The Adventure Company: Air Cadets swoop in on Morocco!

This months blog comes from Cardiff Air Cadets who recently took part in our Atlas Trails Teenage Adventure trip in Morocco. Their group leader, Troy Blackenship shares his travel diary with us:

20-27 Aug 2009
"14 staff and 20 cadets from 1344 Cardiff Squadron, Air Training Corps, have just returned from their first overseas adventurous training expedition in the Atlas Mountains, Morocco.

The Atlas Mountains are a mountain range across a northern stretch of Africa extending
about 2,400km (1,500 miles) through Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. The expedition lasted a week and included a day in Marakkech before being transported to Oukaimeden at 8,600 feet in the Atlas Mountains to begin trekking. They had no experience of
expeditions in Morocco and so this expedition was arranged in conjunction with The Adventure Company who arranged a hotel in Marakkech and gite accommodation in the mountains, qualified Mountain Leaders, chefs, muleteers and mules to transport the food and main luggage on the mountains.

Many cadets were unable to afford the full cost of this expedition, so the squadron applied to 4 charities for additional funding to support the expedition. They all made significant contributions, and they are The Royal Air Force Charitable Trust, The Ulysses Trust, The Scarman Scholarship, The Jane Hodge Foundation, and finally a grant from the Air Cadets Region HQ (Wales & West).

Thursday 20 Aug 09 -Arrival
The group experienced very heavy rain on their coach journey to Gatwick but arrived with plenty of time to spare and boarded an Easyjet flight to Marakkech. The plane landed in Marrakech after a 3 3⁄4 hour flight where they met Abdul and Khalid, their 2 Mountain Leaders for the expedition. The temperature was, according to the pilot, a chilly 42
degrees Centigrade.



The team arrived at hotel Ryad Mogador after an interesting drive from the airport. Four lanes of traffic apparently driving in 2 marked lanes, and lots of dirty mopeds weaving around made things hair raising. Horn beeping indicates that an overtaking manoeuvre is about to take place, and the whole scene can only be described as organised chaos. To cross the road you walk out in front of the traffic and hold your hand up. It was very hot for a chilly day.
That evening the group visited a restaurant in the centre of Marrakech for the first taste of Moroccan food.

Friday 21 Aug 09 -Tour of Marrakech
They were taken on a walking tour of Marrakech which is a curious blend of 3rd world
basic living and the modern world. Mules work alongside motor transport and housing or
shops were very basic but have electricity. Most electrical goods and furniture on display were 1970s style. There are very few modern cars and trucks on the roads, most taxis being very old Mercedes and small Peugeot cars.
The guide for the Marakkech tour and Khalid and Abdu are all Berbers, but whilst the guide books imply they are a separate culture these young men were very metropolitan and mixed culture. One of the guides spoke 5 languages. It was extremely hot again, but when it is this warm the daily variation of a few degrees is imperceptible.
They visited a Berber pharmacy in the Souks and after a glass of mint tea were educated on the different herbs oils and creams and their uses. The group then visited the Palais De La Bahia.



After the palace there was time for souvenir shopping before making their way to the main open square in Marakkech, Djemma el-Fna, where there are snake charmers and market traders. The walk back from the square to the hotel was very arduous in the extreme heat.

On arrival at the hotel they had a few hours playing in the hotel swimming pool.
In the evening the group went back to the square, which this time was packed with people, and visited a nearby hotel for dinner. The roof garden of the hotel was covered in large dining marquees. Most people in the group had the same feeling about Marakkech -it felt like they have been there forever, and yet it was only one very long day.

Saturday 22 Aug 09 -Marrakesh to Oukaimeden.
First day in the mountains.
The overriding impression of both Marakkech and the journey to the Atlas Mountains was
one of a lack of architectural style and of poverty. The mountains appeared very slowly through a heat haze. The mountain road as they climbed to Oukaimeden brought
spectacular scenery anda few shops which appeared to be in the middle of nowhere. The
road had shear unprotected edges but the scenery was a great distraction. Berber houses appeared in the hillsides. Most trees disappeared from the mountains at around 2000 metres.

The accommodation at Oukaimeden was dormitory style. At 8633 feet the scenery was
rather like a cowboy western with grassy plains and mountains (usually covered in snow), and the temperature was more like a very hot day in the UK with a gentle breeze. There were mules, small cows and the occasional horse. Homes around the area are mostly hand built with dry rocks (for the Nomads) and rocks with concrete for the others.

In the afternoon the plan was to trek up to the summit of Oukaimeden at just over 9,800
feet, the highest peak in the area. They set off on the climb with the sound of thunder all around. The sun disappeared, and having climbed just over 100 feet had to stop to put on waterproof clothing. By 200 feet the rain was getting very heavy, and the guides wisely decided to abandon the mountain. Near the bottom of the mountain the rain turned to hail stones, vindicating their decision. At this height the hail stones really hurt as they hit your
head.



Not everyone attempted the first climb because the altitude affected some more than
others. Most people felt queasy, some felt sick and others had mild breathlessness, but the vast majority had recovered within hours.

The group finally set out again after an hour and climbed the mountain trail behind our gite. The same pattern began again with waterproofs being put on as it rained at 100 feet, but as the group continued the rain eventually stopped, and they reached the summit after an ascent of approximately 300 feet. The vista was breathtaking. The first mountain had been conquered.





Sunday 23 Aug 09 -In the Mountains, Oukaimeden to Aguersioual
Ten mules arrived the previous evening, and on this bright Sunday morning they were just standing still, untethered, with no thoughts of running away. The first thing you notice about mules is that they do not turn their heads when standing still. They just stare at whatever they have been pointed at. The group discovered later that mules walk faster than people on hills, so the mules would set off an hour or so after the walking party, overtake them, and arrive at the destination an hour or so ahead of them. The altitude was still having an effect on some people so 3 staff and 2 cadets were taken by Land Rover to the next gite. The ride was very rough, and the Land Rover stopped 5 times for the group to get out and help fill in holes in the track to make it passable.

The morning climb up the first mountain to a height of 9000 feet did not take long, and the group stopped at this highest point in the trek for photographs holding the old Ynysybwl Ensign which is being photographed in as many locations as possible around the world by air cadets.



The terrain ranges from cement dust consistency to rocks and everything in between, and a trail is a 12-18 inch wide place where others have gone before –not always a proper footpath. The morning trek was 10km to a Berber village of Asamkru and was extremely difficult, with much of it along the sides of steep gradients or down steep rocky descents.

The only shade to be found was underneath Juniper trees.







Light rain started as the group lunched under the trees, but as the lunch ended the rain became torrential and everyone had to rush to clear up the mats they sat on and put their boots back on. With waterproof clothing on they scrambled back up the village hill to be met by a torrent of muddy water which they had to get across. A Berber family gave them shelter in their barn. Whilst watching the floods develop a young boy was spotted trying to prevent the floodwaters enter his house. A group of cadets and staff and Abdu, one of the guides, went to help him dig a diversionary channel. Five minutes later they returned - mission accomplished.



