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Choosing
a Tour
What
type of people go on a Sherpa Expeditions escorted group
trek?
How do I know if I’m fit and experienced enough for a trek?
What will I have to carry?
Where will I stay?
How about the food?
I’m
travelling on my own – can I go on a group tour?
Are there any Sherpa escorted treks that my whole family could
take part in?
Are there escorted group departures on any of the self-guided
hotel trek routes?
What’s included on a Sherpa Expeditions escorted group trek?
Where can I get more detailed information?
Booking
a Tour
Can I make a provisional booking?
How do I book?
What is the
‘Single
Supplement’?
Can I book an extra night during the tour?
Will I need a visa?
Do I need travel insurance?
Can I change the date of travel after I book?
What if I have to cancel?
After
Booking
How should I prepare for the trip?
What do I need to bring?
How do I get to the starting place?
Choosing
a Tour
What type of people will I meet on a Sherpa Expeditions
escorted trek?
Ages range from mid-20s to mid-70s. There is usually a mix of couples, pairs of friends/relatives,
and singles.Nationalities also vary, with North Americans, Australasians and Irish often well represented.
How do I know if I’m fit and experienced enough for a
trek?
Besides the activity and the destination the most important thing
about choosing your trip is making sure it suits your physical abilities. To
help you select the right trip we’ve classified our escorted treks into the
following grades A (easiest), B, C, D, and E (hardest).
The grade is clearly shown on each
brochure page at the top of the block listing departure dates. A plus (+)
sign indicates that a trek is somewhat harder than average for the grade.
Grade
A:
These trips can be
enjoyed by anyone who leads a reasonably active life. The trek (walking part of the itinerary)
is 8 days or less. The degree of
vehicle support is high, and there are opportunities for rest days. None of our holidays are for the totally
sedentary! Up to 5 hours/12 miles
per day, although the average is less.
Grade
B:
These tours
involve some longer walks. Some
previous hill-walking experience is desirable. They may be described as ‘Moderate’.
Up to 6.5 hours/15 miles per day.
Grade
B/C:
The day stages on
these treks are mostly graded B,
although some of the days are unavoidably slightly longer with more difficult
terrain involved.
Grade
C:
These treks are generally longer (minimum 2 weeks) and more strenuous (long ascents/descents,
steep gradients, rough ground, some backpacking). Hill walking experience and a reasonably high standard of
fitness and stamina are essential for enjoyment of a Grade C trek. Up to 8 hours/20 miles per day.
Grade
D:
You need to be
very fit for these tours, be experienced in mountain walking, be capable of
carrying a backpack, and possess a fair degree of stamina. We include treks, which involve river,
moraine, glacier and snow crossings.
Grade
E:
A very high level
of fitness and experience of walking on scree, snow, ice and packed snow is
required. There will be ice axes,
crampons and in some cases ropes used. Climbs are however non-technical. For fit and experienced
mountain walkers only.
If you want more advice on whether a particular trip is right
for you, please call us in London, England on *44 208 577 2717 or e-mail us: sales@sherpa-walking-holidays.co.uk
Our staff will be able to help you choose the trip that’s right for
you by asking detailed questions about your outdoor background, physical
activity, and preferred style of travel. We want you to be on the right trip
just as much as you do yourselves.
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What will I have to carry?
Unless there is no alternative, lugging a
big backpack is not a feature of a
Sherpa escorted treks. How could it be with a name like ‘Sherpa’? All our
treks have as much back-up support as we can arrange. We transport your main baggage by support
vehicle from each campsite or overnight stop to the next. So all you normally need to carry is a
light daypack, with items such as lunch, water bottle, camera, waterproofs.
On some trips you might be away from your main baggage for one or at most two
nights (as specified in the Dossier for that tour), and would need to carry
light overnight gear in your daypack. There are some exceptions to the ‘no
backpacking’ rule: our treks in Iceland (code BTJ) and along the GR20 trail
in Corsica (code FGR) do involve backpacking.
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Where will I stay?
On the majority of our guided group
treks most nights are spent under canvas. There are exceptions, as specified in the dossier for the tour concerned.
