The Survivalist Mindset program is a very serious practical survival program in the real wilderness. In this program, you will leave your comfort zone and develop critical thinking as well as physical and mental conditions. In this program, you will be faced with a lot of pressure, lack of sleep, food and energy. During the program, participants will focus on pushing their limits, understanding their abilities, testing their wilderness survival and bushcraft skills, and learning advanced survival and bushcraft skills. This program is not for people who are scared to leave their comfort zone. You cannot be confident in an unexpected survival situation if you do not practice leaving your comfort zone. Practice makes perfect. Practicing your acquired knowledge is the only way to develop your mindset. Our beautiful planet has differing and varied environments. If you were to learn specific outdoor skills for a desert environment, you will have serious difficulty surviving in northern regions and vice versa. Instead of learning specific skills for a specified environment, it is much better to develop a survivalist mindset. This survivalist mindset is the crucial survival tool needed in any arising situation you may encounter. The Survivalist Mindset course focuses on planning ahead, learning to avoid panic, being both adaptable and self-reliant as well as using improvisation and creativity to achieve goals in the wilderness. Participants will learn how to be independent of tools. Carrying a survival kit or a tool is a good habit as long as we do not become utterly dependent on them.
During the program, participants will walk around 15-20 kilometres per day carrying their gear (approx. 30-40 lb). All participants should expect to deal with the elements: cold, heat, rain, wind, snow, etc.
The purpose of the program is to develop your survival and bushcraft skills in very difficult conditions. There is a huge difference between making a fire and a shelter when you are full of energy and doing the same tasks when you are exhausted and hungry. On one day of the program, participants will be allowed to use only 10 items. On another day, they will have only 5 of them. One night, participants who want to pass tests have to sleep in shelters that they will build from natural materials. Safety of our customers is the number one priority for us. Thus, the instructor will have a satellite communicator with an SOS button. Participants’ emergency contacts will be kept abreast of our nighttime location and our safety circumstance every day.
Please, take the preparation for this program seriously. We highly recommend physically preparing yourself. Hiking around 15-20 km 2-3 times per week or running every second day for 4 weeks before the program is a good way to prepare for the program.
The program outline is not available for participants because there are many tasks that have to be unexpected for practical purposes.
The Survivalist Mindset program has a maximum of 3 groups. Every group has an instructor and a maximum of 3 participants.
Context of the Program
The Survivalist Mindset Program is not just a course—it’s a full immersion into the raw, unpredictable conditions of wilderness life. Unlike typical survival classes, this advanced training is designed to push your limits and condition your body and mind for real-world adversity. It is an intense, high-stress program built to simulate what survival actually feels like when resources are limited, comfort is gone, and decision-making becomes critical.
This experience prepares participants not just to survive—but to lead, adapt, and endure in high-pressure environments. The goal is to develop a resilient mindset, sharpen your critical thinking, and train your body to keep functioning in fatigue, hunger, and environmental stress.
You will explore:
- Sleep deprivation, food scarcity, and long-distance hiking with full packs
- Limited gear use: 10 items one day, only 5 the next
- Shelter building with natural materials only
- Constant problem-solving and improvisation challenges
- Exposure to cold, heat, wind, and wet conditions
- A strong focus on adaptability, planning ahead, and risk assessment
- Reinforcement that mindset > gear, and that confidence comes only from action
This program is built for those who want to train like it’s real, develop mental toughness, and become truly self-reliant.
If you’re looking for a test—and a transformation—this is where it happens.
Location
The Survivalist Mindset course is located in the real wilderness on Vancouver Island. We will drive around 2 hours from Victoria and travel by foot for 4 days. We are trying to organize the program in an unfamiliar area for participants. However, we will inform relatives (emergency contacts) of participants by sending them the location by a satellite communicator. Participants will only know the location of the parking spot.
Prerequisites
- The minimum age of participants is 17 years old. All participants under the age of 19 have to be accompanied by their guardians.
- Completion of Intermediate – Living in the Wilderness & Bushcraft Skills is required.
Requirements
- Tools:
- Fixed blade (non folding) knife with 90 degree spine, 4”- 6” length (MORA BUSHCRAFT BLACK or MORA GARBERG are recommended)
- Folding saw (BAHCO LAPLANDER or SILKY saws are recommended)
- Clothes fit for weather conditions:
- Durable rain jacket, pants and extra layers
- Hiking boots
- 100% cotton shemagh or 100% cotton material 3’ x 3’
- Scrap 100% cotton material (old adult’s t-shirt)
- Work gloves (leather work gloves are recommended)
- Eye protection
- Fire:
- Lighter (BIC lighter is recommended)
- Ferrocerium rod at least 3/8” x 2 2/8” but preferably ½” x 6”(LIGHT MY FIRE is recommended)
- Small metal tin (ALTOIDS type is recommended)
- Shelter / emergency cover:
- Tent/hammock or tarp (5×7 ft, 7×7 ft, or 10×10 ft)
- Tarp (5×7 ft, 7×7 ft, or 10×10 ft)
- Sleeping bag
- Sleeping pad
- Mylar emergency blanket (XL Size)
- Wool blanket 90” x 90” or two 66” x 90”
- Cordage:
- Paracord 550 or survival paracord, 100 ft
- Bankline #36, 100 ft is recommended
- Water and cooking:
- Metal water bottle (single wall and wide mouth, NALGENE is recommended)
- Metal cup (single wall)
- Food:
- Adequate food and snacks. Food is not provided.
- Electrolyte drinks are recommended.
- Navigation and orientation:
- Non-lensatic compass with bezel ring, sighting mirror and magnifying lens (Suunto MC-2 is recommended)
- Ranger beads (pace counter, 9 + 4 beads)
- Smartphone with a charged battery and with the free version of the app Gaia GPS downloaded
- Headlamp with spare batteries
- Cargo:
- Backpack or shoulder bag
- Additionally:
- Notebook (waterproof notebook / journal is recommended)
- 2 pencils / all-weather pens
- Hygiene items
- Any personal items such as anti-allergy medication, prescriptions, sunscreen, or insect repellant.
All participants are required to have their own gear to complete the Advanced level. All these items will be useful in your future. If you are going to be prepared for any unexpected situations in the wilderness, you need to practice using these items on a regular basis.
If you do not have the required items, you can buy or rent them in our online store.
The program has two levels of qualification:
1) Certificate of Participation in the Advanced level (signed by instructional staff and issued to every participant who participated in the program);
2) Certificate of Participation with badge signed by instructional staff and issued only to participants who pass skills tests. It is ABSOLUTELY FINE to participate in the course without qualifying for the badge. Only the instructor of the program decides whether the participant qualifies for the badge.
This program has an 30% give up rate due to the following:
- Participants are not physically prepared
- Participants are not mentally prepared
- Participants have not trained appropriately in the skills necessary prior to the program.
Banned activities
Drinking alcohol, smoking marijuana, bullying others, and illegal actions are unacceptable activities during all our programs.
Important notes
ONE WITH NATURE Corp. is not responsible for injuries. The use of knives, axes, and other tools constitute high-risk activities. If you damage yourself or others, ONE WITH NATURE Corp. is not responsible for the damage or lives lost. All our programs are for educational purposes only. ONE WITH NATURE Corp. strongly recommends taking out insurance prior to participating in our programs. Please speak to an insurance provider about the most appropriate type of insurance you need to participate in any of our programs.
Price
$1200 per person, plus 5% GST.