The rain stopped and the guides arranged for one cadet suffering from dehydration to be carried on a mule to the next village. Sounds easy but imagine being scared of heights and then sit six feet up on a mule which is walking on an 18 inch wide unmade track with a long way to fall if you slip. Every step on the trail is an effort as you look for a secure place to put down each foot. The group had descended about 1000 feet to lunch, and then climbed 800 very difficult feet and finally descended a similar height down to the village of Aguersioual. The total distance travelled today was 19 km.

Life is so simple and basic around these parts of Morocco. The weather had been so variable and the trekking was above the fitness level of the average 50 year old. The trek today took 10 hours, and no- one will forget it. Nor will they forget the shower at the gite –just a bucket with a tap.

After dinner the cooks, muleteers and guides entertained them with Berber music and
dancing, the music being made with metal trays, water carriers, saucepans and spoons. A fantastic cultural experience. The scene was reminiscent of African dancing.

Time in Morocco passes very slowly, approximately half the speed that a person would
guess without a watch. By the end of this evening all cadets were feeling fine and only 2 staff were below par.



Monday 24 Aug 09 -Aguersioual -Imlil -Aremd
This morning one cadet and two staff were not well enough to walk. They were all taken by minibus to the next gite in Aremd. The trails on the 10km walk were wider and more
solidand much easier to walk on, and it took just 4 hours. The temperature was high and at one point the group came across a channel of fast flowing water which they used to cool down by soaking their clothes and immersing their heads.

The scenery is breathtaking and they passed through Imlil which is a very tourist centred village. A little while later they passed another mule and muleteer coming down a trail as they climbed.





The fitness and agility of the native Berber people in the group had to be seen to be
believed. They run on slopes on which others would fall and they have the bounce and
energy of a spring lamb. The group has been supported by the addition of muleteers and
cooks whilst walking, and they would run ahead near the end of the trek in order to be
ready with drinks and food when the group arrives.

Tuesday 25 Aug 09 -Aremd / day Walk to Sidi Chamharouch
This morning as the group set out they were passed by many local women walking up
steep hills back to the village carrying grasses and sacks of feed on their backs and heads for the mules and goats. The men had all gathered at a house to build an extension. The community spirit in this Berber village is everywhere to be seen. It is incredible that despite their basic existence the Berber women and their children are always very well dressed, the women particularly often looking so brightly and smartly dressed that they look as if they are going out to dine, which of course they are not.



The group trekked 1300 feet up an almost continuous climb to Sidi Chamharouch which is
a religious shrine where a holy man died. It is a place used by Muslims in the same way as a pilgrimage to Lourdes. People with health problems visit looking for a faith cure, and we suspect it is mostly used by couples who cannot have children. Some people purchased little mementos. Then it was down to a river for a tented picnic and a swim.



After the 9km trek back to Aremd the group passed a Mosque with the sound of young
children chanting. The guide explained that this was the Koran school where children have to learn the Koran word for word between the ages of 3 and 7, after which they start normal schooling.

Wednesday 26 Aug 09 -Back to Marrakech
The group started with an hour's walk from the Gite down to the village of Imlil where they met the coach to return to Marakkech. Just above the village of Imlil the group saw the beginnings of Western civilised standards with a major road construction project under way with huge lorries delivering hardcore, and one lorry delivering stone which was then carried by mule up an incline to a house being built very much in line with our construction standards.

After a pleasant return journey to Marakkech most people stayed around the hotel in the afternoon to play in the swimming pool and experience a rare event in the Atlas Mountains -a HOT shower.

Thursday 27 Aug 09 –Return home
Today they flew home tired, having completed a difficult but very enjoyable trek in the High Atlas Mountains. The witnessing and, to some extent, experiencing the Berber culture has been an eye opener, making everyone appreciate the standard of living we have in this country, and this was equally as important as the actual trekking.

The heights and distances covered have been phenomenal and quite a strain on the whole
group, but if it was too easy it would not be such a great achievement. I found that by the end of the third day trekking most muscle pains just disappeared. The Berber people are camera shy, hence no pictures of them.

Our appetite has been whetted. We can’t wait for our next adventure.
Steven Abbott MBE
Sqn Ldr RAFVR(T)
OC 1344 Cardiff Sqn, Air Training Corps"

The full picture set in high resolution can be found here

The air cadets went on the Atlas Trails Teenage Adventure trip in Morocco.

Are you interested in trekking in Morocco or are you looking to explore Morocco with friends? The Adventure Company have 16 tours which can suit every traveller, whether that be solo travel, group travellers or couples looking to get away on their own adventure. Visit the Adventure Company websiter to find out more.

Thanks for reading,
The Adventure Company

The Adventure Company: Completing Everest Base Camp!

We've a special treat for you this month as we have not 1, but 2 blogs this month. Reason being, we've had plenty of enquiries recently about Everest Base Camp and we felt travel writer, Rob Lewis really summarised his time there perfectly. That's without mentioning his stunning pictures, of course...

Everest Base Camp Trek
7 -23 March 2009
Rob Lewis

Day 1: Arrival in Kathmandu
The chaotic Kathmandu traffic on the journey from the airport is the first thing to make an impression in Nepal. It’s a constant wonder how the cars, trucks, bikes and pedestrians avoid colliding. I’m convinced there must be some rules in play amongst it all but I can’t figure out what they are!

The Hotel Tibet is our base in Kathmandu, a marvel of Tibetan architecture and design in red and gold. The facilities are clean and comfortable and the staff welcoming. Our Group Leader, Lalit, introduces me to the rest of the group who arrived earlier (my fault for booking so late!) and we enjoy a relaxed briefing from Lalit in the hotel restaurant over a beer or two. The Group of ten (six male, four female) get along well sharing the mutual excitement of the trip ahead. Everyone has their reasons for being here, mine is a fascination with Everest and the epic stories of successful and unsuccessful summit attempts. Base Camp is, however, definitely my limit!





Day 2: Guided Tour of Kathmandu
An early start the next morning sees us boarding a bus for a guided tour of the capital. A friendly Guide is aboard to show us around and he is a wealth of knowledge and information not to mention bad jokes! We visit the enormous Swayambhu stupa and temple complex complete with its resident monkeys and we take lunch overlooking the enormous Boudha Stupa. Our Guide is also keen to enable us to walk at our own pace through the bustling streets with all their sights and smells.







I have some fun taking pictures of the local children who never fail burst into fits of laughter when they see themselves on the camera screen. Following a visit to Patan Durbar Square we end the day on the banks of the Bagmati river to witness the cremations at Pashupatnath which is a sombre but equally fascinating experience.



