A trek goes well or badly long before you reach the trailhead. This guide covers the ground between choosing a route and boarding a flight — fitness, documents, altitude, insurance, equipment, logistics and the final countdown — so nothing important depends on a single conversation in a busy week before departure.
Work through it in order the first time; afterwards use the section links. Nothing here is mandatory advice for a specific medical condition or permit — where a decision genuinely needs a professional, the guide says so and points to who to ask.
On this page
Most trip problems begin as a mismatch between expectation and route. Be honest about four things and the choice usually becomes obvious.
| Question | Why it decides the route |
|---|---|
| How many days do you actually have? | Add travel days each side of the trek. A “7-day trek” is rarely a 7-day trip. |
| What is your highest altitude experience? | Altitude, not distance, is the most common limiter on high routes. |
| Have you done consecutive long walking days? | Day five matters more than day one. Train for the back half of the trek. |
| How much uncertainty can you absorb? | Weather and road delays are normal. Fixed return flights remove your flexibility. |
If your answers point to a route at or beyond your experience, the honest options are a gentler route, a longer trip with more rest days, or additional preparation time. None of those is a failure — but pretending otherwise is.
Aim to arrive at the trailhead able to walk your hardest day without strain. That is a lower bar than it sounds, and a higher one than most people assume.
No training programme removes altitude risk, and no checklist can tell you that you are fit enough for a particular route. If you have a medical condition, are pregnant, take regular medication or are returning from injury, get individual advice from a qualified clinician.
Establish a base: three to four sessions a week, one long walk building to roughly half your target day length.
Add a weighted pack and some ascent. Get to back-to-back long days at least once.
Peak week: repeat your hardest planned day twice in one week, with your kit and your actual footwear.
Taper. Rest does not undo training; arriving tired does undo preparation.
If any of the following apply, talk to a clinician early rather than in the week before departure: heart or lung conditions, high or unstable blood pressure, diabetes, epilepsy, recent surgery or injury, pregnancy, or regular prescription medication. Also ask specifically about altitude if your route goes high.
Bring your itinerary, maximum planned altitude and day-by-day ascent profile to the appointment — the answers depend on those numbers.
Get these in order early, because several depend on each other and none of them move quickly.
Altitude is the single planning factor that turns a good trek into a serious one, and it is the one people most often underestimate. Three principles matter more than any rule of thumb.
Climb high, sleep low. Itineraries are built around how much you gain between sleeping altitudes, not how high you walk during the day.
Scheduled rest and acclimatisation days are not padding. They are part of the route design, and cutting them to save time is the most common avoidable risk.
Recognising a problem early, and being willing to stop or descend, is what actually keeps people safe. See the Altitude & Acclimatization guide.
Check your policy covers the specific activity and maximum altitude of your trek, and read the evacuation and search-and-rescue terms. Ordinary travel policies frequently exclude high-altitude activity or cap cover below your route’s highest point.
The Travel Insurance guide sets out the questions to ask your insurer, and what we may need from the policy to support a claim.
Two conversations remove most of the uncertainty from the final weeks.
Meals, accommodation standard, porter weight limits, group gear, park and permit fees, tips. Ambiguity here is the most common source of friction on arrival.
What happens if weather costs two days? Which parts are fixed and which are flexible? Having this agreed in advance makes the decision calm instead of stressful.
| When | Task |
|---|---|
| 3–4 months out | Route decision; visa check; insurance quote and altitude confirmation. |
| 2–3 months out | Book flights; buy kit and break in footwear; begin training block. |
| 1–2 months out | Peak training weeks; confirm inclusions and exclusions; arrange permits we have asked you to supply. |
| 2–4 weeks out | Medical/dental check; pack and weigh; share emergency contacts and itinerary. |
| Final week | Print documents; charge devices; recheck weather and road status; confirm transfer times. |
Checkboxes are for your own use on this device — nothing is saved or transmitted.
Preparation
What to bring, what the operator supplies, and what must be confirmed before you fly.
Safety
Why acclimatisation matters, the warning signs, and when to stop or descend.
Policy
Ordinary travel cover versus trekking and mountaineering cover, and what to ask your insurer.
Not sure whether a route is right for you?
Tell us your trekking history, the days you have and your altitude experience. We will give you an honest answer, including when a gentler route would serve you better.
About this guide. Last reviewed 14 October 2026. Preparation guidance only. It is not medical, legal or insurance advice. For altitude, altitude-illness, medication or fitness decisions, consult a qualified clinician; for coverage, read your policy wording and ask your insurer.
Requirements and conditions change without notice. Confirm current requirements before travel.
