Believe it or not, some people don’t spend their holidays away from work in hot countries like Spain or Italy. In fact, thousands of people like to opt for something a little bit more exciting, like trekking (no, no aboard the starship Enterprise). Whilst the rest of you are lounging around on a beach in extreme temperatures, those with a little more motivation are climbing some of the most famous and enduring mountain ranges on the planet – does that make you feel a bit lazy? Well it should do!
Even so, after speaking to a few friends at the weekend, I realised that most people don’t have a clue how to book holidays like this, and so I’ve been looking into the ways you should go about it. With that in mind, this article will tell you exactly what you need to do to get on the slopes of Everest in Nepal or involved in a Kilimanjaro climb in Africa over the next few months. At the end of the day, which destinations you pick will be down to your own personal preferences, I’m just giving you a heads up on how to go about it.
Selecting The Destination
This is a lot easier than you might think, but it’s still a good idea to perform some research into any locations that interest you before booking online with a reputable trekking company. You definitely need to take this route because walking any unfamiliar mountain ranges – especially the large ones – can be extremely dangerous for anyone who doesn’t know their way around. Guides are essential, and you should never venture even ten feet up a mountain without one.
Getting Cheap Flights
Once you’ve decided on the perfect destination, you’ll most probably have to book some flights, as some walking holiday packages won’t include deals with airlines. For this, I’d use the same techniques everyone else used when traveling on a budget. Either book months and months in advance or leave it until the very last minute (if you’re brave enough to take that risk) as most of the major travel providers are willing to offer amazing reductions in price when they realise the plane is going to travel half empty. Still, you do run the risk of creating extra problems, should you not be able to get on the plane you need.
Finding Quality Accommodation
Now, it should be pretty obvious that you’re not going to need a hotel room for most of your holiday, as it will be spent sleeping outdoors on cliff faces, especially when trekking up some of the larger mountains. So, you should only need a hotel for any nights before you climb, and if you’re staying on for a few days after. To be honest, I’d probably get in touch with my guides and ask them for advice on this, as they will almost certainly be local people and will know all the best places to book for the least money.
After you’ve done all this, all you need to worry about is finding the right climbing gear and some warm clothing for the trip. I would imagine you can buy all this stuff at base camp or in local towns, but it’s probably going to be cheaper to get it before you leave home.
Remember to watch your step!
