will not be going to ABC). We then fly back to Kathmandu for a day at Bodhnath, the center of the Tibetan Buddhist culture visiting some of the monasteries and receiving a blessing from one of the masters. Every day will also include structured exercises for reflecting on the insights of the day, the experience, and life in general as facilitated by the trek leaders.

FITNESS

The trek involves daily hikes of about 5-6 hours. The pace is slow and there are many breaks, but there are also a number of long steep stairways along the trail both up and down (there will be no technical rock climbing – it is just a trek). The highest altitude we reach is 10,000 feet at Poon Hill for just a few hours while the remainder of the trek averages about 7,000 feet. Therefore, altitude sickness is not a factor but you should be prepared for a decent amount of physical activity. You do not need to be in excellent shape, but you do need to be prepared for some level of exertion each day on the trail. If you have questions about your fitness, please call the trek leader Clint Sidle at 607-255-4104.

CORNELL NEPAL STUDY PROGRAM

The program is supported and guided by the staff of the Cornell Nepal Study Program which is a pioneering joint venture between Cornell University and Tribhuvan National University of Nepal initiated in 1993. CNSP is the first and only study abroad program in Nepal to draw together students from American universities to live and study with Nepalese peers in residential program houses.

TREK LEADERS

C. CLINTON SIDLE is director of the prestigious Roy H. Park Leadership Fellows Program in the Samuel Curtis Johnson School of Graduate Management and a top consultant in strategic change, leadership, executive coaching, and developing human potential. His leadership programs at Cornell and elsewhere have earned national recognition. He has worked with Fortune 500 companies, state and local educational systems, and some of the nation’s leading universities and non-profit organizations.

Clint is also the author of books: The Leadership Wheel: Five Steps to Achieving Personal and Organizational Greatness (Palgrave Macmillan (2005), and This Hungry Spirit: Your Need for Basic Goodness (Larson Publications (2009).

 DAN TILLEMANS served as Executive Director of Cornell Outdoor Education from 1984 to 1999. During this time enrollment grew tenfold, facilities such as the Phillips Outdoor Program Center, Lindseth Wall and Hoffman Challenge Course were built, and the COE program became recognized as one of the leading university-based outdoor education programs in the nation.

Dan has led numerous instructor training programs while at COE including 12 expeditions to the Wind River Mountains in Wyoming and an instructor climb of Chimborazo, highest peak in Ecuador.  A graduate of Prescott College and former NOLS instructor and administrator, Dan continues to teach teamwork and leadership development programs at Cornell.

COST: $2,850 including meals and lodging, but excluding airfare (about $1,800)

TIME: Depart May 26^th from US return home by June 10^th, 2012 (16 days). Please arrive in Kathmandu by no later than the evening of May 27^th and plan your departure no earlier than the evening of June 9^nd. There will be no exceptions to this time frame as we will be on the trail with a full program each day and unable to accommodate different schedules.

REGISTRATION: You must register with $1,400 deposit by February 1, 2011.  To register, please contact Virginia Green via email at vkg8@cornell.edu and provide name, year of graduation, address and contact information. Virginia will reach out to you noting if you have been added to the guest list or wait list.   Please note: the trek typically fills quickly.  If you  have made the guest list, Virginia will contact you for payment.  Your registration will be secured once we have your deposit. Balance of the full payment is due by March 1^st, 2012.

Note: The trip is confirmed if there are 8 participants registered by March 1^st with room for up to 14 participants total. Full deposit will be refunded if the program is cancelled. If you need to cancel your reservation, please contact Virginia by March 1^st for a full refund. After that the deposit will be non-refundable.

TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS: If you choose, you may make flight arrangements with Peace Lands Travel 1 888 461 4722. They will probably direct you to Cathay Pacific which although more expensive, has the most options for getting in and out of Kathmandu. That being said, many of you may find it just as easy to arrange flights through the internet.

DETAILED ITINERARY

Day 1-2:    International Travel (participants are responsible for arranging their own travel and must arrive in Kathmandu by May 27^th evening); stay at CNSP program house

Day 3:       Tour of Swayambu and Kathmandu; language training; evening yoga; stay at CNSP program house

Day 4:       Bhaktapur an Changu Narayan Tour; language training, meditation at the monastery; stay at CNSP program house.

Day 5:       Transport to Pokhara; enroute lunch, enjoy spectacular views, and tour ancient sites, and Pokhara Nepal’s second largest city and frequent tourist destination. Stay at one of the Hotels.

Day 6:       Transport to Nayaa Pool; trek to Ulleri; enjoy village festival; stay at local lodge.

Day 7:       Trek to Ghorepani and Poon Hill.

Day 8:       Rise early in the morning to hike Poon Hill to enjoy beautiful early morning panoramic view of the Annapurna range; stay at a local lodge.

Day 9:       Trek Tadopani; stay at local lodge.

Day 10:     Trek to Chomrong the last village before reaching Annapurna Base Camp; stay at local lodge.

Day 11:      Volunteer in local schools in Chomrong teaching English and other activities as arranged.

Day 12:     Trek to Landruk and enjoy local hot springs; stay at local lodge.

Day 13:     Trek back to Pokhara; stay in hotel

Day 14:     Transport to Pokhara; fly to Kathmandu; stay at CNSP

Day 15:     Tour Bodnath and Pashupati, receive teaching by Lama; closing dinner and celebration, departure for home start that evening.

Day 16:     Departure, return home