Walks are graded differently by different holiday companies but generally fall into three or four categories, although one company has seven. One standard used is 4kms walking per hour plus half an hour per 300m ascent. Each walk has a detailed trip dossier to help you make a final choice. Contact us for details.

Comfortable:
Sometimes called easy walking, this will involve walks of four to six hours a day over gentle terrain with few, if any, climbs or steep mountains. So on the longest day you may reasonably expect to walk between 20 and 30 kilometres. Some examples would be: The Azores, Walking through Tuscany, Chateaux of the Loire.

Moderate:
Rolling uplands, five to six hours a day, with some uphill climbs and some longer days. You should be used to walking all day. Hiking in Provence, Yellowstone and Western Trails, Sierra Nevada Foothills.

Moderate to strenuous:
These walks will generally involve longer days with some days on steeper terrain. Sicillian Volcano Hike, High Atlas Trek, Peru Inca Trail.

Strenuous:
These are generally over rough terrain and maybe at higher altitudes such as the Pyrenees, the Alps, some Kilimanjaro routes and Nepal-Himalaya itineraries. The longest day will be six to eight hours. Not suitable for children. Altitude Sickness can affect anybody of any age and may begin to be felt at altitudes over 3000m. Tour guides are experienced and there to help you – the secret to combating the condition is slow acclimatisation.

So if you would like to begin to train for walking or you would like to get up to speed you may like to look at the following training schedule prepared for participants in the annual Kerikeri Half Marathon (21.1 kms.) Our holidays are not a contest or endurance trial, so adapt the plan to suit, but it offers a sensible approach to reach a reasonable level of fitness. Remember though that the Kerikeri Half Marathon is over in a few hours whereas you will be walking over several days or weeks. (Rest days abound)

Suggested Training Schedule For Beginner Walkers - Guide Only
Anybody who has not been involved in physical exercise on a regular basis should contact a health professional before beginning this programme. If during training any injuries or health complaints develop, contact a health professional immediately.

Weeks before departure	Mid Week Walk (Short, Fast)	Weekend Walk (Long, Slow)
14	2 x 2 km	3 km
13	2 x 3 km	4 km
12	2 x 4 km	6 km
11	2 x 6 km	8 km
10	2 x 6 km  &   1 x 2 km	10 km
9	2 x 6 km  &   1 x 4 km	12 km
8	2 x 8 km  &   1 x 2 km	14 km
7	2 x 8 km  &   1 x 4 km	14 km
6	2 x 10 km  &   1 x 2 km	16 km
5	2 x 10 km  &   1 x 4 km	16 km
4	2 x 10 km  &   1 x 4 km	18 km
3	2 x 8 km  &   1 x 2 km	20 km
2	2 x 8 km	16 km
1	2 x 4 km	12 km