The teachers at Viljandi Vocational Training Center are an incredibly cool bunch — they've been going with their collective for two years now. Elamus Plussi on adventure trips, conquering the mountain peaks of Western Asia. Where did such an idea come from and what mountain trips with a work team look like, explained science teacher Maarika Sild and project manager and external relations coordinator Mari Moorats.
The first mountain trips were addictive
By 2020, 8 adventurous employees had already arrived at the Viljandi Vocational Training Center, who decided to take a completely different trip together that year — to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. Having caught the first hiking bug, they couldn't ignore it in the years to come, and the very next year they conquered the highest peak in the Carpathians.
In 2023, teachers who had climbed Kilimanjaro came up with the idea of discovering one of the most famous peaks in Central Asia, Ararat, on the slopes of which, according to biblical myths, the wreck of Noah's Ark rests. The idea was there, they needed accomplices — why not from the work collective. The idea was thrown into the air on the school's internal email list, where eight interested people quickly emerged. “Those who came came right away, without many questions or hesitation. They said, let's go and try, of course,” recalls science teacher Maarika with a smile. “But of course there were also those who thought that there must be something wrong with us, that we don't want to go on normal trips.”
The idea, the mountain and the hikers were there, now it was necessary to find an instructor who would lead the teachers to the top — that's how Maarika arrived. Elamus Plussi and the adventure train To Mary.
Adventure on Turkey's highest mountain, Ararat
Before conquering Turkey's highest peak, one of the group members organized a training camp for the entire group at the Aidu quarry. There, they undertook a two-day hike with overnight stays in tents — with the aim of preparing for the physical exertion of climbing a high mountain.
The actual mountain trip, however, started with a few hiccups at Tallinn airport, where the group's luggage was left behind, as it didn't fit on the plane. But as you might expect, equipment is quite important when it comes to mountain trips... The teachers didn't let that deter them and headed to the foot of Ararat anyway. The acclimatization planned for the first day was cancelled due to the hiccups, but instead the group was able to enjoy the local culture and, upon the arrival of their luggage, start the real climb on the second day of the trip.
The first few days were spent climbing higher and higher up the mountainside, then descending back down to camp. This process of getting used to new heights is called acclimatization, and it is especially important before the highest summits to ensure that the hikers' bodies are accustomed to the new altitude.
On the long-awaited summit day, the teachers were up extra early. To take advantage of the best snow conditions, they woke up at 1 a.m. and after a quick breakfast, set off for the summit at 5 a.m. The summit day is a full day of hiking — they head to the summit early and then head back straight away to avoid staying overnight. “This day was definitely the hardest, the longest. We arrived at the base camp around 6-XNUMX p.m.”
Seven out of eight teachers reached 5,100m that day. However, high mountains are challenging, and one group member felt a little unwell just before reaching 5000m and headed back to one of the higher camps with a guide. The rest of the group moved on, enjoying the picturesque views of the mountainside and the glacier in front of the summit until the end. By the time they reached the summit, the mountain peak was only for the Viljandi group!
But how did the two group members, who were on the trip for the first time, do it? "Well, they cursed in between. Everyone actually curses their decision to come a little when it gets hard, but you have to get over it. All in all, this experience is worth the rare difficult moments," smiles Maarika.
Picturesque Svanetia
Once you get a taste of the mountains, it's hard to let go. So the same group - with a new member in the form of project manager Mari - found their way to Svanetia, Georgia, in 2024. This time, the test hike took place in Sigulda, where they trained by climbing stairs.
“I had no idea what the world was about. At the same time, I thought that if I don't try now, it won't be done,” Mari commented on her decision to join her colleagues. “And it's been a little secret dream of mine for a long time. But well, it wasn't quite as easy a walking tour as it was advertised to me,” she laughs.
In Svanetia, I experienced rock climbing, walking on a glacier with cats, and walking along mountain peaks tied together in a line of geese. “It’s something indescribable, but something that will stay with me for the rest of my life,” Mari recalls.
