How we grade our trips

Every trip we sell carries one of four grades: easy, moderate, hard or expert. Grades are the first thing people read, and they are also the easiest to misunderstand. This is how we set them and what we think they should tell you.

The four grades

Easy trips suit most people who walk regularly. Days are generally under five hours, the altitude stays low and there are few steep climbs. Moderate trips ask for a steady walking fitness and some comfort on uneven ground. Hard trips involve long days, sustained climbs or high altitude, and they need good fitness and some experience. Expert trips include exposed ground, glacier travel or technical sections, and we only run them with people who have done similar walking before.

What we measure

We look at four things. The first is daily distance and time on the trail, measured on our own walks and checked against the map. The second is total climb each day, because a 600 metre climb is very different to a 1,200 metre one. The third is altitude, both the highest point and how many nights are spent above 3,000 metres. The fourth is the terrain itself: loose stone, snow, river crossings and exposure all count.

We then compare the trip with others at the same altitude. A trip that is easy at 1,500 metres can be moderate at 4,000, because the air is thinner and each step costs more.

Where grades differ

A grade is not a promise that you will find it easy. Two people with the same fitness can find the same day very different, depending on sleep, weather and how much they carry. We also see big differences between trips in different countries, where local paths and guide practice vary. A moderate trip in one country may involve more loose ground than a hard trip elsewhere.

For that reason, every trip page has an itinerary with distances, climbs and overnight altitude, and we list the main things that make a day harder. Please read those details as well as the grade.

When to ask us

If you are not sure which grade fits you, write to us with your recent walks, the highest and longest you have done, and any health concerns. We will say honestly if we think a trip is too much, and we will suggest an easier route or a different date. We would rather lose a booking than send someone on a trip that spoils the experience for them and the group.

The grades will change as we learn more. When a trip proves harder or easier than its grade, we adjust it, and we say so on the trip page.