TheFreeBird
As a sahyadri trekker for many years my gradual inclination was to upgrade my skills to take on Himalayan adventures. With few months of training I summited 6000m Himalayan peak called Stok Kangri. Here I realised that mountaineering is a separate field altogether with unique skillsets to take on the high altitude challenges. After getting back I started to research and found that Basic Mountaineering Course is the entry into this field. On further study I found that many institutes in India like NIM, HMI, JIM, ABVIMAS etc offer such training. But since this old institutes have limited seats & more demand there is a waiting period of 2 years or even more. Hence my research led to NIMAS BMC ( NIMAS Dirang Arunachal Pradesh) which had recently been established ( then , now its a well known institute). With the trainers trained in army’s Siachen High Altitude Warfare School ( HAWS) I wanted to be trained by these army experts . Without wasting anytime I had applied to the first possible NIMAS Basic Mountaineering Course.
NIMAS Basic Mountaineering Course BMC
My NIMAS Basic Mountaineering Course BMC journey is going to be split across 8 blogs where I give you all the information to plan this course yourself & take you through the entire experience day wise. The journey is split across the following places:
Dirang > New Melling > Mago (last place with network) > Jeethang > Meerathang
- PART 1: Planning, training & initial days at NIMAS Dirang (Days1-4)
- PART 2: (Day 5-7) Endurance Trek Test , Move to New Melling via Sela pass (13700ft)
- PART 3: (Day 7-12) Life at New Melling- Daily treks & Rock Climbing
- PART 4: (Day 13-14) River Crossing Day & Survival Day
- PART 5: (Day 15-16) Move to Mago ( Hot Water springs) and Chuna post ( Ind-China border)
- PART 6: (Day 17-18) Move to Jeethang & then to Meerathang ( most beautiful places )
- PART 7: (Day 19-20) Ice Climbing at Meerathang Glacier
- PART 8: (Day 21-27) Ice Climbing Test, Endurance Test, Tawang Visit & Return journey
From the time I wanted to join the NIMAS basic mountaineering course BMC I wanted to do the following : book the course online, get leaves approved, accumulate all the things needed for the course, plot the route, get Inner Line Permit & most important – get my training & mountaineering knowledge updated. I didn’t want to miss on the Alpha grade.
How to reach NIMAS Dirang ?
NIMAS lies in the Dirang region of Aruanchal Pradesh which lies about 350km from the major city of Guwahati and about 190 km from Tezpur. Guwahati & Tezpur are the nearest airport & railway station. Guwahati being better connected. From Guwahati & Tezpur, the best option is to take shared taxi/bus to reach Dirang. However since the roads pass through dense forests & mountain area the transports start from 6-9 am and don’t operate at night.
If you have to reach NIMAS in Arunachal you will need to get an ILP before hand. ILP gets checked at security post before they let you enter Arunachal. I did not know this and was stopped at many security posts where I was sweating profusely with the prospect of being send back home. Luckily the sumo which I had taken had a NIMAS employee who phoned a higher army official to help me out. To prevent all this better get ILP beforehand. For getting an ILP you will need 2 passport photos & ID proof like Aadhar card.
BRO TIP
- Travelling from Guwahati/Tezpur to Dirang is tiring so its better to reach these place a day early.
- Fly to Guwahati airport take a bus to reach main city bus stand. At this bus stand book the shared sumo for the next day to Dirang. I stayed at this hotel near this bus stand.
- Next morning take the sumo to reach Dirang in 8-9 hours. At Dirang, NIMAS is located at top of a hill. So if you dont get any vehicle to reach top you would need to walk for an hour to reach NIMAS
What to carry for NIMAS Basic Mountaineering Course ?
The question I get asked the most is Niraj, what all things we need to carry for the NIMAS BMC ? Most of the mountaineering equipment are provided by the institute , remaining we have to carry.
Equipment provided by NIMAS, Dirang
NIMAS Dirang provides with all the essential equipment like – down jacket, poncho, raincoat, 70L backpack, sleeping bag, foam matress, helmets, tiffin, bottle , cup . They would also provide climbing equipment like – short sling, carabiners, descenders, jumar, seat harness, mitons, ice shoes, crampons.