In the evening I head down to the tourist district of Thamel to stock up for the trek. Thamel is a maze of insanely busy streets crammed full of trekking equipment and tourist shops and places to eat and drink. Its chaos is captivating and I dive right in. I pick up some cheap missing items of gear and plenty of chocolate and biscuits for essential energy!

In the evening we head out to a local restaurant where we sample the delights of live Nepali music and dance (including yeti and yak dancing!) and also try some raksi (a super strong local spirit) which could strip paint I’m sure but that doesn’t stop me trying more than one. The food is great and my vegetarian diet is carefully kept in tact by our watchful Guide, Lalit who directs the waiters as to what should give me from the sharing menu. It’s a great night.



Day 3: Flight to Lukla and trek to Phakding

An early rise the next morning and nothing has prepared me for the flight to Lukla. The plane is a reasonably modern 16 seater but rather ’cosy’ and I find myself looking over the pilot’s shoulder for the flight and, most memorably, for the landing. Perhaps not a seat I would recommend for the nervous flier. Huge cheers and applause erupt upon landing together with a few signs of relief. Great fun though!



Once out of the tiny airport I get a first sight of the Himalayas which tower above all around Lukla and even here the view is breathtaking. Also noticeable is the thinner air after flying up from the Kathmandu valley, a sign of things to come as we all know. We dump our large bags and meet our other assistant guides and porters.



I marvel as the young porters load up, each taking two large bags on his back and roping over his forehead to spread the weight. And off they go, at a pace that will never cease to amaze me for the entire trip. We shall see them again each evening when they kindly deposit our bags in our lodgings (usually right outside our rooms).

And after a cup of tea and a quick equipment check (camera, sun lotion, hat, poles, sunglasses etc. etc.!) we are off. We trek for a few hours, mostly downhill which is a thankfully gentle introduction and take in the relatively lowland scenery of gorges, rivers and green fields of crops.



We arrive at our Phakding lodge which, to our amusement, is still under construction in places and we are the first to use our bare wooden bedrooms out in the back yard which have mostly only been completed that day. The room next to me is still being built and it looks like they had to finish mine in a hurry as, curiously, the ensuite bathroom door lock is on the outside!

Days 4 & 5: Namche Bazaar
The trek takes us up sunlit woodland trails which are steep in places and across long swaying suspension bridges over rushing white water. Those with a fear of heights cross tentatively whilst some others make the most of the experience and walk with an exaggerated bounce to their step which sets the bridge in motion and makes things a little more exciting!

We marvel (as always) as porters march across and up the track carrying simply ridiculous loads. One train of porters we pass carry slabs of wooden beams for building construction which must easily weigh 70kg. The weight is so great they’re unable to raise their heads to look up and we must navigate carefully around them. I wonder what we must look like fitted with all the latest trekking gear when all we carry is a camera and some water.



As we climb up and round a corner we come across our first view of Everest between the trees. It’s a buzz to catch the first glimpse of the reason I’m here albeit a distant one but nonetheless the famous Everest ‘plume’ is visible and we all pause to take in the view and avail ourselves of the satsumas on sale from a local farmer who has obviously spotted a good location for business.

The proceeding steep climb up into Namche is rewarded with the sight of shops stocked full of essential trekker supplies and, after some rest at the lodge, we head out and stock up on warmer clothes and chocolate amongst other things. I rent a 4 season sleeping bag and buy a fleece liner to go inside. One thing I hadn’t expected was just how cold things would be at night even relatively low on the trek. And things only get colder as you get higher. Others rent chunky down jackets which they intend to sleep in. One rule to remember is that you can always take the extra clothes off at night but you can’t put things on that you don’t have! Namche also has places to email, get a massage and play pool. It’s no wonder that this is the first place chosen for us to stay for an extra night to acclimatise.



Namche is located 3,440 meters on crescent shaped mountain slopes and our ‘day off’ the next day is a climb up and out as we trek steeply up to the Sagarmatha National Park Visitor's Centre and then on (and up!) to a hotel suitably named ‘Everest View’ where magnificent views of Everest are available from the outdoor area at the back of the restaurant.



Day 6: Namche to Tengboche
The trek the next day from Namche to Tengboche is made a little easier by the previous days acclimatisation but is still tough going in places. That said, the pace, as ever, is moderate and involves frequent rest stops to allow us to get our breath back. Everyone is still feeling fine which is good news.





The views as we climb get ever more spectacular and I’m starting to really feel like I’m high up. We pass mountain goats and see our first Yak trains as they plod down the trails with incredible surefootedness on even the most rocky sections.



We pin ourselves against the mountain side (as instructed) to allow these huge beasts to pass on the narrow path, the theory being they are much less likely to topple over the edge than we are! I have to actually breathe in a couple of times to prevent a rather large pointed horn snagging on my jacket.

By this stage we are wearing windproof jackets and woolly hats and gloves. Gone are the t-shirts and shorts we wore on the way up to Namche. The wind has picked up notably and occasional strong gusts reduce temperatures instantly. The sun continues to shine down most of the time and sunglasses are still a must.



Our arrival in Tengboche is heralded by the sight of the highest monastery in the world at 3860m. Everest, Kwangde, Nuptse, Lhotse and Kangtega amongst others stand tall above and present a truly magnificent scene. After some negotiation Lalit gains permission for us to be shown round the monastery which was locked for the evening. Inside is a scene of utter peace and tranquillity with beautifully ornate decoration in oranges, golds and reds. Its easy to forget you are in the high Himalayas when wondering around inside.



From the monastery we walk behind and along a path to enjoy yet more jaw dropping views off to the west Also here are a few memorials to fallen climbers which remind us all that despite their beauty these mountains have a darker side. I linger as the others head back to the lodge to take in the sunset over the surrounding peaks and take some snaps. It’s a wonderful feeling of remote wilderness and the silence is almost audible.

Day 7: Tengboche to Dingboche
I awake to a view of sunrise over Everest out of my bedroom window. Not a regular morning by any means! I miss out on an option to head over the monastery at 6am to watch morning puja (prayers) as I choose to grab all the sleep I can and remain in bed. I hear from others in the group who go that only 3 monks show up so perhaps the others made the same decision as me!



After breakfast we trek down dusty paths to a river where we cross and then start up the other side. The landscape is beginning to change now, gone are the woodlands and lush greenery, replaced by browns and greys with dense gorse bushes and rough grasses growing by the side of the trail.



We arrive at Orsa and stop at a remote lodge for lunch, we will actually be staying at this place on the way down although we don’t know it yet. It’s at this point that someone (I think I’m safe to blame Lalit) recommends garlic as a preventative measure against altitude sickness (AMS) and those with a liking order garlic soup and some raw cloves are handed round. What possesses me to eat one is anyone’s guess but the effects are instantly unpleasant. I contemplate, as my eyes water and my breath strips paint, that I would perhaps have preferred a dose of AMS!

