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 To show the relative difficulty of our Trekking, Climbing, Biking, Family and Other Adventure holidays, we give each of them a grade. Our simple, colour-coded grade symbol provides an indication of the difficulty of each trip. Additionally, on these pages, we have listed all of the holidays in descending order of difficulty, using our judgement to rank even those trips which share the same grade. This list also shows the duration of each trip and where each can be found in the brochure. Alongside the list we have described in detail the meaning of the different grades.
In addition to reading this information and the individual holiday description, it is VERY IMPORTANT that before booking any holiday you should read the associated trip dossier.
Clearly, there are many different factors that contribute to the difficulty of a particular trip, including, length of day, terrain, altitude and weather conditions. Since some of these factors are necessarily changeable, any system of grades can only provide a general indication. Although we have tried to make our grading system as clear as possible, it cannot take into account your personal interests, abilities or experience. If you have any questions about the nature of a particular trip or its suitability for you, please contact the KE office. |
| All of our holidays which include a significant element of walking are considered to be treks. These range from exended trips into wilderness areas, with a full trek crew and porter or pack-animal support, to short hotel-based holidays involving a series of day-hikes. The following grades should be considered in conjunction with each individual holiday description. |
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STRENUOUS
- our toughest treks, involving many long days, often in isolated areas and at extreme altitude. These treks might also include difficult pass crossings, requiring basic mountaineering skills and equipment. A high level of fitness and previous trekking experience is essential. |
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DEMANDING
- physically very challenging, but suitable for regular hillwalkers who are used to extended days. These treks can involve difficult and sometimes glaciated terrain, as well as lengthy periods at high altitude. |
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MODERATE
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suitable for most hillwalkers and generally involving shorter days at moderate altitude, on good paths and tracks. However, a reasonable level of fitness is required as these treks can involve considerable amounts of ascent and descent and the occasional difficult day.
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EASY
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suitable for most people in good health, these trips include only a short element of trekking which is predominately on good paths and at low altitude.
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| Some of our holidays include an element of climbing, usually on snow, where ropes and other items of mountaineering equipment will normally be used. These trips have each been given a trekking grade to reflect their overall difficulty and it is this grade which is shown on their grade symbol. Additionally, each of these trips has a climbing grade which is intended to indicate the technical difficulty of the ascent (s) involved and takes into account factors such as overall steepness, exposure and objective dangers. |
| DEMANDING
- applied to our toughest climbs - involving long climbing
days, possibly at extreme altitudes, with steep snow slopes,
exposed ridges and crevassed sections. Full mountaineering equipment and previous winter climbing experience required. |
| MODERATE
- elements such as crevasses and steep snow slopes may
be encountered. A mountaineering ice-axe and crampons
will be used. Ropes may be fixed on steeper sections of
the climb and group members may need to climb roped together
at times. |
| EASY
- our easiest climbs, which are generally on easy angled
snow-slopes, with no objective dangers. A mountaineering
ice-axe and crampons may be used, depending on the prevailing
conditions. Ropes may be fixed on short, steeper sections
of ascent. |
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TRIPS AND GRADES EXPLAINED
Our rides are separated into 3 ‘Trip Types’ based on terrain, type of bike and tyres needed. For each of these trip types there are 3 simple colour coded categories of grade:
Moderate, Intermediate and Difficult. |
| FAT TYRE ADVENTURES |
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Mountain bike routes which require off-road knobbly tyres; these holidays tend to stick to dirt tracks, jeep road and singletrack.
Moderate trips are suitable for mountain bikers with limited off-road experience. Routes include a mix of quiet roads and forestry tracks, rocky paths and easy singletrack. A support vehicle is usually available.
Intermediate trips will provide a fun challenge for regular weekend bikers with reasonable off-road skills. Longish days and some technical riding with fast and narrow singletrack. A support vehicle will not always be available.
Difficult trips are real challenges for fit and experienced bikers, with some technically demanding singletrack ascents and descents and sections where we may have to push or carry our bikes. Biking in remote areas, you need to be confident in your ability. |
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SEMI-SLICK ADVENTURES |
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A mountain bike fitted with semi-slick tyres is ideal for these routes. These are journeys with no real technical off-road sections, but vary in difficulty from easy to epic. A support vehicle is usually available.
Moderate trips are suitable for cyclists who are used to paved roads, forestry roads and easy double track. Distances and days will be relatively short and vehicle support is always available.
Intermediate trips are for regular bikers in search of adventure rides in remote locations. Several long days with climbs and descents, some at high altitude, will demand a reasonable level of fitness.
Difficult trips include some of our toughest biking holidays and will provide a real sustained workout. Constant long days, lots of climbing and usually in very remote locations. These are true epic rides. |
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| ROAD ADVENTURES |
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Tours requiring a road or standard touring bike. A KE biking guide will lead all our trips and your baggage is transported in a support vehicle. You are free to cycle within groups of your own pace, but the support is never far away in case of emergencies. Due to the ‘Alpine’ nature of most of our routes a compact or triple chain ring is preferable.
Moderate trips are for cyclists comfortable on rolling terrain and used to riding an average of 50-70 km per day. There will be the odd longer climb and distance.
Intermediate trips are for regular cyclists with slightly longer days and much hillier routes. Average 75-95 km per day.
Difficult trips are really for regular sportive and club riders and will follow classic Alpine routes with major climbs and descents. Average 100+ km per day. |
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| Family and Other KE Adventures
The remainder of the holidays in this brochure includes our worldwide collection of Family Adventures, together with a number of Other Adventures, which range from leisurely touring trips to a quite demanding ski mountaineering expedition. To provide an indication of the overall difficulty of these very varied trips, each has been given a trekking grade and it is this grade which is shown on their grade symbol. |
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