Other things to be carried:
Apart from the institute provided equipment I carried the following
- Normal trek gear – cap, light raincoat ( institute raincoat is very heavy), socks ( 5pairs), trekking shoes , Anti glares ( goggles to prevent headaches due to light reflection from snow/ice), full sleeved t-shirt (2pair), track pants (2 pair), trekking pole (optional), undergarments ( 5 pair), towel, Thermas bottle , Torch (Spare cells),
- For cold days: Woolen undershirt/pant (2 pair), fleece jacket, woolen cap (balaclava), water proof gloves, woolen gloves, woolen socks ( sleeping time)
- Toiletries: Tooth brush &paste, Body & cloth soap, facewash, Anti-bacterial powder, sanitiser ( 3 small units ),UV sunscreen (SP40+), Medications ( I carried Myostall oil for my knees), slipper
- Food: Dry fruits & chocolates (NIMAS provides a bag of them as well- I carried extra), ORS ( Rehyadration salt – i carried 20 packs – P.S- try to get orange flavour)
- Other: Notebook & Pen, Needle & Thread, Camera Gear ( as per interest
- Documents: Aadhar Card, Passport ( with photocopy), Two passport photos, Medical certificate
BRO TIP
Backpack’s weight becomes a huge issue at higher altitudes. With all the essential equipment the backpack weighs about 20 kg. Hence it is essential to not carry any extra weight. As a rule dont carry anything in excess of two sets -except for clothes. Your excess items can be stored at Dirang as well as New Melling
Inner Line Permit (ILP) is necessary to enter Arunachal
Offline method: You can get ILP by directly going to offices at Bhalukpong ( a place enroute Dirang to Tezpur) or at Guwahati airport. However this can be time consuming taking hours.
- Bhalukpong: Earlier sumo from Guwahati used to reach Dirang via Bhalukpong where you could get the ILP done offline way. But now sumo takes different route to reach Guwahati via Rupa pass bypassing Bhalukpong altogether. There are four security post via Rupa pass- the first one at Bhairabkunda (trijunction of Bhutan, Assam & Arunachal) wont let you pass if you dont have an ILP.
- Guwahati Airport: ILP counter near baggage carousel 3 provides instant ILP for Rs 400. It is open on weekdays till 5 pm where you will get ILP in 15 minutes.
Online method: Instead of getting stuck in offline mode its better to be prepared earlier and get the ILP done way ahead of time through the online website. This is the easiest way to get an ILP for Rs 100. You can fill the following data processing office – Guwahati, District – West Kameng, Gates – Balemu, Bhalukpong. Fill the form and get ILP in 7 days at your home.
My tips, tricks, training & all learnings to get an A grade in BMC
If you want to pursue a career in mountaineering getting an A grade is essential to qualify for advance mountaineering. Not getting an A means an end to this thought.
“I had planned my entire course reading your blog & was happy that all the Alpha Mountaineer knowledge came in handy throughout the course. Only 13 from our 66 batch got ‘Alpha’ and i am so happy I am one of them. Thank you Sir, hope we cross in the mountains some day” – Manas Sharma
Day (-1) JOURNEY BEGINS
Finally after months of planning the day arrived. I took a direct flight from Mumbai to Guwahati in the evening of 9th April. From Guwahati airport took an AC bus (Rs 130) to drop me at the main city bus stand( next to Guwahati railway station). At the bus stand I spoke to shared sumo drivers & booked a slot for next day morning trip to Dirang( Rs 700). Try booking this earlier else you will get a back seat as I did. After this I checked 4-5 hotels & found a descent budget hotel for the night near by the bus stand so that I dont have any issues in the morning catching the sumo.
Day 0 REACHING NIMAS
With so much excitement for NIMAS BMC I was barely able to sleep through the night. I was ready by 0530 hrs. When i came out of the hotel I was in utter shock as it felt like broad daylight. I was worried my watch had stopped working & I had missed the sumo. A quick cross check confirmed that it was indeed 530am & the sun rises here very very early. Super early.
A quick rush to the SUMO stand where I got my bags loaded( Keep your glares, water, ILP, Ids, food outside. It’s a super long journey). The back seat was what I got and was pretty upset about it. However only 9 people turning up meant the last seat would be shared by 2. Pretty comfy eh.
The journey started smoothly with empty roads and a chilled climate. F1 driver that we had rushed us though the mainland into the hinterlands of Assam. The time seemed to be frozen here. In middle of summer there is lush greenery everywhere. At one place there were trees of so many different colours.
Soon enough we arrived at the Bhairabkunda security post at the Arunachal border. ILP gets checked here before they let you enter Arunachal. I did not have any ILP as I just didn’t know about it and I was sweating profusely with the prospect of being send back home. Luckily the sumo which I had taken had a NIMAS instructor Mr. Manjeet sir who called a higher army official to help me out. Make sure to get your ILP beforehand.
The route starts to get even more deserted from here. Not a vehicle in sight. We are accompanied by rivers, waterfalls, exquisite birds and trees drapped in yellow, red & green. The three other checkposts are the only human contact that we get after a long time. The route slithers through the mountain into the clouds as we gain height rapidly.
If the road was any sign then it was going to be incredibly beautiful as we move in the hinterlands of Arunachal throughout the month long course. We continued the journey to reach Dirang around 1600 hrs. Dirang is located beside the river & NIMAS is situated on top of a hill. It can easily take about an hour to climb it from the main city. If you are lucky enough to accidently bump into one of the NIMAS employee he might call up some vehicle to pick you up. I was lucky to meet Mr Manjeet sir who called in for a vehicle.