We walk for only another half hour or so before arriving at Dingboche at 4262m where we will spend another extra acclimatisation day. It’s at this point, as we approach the lodge, that I start to feel the first effects of the altitude as my head begins to ‘buzz’ and I feel slightly dizzy. Up until now I had found things relatively easy going (I’m a bit of fitness freak back home) but now things start to feel like hard work.



The lodge is very basic (the rule is now clear – the higher you go the more basic things get!) and it seems like we’re in for a cold couple of nights. As always a game or two of Uno is played before a couple of us decide to join another group staying at the lodge for a strange drama school game which I never fully understand followed by Charades where I struggle to play out a mime for ‘Muriel’s Wedding’… Generally it’s hard to fill the time in the evenings and I berate myself for not having brought some travel board games or similar. The rest of the evening is spent huddled around the wood burning stove (which at this height is actually burning yak dung given the lack of trees in the area), keeping ourselves warm and reading by head torch.

Day 8: Dingboche
The next morning I wake feeling pretty awful as a stomach bug has settled in during the night. The acclimatisation walk is therefore a tortuous affair for me and I begin to feel utterly exhausted only a few hundred metres up the steep trail. The altitude only compounds the problem and soon Lalit takes the decision to stop me and escort me back down to the lodge. This is a low point. Not only do I feel terrible but I start to worry that, unless I recover before tomorrow’s departure up to Labouche, it could be the end of my trip.

I sleep for most of the day whilst the others complete their walk and relax. However as the afternoon progresses a few others start to feel unwell. It’s fortunate at least that we sicken on a rest day where we will have the chance to recover before the day’s walking tomorrow. We hope so anyway.

Day 9: Dingboche to Labouche
The next morning most of us are feeling better. Only one member of the team, Matt, is still feeling poorly but he grits his teeth and heads out with the rest of us. We trek up and then along a spectacular valley where I grab some long range shots of the group as they trek along in single file with guides at the front and rear. We zig-zag up the valley floor crossing back and forth over streams and ice encrusted rapids. The view back down to Perriche is breath taking and its hard to keep pace sometimes such is the desire to continually stop and take in the vistas.



After lunch we climb sharply up to a site of memorials for fallen climbers and sherpas. Amongst them I linger at the memorial to Scott Fisher who perished in the 1996 Everest Disaster, the subject of one of my favourite books ‘Into Thin Air’ which I have brought with me to read once again on this trip. The barren landscape and blustery grey skies only add to the sense of sadness at this place.



We arrive early at Labouche (4930m) and after lunch we head up a nearby slope to ascend onto the Khumbu Glacier moraine take in stunning views of the glacier and the wider Everest region. The climb is tough and the wind blasts us with snow but we’re not disappointed by the panorama at the top.

The snow has left a white carpet over the whole area and the night is bitterly cold. This, added to excitement of the next day’s trek to EBC, results in a virtually sleepless night.

Its at this point we lose our first team members as Matt decides to descend in order to fight his stomach bug at a less extreme altitude and Kathy’s headaches and nausea cause her to decide enough is enough. It’s hard not to feel a sense of togetherness on this trip and we’re all gutted for them both.

Day 10: Labouche to Gorak Shep & Everst Base Camp
A 6.30am start is necessary to be sure of getting to EBC and back to Gorak Shep in one day. The walk is now through snow and ice, the landscape dominated by the Khumbu Glacier which appears as a motionless river of ice and rocks (although it is, in actual fact, slowly making its way down the valley). We undulate up and down through the rocks besides the glacier and it’s hard to keep a footing. At one point, a Tibetan Snow Cock perches just a few feet above us and serenades our passing with its distinctive call.



We trek into Gorak Shep (5160m) having made a good pace (Lalit hails it as ‘Nepali Pace’) but I feel I’m now suffering for it. We grab some soup and pasta for what, in my confused state, I think is lunch but as its only 9.30am it’s actually breakfast. As we head out towards EBC my head starts to pound and I try to get as much water on board as possible. The walking continues along the glacier with short sharp climbs and descents as we weave in and out of the rocky moraine.





Finally Base Camp (5346m) comes into view and it’s not long before we’re crossing the glacier itself to reach a vantage point looking down over the tents pitched by the first of the season’s expeditions and toward the notorious Khumbu Icefall. It’s truly a wondrous sight and the fact that there is no actual view of Everest from here seems of no consequence.





This is the culmination of seven days of extremely challenging trekking and a lifetime ambition achieved. Together the group and guides join in celebration and pose for pictures and we try to let the event sink in. After what seems like five minutes but is actually half an hour we depart back towards Gorak Shep, however I feel exhausted and every step is an effort requiring concentration and deep breathing to get oxygen on board in sufficient quantities. At this height the air contains only 50% of the oxygen found at sea level and the walk back to the lodge, some 2 hours or so, will undoubtedly remain the most physically demanding thing I ever do. By the time we get to the lodge I am utterly exhausted.

Day 11: Kala Patar
The optional hike up this 5500m peak is now only open to 6 of us as two more have decided to descend. And to my eternal regret my sleepless night and pounding headache, not to mention the exertion of the day before, cause me to remain in my sleeping bag as the others head out at 5.30am. I do head up at 7.30am and reach about halfway before meeting some of the group on the way down and descending with them having run out of time to go up any further. I have at least managed to take a few pictures which will become my favourite of the entire trip as they almost do justice to the amazing scenery encountered at that height.





Back at breakfast the four who made it to the top describe an effort even more challenging than the day before but equally as rewarding given the views of sunrise over Everest and its surrounding peaks.



After breakfast we begin the descent back down to Orsa which, after a few technical sections back to Labouche, becomes a virtual stroll compared to the journey up as the terrain smoothes out and the air gets richer.

Days 12-15: Orsa to Lukla (via Namche Bazaar & Phakding)
The pace now is hell for leather as, reunited as a full team, we march downwards with our lungs full of oxygen rich air and the sun on our backs. Its quite amazing how places such as Namche feel so comfortable now compared to when ascending when we endured headaches and breathlessness. We meet other groups coming up and worry for those already struggling but say nothing. There really is a lot to be said for the old expression ‘positive mental attitude’ and that’s the only advice I provide. The rewards are worth the effort…and then some.





Walking back into Lukla in the first rain of the trip I experience a mix of feelings. Its good to be down at a relatively low altitude and to get a warm shower and a proper bed but Lukla also signifies the end of the trek and I feel sad that it’s all over.



Nevertheless, with alcohol now back firmly on the agenda after our week long high altitude abstinence its party time in our Lukla lodge and we celebrate our successful trek with a dinner for all the guides and porters followed by a disco where everyone really lets their hair down. It’s a great night and cements what has been a truly fantastic trip to EBC.







We say emotional goodbyes to all our porters and assistant guides as only Lalit will accompany us back to Kathmandu.

Day 16: Lukla to Kathmandu

After another hair-raising flight back to Kathmandu we disembark into the searing heat and smog which I had long since forgotten about whilst up in the mountains. The chaos of the city at first seems too much to bear but soon all seems normal again.



