Challenges, Inspiration

Kamal Bhandari, our Nepalese Challenge Leader had a secret urge to visit the Great Wall of China…

October 2, 2014

KamalKamal has been leading Charity Challenge Everest Base Camp Treks for over ten years. He has weathered some of the most rugged terrain on Earth and has never hesitated to go the extra mile for his team and those trekking with him.  Many of you reading this will have shared some memorable moments in the Himalayas with him and know how passionate he is about making the trips a wonderful experience for his clients. We found out that a lifelong dream of Kamal’s was to visit the Great Wall of China and as he has been a truly wonderful guide and advocate of Charity Challenge over the years, we set plans in motion to try and make a trip for him as memorable…  Here’s what he has to say:

“My journey to Great Wall has been a memorable one. A dream come true. A Big THANK YOU and the credit goes to Charity Challenge for helping and sorting my trip. It really makes me proud working with them.

This trip was different from my usual treks in Nepal. It is not correct to say that it was easy compared with my trips in the Himalayas. We had to walk lots of ups and downs, half of which was natural and half renovated – some of them were killers! But I loved it.

I was given the chance from Charity Challenge to be with a trekking team from Royal Marsden Hospital of 24 trekkers. I felt lucky to be with them. Even though I was a stranger for everyone before the trip, I was never given a chance to think back. The care, love and friendly attitude of everyone made me speechless.

With nothing to worry about – altitude nor the clients, I was tension free.  I was more like aKalam in china small spoiled kid kept in middle of the toy shop. The views, walk itself, greenery, shopkeepers, locals, guides and participants are all still rolling over my head. For everything I give a BIG THUMBS UP.

On completion of the Great Wall Walk, covering 50 KM in 5 days, we advanced towards Central Beijing. Beijing was other place I always want to visit. Olympic 2008 stadium, watching aerobatics, visiting the square which could hold millions of people at once, the Forbidden  City which is renowned and famous and Temple of Heaven were all the highlights which I felt lucky to see.

I could easily make it that it was my holiday, as I felt very emotional leaving Beijing and departing with my friends, which normally does not happen with me.

Lastly, I am very grateful to CHARITY CHALLENGE and to everyone who supported me (Simon A and B, Carmel, Jo and David) to fulfill my desire to walk on the Great Wall and visit Beijing.”

Kamal we salute you! Thank you for your continued energy and experience looking after our clients in Nepal.

If Kamal’s dream has inspired you to trek on the Great Wall of China, then please click here.

To keep up to date on all our challenge news, you can subscribe to this blog by clicking on the orange RSS button, you can also enter your email address into the adjacent box to subscribe to our mailing list.

Latest News

Attend one of our free information evenings in November and find out what a Charity Challenge is all about!

September 23, 2014

Why not come and find out what Charity Challenges are all about? Attend our information evening and hear how you can take part in a ‘once in a life time opportunity’, find out about our challenges, the way we work and why we’re different to other companies in the market. You’ll also get to meet some of the lovely Charity Challenge team before you book!

The information evening will be held on the following days:

•    Wed 26 November 2014 at 7.15pm – “High altitude challenges” at The Altitude Centre (Kilimanjaro, Machu Picchu, Everest Base Camp, Avenue of the Volcanoes, Dalai Lama Himalayan Trek, High Atlas Trek and Atlas Mountain Bike)

•    Thu 27 November 2014 at 7.15pm  – “Other challenges” at The Altitude Centre  (Great Wall of China Trek, Sahara Desert Trek, Icelandic Lava Trek, Sumatran Jungle Trek, Trek/Cycle Burma, Dog Sledding, Rajasthan Cycle Challenge, Cuba Trek/Bike or any other non-altitude challenge that we do (please specify when you register) Continue Reading…

Latest News, Sales & Promotions

Get through the Winter blues with £100 discount off the deposit on our spring departures!

September 4, 2014

We’ve had a great summer this year and although we’ve been promised a heat wave this month, Autumn and Winter are slowly creeping up on us.

