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Youth Backpacking Trips In Northern California
An Ubuntu Treks youth backpacking trip is a safe environment for 6th - 8th graders to disconnect from technology, make new friends, learn new skills and discover the outdoor beauty of Northern California during a 4-5 day backpacking trip.
Ubuntu Treks is about creating memories, building lifelong connections, and developing more confident and independent young adults.
Ubuntu means "I am, because you are"
Ubuntu is an African idea that highlights the power of acting in ways that benefit the community.
Teamwork
An Ubuntu Trek is an environment that provides multiple organic opportunities for Trekkers to work together. Most Trekkers jump right in and begin working with their peers. On those occasions that a Trekker is resistant to this process, our team is enthusiastic and skilled at discovering opportunities to get them involved. Very quickly Trekkers discover that packing a tent or doing camp dishes is far easier, and more fun, when doing it together.
Teamwork gives them the opportunity to communicate with their peers. Working as a team, Trekkers develop important skills like problem solving, listening, leadership, and creative thinking.
Confidence
It’s difficult to quantify the level of confidence that kids develop by simply completing a Trek. Most Trekkers will ponder whether or not they’ll be able to hike “so far” with a heavy backpack. Each will have a handful of concerns regarding the Trek. Virtually all of these concerns will, retrospectively, seem tiny to them.
Our team identifies and provides each Trekker with additional opportunities to try new things, to grow just a bit more. Sometimes it’s an activity like making hot chocolate for the group. Often it’s as simple as having them lead a camp discussion.
Having confidence helps teenagers make safe, informed decisions. Confident kids are more likely to be assertive, positive, engaged, enthusiastic and persistent.
Independence
Being away from their families and friends during their Trek creates an environment where Trekkers will automatically rely on their own decision making. Our team works hard to advance this process by encouraging independent thought, shared expression of thoughts and opinions, and cooperative listening.
We build quiet solo time into each day so that Trekkers can experience time with their thoughts only while sitting or walking in the solitude of the outdoors.
Being independent allows a teen to think for themself and confidently use their own judgement. Independence can empower a teen as well as increase happiness and life satisfaction levels as they grow older.
Ubuntu Treks in Photos
“Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wildness is a necessity”
-John Muir