I spend a few hours shopping in Thamel which offers a vast array of souvenir shops and stalls selling everything from Ghurkha knives to pirate DVDs. I can only fit so much into my luggage so I have to show some restraint and resist the continuous attempts by shop owners to lure me into their premises with ‘cheapest North Face’ and ‘real Goretex’.
The rest of the afternoon is spent relaxing at the Hotel Tibet although most of it sheltering from torrential rain and lightning storms.



In the evening Lalit takes us to the famous ‘Rum Doodle’ restaurant in Thamel where masses of cardboard yeti feet signed by hundreds of previous trekkers and mountaineers adorn the walls. If you summit Everest you get free food for life here but I’m happy to pay as the food and drink is fantastic. We all sign our ‘foot’ and add a few of the common phrases from our trip such as “Everyone ready for outside!” and “Jam Jam!”. Our foot takes pride of place above the serving hatch from the kitchen so look out for it if you ever stop by.

Day 17: Kathmandu
A lazy day is spent wondering round Durbar Square and its array of temples and holy shrines. We also head to Freak Street, centre of the 1960’s and 70’s hippy community but now nothing more than a modern commercial area now full of backpacker accommodation and cafes.

The evening is again spent enjoying the Thamel nightlife and culminates in rickshaw race as six of us hire three bicycle rickshaws and willing drivers to race back to the hotel. It’s hard to shout encouragement to your driver when you’re laughing so hard but we do our best and they laugh as much as we do as the three dilapidated machines jostle for first place. All goes well until Matt and Iain decide to jump out of their rickshaw and run along side to speed up their effort only for Iain to fall under the wheels as he tries to get back in. A few cuts and bruises are par for the course we assure him once we have careered to a halt outside the hotel and our drivers are still laughing at him and the rest of us as they cycle off back to Thamel.

Day 18: Departing Kathmandu

It’s the end of the road. It’s a sad day to be leaving Nepal and it’s sad to be saying good bye to the rest of the group. As we depart the hotel is filling up with expeditions going for the summit and after experiencing the trek to Base Camp where these groups will only be starting their challenge I marvel at what it must take to get to the summit of Everest, the 8848m roof of the world…"

Are you interested in completing Everest Base Camp? The Adventure Company offer a range of treks to suit all visitors and fitness levels. Find out more on our website or visit our Nepal page for full itineraries and information.

Thanks for reading,
The Adventure Company

The Adventure Company: Mother and daughter trip to Peru!

This month, our customer blog comes from Barbara Marks and her daughter who travelled to Peru earlier this year:



"My daughter and I have just returned from our Classic Peru adventure and felt compelled to write to a blog to say what a wonderful time we have had. Every time we thought we had reached the pinnacle of a Peruvian experience it seemed there was another around the corner, and we were greatly inspired by the warmth and ingenuity of the Peruvian people we met.

I first heard of The Adventure Company at the 2008 Adventure Travel Show where I met your then consultant Matt Brimble. A lengthy discussion with him suggested that I might not be too aged/decrepit to tackle the Inca trail (!) and convinced me that the way that the Adventure Travel Company organise the trek is superior to that by other companies - this indeed proved to be the case. Having made my booking, we kept in touch and he was able to answer all my subsequent queries.



From the moment we landed at Lima and met our Tour Leader, Marco Ayalalanda, we were impressed with the level of organisation encountered. At our first briefing he provided detailed notes to which we referred throughout the holiday, and subsequently always kept us well-informed of each day’s activities. Despite three national strikes during our time in Peru (which resulted in blocked roads and cancelled trains), Marco made every effort to keep to the planned itinerary and timetable. When this wasn’t possible, the group was so cohesive under his leadership (we even called ourselves Team Marco when tackling the trail), and identified so well with his sense of humour, that it was never a problem. He went to so much trouble to see to our needs as travellers whether financial, cultural or culinary, that we cannot commend him highly enough. He is very proud of his country and its heritage and we learnt a lot through our conversations with him.

In addition, when my daughter Hannah fell ill with altitude sickness, Marco very swiftly called a doctor and looked after her whilst I went condor-watching with the rest of the group and the local guide Nancy. He even made personal transport arrangements for Hannah to join us later in the day, and was subsequently very solicitous about her health and strength. All in all, we thought Marco a brilliant leader, and we hope that other of your clients will be able to benefit from his experience, his caring nature, his sense of fun and his delight in seeking out the best culinary experiences whether in the local market in Arequipa (where he persuaded stallholders to let us taste local produce) or in restaurants. We will all remember his exhortations not to eat the lettuce! Our only disappointment was that he was not allowed (by the company) to accompany us on the trek – Team Marco without Marco lacked something!



Having said that, we would also like to praise the guides who did accompany us on the trek. Ed (Edwin) was good fun and deeply knowledgeable about the trail, its history and flora and fauna. He quickly assessed our level of fitness and set a very appropriate pace, in addition to being a great motivator. Just one of many highlights was having an impromptu astronomy lesson at our second campsite. His assistant Armando was an exceptionally patient back-marker with an equally good sense of humour. I have particular reason to sing their praises having collapsed whilst ascending to Dead Woman’s Pass. They revived me with oxygen and encouraged and supported me to complete the trail, for which I shall be forever grateful.



Our guide Maria for the Lake Titicaca area was also delightful. She conversed easily with the islanders and greatly enhanced our visits with her local knowledge. I would say that our homestay on Amantani Island was a highlight for many of our group. We enjoyed the contact with ‘real’ Peruvians and appreciated the little touches such as fresh flowers in our bedroom and the after dinner party with music and dancing – followed by more star-gazing. My daughter and I are hoping to keep in touch with our host family via Marco and Maria.



My other most memorable experiences were walking through the Sun Gate at Machu Picchu at the end of the trek, thus realising a 40-year old dream, and being on the dunes at Huacachina at sunset – another little extra organised by Marco.





I feel the need to also pass on my most embarrassing moment! An hour or so into the first section of the trail, I was horrified to discover that the sole of my right boot had come adrift from the upper, followed seconds later by the left. They were old boots, but with excellent tread still, and comfortable trusty old friends (up to that point).




One of our group (a postman) produced an elastic band and Armando some sellotape with which he strapped the flapping soles to the uppers. At the first checkpoint I was able to retrieve some duct tape from my rucksack (which was in the bus taking Marco back to Cusco - we had stupidly decided that morning that it wouldn’t be necessary to take it with us on the trek…) and miraculously we managed to buy some super glue in the tiny village shop. When we arrived at the campsite, Armando sat in his tent and glued the boots in the incipient dusk. Fortunately, at the last moment I had thrown my trainers into the porter’s duffel bag, so was able to wear these that evening. The best news was delivered by Ed at supper that night – one of the porters was a cobbler and had promised to try to repair my boots the following day. What were the chances of that? The upshot was that my boots were delivered back to me the next evening, with new toe caps and meticulously stitched together. Instead of ditching them, I wore them for the rest of the trail and have brought them home hoping to wear them for many more years to come!





