No special preparation is needed to participate in our walks. Keep in mind that, during the walking days, we will cover distances that can vary from 4 to 14 miles per day. We will keep an average of 1.8 miles per hour. We recommend that you download and read the document with the altitudes and distances (you will find them on the same page of each walk).
In many of the walks we planned some exit points, where our support vehicle can offer a lift to those in distress and take them to the next checkpoint.

During our walks, we will cross dirt paths, official CAI paths, rural roads, and other dirt roads, as well as asphalt roads with little traffic.

During the walks we will travel only with a small light backpack to carry food, water and a raincoat. Larger backpacks/luggage and tents will be transported on a support vehicle.

We have prepared a document with a list of things that we recommend bringing during the walk. You can download the document by clicking on the icon below:

Trekking or hiking shoes. It is important that they have a good grip not to slip on dirt paths. As additional protection, they should wrap the ankle and/or have some form of Waterproofing (gore-tex or similar). For your safety, it is not permitted to participate in the walk with regular gym shoes.
During our stay in the communities you can wear slippers, casual shoes and/or go barefoot.

In addition to the possibility of sleeping in your tent (which is included in the basic costs), all communities generally have beds available in shared rooms. Some communities charge a supplement for using their beds, others do not.
On the pages of each path you will find more details on the options available and any additional costs.

During registration each participant can indicate whether or not they will bring a tent and whether they are available to share it with other participants. In case there are more participants than available tents we will bring extra tents.

Silent Steps is a journey of connection with the present moment. Using the phone takes our attention elsewhere and to another time (commitments for the future, memories of the past, etc.), and can also interrupt the silence in which we will immerse ourselves during the walks. For this reason, we invite you to consider the Silent Steps experience as an opportunity for digital detox. We ask anyway not to make phone calls and to keep the phone on silent or airplane mode during the walks. Those who need phone availability for serious reasons can let us know in advance. We will usually have a person dedicated to taking images and videos that will be later shared within the group.

Giovanni and Safir know the routes and will use GPS and recorded tracks to guide the group. We invite you to let yourself be guided, to immerse yourself in the journey and to reduce distractions. Paying attention to questions such as “Where are we now? How many miles are left? How many have we already traveled?” Those can easily take us away from the present moment and our surroundings.

Many and none. Everything we will experience together will be both simple and firsthand, so there is no need for any specific preparation. After the journey we will provide a list of books that will allow you to delve deeper into walking, meditation & more.

The path of attention is an opportunity to connect to ourselves, to our vitality and presence, to the vividness inside and outside of us, to our emotions, to the surrounding nature. In this sense 
it is both a spiritual and secular path. Inspirations and techniques you will encounter during our walks come from distant worlds including the walks of attention of Tich Naht Han, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, and the paths of the Indians of Castaneda and Don Juan.

The cost contribution (see the breakdown in the next paragraph) is calculated on a minimum number of participants for the sustainability of the walk and is intended as a kitty. If at the end of the walk there is any money left, it will be redistributed among the participants or will go to feed the Silent Steps’ Money Box.

The basic costs contribution includes meals, overnight stays in the communities, accident insurance, backpack transportation on the service vehicle and other logistical expenses necessary for the walks.
It does not include: any purchases of food and drinks outside of those offered by the communities, transportation to the starting point and back to your home, any purchases of products at the communities.

This journey is not free. We ask each participant to recognize the work behind Silent Steps with a conscious and joyful contribution. This money will support the work of Giovanni, Safir and the entire team of Consapevoli Assieme who organized the walks, traced the path, contacted the communities, managed communication and led the walks.

The Heart Economy makes the walks as accessible as possible, and requires personal responsibility and mutual trust. We ask those who participate in this journey to experiment with the Heart Economy, which is an important part of the entire experience. If you have any questions about this economic model after reading the document, which you can find here, contact us before registering (or before departure if you’ve already registered).

The Heart Economy is an alternative emerging economic model, based on 
inclusiveness, trust, abundance and transparency. We invite you to learn more about the topic by visiting the dedicated page:

Of course. However, we ask you to read carefully and with an open heart this document and to ask us any question that comes up before signing up or in any case before offering the final contribution.

The Silent Steps Money Box is a cash fund for those who want to participate in the walks but are unable to cover the cost contribution for specific reasons. The use of the funds in the Silent Steps’ Money Box is at the discretion of the organizers.

Of course! Discounts are available for:

• Those who already participated in any Silent Steps’ walks before
• Those who brings a friend on the walk (both will benefit from a discount)
• Those who register using specific discount codes made for the walk.

Discounts will be mentioned on the pages of the walks and must be indicated on the registration form.

During the walks it is not easy to find ATMs because we usually do not pass through villages or cities so we recommend that you bring some cash for any purchases you want to make in the places we will visit during the trip.

You will receive instructions for paying a portion of the contribution via email after you complete the Walk Registration Form.

In case of cancellation:

• Your cost advance is fully refunded if you cancel 30 days before departure;
• If you cancel between 30 and 15 days before departure, we refund 50%, and the rest goes to the Walk Money Box;
• If you cancel less than 15 days in advance, what you have paid will be used to feed the Walk Money Box.
• Your deposit will be fully refunded if you cannot attend for documented health reasons.

To request cancellation contact us by email at info@passidiquiete.org.

Most communities will offer vegan or vegetarian meals, according to their diet.

Of course. Please indicate them in the registration form. Communities are usually quite flexible in this regard, but if you want to bring some special food for your specific needs, we invite you to do so.

The consumption of alcohol is only permitted in some communities and usually during special events.

We do not recommend smoking during the entire experience. In case you need to smoke, we will agree on specific smoking spaces and times, respecting those who are not smokers.

On some walks there will be the possibility of bathing in rivers and/or lakes, so we will make agreements which will take taking into account the sensitivity of each participant.

Walking in nature and silence naturally leads us to be more attentive, empathetic and to support each other inherently. In any case, those who guide the walk are also facilitators and support the group by creating agreements that have already been tested and that favour the stability of the group and the inclusion of each participant.