Eight to thirty participants divided into 3 to 6 teams can participate in this half-day simulation.

We've all heard of the legend of the lost colony of Atlantis. In a remote sector of the Amazon Rain Forest, a similar legend has evoked curiosity for over 50 years--the Lost Mines of King Samusa™. A century ago, an Amazon tribe made their living mining diamonds in a remote mountainous region location of the lost mines. A researcher who has devoted his life's work to finding the mines has finally determined their location, but due to failing health has been unable to mine the vast quantity of remaining diamonds. He has, for a princely sum, sold the teams a copy of the map showing how to reach the mines.

The mission is for competing teams to fight their way through the Amazon Rain Forest to the mines, mine as many pounds of diamonds as possible, and get their team safely back to base camp by a critical deadline.

Teams are under intense pressure throughout their journey. They must make decisions on where they will spend their meager funds and how they will use their limited carrying capacity. They must choose the method of transportation (gasoline-powered safari vehicle or human-powered boat), route of travel (jungle or river), supplies (magna phone satellite communication system, global position device, jungle shelters, water, electrolyte drinks, mining equipment, food, etc.). Faced with limited time, the participants often make crucial decisions without securing adequate information or doing intelligent planning and risk management.

Participants become intellectually exhausted in this emotional roller coaster ride of a journey and engage in a highly enlightening debrief that parallels many "real world" issues which teams face.

• The paradox of planning: The more pressing the time, the more important planning and organization become.
• Do we plan up front or in "real time"?
• Strategic vs. tactical planning
• Risk assessment and risk management
• Dealing with limited resources
• Effectively working through competing priorities
• The importance of measurable, yet attainable goals
• How "safe and conservative" can become a liability
• Decision making under pressure
• Playing your game vs. reacting to competitors' moves
• Effort vs. "smarts"
• How much information is enough?
• The value of "early warning systems"