Having not been on a group holiday before, we were uncertain what to expect, but our experience has been so positive that we will definitely book with your company again when we decide on a similar adventure (though never again at such altitude!) and shall encourage our friends to do likewise.





With many thanks for my best holiday ever,
Barbara"

Here are Barbara's top tips for the Inca Trail:

"My top tips for the Inca trail trek



•Take, or hire, the warmest sleeping bag possible (even with a bag with comfort zone down to -5oC and wearing everything we possessed we still felt very cold)

•Take, or hire, a thermarest mat (for the same reason – although the quality of the mats provided by the porters exceeded expectations)

•Take drybags (I took Exped bags) to prevent clothes getting wet from overnight condensation

•Take walking poles (all except one of our group either took one or hired one – my daughter and I, and both our guides, each had two, which was even better when struggling with altitude)

•Take insect repellent (there were lots of horseflies on day 3) and a ‘Click’ anti-irritant device (obtainable from Itchy Feet – mine was much used by the rest of the group) in case the repellent doesn’t work.

•Take a metal water bottle – if you’re really lucky the porters will fill it with hot water so you can tuck it into your sleeping bag!

•Check that your boots are trail-worthy!

•Take duct tape and/or gaffer tape or even super glue (you never know…)

•Pack trainers in your duffel bag so that your feet can relax when you arrive at camp (you might even want to include a sachet or two of foot soak to add to the hot water the porters bring to your tent)

•Keep your camera battery in your sleeping bag at night to keep it warm

•Take plenty of dollars to tip the porters – they do a fantastic job

•Take a clean change of clothes for the day after you arrive at Machu Picchu (we were holed up at Aguas Calientes for 2 nights due to a strike)





Are you interested in visiting Peru and completing the Inca Trail in 2009 or 2010? The Adventure Company can help. They have nine Peru holidays on offer, many of which include the Inca Trail.

Thanks for reading,
The Adventure Company

The Adventure Company: Couple on a Serengeti safari!

This month our blog comes from Kirsty Allen who enjoyed writing her previous blog so much, she's decided to write another! Kirsty and her boyfriend went on The Adventure Company's Serengeti Explorer tour. She shares the diary she kept whilst in the wild and lets us know how they got on...

"Friday 22nd September
Going on Safari – can’t believe it! Its something we’ve always wanted to do, and really hope to see the big five! Elephant, Lion, Leopard, Rhino and Buffalo. We’ve decided to go with the Adventure Company and go camping – hope everything goes to plan! Catch our train to Euston from Crewe at 2.35pm, and arrive in London at 4.45pm. Catch a train to terminal 3 (Heathrow); check in our bags and away we go! Everywhere we walk we keep spotting ‘The Adventure Company’ Labels on peoples rucksacks! Definitely a good sign! The plane leaves London at 10.30pm, heading for Addis Ababa.

Saturday 23rd September
Land in Addis Ababa at 8.00am. Ethiopia has a nice airport, with loads of different shops and unusual things for sale. Go to gate 5A, to catch our flight to Tanzania. The plane was parked on the runway, so we had to catch a bus over to the plane. On the plane I am sitting next to a guy also on holiday with the ‘Adventure Company’ he is going to climb Mt Kilimanjaro! Aarghh! The plane leaves Addis Ababa at 10.30am; next stop Kilimanjaro Airport, Tanzania. I can see the vast open spaces from the plane window, and can’t wait to get off the plane, and go outside. After we land we collect our bags and head for the exit. Go out to arrivals and we can see an ‘Adventure Company’ sign, our Driver is there waiting for us, his name is John. He is such a lovely guy so laid back and seems pretty excited that we are here! Meet 3 other people on our trip, a couple and a lady travelling alone. We all seem similar ages and start chatting straight away. John drove us for about an hour to ‘Tropical Trails’ office, a company the ‘Adventure Company’ are using for the trip.



The journey was amazing, everywhere is open land, and people are bustling everywhere, all the towns are really small, and most of the buildings are really run down, but everyone is buzzing! We see some lovely ladies carrying huge baskets on their heads. At ‘Tropical Trails’ we have a lovely cool drink in there, and a brief about the trip. We also paid our local payment. Once leaving there, John drove us the 5minute drive to the Karama Lodge in Arusha. This place is awesome! We are greeted with watermelon drinks and shown to the bar area – the view over to Kilimanjaro is amazing!



The bar is massive, and the lodge is full of wooden huts all staggered up the hillside, everything looks right in its place and we love it here. The views all over are amazing.





Two young girls carried our bags to our hut, whilst we looked around. John arranged to meet us the following morning. We have arranged to meet with the 3 others tonight at 7.30pm in the bar, where we are also supposed to meet 5 others who are also on this trip. Have a gorgeous shower in the room, it is a stone shower, the room feels like its outside – hope we don’t get any uninvited guests! We have a balcony where we can sit outside and relax.



Go down to the bar and meet 2 other guys on our trip, they have just climbed Kilimanjaro and are now on the Safari with us. We all sat and had a drink together, then went down to the restaurant for some food. The food was really nice. Meet up with the final people on our trip, a mother and son, and another guy who is travelling alone, they have also just climbed Kilimanjaro – we feel really lazy now!



Have a good laugh with everyone; they seem a really good group. Allen then suggests another drink in the bar, so that went down well. Request a wake up call for 6.30am, go to bed at 10.30pm. I am so excited about tomorrow, I am not going to sleep a wink!

Sunday 24th September
Wake up at 6.30am – we did have a visitor in the night, a really long lizard – he was weaving himself through the rushes in the roof – I tucked the mosquito net all around my bed just to make sure he didn’t come in for a sleep over! Go down for a lovely breakfast and meet up with everyone. John arrive at 8.00am, we leave at 8.30 in the jeep and go into Arusha.



The group has been split between two jeeps. Firstly we went back to ‘Tropical Trails’ to pick up our Cook, his name was Innocent. Once in Arusha, John took us to change some of our money into shillings, and we then stopped to pick up some water (and beer!). We then travelled for 80Km to pick up some charcoal for Innocent to cook. At this stop, we jumped out to stretch our legs; there was a small café and a few shops swarming with men, women and children all trying to sell us things. I bought two necklaces. Next stop was Twiga Camp site.


We all had to set up our dome tents, very funny! This site had a lovely bar, and kitchen area for Innocent to cook (Inno as he wanted to be called). We sat and had a cool drink, whilst Inno cooked a Spaghetti Bolognaise, with watermelon for after. The food was lovely, and the watermelon was like nothing I had tasted before –it was so juicy! We all sat round a long camp table – everyone is in high spirits! The other driver/guide is called Marrovet. John and Marrovet are always laughing, it’s infectious! Leave the campsite at 2.30pm and go to Lake Manyara visitor centre, and then into the National Park.





