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In the
destinations we operate trips, you can find the holiday that meets your
activity level and aspirations. Each trek/tour has been
graded to help you choose the holiday that suits for
you.
A:
(Easy) (Walking tours & easy hiking)
Experience
is not necessary at this level: anyone who is in good
health and fit enough to enjoy a good weekend hill walk
can manage an "A" grade. Usually, A grade treks are
short in duration and at lower altitudes; often they are
optional, giving a chance of a rest day. However,
walking always involves some exertion: trails are seldom
flat, and you must still expect to have a reasonable
amount of ascent and descent. You would normally walk
for 4 to 5 hours during the day.
Most
people who enjoy a weekend in the hills or mountains at
home are capable of undertaking a trek at this level:
you need to be in good health and reasonably fit, and
you will almost certainly be taking regular exercise. A
trek could be graded "B" either as a fairly easy
medium-duration walk, or as a harder, shorter walk. Some
walking at higher altitude and the occasional longer or
more difficult day may be involved, but generally
conditions underfoot will be fair. A walking day would
normally be between 5 to 8 hours long and no experience
is necessary.
For any
trek at this level, fitness is most important and you
may have to improve
yours before departure. Most "C" grade treks are
equivalent to extended walking in mountainous terrain at
home, but usually at significantly higher altitudes;
climate and remoteness can also play a part. Walking
days are usually between 6 to 8 hours although there may
be some longer days for pass-crossing or similar.
Previous trekking experience is desirable but not
essential if you are confident of your physical
condition.
At this
level we recommend previous experience of trekking,
preferably at altitude, and you need complete confidence
in your physical condition and your ability to trek for
many days without a break and be able to cope with
difficult underfoot terrain such as scree, snow or
difficult paths on steep mountainsides. Extremes of
altitude and weather may also be encountered, and on
some treks it may be necessary to use ice axe and
crampons. Stamina is very important, as walking days can
be from 6 to 9 hours or even longer on pass-crossing
days.
To earn an
"E" grade, a trek is likely to involve all the elements
of a "D" grade plus extra factors of significant
difficulty - tricky river crossings, very high or
difficult passes, glaciers, or trekking peaks where
basic climbing skills may be required. Often some
special equipment such as ice axe and crampons will be
needed and if so we require you to have experience of
them. While normally walking for 7 to 9 hours a day, you
should be prepared for up to 11 hours, or on some climbs
even longer.
F:
(Mountaineering & Expeditions) (Except trekking peaks)
Experience
of mountains in both summer and winter advisable.
Note:
It is significant to explain here the grade of trips may
vary seasonally as ground conditions change. If the
information of gradation is physically sharply important
for you, please inquire us to know season wise
gradation.
Comparative signal gradations
|
French |
UIAA |
Russian |
| F – PD inf |
I - II |
1a, 1b |
| PD |
II - III |
2a, 2b |
| PD – AD |
III |
3a |
| AD – D |
III - IV |
3b |
| D – TD |
IV - V |
4a, 4b |
| TD – ED inf |
VI |
5a, 5b |
| ED |
VI |
6 |
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