In the southernmost reaches of the Siberian taiga ecosystem, lies a majestic place called the Kanas Lake, a name that means "beautiful, rich and mysterious" in Mongolian. There, nestled in the deep forests and mountains of Altay Prefecture, you will witness one of nature's most exquisite symphony of colors. The autumn sun piercing through the crisp blue skies, giving the lake an almost sapphire appearance which is then set against alpine surroundings composed of golden, red and green trees.

Come with us and explore one of the most scenic and ethically diverse region of China, where the local population have lived a nomadic existence for many millennia. Tourists come from far and wide hoping to catch a glimpse of the mystical Kanas monster, yes, the Chinese counterpart to the Loch Ness legend. Although the government have been encouraging tourism into the area, we will take you on an authentic four days hike away from the bustle and hustle of the main tourist area.

Our trek begins at Kanas lake, trekking through the ridges of Altai mountains taking us pass two of the less explored areas Hemu river and Bacqin river. The entire trek will last 5 days giving you ample time to soak in the beauty of the surroundings. Here, you can experience the same journey on horseback, a voyage reminiscent of Central Asian tea traders of the past. 

Xishuangbanna, situated at the border of China and Laos, is one of the most biologically diverse regions in China.

Nicknamed "the gene depository", it has one of the best-preserved tropical primeval rainforest in the world.  In this tropical rain forest, a milieu of unique, primordial and endangered species dwell, structuring an ecological symphony that will leave you in awed at the power of nature.

The area, typical of Yunnan,  is very ethnically diverse, with Dai, Hani and Han being the main ethnicities. To the Dai people, Xishuangbanna was known as 'Mengbanaxi' in ancient times,  a name that means miraculous utopia.

Your visit to the utopia with us will consist of 3 days sightseeing and a 5 day trek through the tropical rain forest and the ancient tea hills of the area. A relatively easy hike, you can enjoy walking through one of the most ancient trade routes in South East Asia, staying each night at a village of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds.  Our route is specially designed to maximize your exposure to the wonders of this land.

A company’s success depends largely on the motivation, productivity and unity of its workforce. Your company may spend valuable time and resources to build relationships within the office, but these may prove unsatisfactory as the office environment rarely provides the quality experience necessary to foster a deep bond between employees.

Moreover the stressful environment of the modern workplace demoralises your staff and as a result lower your overall productivity. Harvard researchers have found that the average direct cost of absenteeism is $3,550 per employee per year, and workplace stress is estimated to cause 19% of absenteeism. However, the irony lies in the fact that stress is a crucial element to success, any company worth its salt will be operating in a high stress environment. To counteract this, the appropriate corrective measures may lie outside the immediate workspace. Corporate retreats run by a dedicated team of professionals are the answers to your problem, providing a great tool to rejuvenate the team spirit and motivation of your staff.

Zen Quest corporate programmes take place in a wilderness setting with innovative themes for team building and adventure elements that ensure a unique experience for all participants. This is a great platform for your team to better know one another and develop authentic friendships based on shared experiences. Our tailor made programmes build trust and camaraderie, the activities are structured in a way that will help you identify and incorporate the personal strengths of each individual. The cooperative skills gained at a retreat will also improve the performance of your workforce by showing employees how to work together effectively.

Furthermore numerous studies done by Stanford professor Dr. Katie Curhan, Ed.D and prominent biologist EO Wilson have found that by connecting with nature, a person can improve his or her sense of well being in both the workforce and the personal sphere, as we are evolutionarily programmed to excel in a natural environment. In fact a 2008 study published in the journal of Psychological Science (PDF) maintained that interaction with nature may bring serious cognitive benefits to individuals. Mac Berman from University of Michigan found that in a sample group of 38 individuals, those who took a leisurely walk in a wooded area performed much better in subsequent cognitive tests than those who took the same walk in a city environment.

A wilderness based corporate retreat program may be the missing link between a good team and a great team. Contact us now for a free consultation!

High on the border of Sichuan and Tibet lies a small town nestled in rolling moorland and open country called Daocheng. The area is best visited in late May beginning of April as the wild flowers are plentiful and the weather is warm and sunny. Traveling to Daocheng is definitely not for those of you looking for a casual trip or weekend away, as getting there takes time traveling on dirt roads over high mountain passes. However its well worth it to see this place, as all but for the town centre is forgotten by time, where yaks walk in the streets and red cloaked monks walk weary mile on mile, mumbling prayers as they move their strings of beads round in constant motion.