It is scorching! We have the roof down on the jeep, and we can all stand up! Feel like real explorers! The open spaces inside the park are absolutely amazing. The amount of animals we saw already was amazing too!







Monkeys, elephants, giraffes, zebra, pelican, storks, impala, and dik diks! It is fantastic! John’s knowledge on these animals is incredible, and he has the eyes of a hawk!





We left the park at 6.30pm and went back to camp. I grab the chance for a shower (cold!), as there will be no chance once we enter the Serengeti. Inno has made us another lovely meal, pumpkin soup, followed by fish, potatoes and vegetables; so far the cook is really very good! Sit and chat around another cool drink, and look at all our photos, a praying mantis comes to join us, he is huge! Go to bed at 11.30pm. Serengeti tomorrow!!!

Monday 25th September
Wake up at 6.00am, it feels hot already. Go for breakfast, sausage, egg and toast, yum – also try some Mango. Get ready to pack up camp, when the elastic snapped on the trailer and hit Inno in the eye! It swelled up really quickly! We are all really worried – my first aid kit comes out to the rescue.



On our way out, John drove Inno and us to the doctors, luckily he will be ok, but has a patch on his eye – bless him. He is still adamant he is coming with us! We then followed the road to meet Marrovet and the others in the next village. We stop to take some photos of Lake Manyara National park from above. By now its about 10am, and really starting to warm up.



Next we drove to the Nnorongogo Crater Conservation Area, it was an amazing site, 16x18Km, created by the collapse of a huge volcano. There is an Alkaline Lake at the bottom which looks like it is steaming, but it is just dust! It is a fantastic sight! Marrovet and John took some group photos of us here!



We then drove to the Oldupai Gorge for lunch at about 1.30pm. This is a vast canyon created by volcanic eruptions and the movement of plates over millions of years. The build up of ash has created many levels of preservation of fossils and animals! Remains have been found dating back almost 2 million years. The most interesting are the remains of a 1.75million year old skeleton, nicknamed the Nutcracker man because of his huge skull and jaws – a set of footprints have also been rescued - is this the missing link?!



Walk around the very interesting museum and eat our lunch lovely; bread and chicken, an apple, little cakes, biscuits and crisps. We left here about 3.00pm; we are finally on our way to the Serengeti. The roads now are really bad and very dusty, and we can see nothing for miles. Just before we enter the Serengeti we stopped just at the entrance and walked a small nature trail up to a viewpoint where we could take photos of the Serengeti National Park. The view was phenomenal.



On entering the park a huge Ostrich in the distance comes out of nowhere and looks like it is running along side us! Then suddenly John stopped the jeep and points out a Cheetah! I can’t believe it, I have goose bumps, and I have no idea how John spotted it! We are really in the wild now, it is absolutely spine tingling.



On our way to camp we saw some hippos, they were huge and a purply colour in the sun, I love them, we also saw some Buffalo, they have a huge presence about them and were incredible to see.



We arrived at Tumbili camp at 6.00pm, its in the middle of nowhere, and isn’t really a proper camp as there are no barriers or fences, between us and the Serengeti – I absolutely love it! The camp is fairly busy so we are not alone, and the small kitchen area is full of cooks – Inno goes quickly to start making our tea.



The Sunset here is the best I have seen, and as it came down to meet the Serengeti plains, I would not of wished to be anywhere else - I can’t describe how wonderful it looked, but it was very special. It started to go dark at 7.00pm, so we all sit round our camp table by lamp light, eating popcorn. For tea Inno made leek and potatoe soup, beef stew with rice, followed by pineapple – all of which was gorgeous! He really is a brilliant cook. John and Marrovet give us a safety brief on tonight – if we have to pee we have to open out tents step 2 steps outside and then go there – absolutely no wandering off. Whilst we are eating our tea we can hear hyenas howling – incredible. Me and Al go to bed at 9.30pm and go through all our photos – we have taken loads. The sounds of the bush are constantly buzzing!

Tuesday 26th September
Wake up at 6.45am, have a lovely breakfast of eggs on toast, then leave Tumbili site at 8.20am and go off on a game Safari! See lots of Impalas and Thompson Gazelles, Warthogs and Tope’s. The baby warthogs are the cutest you’ve ever seen, they run round frantically with their tails in the air!



We saw some beautiful Lions and Lionesses, John called them the honeymooners as the Lion was after the Lioness, then they were lying down together side by side – I think the Lion was spooning her! What wonderful animals. Next we saw a group of Lionesses with their cubs, amazing.



We also saw a Lioness hunting some Impala, it was very exciting to watch and the atmosphere actually felt tense! The highlight of the day was seeing 13 elephants crossing the path in front of us, what a wonderful sight, a proper little family.





See lots of baboons, jackals – very ugly creatures, and a waterbuck.

We went back to camp at 1.30pm to have lunch – chicken, vegetables, potatoes and lots of fresh fruit – lovely. Do some more first aid on Inno’s eye too. Sit and chat in the shade until 3.30pm, as it is too hot to go out in the jeep. At 3.30pm we drove for an hour further into the Serengeti and went to see a Hippo pool, not before passing lots of elephants, giraffes and even another cheetah on the way! At the Hippo pool there were tens of Hippo’s! They are all amazing.





You have to hold your nose whilst you are there – I’m surprised the whole pool isn’t solid the amount of poo they are all doing! It was absolutely brilliant to see so many in one spot. They kept standing up and then sinking back down, and if you were lucky you could see one huge hippo that had a little tiny hippo sitting on her back, and every time she stood up, he was standing there covered in mud! The Hippos shared their home with a couple of huge crocs – amazing.





Head back to camp at 6.00pm, see some hyenas and zebra on the way back, and also another gorgeous sunset.



The scenery and landscape here is second to none, and no picture will ever live up to it.



Get back at 7.00pm, it is pitch black! Inno has made cucumber soup, vegetable stew and spaghetti for tea, with lots of pineapple for afters – lovely. How Inno does it in the dark with one eye, I don’t know! Sit and chat by torchlights to the others in the group, discussing all our future holiday plans – what a brilliant day!

Wednesday 27th September
Wake up at 6.00am, really hot and suffering from sunburn. Have a drink and a biscuit then leave camp at 7.15am to go on an early game drive. It is very quiet at this time, and everyone is out searching for a Leopard.



After lots of driving, John spots one! We see it! He is lovely; he is asleep at the top of a huge tree, (with his mornings Kill) – what a fantastic thing to see!



qGo back to camp at 11.00 for brunch. Inno has made sausages, hash browns, pancakes and beans, and lots of watermelon for afters. We then have to pack up our tents after 2 nights here and leave at 1.00pm. On the way back we went to the Serengeti visitor centre for a look round and an ice cream, we are now back in the Nnorongoro Conservation Area.





