Walking and trekking
Our walking and trekking holidays range from gentle treks with cultural visits, while staying in luxury lodges or hotels, to expeditions exploring remote areas of the Himalayas. A trek is a multi day walk through the Himalayan mountains supported by porters carrying your gear and equipment. A trek is also a journey through a beautiful landscape where there is plenty of time to view the incredible mountain scenery, interact with the local people and learn about their lifestyle and cultures.
The nature of a trek depends on the area that you plan to visit. In the Annapurna, Everest and Langtang regions there are lodges run by locals whereas in remote areas you cannot rely on finding accommodation so need to arrange a full camping trek. To help you select an appropriate trek we have graded each one based on the level of difficulty likely to be encountered (Gentle, Moderate and Strenuous). Please contact us if you have any questions about selecting your trek.
Mountaineering
The objectives of our mountaineering expeditions are to either summit a peak (eg. Mera Peak, Island Peak and Stok Kangri) or to cross a technical Himalayan Pass (eg. K2 & Gondogoro La). To join these trips you should have some basic mountaineering experience with ice axe and crampons. If you do not have these skills then you could consider joining our Chamonix skills weekend organised by Mountain Tracks [external link]
Luxury treks
Recently a number of high quality lodges have been built in the Nepal and Indian Himalaya at a standard far better than anything previously available. In Everest and Annapurna regions the lodges provide the highest level of service with landscaped gardens, comfortable lounges and bedrooms as well as hot showers and western toilets.
In the Indian Himalaya, Shakti has introduced Village Walks that create an authentic ’underfoot’ experience and provide a ’snapshot’ of rural life in the Himalayan mountains. There are Village Walks in Kumaon and Sikkim and a Village Experience in Ladakh. You can combine the Kumaon Village Walk with staying at the Himalayan Retreat at 360° Leti set in a stunning mountain wilderness.