Trip Organisation & Leadership FAQs

Most of our treks are led by our hand-picked, trusted and experienced local leaders. Pleas see: Leadership

Most of our climbing expeditions are led by hand-picked, trusted and experienced mountaineers normally from the UK, or other western countries. Where appropriate, and local qualifications are reliable, we select local mountain guides to lead our expeditions – this is particularly the case in South America and for some of our climbing expeditions in Nepal. Please see: Leadership

In Europe (i.e. the Alps or the UK), qualified mountain guides, instructors and leaders take responsibility for managing your safety. They may do this, for example, by roping-up with you and other team members, as well as leading the pitches of a climb or ski descent, before calling you to follow. This is not the case on a trek or expedition.

On treks and expeditions, safety is a shared endeavour. Leaders set the parameters and oversee a safety framework, which includes the local guides and you. Leaders are responsible for the strategic decisions – such as which route to follow, when to summit, the best day to cross a high pass or when to turn around, for example.

Cooperation between team members and vigilance are key.

Local guides help with the day-to-day running of a trip and are a source of cultural insight and connection to the local communities which you pass through each day. They are invariably strong and very experienced mountaineers. Usually, they have made many ascents of the mountains around you as you trek or of the mountain you’re going to climb. On summit day, or when trekking, a local guide will be allocated to lead a group of trekkers or climbers.

We will do our best to facilitate this. The cost must be borne by you or by your insurer and settled before you leave the country. If it is for a medical reason, arising from illness or injury, it is important to accept that evacuations from mountain areas can be difficult, slow and costly – helicopters are not available everywhere and the location and weather may prevent them being used at all. In that case, evacuation may begin on foot, by pack animal or by being carried down until a road, or safer helicopter evacuation site, can be reached.

For courses in Europe, you will be with a Guide or Instructor plus a few other climbers or skiers, keeping within the accepted Guiding Ratio.

Expeditions and treks include a trip leader (who may be local), local guides, camp staff plus trek assistants together with like-minded team members, such as yourself.    The optimal number of team members for each trip is shown on the website.