Trekking

Trekking in these magnificent areas is so much more than just walking. That would be an incredible understatement.

It is a really special privilege to travel slowly over ancient trade routes, to be able to see local people working away in the same manner as generations past, and you also get to gaze in awe at the majestic splendour of the highest mountains in the world.

The sense of wonder you get from travelling through these areas stays with you forever. We’re sure that you will sometimes find yourself smiling on the inside, long after you return home, at the memories of your Himalayan Experience.

The photographs that you take on your trek will be a permanent touchstone to your personal adventures in these lands that have not been so changed by time.

The best way to make the most of your adventure is to be well prepared. This means that you will have trained you body to an appropriate fitness level, and that you are also mentally prepared for a variety of conditions.

Depending on the grade of trek that you choose, you may find days when walking can be both physically and mentally testing, particularly if you are above 3000m. We truly believe that the effort is worth it, and we are positive that you will too. Our staff will do everything they can to support you, but you will benefit so much more if you are in the right shape before you arrive. Your pre-trip training needs to be consistent, it should definitely include plenty of hill or stair climbing for stamina, and it should be programmed for at least 3 months for treks of 14 days or less, and 6 months for the longer treks. You don’t have to be fanatical, just consistent. The better prepared that you are, the easier you will adapt, and the more that you will enjoy yourself.

Most of us mere mortals still find that it takes the first 3-4 days after you start to get your “walking legs”, as the paths can be rocky and the steps quite uneven, but it will come to you much easier and you will get more out of it if you have the right level of fitness and stamina before you begin.

If you are on a trekking trip, there are usually two ways to travel, dependent of which areas you are in.

Tea House/Lodge Treks and Home Stays

Tea house trekking involves walking between villages and staying at local lodges or tea houses, where you have a small room and eat at your lodge. The style of the accommodation varies, dependent upon the area and the village. This is best suited to quite small groups. It is a good way to meet different travellers every day, as you share your meals in communal dining rooms. There is usually a good energy in these places.

Home Stay is a bit like tea house trekking, except that you stay in the actual owner’s house in the village, and you eat with the family. This is not available in many regions, and is usually limited to very small groups.

The minimum group size we require is 2 persons for tea house trekking.

Camping Treks

The other style is Expedition or Camping trekking. This works well with groups of up to 8 people. (We call much larger groups Yakspeditions, as you are usually herded along by your guides and you don’t have much say or flexibility). 

With a camping trek, you have guides, kitchen staff and porters. It can sometimes feel like you are part of a small nomadic caravan as you tend to move most days, and you mostly stay away from villages and towns. This style of travel allows us to get off the beaten track, as the porters carry all the food and camping gear. Don’t think camping treks are too primitive though. There is plenty of wholesome food and there is great variety, as the cook buys fresh ingredients whenever we pass near a village or small farm.

While you don’t tend to meet as many fellow travellers on camping treks, as you do if you stay in tea houses, you really feel the spirit of adventure and you get to stay in some amazing places.

We take groups of 3 of more for camping treks, although in more challenging areas we have a minimum of 4, for safety reasons.