Accommodation: Most of our treks in Nepal are under
canvas, but on our budget treks in
Nepal we stay at lodges and teahouses. In the Alps and Pyrenees again
most nights are under canvas, but some nights are spent out of reach of the support vehicle and then we
use dortoir accommodation in mountain huts or auberges. Our Swiss treks are also available using
hotel accommodation, as is our trek in the Dolomites. On our Pindos Peaks and Olympus trek in
Greece we stay mostly in small village guest houses and mountain huts. While on trek in Iceland we stay in
huts. In cities and towns such as Kathmandu, Istanbul, Prague, Lima,
Huaraz , Marrakech and Nairobi we use hotels with full amenities. They
are often located in the old part of town, away from the main tourist scene
but close to local points of interest like small shops and colourful
markets.
How about the food?
As a general rule, most meals are included while on trek.
There will usually be fresh local produce
or a blend of local products and ingredients imported by us. Camping does not
rule out the possibility to produce ‘haute cuisine’, even if not quite
‘cordon bleu’. If you are vegetarian, or have other dietary
requirements, give us advance notice,
preferably on the booking form, and we will do our best to cater to your
needs. We try to avoid the use of
dehydrated foods, unless, as in Iceland and Corsica, the group are
backpacking the food. We usually dine out at local restaurants
some evenings in order to sample the local cuisine. While staying in hotels in towns and cities, bed and breakfast
only is the rule. There is usually a
wide choice of places to eat out.
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I’m
travelling on my own – can I go on a group tour?
Yes, of course. Although we don’t plan it that way most groups on
Sherpa Expeditions treks contain a mixture of singles, couples, pairs of
friends. If you don’t want to share
a room or tent with another single of the same sex, you should opt to pay the
‘Single Supplement’
fee.
Are there any Sherpa escorted treks that my whole family could
take part in?
Yes,
although your children will need to be as fit and as motivated as any of the
adult members of the trek group. Our
experience is that many (not all) children and teenagers from 11 years
upwards can enjoy taking part in a Sherpa trek. You will be responsible for
your children’s behaviour and for ensuring that they fit in with the
programme and with the other members of the group.
Are there escorted group departures on any of the self-guided
routes?
Yes. This option is likely to be particularly attractive to
singles, but also to others who prefer to walk – as well as eat and drink –
in company. Dates and prices are listed on page ES 26 of the Sherpa 2000 printed
brochure. Other information about these tours is given in the ‘Self-guided’
section on pages SG7 onwards of the 2000 Sherpa brochure.
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What’s included on a Sherpa Expeditions escorted trek?
The services of an
experienced and knowledgeable leader.
Where not camping,
accommodation and meals as specified in the brochure and dossier for the
tour.
On camping treks
use of spacious 2/3 person tents (normally with sleeping mats), group camping
and catering equipment, kitchen tent, services of catering staff.
Transfers during
the tour of baggage and camping equipment, and where appropriate, also of
customers.
Additional guides
and porters where appropriate.
For UK-based ‘full
package’ customers: flights between UK airport and local airport, group
transfers between airport and starting and finishing points of the tour.
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Where can I get more detailed information?
(a) For each tour, in addition to the
description in the Sherpa Brochure, we provide a ‘Dossier’, which is an
information sheet of 2 or 3 pages containing more detail than there is space
for on the brochure page. The Dossier, which is intended as a supplement to
the brochure before you book the tour, provides more background information
about the area of the trek and a brief description of each day’s route.
Sherpa Dossiers are available by mail, e-mail, fax, or on our web site.
(b) If you require more information than
is available in the Brochure or Dossier then feel free to contact the Sherpa
Office in London by phone *(44) 20 8577 2717 or fax *(44) 20 8572 9788 or
e-mail: sales@sherpa-walking-holidays.co.uk
Our office hours are Mondays to Fridays 09.00 to 17.00 UK time (often
later), Saturdays 10.00 to
14.00.
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Booking
a Tour
Can I make a provisional booking?
Yes. Just call us, quoting the name and
starting date of the tour, tell us how many people there are, and ask if
there are places available. If the
tour [together with any flights required] is available, we will hold places
for you for 10 working days; we just need your name and a daytime phone
number – no payment is necessary at this stage.
How do I book?
First decide on your preferred trek
and dates. Complete the booking form in the brochure or on our web site,
inserting the prices as given in the brochure (or on the separate price
list). If you are a single and want a
single room and sole use of a tent add the
single
supplement fee. Total the prices for all members of your
party. 10% of this total is the
amount required for a deposit. If you
are booking within 56 days (8 weeks) of the start date the full payment will
be due as soon as the trip is confirmed. If you are buying travel insurance
from Sherpa include this amount in addition to the deposit payment. Indicate method of payment
- normally cheque or credit card (eg
Access or Master) or debit card (e.g. Switch or Delta). Add card details or enclose a
cheque. Note
that for payment of the balance of the tour price payment by credit card is
subject to a 2% surcharge. Sign the
form (if faxed or mailed).