As I reached the top I saw the beautiful view of Dirang from the institute. I was about take some photos when I was called in from Dining room where I could see some guys were filling up forms. After initial formalities we were shown the huge tent where we would be put up during our NIMAS Dirang stay
Soon we received the first lot of equipments was received which included a 70L backpack, sleeping bag, down jacket, carabiners, descender, short sling & foam mattress. Other equipments would be received when we would meet the previous batch on their return journey. Dinner time was announced around 7pm. It was too early for me. But then the day begins & ends early here. In the days to come we wished the day ended earlier
Dinner rules: Shoes must be on all times. Full tracks are must. Vacate seats immediately after dinner. Welcome to the Indian Army.
Day 1 NIMAS BASIC MOUNTAINEERING COURSE BEGINS
The course started off with a PUJA to seek blessings for our NIMAS BMC . The mandir is located at the highest point on NIMAS land. We had to get ready by 0600 hrs. Getting up at 0500, I was still awestruck by the bright morning. The name of Arunachal (meaning land of the rising sun) is quite apt.
LECTURES: The first session of the NIMAS basic mountaineering course was scheduled to be equipment introduction & rucksack packing by Mr. Sanjay sir who got us real charged for the course. Rucksack packing session helped me learn about proper packing ways but also introduced me to a new way to pronounce rucksack. Instructors here call it ruksuk. I found it very funny initially but by the end of the course ruksuk become the commonly accepted term. Rucksack is just a bag, but ruksuk had a soul
After the first session which had so much clarity we had tasty chicken as a welcome lunch. Following this we had a session on knots which confused everyone. The knots endman, guideman, bowline, hitches etc were all so confusing for everyone of us beginners. I never thought a small 6 ft rope could create so much confusion
Knots confusion remained for days untill we were finally able to master it. The first day was mostly a knowledge gaining day and we knew that the tiring days with lots of physical training are yet to start. NIMAS BMC was just getting us used to mountaineering, this was the peace before the calm
THANKS FOR ALL THE LOVE
Day 2 PHYSICAL TRAINING Starts
ARMY DISCIPLINE: We were late for the call time of 0600 hrs by 5 minutes. For this delay in 5 minutes we got a thrashing from Sir – an introduction to army’s discipline. Being the first day, first time we were let off easy. In days to come any delay welcomed 20-30 push ups. “Pushups are the tonic of the mountains” & we were high on this tonic for days to come.
PHYSICAL TRAINING: We started of the physical training with around 5 kg in the ruksuk. But first we woke up the entire mountain with cheers of “ Bharat Mata ki……Jai“. The route till the nearby hill top seemed pretty easy. Lungs seemed to have a different picture in mind. No sooner did we start the ascend the acclimatization made us breathe like crazy. Since times immortal acclimatization has always been a bit©h. Initial days are never easy. As has always been drink lots of water and let nature take its course. The easy climb was made difficult for breathless trekkers. We returned that day walking half the planned distance. As we reached the base we had instructors waiting for core strength exercises. These are very draining and you become aware of your limits pretty fast.
ROCK CRAFT: Quick breakfast at the dining room and we headed back for on training bouldering at the physical training hill. The theory lectures were but finally some hands on climbing got our hearts racing. ” Rock Baba Ki…….Jai“.
LECTURES: Back at the base, we had evening lectures on Tent-pitching & much needed clarifications session on knots and rope coiling. The dinner had sweetened milk. Good night.
DAY 3 ROCK CLIMBING introduction
PHYSICAL TRAINING: Up & Ready by 0600 hrs we were determined to reach to the hill top today. We huffed & puffed but we did complete the PT today till the decided point. A sense of relief prevailed as we felt our acclimatization level improve over the previous day. Back to the base we had core strength exercises till the point of our bodies reaching breaking point.
ROCK CRAFT: We had a quick breakfast & headed back to the rock- climbing area for Anchoring & Belaying sessions. It was wonderful hands on experience with Piton, hexcentric & Camelot. Manual belaying was definitely not going to be easy on shoulders. The lectures took too much of our time. No hands on rock climbing today.
LECTURES: Back to the base, we had a quick lunch before the next session by Everest climber Mr Ram Malla. The session was a real adrenaline pump as sir took us through the virtual tour of Everest and few of his other adventures.
DAY 4 RAPPELLING introduction
PHYSICAL TRAINING: By now we were well acclimatised which meant carrying heavier ruksuks. Inspite of the additional weight we climbed a higher as compared to previous day. From the top snow clad mountains at the end of horizon are visible. Back to the base, we were excited for the first rock climbing session.
ROCK CRAFT:The wall looked easier from a distance. Practically, bruised hands & knees did manage to get me to the top . The rock climbing session was done. On enquiry, I found that the artificial rock climbing wall is under construction (Update 2023- has been completed) & the rock climbing sessions at the next camp at New Melling would be even tougher
The rock session were curtailed as the sky was getting increasingly cloudy. No sooner did we reach base it started raining crazy. Soon there were hail stones. The small ball bearing shaped hails falling on the dining room’s roof created a unique music. The cold climate sprinkled with hails was a perfect moment for a cup of hot tea. Lectures were cancelled. For first time in last 5 days of NIMAS BMC I had some free time which i spent just gazing at the valley & reflecting on life.
