Hiking Grading
Discovery & Cruising
These are our least demanding trips. These journeys of discovery and cruises involve little or no extended activity and are suitable for people with a basic level of fitness and good health. Sightseeing may be conducted on foot and all participants should be capable of carrying their own luggage from vehicle to hotel rooms.
Adventure Touring
Some of these trips may involve some camping or basic lodging. These adventure tours will often involve journeys on rough roads. Sightseeing and optional day walks are often included and these days may involve up to 3 hours of physical activity. To enjoy these adventures we suggest you are reasonably fit, healthy with a moderately active lifestyle.
Introductory
These trips involve trekking and walking 5 or 6 hours a day at a slow but steady pace. In general trails will be well formed and ascents will be gradual. However these itineraries should never be misinterpreted to mean they are easy trips. These trips are usually 5-7 days in duration. You will need a reasonable level of fitness and good health.
Introductory to Moderate
These trips involve a combination of what is described in our Introductory and Moderate levels. Emphasis is on introductory activity with some moderate stages.
Moderate
These adventures involve trekking for up to 6 or 7 hours a day at a steady pace. Trekking may involve 2-4 days of travel carrying your personal and party gear weighing up to 15kgs and involve tracks that are indefined at parts to non-existant in others. Ascents will be longer and steeper, without causing distress. These trips are usually between 7 and 13 days in duration. You will need a good level of fitness and be in good health.
Moderate to Challenging
This trip grading involves a combination of what is described in our Moderate and Challenging levels. The emphasis is on moderate activity with some challenging stages.
Challenging
These adventures involve trekking in remote areas in variable weather conditions for up to 8 to 10 hours+ a day (possibly more subject to weather conditions and altitude). You will need an excellent level of fitness, be prepared to carry a daypack weighing up to 8kgs (and in some cases a full pack) and be completely comfortable in adverse weather conditions.
Entry Mtn/Exploratory Treks
These adventures are classed as expeditions. They involve either extreme trekking and/or basic mountaineering. Expect remote and poorly defined trails in variable weather conditions for up to 12 hours a day (possibly more subject to weather conditions and altitude). Suitable for first time mountaineers wishing to take the step from trekking into the realm of mountaineering.
Intermediate Mountaineering
Participants should be competent and self sufficient in the outdoors and have mountaineering experience and/or in multi day trekking at altitude. Prior experience on an entry level mountaineering expedition is highly recommended. The terrain will involve low to moderate angle snow slopes and travelling on crevassed glaciers. Experience using ice axe and crampons is preferred but not essential.
Advanced Mountaineering
These are our most challenging expeditions. Clients must have prior mountaineering experience. Most are participatory expeditions and involve load carrying, setting up of camps, cooking and campcraft. Altitude is generally greater than 6500m. Some of these expeditions also involve “technical” climbing and are for experienced alpine climbers/mountaineers only. Technical expeditions involve steep climbing at high altitude (including rock climbing). Participation on one of these expeditions is subject to acceptance by one of our high altitude mountaineering guides.
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