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What is the
‘Single
Supplement’?
The ‘Single Supplement’
fee reflects the additional cost of guaranteeing single occupancy of a double
or twin room or of a two-person tent. It is not always possible on some tours e.g. GR20 if you
want to have a single supplement to have a
single room at each hotel on the tour, this normally happens when there is
dormitory accommodation or limited hotel space. You will be fore warned about
this.
Can I book an extra night during the tour?
No, not during the tour, because the
group has to move as a group. You can
however add one or more nights on to the start or finish of a tour, either at
the start/finish point or, in some cases, at another centre in the
destination country. Ask us about
prices for extra nights.
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Will I need a visa?
That
depends on your nationality and where you are going. For Nepal most nationalities will require
visas and we can advise on how to obtain them. Normally “Trekking Permits “
are also required for Nepal and these require you to take to Nepal a couple
of photographs. In Tibet you will need to get a visa from the Chinese Embassy
allowing you into Tibet. In this case it is important that you know that you
will be able to get a visa before going (the Chinese authorities have even
been known to refuse visas even if they find what you have placed in the box asking “what is your means
employment?” Not to their liking. In
the Central Asia countries (Uzbekistan, Tadjikistan) a combination of visas
are required and these normally go onto a group travel permit so that you
will probably end up without even a stamp on your passport despite having to
have paid for visas. In Kenya the qualifications for visas keep changing, at
the moment British nationals do not need them. Tanzanian visas should be
purchased from the Tanzanian High Commissions. We conclude that rather like
the procurement of a passport, visas will depend on your nationality and it
is your responsibility to obtain for
where ever you are going.
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Do I need travel insurance?
Yes,
it is essential. It should cover cancellation, loss/theft of personal
possessions and/or money, medical expenses and should be valid for the region
to which you are travelling. Nowadays
many customers have their own multi-trip travel insurance, but check on its
validity for your trip dates and destination. If you require insurance we offer insurance which is designed
for our trips.
Can I change the date of travel after I book?
No, the group escorted tours start on fixed dates.
It may be possible for you to change to a
different departure date, but we cannot guarantee this and there would be an
administration fee for making the change.
What if I have to cancel?
Inform us in
writing (your letter can be faxed or e-mailed) as soon as you are sure that
you will have to cancel. Insurance
companies insist on written cancellation. The date that we receive your written statement of cancellation is the
date from which cancellation fees/insurance claims will be calculated.
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After
Booking
How should I prepare for the trip?
We emphasise that whatever the grade of the walk it is important that
before you start the trip you must be in good physical shape and both your
feet and your footwear must be accustomed to walking the distances indicated
in the dossier for the particular tour. The best way to ensure this is to go
for a number of walks during the weeks immediately preceding your departure,
wearing the boots that you will wear during the trip. Further hints on
getting and staying fit are given in the ‘Predeparture Information’ leaflet
that is sent to you with confirmation of booking. You will also need to ensure that you apply in good time for
any requisite visas or vaccinations (nowadays few vaccinations are needed for
Europe, but check anyway).
What do I need to bring?
For
each of our treks we issue with confirmation of booking a ‘Pre-departure
Information’ leaflet. This contains a
list of essential and recommended equipment and clothing.
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How do I get to the starting place?
(a) If you are a
UK-based full package
customer, you will receive final joining instructions along with your
flight tickets. The joining point is
normally the arrival airport in the destination country. Here you are met by the trek leader or
other trek staff and introduced to other members of the group. The trek leader/staff then organises the
transfer to the first night’s accommodation.
(b) If you are a
‘land-only’ customer,
you will receive joining instructions some weeks before the trek departure
date. As well as the name of the Sherpa trek leader these joining
instructions will specify the flight number and arrival time at the
destination airport of the UK based ‘full-package’ group members, and the address and phone number of the
first night’s accommodation. You are
asked to inform the Sherpa office in advance whether you intend to join the
group at the airport or at the first nights accommodation. The cost of transfers between airport and
the starting/finishing points of the tour is not normally included in the
tour price for land-only customers.
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