The first few months of the year always seems to be the slowest and hardest months to get through, so we’ve decided to give you something to look forward to.

The majority of our departures between January and May now have a £100 discount off of the deposit!*

This includes:

Book on any one of these challenges by quoting BLUES and get a £100 discount off of the deposit* and have something to help motivate you through the winter blues. Offer ends 31/10/2014.**

We know that some of you have been let down by Student Adventures and are now looking for alternative challenges, hopefully you can take advantage of our current special offers.

Don’t forget, we’re still celebrating Pachamama in Peru and the Moon Festival in China and are giving £100 off all 2015 China and Peru challenges! Make sure you book soon (quote promotional code PERU when booking on a Peru challenge or MOON when booking on a challenge in China), as this offer expires on the 31/10/14!

If you have any questions about any of our challenges, then don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Kind regards

Firdous
Marketing Manager

T: +44 (0)208 346 0500 | E: info@charitychallenge.com | W: www.charitychallenge.com

*One promotion can only be used at any one time.

**Subject to flight availability

Latest News

BREAKING NEWS: STUDENT ADVENTURES GOES BUST!

August 29, 2014

WHAT’S HAPPENED:

We have received an unusual number of calls today asking if everything was OK!

The reason for this concern is that some of you may have read in the National Press, and heard on Radio 4, about a company specialising in charity challenge style events that has gone into administration.

The company in question (GBCE Ltd, trading as Student Adventures) was a small organisation specialising in low budget university student groups. Sadly, it has developed a poor reputation in the industry over the last 18 months. The company did not renew their ATOL licence earlier this year but continued to trade and, today, went into administration leaving their clients without services in the destination country.

I am very pleased to tell you that Charity Challenge is in no way connected or affiliated to Student Adventures or their holding company. Continue Reading…

Latest News, Sales & Promotions

Celebrate festivals around the world and get 100 pounds off 2015 Peru and China challenges!

August 7, 2014

With the season of festivals in the air, we have some fantastic special offers waiting for you to celebrate. August is the month of  “Pachamama” or Mother Earth Festival in Peru and the ‘Moon Festival’ is celebrated throughout September in China.

To mark both festivals and to help us all have a successful season of trekking and cycling in the Andes and in China, we are offering a £100 discount* on all of our 2015 Peru and China Challenges! This includes the popular Trek to Machu Picchu, Cycle Machu Picchu to the Amazon,the Great Wall of China trek, cycle, run and multi-activity triple challenge!

To take advantage of this fantastic offer, simply enter PERU (for Trek to Machu Picchu and Cycle Machu Picchu to the Amazon) and MOON(for the China challenges) at the time of booking. Offer ends 30/09/2014, so make sure you book before then! Continue Reading…

Latest News

Love adventure travel? Looking to get started in the world of marketing? Charity Challenge are looking for a Marketing Intern.

July 11, 2014

Charity Challenge are looking for a Marketing Intern

Background

Our company – Challenges (Un)Limited, trading as Charity Challenge – has been in business for fifteen years and is currently 14 people strong. We work exclusively for the charity sector, raising millions of pounds for worthwhile causes. We operate treks, bike rides, mountain climbs, and other adventure travel itineraries, whereby our clients raise money for their chosen charity through their participation. We operate about 100+ challenges a year and have raised over £40m for 1670+ UK, Irish and Canadian registered charities to date. We have also just launched a new operation out of Toronto, Canada for the Canadian charity sector.

We are best known for organising the very successful BT Red Nose Day Climb for Gary Barlow, Cheryl Cole, Kimberley Walsh, Ronan Keating, Chris Moyles, Denise Van Outen, Alesha Dixon, Ben Shephard and Fearne Cotton which raised over £3.35million for Comic Relief, and the Zambezi Hell and High Water Challenge in 2013 with Mel C, Jack Dee and Dara O’Briain.

The company has gone from strength to strength developing an excellent reputation both within the corporate and charity sectors, donating hundreds of thousands of pounds to local community projects in the countries in which we operate, and building houses, schools and health centres in developing countries as part of our award winning community challenge programme. Continue Reading…