Survival day in the Ticino Park

Experience close contact with nature in the woods of the Ticino Park and learn how to cope without the telephone and conveniences of everyday life.

You will learn useful notions oforientation and stress management and discover how to light a signal fire, how to build an emergency shelter and how to purify water.

You will try your hand at fun activities, but above all, you will acquire the fundamental skills to put into practice in emergency situations.

What we will do

The appointment is in Vergiate, in the province of Varese. We will meet the guides here at 9 a.m. and, once the group is formed, we will reach the base camp in the woods of the Ticino Park. The instructors will hold a short briefing, in which we will also be told about how human beings act and react in unexpected situations.

This will be followed by the first practical test: we will walk through passages alla marinara and alla tirolese without a harness (by tying a rope between two trees) and reach a height of 2 metres. We will then access a 4-metre high Tibetan bridge, learning how to manage our fear of heights. We will also be shown a series of tricks to put into practice in case of need and learn how to tie the most useful knots.

Then we will discover the principles of orientation, learning how to read maps and follow a compass. After a brief theoretical explanation, we will head into the forest to reach the point on the map indicated to us by the instructors.

Around 13:00, we will take a short lunch break. We can have the packed lunch that we will have brought from home or what the farmhouse near the base camp will have prepared for us.

At 14:00, the second phase of our experience will begin. We will learn the best technique for lighting the white signal fire to summon help in situations where we are unable to use the telephone, and we will also discover how to build an emergency shelter using tarp. Finally, we will proceed with the mechanical purification of water.

The experience will end at 17:00.

Who it is aimed at

The activity is suitable for everyone over the age of 11. No specific skills or previous experience are required.

Children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

Other information

The activity takes place throughout the year on the dates indicated in the calendar (continuously updated).

Important: remember to provide the guide with the participants' names and tax code at least 42 hours before the start of the activity for the daily insurance card (included in the fee).

A health certificate or certificate of fitness to work (also photocopy) must be presented.

Recommended clothing

• Comfortable, seasonally appropriate clothing
• Hard-wearing trousers with external cargo or military pockets
• Military amphibian-type shoes or hiking boots
• Shirt or durable long-sleeved shirt
• Cotton sports socks and synthetic or wool long sports socks

Don't forget to bring

• Backpack
• Tarp (recommended)
• Packed lunch (optional)
• Metal water bottle and saucepan
• Health certificate or certificate of fitness for work (also photocopy)
• Replacement underwear
• Headgear or bandana
• Notebook and pencil
• Portable first aid (recommended)
• Insulated blanket (recommended)
• 3 lengths of 4/5/6 mm diameter synthetic rope in 1 m, 3 m and 5 m lengths