Fengshan (凤山) is situated in the Leye County of Guangxi province and has one of the richest habitats in China. It has recently become a world heritage site of special scientific interest because of its karst landscapes, home not only to many above ground species of animals and plants but also home to a lot of cave dwelling species as well.

In Feng Shan we can run many activities including:

Rock Climbing

Trekking and Camping

Bike riding

Caving

Abseiling School

visits and cultural programs.

Our approach to team building is simple yet timeless: original, specific and holistic. We specialise in designing bespoke team building programmes that target your organisation’s specific needs. Our innovative themed team building and strategy games will elevate your team to a different dimension. A much needed departure from the traditional ‘outdoor management development’ programmes that are standard to our industry, where short individual tasks are performed and analysed; our themed based events transport teams to new ways of operating through fast, complex and highly dynamic interactive games of strategy.

Whether your looking for an activity to run over a few hours or an away program to run over several days, we have many options to choose from. For more information on our themed activities, please visit our Themed Activities page where you can find examples of our interactive games or just contact us directly for more information. Our locations page lists some of the many exciting destinations we have on offer.

“This is the best team building activity we have ever done” Jeanette Chan, Partner, Paul Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton and Garrison.

Overview
For centuries people from all around the known world travelled on this road, seeking fortune and high adventure. The silk road is a mysterious bridge that linked the East to the West. The Taklamakan desert remains one of its most hostile and infamous regions. You will cross this region in a 4x4 vehicle and travel to some of the most famous yet least visited sites of the silk road.
We will be flying to Korla in Xinjiang, located smack in the northeastern edge of the Tarim Basin. The area has thousands of years of history and was an important staging post in the middle of the silk road. Straddling two of the main geographical features of Xinjiang, the area faces Tianshan in the North and Taklamakan desert in the south.

Accommodation

A night stay at the beautiful Garden hotel in Korla, and camping in the desert for 2 nights.

Activities

Desert crossing in 4x4 vehicles

Desert BBQ

Two day trip to Lop Nur, the famous silk road heritage of the Loulan ancient city. (If this option were to be chosen, overnight stay will be in tents, where a feast will be served in the desert environment. You will also have the chance to view sunset and sunrise in some of the most remote and beautiful locations on this planet.

A day trip to the Bayanbulak Grassland, located on the foothills of the Tianshan range, the area is a beautiful prairie boasting luxurious verdant grass, numerous flocks of sheep and a variety of flora and fauna.

We will provide guides to explain the history and landscape of this amazing location and local culture immersion. We will also see songs and dances by the ethnic people who traditionally inhabit this area.

Temperature
Korla has a cold desert climate, with extreme variation in temperature during night and day. July is typically hot and arid, with day time temperatures reaching 40 degrees Celsius and night time temperatures reaching as low as 10 degrees Celsius.

Since 2009 Shantou University (STU) has been leading the trend in developing non curriculum based outdoor education programs. Our staff at Zen Quest have been working to this end since the inception of the idea.

At Zen Quest everything we do is driven by the philosophy of "quality, safety and empowerment. " Our university programs are the best example of this philosophy in practice. As outdoor curriculum designers and facilitators, we have worked with Shantou University and Beijing Normal University in constructing, teaching and facilitating a range of outdoor education courses.

In addition our staff have worked and taught in world-class universities including the Kellogg School of Management, New York University, CIEE, and many other top programs worldwide. All courses are delivered by outdoor specialists, research academics, field practitioners and elite athletes. Our program balances academic knowledge, adventure and mentorship into one cohesive force to help empower students. We have a great range of experience in Mainland China and connections in the UK, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, the US and Canada. We offer an unrivalled degree of experience when delivering outdoor education to students, from primary to MBA to postgrad.

Our team also specialises in leadership training and team building for companies looking for that extra edge in the business world. Our team have given regular talks, seminars and two-day workshops to multi-national corporations and government agencies. We are currently working to develop an MBA program with major outdoors components, working with us is distinguished professor Jack Marr.

So by supporting us, not only will your organisation benefit from our experience, but your programs can become a real research case study with the results freely available to the world's academic community

By choosing us, not only will your organisation benefit from our experience, but if you wish to participate in academic research, you may opt to have your program results freely available to the world's academic community. Visit our research section to read about what we are doing and planning in the future.