But let's start from the beginning. First, we drove to Mestia, where we once again began acclimatization across diverse, fairy-tale landscapes — we crossed mountain pastures, forests, stone forests, and mountain rivers. We saw horses, pigs, and cows roaming freely.
"Compared to Ararat, this landscape was something else. While Ararat was like a stone desert, Svanetia was blooming. There was always something to see — one moment you're gasping this way, the next moment you're looking that way."
However, before reaching the foot of Mount Laila, there were two days of acclimatization. The trek to the summit began only after the third day of acclimatization on the mountain and camping in the mountain valley.
Describing the hike itself, Maarika recalled that Ararat and Kilimanjaro were child's play compared to the steep climbs of Svanetia. "When you stopped and looked down, you realized that you were on a ridge right on the edge of a precipice. And when you thought you might not make it any further, you realized that you really didn't dare to go back."
"On this hike, I don't think anyone even cursed their life choices. These landscapes and views were truly so beautiful that they took all their thoughts elsewhere. You didn't even have time to think that you were tired, you always had to be ready for the next exciting stage. It wasn't just about putting one foot in front of the other," Mari described.
In Svanetia, the group reached an altitude of 3,600 meters. Laila Peak itself is 4008 meters high, but this time the group decided not to go all the way up. After the local guide unexpectedly fell ill, the replacement guide decided that the last few hundred meters were a bit too much considering the group’s preparation and equipment. “We had picks and crampons, but for example we didn’t have the right shoes for the crampons.”
The day of the summit of Svanetia started a little later than Ararat, with waking up at three and arriving back at camp just in time for dinner. There is no lunch break as such on the summit day, but everyone eats snacks brought with them either during breaks or while moving.
Conquering mountains as the best way to grow together with your coworkers
Both Mari and Maarika say that the experience of the mountain trip was worth its weight in gold, especially with their colleagues. “These views, this journey, this team. You get this kind of feeling of belonging in the most positive way — you know that you are looked after and cared for. This team spirit that comes out on the mountain is something that you can’t get even with the best team training,” Mari described the feeling of growing closer to the group while traveling in the mountains. “I think it’s the same here in school work. If something needs to be solved or brought to life, I know that this is the team with which everything can be done.”
“Thanks to our travels, we have become very close to our group,” agrees Maarika.
The trips took place in the summer for the teachers, outside of working hours, and work did not follow them to the mountainside. There was only a little talk of work: “We did discuss it, that all our colleagues could climb the mountaintop together. There is so much trust and support for each other - both physical and mental - that it would be essential for all teams.”
"We definitely, of course, recommend it to other groups. It's not like you just go on a trip with someone and you'll understand whether they're the right person to live with or not."
Teachers at Viljandi Vocational School are not planning to miss out on traveling in 2025 either — the destination is not yet certain, but Montenegro and Austria are among the options. Every year after the trips, the teachers have also shared their impressions with their colleagues, which will hopefully attract more fellow travelers in the coming years.
Elamus Pluss helped every step of the way
Both Maarika and Mari have been very satisfied with their adventure coach Maarika in both years, who has motivated, taught and led the group to two mountaintops. Positive encounters Elamus PlussBut they started earlier — at the Matkasporti store in Tartu, where local adventure enthusiasts helped find the right equipment.
“Actually, preparing wasn't as difficult as I initially thought. Elamus Pluss"I've put together a whole document with a list of things you need, where to find them, or what could be alternatives." - Mari
Vedur Maarja also organized meetings for teachers before they left - both online and in real life - where they reviewed the necessary equipment and held question-and-answer sessions about everything that came to mind for the group conquering the mountains.
“In summary, we would recommend that every team think about a similar trip. The skills it provides are really so important in everyday work.” both Maarika and Mari summarize their adventures Elamus Plussevery mountain.
Author: Karolina Laas-Dobreva, Elamus+ B2B marketing specialist