Essential Expedition & Trek Information

Pre-Expedition weekend Meets

Our programme of weekend training meets is unique to Adventure Peaks as we invite all clients from all expeditions and treks to each month’s meet, not just one specified weekend for a particular trip. These weekends provide you with the opportunity to meet us and some of your fellow expedition/trek members, as well as others from other trips. They will allow you the opportunity to ask questions, gather information, see photos/slides and check your equipment needs, as well as having a good day on the hill.

We hold the weekend meets in Scotland during January, February and March to allow winter walking and climbing. For the rest of the year they are held in the Lake District. (A full list of dates and venues will be sent on booking).

Lake District Scotland

What is included in the cost

• A British expedition team leader. Small groups may use a local leader.
• Air travel from the UK (unless priced as “Land only”).
• Permits, charges, importation taxes and levies payable to the Local Authorities in connection with the expedition unless stated separately.
• Food, fuel and cooking equipment whilst on the mountain.
• Hotel and other accommodation on a Bed & Breakfast basis.
• All tents and other communal equipment necessary for the climb.
• Medical safety equipment and supplies.
• Communication equipment (each member on a Grade 3B or above are normally provided with a radio whilst on the mountain and the team is often supported with a Satellite Telephone and e-mail facilities on extended expeditions at Base Camp).
• An Expedition or Trek T-shirt
• Adventure Peaks’ Loyalty Card – giving 15% discount off the R.R.P. off most equipment and clothing plus other benefits.

What is not included in the price

• Costs associated with an expedition finishing early.
• Costs associated with you leaving an expedition early.
• Costs associated with extending a trip due to bad weather or other circumstances.
• Personal climbing clothes and equipment.
• Personal insurance, visas, departure tax and inoculations.
• Drinks and hotel or guest house meals, unless specified.
• Personal medical supplies and personal use of communication equipment.
• Excess baggage.
• Tips and bonuses for porters and local guides.

All inclusive

Most of our non-European trips are given as ‘Inclusive’ so that you can quickly see the total cost of your trip. We do not generally do ‘Extra Costs or Local Charges’; if a similar trek or expedition looks a lot cheaper elsewhere, check the small print.

Food

In general, food on treks and at Base Camp consists of local fresh produce that is often supplemented with supplies from the UK. On the hill there will be plenty of snack foods such as chocolate, cereal bars, nuts, etc. At high camps we will generally use a combination of boil-in-the-bag and freeze dried food supplemented by cheese, salami or items found locally. For special interest and to keep the taste buds going we ask each member to bring a small ‘luxury’ item to share at some point with the rest of the group. We are happy to cater for vegetarians or those with special diets. Please discuss prior to booking.

Kit Hire

We operate an equipment hiring service to all our clients for which details and costs will be sent with your booking confirmation. The equipment is always new or slightly used and of the highest quality including Rab or Millet down clothing, Boreal or Scarpa boots, Grivel or DMM hardwear.

Accommodation

Hotel rooms and other accommodation will be on a twin room sharing basis. Single rooms, where possible, will be provided where there is not a member of the same gender to share with. Single rooms can be requested at an extra cost. The accommodation we use can be very varied. Within one trip you might overnight in a four star hotel, a mountain lodge, a local yurt or wild camp.

Equipment

We aim to use the best equipment available which generally include Terra Nova or Mountain Hardwear tents, RAB down clothing and Grivel or DMM climbing gear. On our expeditions to the higher or more remote peaks we have satellite phones and on 8000m peaks email facilities, Gamow Bag and medical oxygen. On some expeditions you may be required to take out and return group equipment. You will need to provide all your own personal mountaineering equipment for which a list is sent on booking.

Transport

We use many different forms of transport on our trips: from minibuses to 4WD vehicles, local buses to trains, ferries, even elephants, donkeys, camels and yaks. Please be aware that whilst we aim to ensure safety of such transport it may not be up to European standards and seat belts are not always available.

Equipment Discount

On receiving your completed booking form we will issue you with a Loyalty Card which will entitle you to 10% off our Climbing Wall entry plus 15% off major brands of clothing and equipment (excluding sale items, books, electrical items) from our very own shop. Call us, or visit us online and we will be happy to post your items (postage charges apply). You can visit the shop in the centre of Ambleside.

Passport and Visas

For many of the countries we visit you will require an entry visa. Requirements for UK passport holders are supplied in your Final Letter but it is your responsibility to obtain an appropriate visa. A full passport valid for at least six months beyond the return date of the trip is usually required. Non UK based passport holders should consult their appropriate embassies.

Responsible tourism

We are aware that we have a responsibility to each place we visit and that our trips have an impact on the people, their local community and the environment.

We use a British leader (dependent on group size) who works in conjunction with local staff. We provide the technical and safety expertise and the local people provide the local knowledge. We learn from each other and regularly provide technical training.

We organise expeditions and treks to have minimal impact on the environment – we operate on small groups (max 12), discourage the use of wood for fuel, avoid polluting water, remove all litter and where possible and practical, human waste.

We buy many items from the local community, provided the quality is of an acceptable level, for example food, snacks and base camp equipment.

Team building

The team leader provided by Adventure Peaks will climb and work with the group to create a team approach to the expedition, thus allowing greater flexibility and self-reliance away from direct guiding. With the strength of our expeditions, it has always been in our ability to develop such a team approach. Success and enjoyment is our main aim, therefore clients need to be good team members with appropriate experience for their chosen expedition.

Expedition and Trek Leaders

We invest a great deal in the leadership of our Expeditions and Treks by providing BOTH an Adventure Peaks Leader and local guides where possible! This combination provides you the opportunity to gain a good local knowledge from our local guide whilst also having the backup of our own British leader to ensure everything runs smoothly and safely. It meets our commitment to the local economy whilst providing the opportunity to develop the skills base of local staff. Ultimately we learn from each other and it is our way of contributing to responsible tourism. For group departures with smaller numbers of people we may just use our local guides. The leader is responsible for the overall safety of the whole team during the expedition and will encourage the use of safe climbing practises during the expedition. They will ensure that every opportunity is taken to fulfil the objectives described in the trip’s outline itinerary, but have the freedom to modify any plans subject to weather, delays or unforeseen circumstances which are deemed to be out of the control of Adventure Peaks. The leader will aim to maintain a good team spirit and attempt to keep morale high for the whole group. Wherever possible the leader will keep the Adventure Peaks office informed of team progress and any emergency situations that may arise. The leader will be responsible for overseeing team harmony and ensuring that outline plans are running smoothly.

Friendship, enjoyment and group sizes

The urge to travel and visit remarkable destinations is one reason people join us. The opportunity to travel with like-minded people is also important. You’re likely to form good, often life-long, friendships. This can start with our Weekend Meets and afterwards the same weekends can act as a lasting link. We have a maximum group size of 12 (normally 8). This is small enough for a sense of camaraderie and fun to develop within the group and allows us to provide a first class service. It should be just like travelling with a group of friends. Around half our clients are single travellers, whilst others are either couples or groups of friends. There is usually a good balance of ages and mixes between male and female walkers.