Trek Grading

Trekking trips are identified as 'T' on this website with the experience required paragraph in each trek itinerary indicating which trekking band it is in T1 - T3 (see below).

T1	No previous trekking experience is necessary, but you need to be an active hillwalker. You should consider training prior to your trek, as typically you will be walking between 4 - 6 hours over several consecutive days and usually at high altitude. Be prepared for rough and rocky trails and the occasional snow patch.
T2	Previous trekking experience is necessary. There will be lots of consecutive days of tough trekking, and/or longer days for crossing high passes, for example. There will be glacier crossings on snow/ice, which do not require the use of ice axe and crampons. Overall, trails may be vague in places, with some sections of very rough and rocky ground.
T3	Previous trekking and ice axe and crampon experience required. Tough multi-day trekking at high altitude, often over glaciated terrain. Crossings of glaciated passes which require the use of ice axe and crampons. You may consider joining one of our Introductory Long Weekend Scottish Winter Courses, or our Alpine Introduction.

Fitness

To get the most out of your trek, you will need to be fit and healthy. You do not need to be an athlete, but a good level of overall fitness is important. As an indication, you should be able to walk 8km/5 miles with a height gain of 600m/2,000ft with a 10kg rucksack in 2½ hours or less. This assumes a reasonable trail is followed at low altitude, such as in the UK or below 3,000m. An example would be an ascent of Snowdon by the Pyg Track from Pen-y-Pass (730m/2,400ft of ascent over 5km/3 miles) with a 10kg rucksack in 2 hours 15 minutes. For any trek, you should be able to better this, and be able to repeat it over several consecutive days.

Graded List

Trek name	Region	Grade	Altitude	Days
Dhaulagiri Circuit	Nepal	T3	5,400m / 17,717ft	20

Trek name	Region	Grade	Altitude	Days
Everest 3 Peaks 3 Passes	Nepal	T2	5,550m / 18,209ft	23

Trek name	Region	Grade	Altitude	Days
The Hidden Face of Everest	Tibet	T2	5,320m / 17,455ft	25
Ausangate Circuit Peru	South America	T2	5,182m / 17,000ft	14
K2 Base Camp Trek	Karakoram	T2	5,150m / 16,895ft	23
Mount Ararat	Europe	T2	5,137m / 16,853ft	10

Trek name	Region	Grade	Altitude	Days
Shey Gompa and Inner Dolpo	Nepal	T2	5,110m / 16,765ft	21

Trek name	Region	Grade	Altitude	Days
Rush Peak and The Hunza Valley	Karakoram	T2	5,098m / 16,725ft	16

Trek name	Region	Grade	Altitude	Days
Kangchenjunga Circuit	Nepal	T2	5,047m / 16,560ft	30

Trek name	Region	Grade	Altitude	Days
Huayhuash Circuit Trek	South America	T2	5,029m / 16,500ft	19
Bhutan - Chomolhari Trek	Bhutan	T2	4,929m / 16,170ft	17
Wilhelm and Giluwe	Australasia	T2	4,509m / 14,792ft	18
Colombia Explorer	South America	T2	3,620m / 11,876ft	17
Norway - Fjell to Fjord	Europe	T2	n/a	8
Norway - Land of the Giants	Europe	T2	n/a	8
Svalbard Multi Activity	The Cold Regions	T2	n/a	5
Svalbard Winter Hiking	The Cold Regions	T2	n/a	5
Kilimanjaro - Lemosho Glades	Africa	T1	5,895m / 19,340ft	11
Kilimanjaro - Umbwe Route	Africa	T1	5,895m / 19,340ft	13
Everest Base Camp Trek	Nepal	T1	5,550m / 18,210ft	19
Makalu Base Camp Trek	Nepal	T1	5,517m / 18,100ft	23
Annapurna Circuit	Nepal	T1	5,416m / 17,769ft	18
Ecuador Explorer	South America	T1	5,250m / 17,223ft	14
Manaslu Circuit	Nepal	T1	5,213m / 17,102ft	19
Mount Kenya - Chogoria Trek	Africa	T1	4,985m / 16,356ft	9
Climb Mount Meru	Africa	T1	4,556m / 14,947ft	7
Winter Toubkal Climb	Africa	T1	4,167m / 13,671ft	8
Annapurna Sanctuary and Poon Hill	Nepal	T1	4,130m / 13,550ft	16
Mount Emler and Cappadocia	Europe	T1	3,723m / 12,214ft	9
Patagonia - Fitzroy and Paine	South America	T1	1,500m / 4,921ft	15
Annapurna Photography Trek	Nepal	T1	n/a	16
Langtang and Gosainkunda	Nepal	T1	n/a	19
Langtang Valley Trek	Nepal	T1	n/a	12