Tomorrow was a big day as we had the 15km Endurance trek with 10kg ruksuk. Failure to complete might result in elimination for some people , i was hell bent on finishing it and graduating BMC with flying colours.
Here is a vlog on the initial days at NIMAS Dirang Basic Mountaineering course
Thats it for the first episode of my NIMAS BMC journey in Dirang, read about the next parts when we move to hinterlands of Arunachal with so much untouched beauty, hot water springs, snowfall ,river crossings and what not. NIMAS BMC is truly a once in a lifetime adventure.
PARTS: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
If you have any doubts add a comment at the end of this post or reach out to me through my social media channels. All links at the bottom of this page. Below are few more mountain related posts you may like:
- Mountaineering as a career in India
- Mountaineering books to motivate you
- Should I quit my job for a mountain life ?
- Trading as a way to TRAVEL full-time
- Basic rock climbing. 10 days, Mt. Abu
- Basic mountaineering 30 days, NIMAS
- Stok Kangri – 6000m high altitude trek
- Famous treks of sahyadri, Maharashtra
Thanx for the information, I am planning the BMC this year.
Can you provide info about mobile phone and data running available over there or not .
In Dirang, all the normal SIM cards like airtel, vodafone , idea etc work properly. You also get 4G.
Moving to the next camp of New Melling the network starts to weaken. Enroute New Melling there is a place called Jang after which the network is completely gone and you can enjoy the wilderness in silence.
There is blackout till you reach the next camp in Mago, where you can call home from Army’s satellite phone.If you happen to go for acclimatisation walk to Chuna from Mago you may get network there. Thats the last point of contact after that it is pretty much radio silence till the glacier and back.
Hi Buddy,
I want to apply for BMC course from Nimas but while applying I cannot download the medical form and bio data form.
I googled it and found the medical for from the below link.
Could you please assist as I was wondering what if the form is wrong and my application gets rejected.
http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0ahUKEwiP-8-K2tvVAhVFAsAKHZGkC40QFggtMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nimasdirang.com%2FApplication_and_medical_forms%2FMedical%2520Form.doc&usg=AFQjCNEJpag2NJcG4pXOve4uxGCcaNY6cA
Thanks & Regards,
Vaibhav
Hey Bro,
Sorry for the delayed response. i was travelling.
The medical certificate is more or less the same as compared with mine. That should not be an issue.
Nice one.
Have a couple of questions ,
Really those best of class shoes for trekking are needed or can we manage with some decent hike shoes ?
I am reaching GUWAHATI around 11 a.m and I would like to reach Dirang by the same day ? Is it possible to hire shared taxis ?
Suppose if we reach the camp only by next day morning (first day of the camp) , are there any problems ?
Thnx mate.
1.Decent hiking shoes would be good if it doesnt rain. But the climate over there is highly unpredictable. So i would suggest to go with a good pair of water resistant shoes with decent grip. Buying the best shoes will also help you in the future when you are likely to come across tougher terrains.
2. The shared taxis start around 0600 hrs from Guwahati. So reaching by 11 am wont help your case. In that case you will need to hire a private taxi which would be more costly that the shared taxi of rs 700 per seat. Most of the vehicles start early morning as the hilly routes are not that safe to drive on in the evening. You can travel to Tezpur and travel to Dirang the next day. I hope you have your ILP in place.
3. It is stated on their website to reach a day earlier because of acclimatization related problems. if you reach late you would have to more problems during the initial days of physical training.
Hope you read the other two parts(total 3 ) of the blog. I am working on the remaining parts as well. You can catch the updates here https://www.facebook.com/IAmTheFreeBird
Hey buddy,
I am a vegetarian will it be a problem for me somewhere?
Thanks for the blog it is indeed very helpful.
Pure veg food is available throughout. Enjoy
Hey, it is great reading your blogs on your adventures, I also want apply for basic mountaineering course. But I am too skinny, so what kind of problems I might actually face?
Thank You.
Hello Madhur,
If you would read all the 8 blogs and watch the 8 vlogs for my NIMAS journey, you will easily understand that this requires a great deal of stamina & mental strength. IF you are new to trekking, i would suggest you to do some basic treks and gain a basic trek worthy body before applying. If are a regular trekker and with a lean body, then u need to increase stamina by doing regular push ups, pull ups, running and climbing hills with heavy backpacks.
Its not body shape but the agility & endurance your body can exhibit that will determine your success. Skinny guys with me have excelled in the course.Hope this helps.
I want to climb on mount everest that’s why i want to join NIMAS is it good for it?
or what are the scope after complete BMC or AMC.
