Kathmandu’s New Loyalty Program Rewards You With Something Greater Than Gear

We Are Explorers acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the Countries on which these adventures take place who have occupied and cared for these lands, waters, and their inhabitants for thousands of years. We pay our respects to them and recognise that sovereignty was never ceded.

The impact of our hike isn’t felt most deeply while immersed in the wild west environs of Werribee Gorge State Park – a hidden gem of a canyon located on the outskirts of Melbourne. No, the true resonance of the day’s outing rises to the surface while ensconced in a wilderness of concrete and commotion.

Standing in Melbourne’s CBD on Elizabeth Street, a group of 15 slightly dusty Kathmandu Loyalty Program members stand smug in a bubble of satisfaction fuelled by the tangible connection of the day’s shared experience. While the world hustles around us, ebbing and flowing in a soiree of late afternoon Saturday shopping, we say our goodbyes.

From Strangers to Friends

Earlier in the day we were strangers to one other as we shyly wandered through the front door of Kathmandu’s flagship Galleria Store. Barely eight hours and 8km later, we’re now confidently voicing our gratitude for being hosted, led and fed by our guide, Adrian Infanti, from Take Shape Adventures.

It was pretty obvious that this wasn’t his first rodeo

More than a few hundred kilometres east in the Blue Mountains, another group of slightly reserved strangers from Sydney had a similar day. Once again the power of nature worked its magic to bring a disparate group together in record time. The hike ended with enthusiastic chatter and laughs over wine and cheese.

Beyond Gear: Supporting Outdoor Enthusiasts

As stewards of the outdoors, brands like Kathmandu can make a significant impact by directing their efforts beyond just the provision of quality gear. Ultimately, their raison d’etre is to support people to enjoy their time in the Great Outdoors.

This is where Kathmandu’s new Out There Rewards program hits the mark. It offers an accessible pathway for customers to enjoy outdoor activities in a welcoming, safe, and entertaining manner. Now rolling out across Australia, Out There Rewards high level members will be offered opportunities to attend exclusive events and experiences to help them get outside more often.

For both the Melbourne and Sydney groups that headed out, varying levels of fitness, knowledge and outdoor experience of the participants didn’t matter. Take Shape Adventures and the Blue Mountains Eco Tour guides were able to level the playing field on a short walk that offered some of the best views each state has to offer.

Kathmandu’s drive is to move beyond a typical reward-for-spend approach to one focused on inspiring and connecting with people, most especially those at the beginning of their outdoors journey. The Out There Rewards program offers facilitated group activities designed as a stepping stone for people keen to broaden their outdoors experience in a way that doesn’t push boundaries too hard, too fast.

The route through Werribee Gorge had just enough challenge for us to feel proud of our effort without being too much

A Deeper Connection with Nature

Indeed, the focus during our excursion was less wild and more pleasantly mild in the form of easy walking, frequent mindfulness stops, honest conversations, and engaging interpretations of the physical and cultural landscapes. We heard explanations about giant tectonic rock formations to Traditional Owner heritage, and were tasked with matching colour swabs to ‘something in nature’.

If this sounds strange, it all becomes clear after you hear our guide Adrian explain.

‘The idea is to slow things down and reveal the nuance and beauty of nature. The exercise encourages you to actively notice the myriad of colours around you and realise that it’s not all just straight green and brown!’

A session of closed-eye mindfulness standing still on a riverbank further emphasises the sounds and smells of the environment, encouraging everyone to connect even deeper in the moment. Guiding is not simply an art of navigating the trail, it’s also one of facilitating meaningful connection with nature and with others.

In the Blue Mountains, knowledgeable guides Paul and Jen elevated the experience of a humble walk in nature by equipping participants with knowledge about local flora and fauna, and helping them understand the impacts of bushfires.

How good’s a bit of local knowledge? | @eandrewsphoto

‘We believe we can play a role in removing barriers and showing that the Great Outdoors is for anyone and everyone at any time’, said Elaine Nguyen, our Kathmandu host. ‘The Rewards program is at the heart of that.’

Equally, the genius of Kathmandu’s Out There Rewards program is also fostering much-needed human connection nurtured in the crucible of meaningful landscapes like Victoria’s Werribee Gorge and NSW’s Blue Mountains.

Out There Rewards Program Details

There are plenty of reasons to sign up to Kathmandu’s Out There Rewards program, from birthday vouchers, to access to AllTrails+ for Level 1, 2, and 3 members, special deals, and free delivery on purchases.

With each higher level you earn bigger and better rewards. But the best thing is you earn points to level up not just by spending, but by simply getting out into nature and doing stuff. Spend in-store or online ($1 = 1 point) or spend time out there in nature (1 activity = 10 points).

That’s not a typo by the way, Kathmandu is offering more points for time in nature than dollars spent in store. That’s mission over profits right there.