Mountain Climbing Holidays

Alright. What else?

Some mountains are big, some mountains are really big, and some mountains are really, really, big. From big to really, really, big, our mountain climbing trips cover the full spectrum. We’ve got a fair few summits under 3,000m for you to take on but also do an adventure that takes in Nepal’s 6,476 metre-high Mera Peak.

On one of our mountaineering experiences, you could be ascending up an active volcano, on another - you might be trekking through forests, crossing glaciers, using ice-axes and crampons, or managing your head for heights while clipped up to a via ferrata. Whatever summit you choose to conquer, it’ll be a challenge but due to variations in height and terrain each summit conquering trip has its own distinct feel. Find one that’s right for you.

So how fit do you need to be?

Look. We could sugarcoat this and say “Don’t worry about it. You’ll be fine. Climbing mountains is no more difficult than popping down to the corner shop to pick up a Yorkie, and can of Vimto.” That though would be a lie. Climbing mountains isn’t easy. There’s a reason, after all, why every song that’s ever dealt with overcoming adversity has lyrics about mountains. It’s because, at times, mountains are a struggle, a challenge, an obstacle that requires climbers to dig deep within themselves for hidden reserves of mental and physical strength.

Days on our mountain climbing trips might include up to 11 hours of trekking, with early starts par for the course. You might be able to do many of these trips if you’ve never bagged a summit before, but you’ll need to have a good fitness level. And if you’re planning on tackling some of our highest ones, we’d recommend that you’ve at least climbed 4,000m before.

We obviously don’t want to put you off, but it’s important to read the itineraries of these trips beforehand rather than jumping in blindly. Don’t just pick the biggest one because you want to impress people down the pub. Pick one that suits you. Reinhold Messner, for example, didn’t just wake up one day and climb Everest with no prior mountaineering experience. He built up to it, taking on increasingly more difficult challenges as he went. Be like Reinhold.

What about accommodation?

Accommodation really varies depending on the type of trip, and the length of the climb. Mont Blanc, for example, will involve mountain huts with dorm-style bunk beds whereas on Mount Fansipan (3,143m), in Vietnam, you’ll be staying in tin huts.

Some of the shorter climbs we run don’t require you to spend the night on the mountain while at the other end of things, in the high places of Nepal, you’ll find yourself sleeping in some very traditional tea houses. Each of our mountain climbing adventures is different but, whichever one you go for, you should expect a pretty back-to-basics approach. But hey, isn’t that all part of the fun?