BMC will lay the foundation bricks for your mountaineering goals. Everest is not something you do immediately after BMC. YOU will need to get better experiences at higher altitude starting at 6000m and slowly moving to higher altitudes. Years of experience and skill sets which evolve only in the mountains are required. BMC will be good start to your endeavour. NIMAS is certainly good for the basics.
For scope after AMC you can complete tougher courses like Search and Rescue (SAR ) & Method of Instruction (MoI) for a career in mountaineering.
i am from south india and knows english but do i need to know hindi for joining the BMC course?
Dont worry man. During my course duration, there was a different batch with 23 South Indians who could not speak a work of Hindi or English. They only had one guy who understood Hindi & English and used to translate for them.
There were couple of freinds in my batch as well who could only understand English.So the instructors explained in English. In case they had doubts there are many others batch mates who would explain and re-explain till they understood every single thing.
Long story short. If you know English you are good to go.
Hi.
Do we need passport for applying this course. I have all the other identity proof like Aadar and pan card and all but I don’t have a passport. Is it really complusory ???
Hi Aadithya,
I am not 100% sure. But I guess Aadhar and Pan Card are good enough. Let me cross check with my contacts.
Update: It is only required for address proof. So Aadhar & Pan card are good enough. Best of luck.
Should i purchase a trekking bag for the trip. In the site they have specified that bag will be provided by NIMAS.
A 70L backpack is provided at first camp @ Dirang for the entire course duration.
It is not necessary that you buy it right now , but it will always be handy to you for your future trips
From where to get ILP to enter Arunachal Pradesh?
By the way what are your thoughts on AMC & the physical training for that course?
Dear Rajeev, i have provided detailed clarification regarding ILP in the blog itself.Kindly read again.
The rock climbing & ice craft techniques are more advanced than BMC(obviously). Extra stamina & endurance is must for AMC i.e. physical training for AMC has to be a notch above BMC. The route is more or less the same for both AMC & BMC , only difference is that higher altitudes are reached by AMC batch as compared to BMC
Thanks.I forgot to ponder over the ILP in your blog.
I’am planning to do BMC from NIMAS so how should i prepare myself physically/
Tips so that i don’t have to face difficulty there.
You should have fair level of stamina by doing normal cardio exercises like running , swimming alternated with some weight exercises in the gym. Focus on push ups especially finger tip push ups which help in strengthening your fingers for rock climbing. Pull ups also help a lot for rock climbing. Carrying heavy back packs on stairs also help
Hello,
I applied online for BMC May 2018 course but haven’t received any confirmation or communication from Nimas except an email. Please clarify that whether I will get any mail or letter from them?
When i had applied i didnt even get a reply. I had called up some number from there website. Sometimes there is network outage over there. Drop a mail just to cross check 🙂
i am joining NIMAS……..is online payment available ?
Hello Kaustabh,
Online payment is available, just select your course and select book now from this link http://www.nimasdirang.com/Home/Programs.
Cheers
Manoj I have some questions as I want to apply for the course may 2018. Can i get your contact info?
Or Please call me on 9820630967
Halo….
I am joining NIMAS BMC oct 1 batch.
jo medical from hota ha uska validity kitna din rahaga….because ma oct ma apply karna chatahu,,,,abhai ma medical from submit karunga to chalaga
Hello Koustabh,
If you are booking online , medical form mandatory hai. Agar apko seat confirm karni hia, toh medical form toh necessary hai. Rahi baat validity ki toh wahan pahonchne ke baad tumhari testing aur ek baar hogi. App unko call karke puch sakte ho validity ke liye. lekin koi tension nahi leni hia toh abhi ek nikalo, unka form bhardo , aur jane ke pahile aur ek banvao. 50/ 100 rs hi extra lagenge 🙂
brother overthere what kind medical chakeup gose on???
Hello Samridhya. You would be checked for Blood pressure & pulse rate
ma kolkata ma rahata hu………….NIMAS ma jana kalia ILP permit ma khaha sa karuga
ye website pe online ilp available hai http://www.arunachalilp.com/
One more question what will be the the temperature in dirang in April
In Dirang it would be about 20 degrees with intermittent rains. Temperature falls further at night & sun rises at about 0500hrs
oct ma dirang ka weather ksa hoga…..cold hoga kaya? temperature kitna hoga………hamko thand kalia kuch lana paraga….snow fall hota ha……..
Treakking kalia konsa shoes baria hoga….RS 2000 andar kuch a6a hoga
thank u
weather bahut vary hoga , toh saare possibilities ke liye prepared rehna. Clothing ke liye blog me jo bataya hai woh lelo. Trekking ke acche shoes – action – https://amzn.to/40ezIfW. lekin agar tumhe ek hi baar invest karna hia toh forclaz 500 lelo – http://amzn.to/2nEcQqu – baad me bhi trekking ke liye kaam ayega. A Great one time investment
Do I have to pay fees while submitting form or I can pay after verification of seat?
Hello Nikhil. I guess you cannot confirm a seat without paying. Not sure though.
hey free bird thanks for the reply, can you tell me next procedure after submitting form and after payment is done?
