Guide to Walking & Trekking Holidays: Famous challenging treks
The way to Everest Basecamp, Himalayas, Nepal
© DPrudek,Shutterstock
“It’s not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves”
The treks in this section are partly about what you’ll see but much more about the challenge they represent to you personally, as summed up in the quote above by Sir Edmund Hillary.
None of these treks are easy, though the Everest Basecamp trek is the toughest, followed by Kilimanjaro, then by the Inca Trail. You need to be very fit and healthy for all these treks, have suitable clothing and equipment (at least for Everest and Kilimanjaro), be prepared for possible altitude sickness, and, most importantly of all, have a positive mental attitude.
We arrange all these treks on a tailor-made basis and can plan other services around them as you wish.
So, are you ready for a challenge?
After an all day trek in hot and humid conditions the moment we reached the sun gate to see Machu Picchu for the first time was a moment we will never forget. My wife got a little emotional having realised a lifelong ambition.
An inveterate traveller, you could say Ali's got ants in her pants (though you might get a slap if you do!) Ali looks after the product and is also a Tribes writer. Her heart is firmly in the world of responsible travel and sharing the message of 'travel for good'.
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Famous challenging treks
The treks below are some of the world's most challenging. You need to be mentally and physically fit, and will probably need to engage in a suitable fitness regime for a few months before the trek. We have people in the office who have done each of these treks so we can advise from personal experience.
© Canit,Shutterstock
© Canit,Shutterstock
NEPAL: Trek to Everest Basecamp
This is about a 2-week trip including a couple of days in Kathmandu. You trek from Lukla to the base of Everest, staying in simple mountain lodges. Your highest altitude is 5550m. This is a tough trek and you need to be very fit and healthy, but imagine … you will stand in the midst of stunning mountains with an unmatched view of the Himalayas and some of the tallest peaks in the world looking down on you. Not many people can say that!
Suggested Places to Stay
© CCWu,Shutterstock
© CCWu,Shutterstock
PERU: The Inca Trail
Leaving Cusco, you drive to the Sacred Valley where you meet your guide and porters and start for 4-day trek. You’ll follow a well-made path laid down by the Incas, stopping to see some Incan sites along the way. The highest altitude is Dead Woman’s Pass at 4200m. The distance is only 26 miles but it’s constantly up and down and there are lots of steep steps, so you need to be in good shape. On arrival at the famous citadel of Machu Picchu, though, all the effort will be worth it!
Note: Permits are very limited and sell very quickly for the busy months, so try to book before the end of the year before travel. Also, there is also a 1-day short Inca Trail trek ending at Machu Picchu.
Suggested Places to Stay
© PBarton
© PBarton
TANZANIA: Kilimanjaro Climb
Depending on your chosen route, the return trek to the summit (Uhuru Peak, 5895m) takes between 6-9 days. Acclimatisation is the key to this climb up the highest freestanding mountain in the world – take it ‘pole, pole’ (slowly, slowly). On most routes, you camp each night, and you have a full team of guides and porters supporting you. Getting to the top is a huge challenge and you need to be fit, but let’s face it, standing on the ‘roof of Africa’ is not something everyone can claim to have done!
Suggested Places to Stay
The Inca Trail and Machu Picchu speak for themselves - they were breathtaking. Probably above all we loved the smiling faces of the Peruvian people, in particular our porters on the trek who were truly phenomenal and very humorous.
It was fantastic reaching the roof of Africa … one of the best experiences of my life.
The best times to go
EVEREST: Late September to November, and February to May are your best bet.
KILIMANJARO: Avoid the rainy season, so try December to early-February and late June to October.
INCA TRAIL: May to October are good, though July and August are very busy. Book early for permits.
Want to know more?
If this has sparked your interest and you'd like to know more, please get in touch with us. We'll be very happy to talk with you and perhaps send you a suggested itinerary for a suitable adventure or holiday. We look forward to hearing from you.
Cusco and the Inca Trail
11 days from £3,455pp plus international flights.
Follow in the footsteps of the Inca as you hike to Peru's Machu Picchu along the Inca Trail, and explore Cusco and the archaeological sites of the Sacred Valley.
- Fantastic combination of natural and historical wonders
- Hike the Inca Trail for the ultimate reward - Machu Picchu
- Visit world-famous Sacred Valley archaeological sites
- Stay in a boutique hotel in Cusco and an historic inn in Ollantaytambo
- Explore historic Cusco and the famous market at Pisac
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Peru’s Sacred Valley, Walking the Inca Trail.
It’s a long walk from the Sacred Valley of the Incas to the ancient citadel at Machu Picchu This famous Inca Trail takes you high above the Urubamba River into the mountains where the air is clear and fresh, though a little thin! And if the altitude doesn’t take your breath away the views certainly will, as you look out from trails with evocative names like Dead Woman’s Pass to the magnificent snow-capped peaks of the Peruvian Andes.
Kilimanjaro – she did it!
Here we are! We made it, all the way to the summit! Months and months of training and planning and here we are standing at Uhuru Peak at a whopping 5895m.
