• Day 1, May 18: Transfer to Bannerghatta and Check-in
  
  Our aspiring naturalists arrive at the Toehold Office in Jayanagar, Bangalore, where our Skipper will have been eagerly waiting to take them on a great excursion.
  
  We leave Bangalore at 9a.m, and a mere hour later we arrive at the campsite amidst hills, forests, a lake and clean air!
  
  On arriving at the campsite we get to know one another through an introduction and a fun ice-breaking game.
  
  Then it's time to show the children around the property, which is set amidst a beautiful hill-range with a little lake in the middle, which, like an oasis, makes for a perfect gateway in a wonderful wilderness.
  
  Angling at the lake is heaps of fun, with an almost assured catch. Our participants will learn to assemble and set up their own fishing rods, so that the next day's fishing session is not delayed.
  
  Soon, lunchtime arrives and our chef unleashes the delicacies he has prepared. After properly pampering our taste buds, we pull our cameras out and a session on nature photography will ensue. The children will also be taught how to approach and photograph wildlife in order to get those fantastic images they admire in magazines and books. This will be followed by another group game. Then, after enjoying some refreshments, we depart on an exciting bird-watching and animal-tracking session. We will trek to a hill from where we enjoy a panoramic view of the forests of Bannerghatta, and snap some landscape pictures, and scan for some wildlife in the valleys below. It's also a great place to spend the evening and practise what the children have learnt from the photography session. On the way down, we will set up a camera trap, and hope that some of Bannerghatta's nocturnal wanderers choose to walk by when we're cosily tucked in for the night.
  
  Once back at the campsite, we enjoy an entertainment session over a bonfire, and hit the sack soon after a delicious dinner.
• Day 2, May 19: Activities Galore
  
  We awake to the songs of birds and open our eyes to an amazing view of early morning mist lying low over the lake and the hills. It's time to grab the rods and the bait, and hit the road to the lake, where the group will be taught how to cast, set the hook and carefully retrieve the catch without hurting the fish. All the fish caught will be released back into the lake.
  
  After a couple of hours of an intense angling experience we give in to the enticing smells from the kitchen.
  
  After a good breakfast, we eagerly leave on a bird watching hike. What will probably be playing big on everyone's mind is what may have crossed the camera trap. So, we first retrieve the trap and see what pictures have been taken through the night, before continuing on our bird-watching trail. This is a great opportunity for the children to learn how to identify and study the diverse birdlife and how to approach birds without disturbing them.
  
  Soon after, we find ourselves back at the campsite for lunch. We review photographs taken during the camp, while Phillip, the Tour Skipper, presents a session on "taking great photographs".
  
  Post-lunch, we rest a while before returning to the lake for an evening angling session. Early mornings and evenings are when fishing is at its best and surely by now, everyone will have got hooked to it. Late in the evening, we take the children on a night walk, which should be an experience like no other. We will walk along the boundaries of the property looking for various frogs, insects and other nocturnal life found around the property and return to a delicious dinner and a night of sound sleep.
• Day 3, May 20: Day Trip to Bannerghatta Nature Camp, Jungle Lodges and Resorts and Return
  
  We awake early, check out of the campsite after breakfast and move to the Bannerghatta Nature Camp, run by Jungle Lodges and Resorts – a state-run establishment of high-quality nature resorts.
  
  In the eco-proactive spirit of Jungle Lodges, this Camp has been designed to be an ideal place for kids to be moulded into future naturalists. We spend the morning exploring the herbivore area of the park, where we should be able to see herds of Deer, Sambhar, Gaur and other herbivores crisscrossing the path before us. We will also learn how to track animals by their signs.
  
  After a fascinating morning, we return to the Nature Camp for lunch, before heading out on a Grand Safari on which we see the big carnivorous animals – Tigers, Lions and Bears. Although these animals are captive, many of them are kept in large, natural-looking enclosures, making them a treat to watch. After a riveting experience replete with fascination and learning, we return to the Nature Camp for refreshments and get ready to leave.
  
  We spend our last hour at camp taking about wildlife, conservation, and the steps we can take in order to make a change.
  
  Finally, since all good things come to an end, we bid farewell to beautiful Bannerghatta. On the way back we reminisce about all the highlights of the camp and return to Bangalore as budding naturalists!

Frequently Asked Questions

• Who should attend this Camp?
  
  Anybody between 10 and 16 years of age is welcome to join the Camp. There are no other eligibility criteria.
• How many participants can be expected on this Camp?
  
  Your child can expect a maximum of 20 other kids for company. The Camp strength has been kept down to ensure smooth running of the event and quality time with the Skipper for each kid.
• What about my child's safety during the event?
  
  Your child's safety is of paramount importance to us. The Skipper leading this Camp has been trained by Toehold on child protection; child behaviour and development; health and safety; activity programme delivery; and Toehold's code of conduct, policies and procedures. The Skipper will accompany the children on all activities and the Camp will have at least one staff member qualified in administering First Aid, at all times.
• What things should my child bring to this Camp?
  
  Water bottle
  Cap or hat
  Shoes and slippers/floaters
  Three sets of sober-coloured outdoor clothing (including shorts and swim wear), night clothes, towel and woollens
  Toiletries and other personal essentials
  Notebook, pen, pencil, crayons and watercolours (if possible)
  Torch
  Mosquito repellent
  Camera and binoculars (if possible)