What’s next do I get an id or any kind of receipt?(to insure that I am registered to that course)
Hey Nikhil,
Even i was wondering about the same when i submitted the online form. I got no receipt. The only point of confirmation is when you see in the “View your Account” section on the nimasdirang site you can see the course added in your my booking. It might take some time to reflect there as well.
Cheers
Thank you so much buddy, it was really helpful. And best of luck for your journey.
Hope we meet some day wandering.
Most welcome Nikhil. Will definitely cross paths some day 🙂
Brother plz can u tell me how to reach guwahati to dirang in brief plzz i hav my bmc in april so i am bit confuse plz..
Hello Samridhya, i have already stated it very briefly in the blog. please read the section aptly named,” Reaching Dirang”. Let me know in case of any issues.
Hello Brother,
Very nice & thorough post and fantastic cameras. I am planning on the Oct 2018 batch.
One query – Going by your camera models, I don’t think they run on normal AA type batteries. How did you manage to keep the camera batteries charged? Did you have the power supply throughout the course?
Looking forward to your reply.
Thanks
Thanks a lot Rahul.
You need to utilise the batteries carefully. There are charging points available at Dirang & New Melling. At Mago a generator is used so you will mostly get power supply. After that there is nothing , you cant even spot an electric pole. So you will need to take care of batteries for the next 5 days. I carried double batteries for each of my cam.
Hope that helps.
Cheers
Thank you. It does help. Will plan accordingly.
By the way, is carrying a DSLR a viable option given the load we need to carry? Or you would advise on a good sturdy Point and Shoot (like yours). I dont wan’t to miss on capturing the beautiful landscapes but also dread the additional weight that a DSLR+mini tripod would add to (I have a Canon 700D +18-55mm + 10-18mm). I am like – DSLR = RAW vs. Point and Shoot = No RAW
Thanks
I had carried both DSLR and P&S till Meerathang. However the only lens i carried stopped focussing after New Melling, hence i ended up using my secondary cam all the times. Owing to the weather, exhaustion & the backpack weight, most of other guys who got dslr didnt get it out for most of the times. As such a P&S does come in very handy.
Having said that the pics without DSLR are as lifeless as they can get unless you can get a costlier p&S like an Sony RX100 but again that is not all weather proof.
I would suggest carry the least weight possible. If you have to carry dslr only carry single lens. Dont carry a tripod. Carry a compact shell to keep the dslr within your bag. There is a lot of space crunch as you move higher.
Again be aware that you dont get enough time to stand and take pics during the course on the move, instructors would be shouting at you all the time as such using DSLR becomes irritating. As such p&S wins. If you have an all weather like this http://amzn.to/2H9mhq1 it does come in handy.
Cheers!
Thank you. Will plan accordingly.
Cheers!!
Do they drop us at the airport after the course is complete or do we have to hire a cab or something from Dirang?
Hey Prathamesh,
Since most of the batch goes back to Guwahati, you can get a sumo booked from Dirang to Guwahati. The insititute helps you in getting the sumo. Ofcourse you have to pay.
Cheers.
Nimas ma jane par….konsa konsa medical checkup hoga ?
Blood pressure & pulse rate
Brother i am gong in April can u say what should i right in the local reference section in ILP form
Hello Samridhya just give any of your parent’s address in it. If it doesnt work try giving institutes address with reference to the director. Try them and let me know which works 🙂
The nimas address worked thnk u brother
HI ..mara hight ha 173 cm….but hamko invalid hight dikharaha .ma kya karu ab ?
vapas se try karo sirf number type karke
Hey hiii ,
Free bird…
Can u please share u r contact info…It will be very helpful to us.
Hello Deep,
You can contact me on my FB handle https://www.facebook.com/IAmTheFreeBird.
Cheers
From where can I get the medical done?
Hello Pawan,
Any MBBS doctor near you would be good.
Cheers
Hey buddy,
Thanks a lot. This entire blog gave me an idea on what to expect and how much should be me preparations level.
Need few more info
1) After going through this entire, I presume there were no women in this batch. Any idea, is there a separate accommodation for them?
2)How was the rating( relative or benchmark). What was the distribution ratio of it in your batch
Hello Preethi,
Thanks a lot for your kind words.Full marks for guessing my batch was Gents only. Having said that there is separate accommodation for ladies till Mago. After that you would be having separate tents till the last camp at Meerathang.
Rating logic is a bit fuzzy. So just be good at everything you do. Just enjoy.
Cheers
Thanks. Will do my best.
This blog is wonderful. This is the only blog which gave me clear view of what I have signed up for. You have summarized it jus so well. Keep blogging, it inspires and motivates a lot of people.
Just one more question
1) on 26th day we will be in Dirang right?(i.e course end date mentioned in site is day 27 I guess) So it’s a another day to reach Guwahati and another day to reach my place. I may checking for flight booking so I should book my return flight on 29th day? Is there a option for me to leave early mng of day 27?
Thanks a lot Preethi.
As you might have read in the last blog for NIMAS series https://www.thefreebird.net/treks/gorichen that on 26thday you will reach Dirang as per schedule & day 27 is the last day for the course. On day 27 there is nothing to do apart from the camp fire that night, more of a buffer day. You can leave on 27th day morning provided there is no contingency involved. But its better not to risk any unsseen circumstance & just wait another day and leave on 28th morning which would mean reaching Guwahati on 28th night & taking the flight on the 29th day.
Cheers!
Thanks buddy. I never thought of buffer day. It makes sense.
brother can u plz tell me can i book online suttel taxi??? if yes how.
and any suggestion for the bmc course cause i am going this April
Thank you
Hey man,
I didn’t try to book it online. Even google doesnt show any online booking facility. Its better to reach Guwahati and book physically. Since you are going in April, i expect your preparations to be in full flow. If you are not doing it try push ups on finger tips for rock climbing strength & carrying a heavy back pack on stairs. You would have found enough Bro Tips in the the 8 blogs which will help you in this course.
Cheers
Have you completed your AMC?
If so please suggest tips to do well in BMC course that you followed during your course , so that i can also do well in BMC & then apply for AMC.
Also if you could tell me whether NIMAS has pick & drop facility from Dirang Taxi stand or the students have to reach NIMAS premises by themselves from Dirang Taxi stand.
BTW how far is NIMAS from Dirang Taxi stand?
Hey Shikhar,
I have no leaves to complete AMC. I have mentioned tips in all the eight blogs whatever i could think of to make it a good experience. Just be good at everything you do and give your 100 %.
From Dirang stand, it will take almost 45 minutes to walk to NIMAS. There are no sharing vehicles going to NIMAS from DIrang. I was lucky to meet a NIMAS instructor who called up a pick up from the institute for himslef. I jsut tagged with him.
Cheers
Thanks buddy.Looking forward to my share of ragada fauji style.Just hoping I do well.
Your blogs are very concrete & I can draw a picturesque of what i would be facing there.
Kudos to you bro..Keep up the good work. & thanks for helping so many out there who want to explore the nature.
Hope one day I’ll cross path with you exploring the outdoors.
Thanks a lot mate.
Will surely cross paths some day. You can find your batchmates here https://www.facebook.com/IAmTheFreeBird/posts/586509355050065
Cheers
Hey what about charging availability for devices all throughout the camp?
As you will read in the last few blogs in NIMAS series charging points are available till Mago.
Hi the freebird,
Do they provide certificate after the completion of BMC
Regards,
Jayanth
Hello Jayanth,
They do provide a certificate which you will receive by post. This is accepted all over India by trek orgs & mountaineering institutes for advance courses
Cheers
Hey, really nice content !
Being a girl, I am worried abou strength. Currently I can run 2km in 12 min and I have started this before a month, even don’t know swimming.
I am really worried about strength.
Hey Janki,
We spoke. Just follow those steps and lets check after two months. Be consistent \m/
Cheers
Hi . Can you tell us more about the race on the last day ? What was the terrain like? I was it up hill / downhill or flat ?
Hello Raj,
The race was held in New Melling @8642 ft. The race is towards the Hydel power plant some 4 kms away. The route is rough road yet to be properly made with lots of stones in it as well as small ups and downs.once at the hydel plant you take the same route back to the starting point. IF you are behind in the race you will see people on the way back which does motivate you to run faster.
Cheers
Very informative content 🙂 I’m applying for September- October 2019 batch. Would like to know how weather condition be during that time? Also, can you tell me admission process? After scanning medical form do i need to scan and email it to Nimas? Waiting for your reply 🙂
THanks Dnyaneshree. The weather is always unpredictable in these parts .When i did it in April it was raining heavily while in other parts of INdia it was 40 degrees. So its better to prepare for the worst. Expect cold rains and with a probability of snow at high altitude. Please read my blog & teh comments section it has all the details for admission process.Yes you can scan and attach in the application form itself. Let me know in case of any other queries
Hey. I have also registered for the September October 2019 BMC Batch (serial no.23). Will be nice to connect to u. Drop a message pls. We can share our contacts.
-Jagruti
Hi, buddy,
Really good written here! I’d like to enroll the course as well, but I have a questio though: any idea if non-Indian citizens are allowed to enroll as well? I know NIM and HMI are accepting foreigners, but I’m not quite sure about NIMAS 🙂
Hey Justin.
Thanks for your kind words. I am not sure on that and its not clearly specified on their website. Its better to call and check. I have already pinged a faculty and will update here with his reply.
Cheers.
I wrote them as well and it seems they don’t… I’m not giving up though – there still are HMI and NIM even though waiting queues are quite long there… 🙂
Yup . I confirmed with the Director as well. Since mountaineering Courses pass through sensitive regions near India- China border these courses would only be available for Indian Nationals for the time being. The subsidised courses at HMI & NIM for Indian Nationals have waiting time , but i think there foreigners have the facility to enroll to any course by paying the unsubsidised fee. You can check that with the institutes . Best of luck.
Hi. As a part of registering for the course, a few documents are required.
One of which is Latest certificate from school/college/private company/Govt organization stating that you are studying /working/employed with them.
Do we need to give this kind of a certificate from our employer?
Hello Jagruti. Sorry for the late reply, i am on a rock climbing course with limited connectivity. This has been a latest addition to set of documents required. So it would be preferable to get one from your employer. CHeers.
Hi bro,
Read your blog in one sitting and was very much motivated. You really brought back those BMC days. Well written!!! I did my BMC from NIM and I’m planning to do AMC from NIMAS. I know you did your BMC, but is it possible for you to get information on height gained during AMC and whether summit climb is there.
Once again, thanks for the well crafted blog. 😊🙏
Thanks mate. Enjoy.
Hey Jomy,
All the routes remain the same, just the backpack weights are more and the training techniques…I had heard that for AMC Gorichen summit 6488m was to be planned few years back…not sure how that has spanned…will check and try to get some info .cheers
Thanks mate… Will wait for you. 😊👍
Hey Jomy,
From what i heard from my freinds they plan to take u to about 18000ft which is a advance camp for some peak..depending on the weather conditions.
I am quite heavy & tall, with BMI of about 28. However, I am fit enough to run 10km in 58-59mins & have done several Himalayan treks with 12+kg load & have run half marathons too.
Would BMI be calculated at the camp before one is permitted to the course? Is the weight that concerned for them?
Hello Shreyas,
I think you are fit enough to take on this course. There is also a 20 km trek on the 5-6 th day which qualifies you for the remainder of the course. I dont remember whether they consider BMI for qualification. If you are fit enough in the qualification trek they are likely to accept you if you have normal heart rates and blood pressure.will update this if i get any further info
Cheers.
-The Free Bird
Update: Only Blood pressure , oxygen level & hear rate are checked. BMI is not considered.
Hi there! Your post is very detailed and highly inspiring, loved reading it 🙂
I really want to join the BMC course in April-May next year. I checked a week back, the bookings were available, but when I had all the documents ready and tried booking, it showed that bookings were full. I wrote to them and even tried calling them on the number mentioned on their website, but it’s switched off.
I have been wanting to do this course since a long time and finally got leave approved for next April. This batch has 50 students only, but NIMAS does take up to 70 students at a time in other batches. Can you please help me on this? Or connect me with anyone at the institute? It would be very very helpful, I just have to try if I have the slightest chance to join this particular batch. I have also started training for it.
Thanks for reading…
Hello Kashyapi,
Thanks for your kind words. I understand your pain. According to my understanding the batch size is (or was) not that crowded. Regarding connectivity , it has always been an issue in the hilly regions. I would try to find out some contact in the institute in the mean time u can drop a mail , message , watsapp on the numbers mentioned in the contact section of the website and hope for the best. Reach out to me on FB , Insta if u have any queries.
Cheers
Thanks a lot! Have pinged you on Instagram!
Hi Bro,
Very nice blog!!
I have 3 questions. Requesting you to clarify.
1) When I am applying in the NIMAS website for the first time, should I upload the medical form? If so, which doctor should i get examined from? Govt. Doctor or Private Doctor?
2) When i make the online payment, will i get any confirmation for course selection?
3) I do not have a passport. Is passport mandatory to apply?
Hello Nikhil, i have already replied to it on YouTube. Let me know on fb or insta If you have any more doubts
Hey,
1) I have enrolled for April 2020. Just want to know bare essential things, especially warm clothing as it occupies lot of space and weight. Is extra luggage safe at Dirang / New Melling if we carry extra pairs and few gears?
2) Our course will start on 20 April, 2020. So I am reaching to Guwahati on 18th April afternoon. Can I start onward journey on same day till Tezpur?
Is traveling after noon is safe? Is Tezpur safe for night stay?
Hello Tejas,
1. Safe to keep extras stuff at dirang and new Melling.
2. Mostly direct vehicles go to dirang in the morning from guwahati. Not sure on the Tezpur timings. But you can always try for the vehicles to reach Tezpur on the same day and then take another one to dirang the other day
Is Tezpur well connected town? In worst case, Can I get special vehicle till Dirang?
Yes
Thanks man… 😊👍🙏
Hey free bird
I want to know ki BMC karne k baad what are the career options ? Where I can join ? I’m crazy about mountain but mere parents ni Maan rahe hai to aap bataye ki Mai unko kya bol k convince karu. Thankyou in advance 😇
Hello Keerti,
You can find this useful
https://www.thefreebird.net/mountaineering/quit-job-for-mountains-travelling
https://www.thefreebird.net/mountaineering/mountaineering-as-career-in-india
What your parents think is good wisdom. What you think right now is also a new age realisation. Weigh in your options before taking any decisions
Warm Regards,
Niraj