We then went to visit a Massai Village – it was fab! An amazing experience and lots of fun. The Massai men and women sing to us to welcome us to their village, we join in on a dance with them – great fun!





One of Massai men gave us a tour and took us into one of their houses; he said he had killed 2 Lions! Wander round the village and visit the kindergarten class – all the kids are very cute, and an older child was leading the class.





Buy a bracelet and a warrior’s ceremonial dance pole, and take lot of photos. Leave the village at 4.00pm and travel to our next campsite – on the way we get a puncture! Arrive at Simba campsite, right on the edge of the Nnorongoro Crater! Wow!



Set up all our tents, and then go for a very cold shower. Sit down for tea in an undercover hut – it is very cold here, actually need to put on our fleeces! Inno made vegetable soup, pasta and meat stew – lovely. Half the group went to bed, and the rest of us stayed up to talk to John about the trip so far. Go to bed at 10.00pm – absolutely freezing!

Thursday 28th September
Wake up at 6.00am, it is very cold! Breakfast is at 6.30am; we have eggs and toast, and lots of cups of tea! Head to Nnorongoro Crater – what a view, its fabulous! John and Marrovet are always telling us things about the animals and landscape – they know everything! John knows lots of facts about the Crater and said he is going to test us today! Eek!



Travelling down into the Crater, you feel like you’re in another world hidden down below, home to all these amazing animals, and see their way of life – herds of Zebra and Wildebeest are moving across the crater, it was fabulous to see, and 4 huge lions were hunting the Zebras and the Wildebeest!







We then went to see a Hippo pool, it was in a gorgeous setting, and they were all lazing around in the sun, including a lovely lion! He was stretched out rolling on his back!







The Crater was full of animals, all going about their daily business, it was beautiful to see. We saw some Hyenas, Ostriches, Warthogs, and elephants, and a pride of Lions. In the distance we even saw 2 Black Rhinos – we felt very privileged to catch a glimpse of them. A Lion came and sat right next to our jeep so we couldn’t drive off – absolutely amazing!



The Crater is a real gem, the rolling green and yellow landscape is spectacular – you could stay here forever. There was a lovely alkaline lake in the centre of the crater, where there were flocks of pink Flamingos – brilliant!





Eventually we have to say goodbye and go back to camp. At 2.00pm we had some lunch – rice and chicken, and then we packed up our tents ready to leave. Drive for about an hour to Karatu campsite, arrive at about 4.00pm. It’s a great campsite, where we had our tents put up for us, whilst we sat and had a drink – it was marvellous. There was a lovely little bar – and they were playing music!

A few of us went for a lovely shower, and chilled out on the grass. A graduation ceremony is happening and there are loads of young peoples singing and dancing. At 8.00pm Inno called us for tea, he had made mashed potatoes and a stew – lovely! We all stayed up until 1.00pm laughing and talking, even Inno came to join us.

Friday 29th September
Wake up at 6.45am, and go for breakfast at 7.30am. Inno has made pancakes! Pack up our tents ready to move on – it has started to rain. Leave Karatu and head for Tarangire. Stop at a market on the way so that Inno can pick up some more food for us.



We stopped at another market that was selling African gifts. We bought a lovely carved wooden fruit bowl, and a wooden chess set – all the pieces carved out perfectly. We also bought a tinga tanga painting for home! Arrive at Tarangire at 12.00 - it’s sweltering! Set up our tents, whilst Inno prepares lunch – tuna salad, vegetable stew and spaghetti – followed by bananas!



Go out on a game drive at 2.30pm – it rain on and off all afternoon, but we still had a great time. The landscape here is a lot greener and absolutely beautiful, I love elephants, and John said this is the place to see them. He was right – I have never seen so many in one place, and they are huge!



I am amazed at the amount of baby elephants as well – especially when they start to run to keep up with the rest of the group – their little ears flapping around and their tiny tooty trunks – adorable! We see so many animals here – Giraffes, Zebra, Wildebeest, Mongoose, and storks, Waterbucks, Eagles, Vultures, Warthogs and Buffalo – it was great!











Go back to camp at 6.00pm – it is still raining. Inno has tea all ready for us when we get back – he has made some traditional African dishes for us to try! Marrovet went to get beer for everyone and some Fanta for the girls – bless him.

It was pitch black by 7.00pm, so after tea, Inno built a campfire for us to sit around! A proper campfire in the middle of nowhere, it is so exciting! All 12 of us sat around laughing g and joking, it is the best night! John and Marrovet are lovely and say that they hope we have really enjoyed the trip as much as they have. Go to bed at 10.30pm, I am so sad its our last night! I can hear Hyenas howling in the distance!

Saturday 30th September
Wake up at 6.00am – have our last breakfast together – it’s a shame we were swarmed by wasps! It rained loads in the night, so everyone is a bit damp, and the tents are soaked.



Before we set off this morning we all got together to say a big thank you to John, Marrovet and Inno, and to give them a tip from all of us, it was lovely. Pack up and leave Tarangire at about 8.30am – it is so sad.

On the way back to Arusha, John stopped at a shop on the roadside in Arusha, where they sell Tanzanite – it is beautiful! We haven’t bought any credit cards with us – probably for the best though! Leave there about 10.30pm and head to a small airport in Arusha. Drop off one of the ladies at the airport, as she is going on the Zanzibar extension. We all hug each other; it is so sad, feel like we are losing good friends, as we all got on so brilliantly. John then took us back to ‘Tropical Trails’, where we had a drink, and a chat, then onward to the Karama Lodge. Give John a huge hug – he has made this trip so brilliant, and is one of the nicest guys I have ever met.

We all sat in the lounge and ordered some sandwiches, soaking up the last of the atmosphere before we leave. A bus came to pick us up at 3.00pm to take us back to Kilimanjaro airport. Our flight back to Addis Ababa is at 6.30pm, sleep for most of it, as we are so shattered! Arrive there at 9.15pm, have a wander round and try to eat some food with the meal vouchers they gave us – not as lovely as Innocents cooking!



Our flight back to London leaves at 2.00am. On the plane we all sleep on and off till we land at 9.40am. Say our goodbyes and head off home. We have swapped email addresses with everyone so we can swap photos and stay in touch. This holiday has been a really gem, and I have really enjoyed myself."

Kirsty and Alan went on The Adventure Company's Serengeti Explorer trip.

For more information about our Serengeti Explorer tour or to find out about the other tours The Adventure Company have departing for Tanzania, please do visit our website.

Have you been on an Adventure Company trip? Or maybe you are waiting to leave, thinking of booking, or simply want to meet other travellers? Why not sign up for our new community area, where you can share tips, upload photos, write blogs and meet other travellers who could be on your trip!

Thanks for reading,
The Adventure Company
"Adventure is our middle name"

The Adventure Company: Into the depths of Africa!

This week, James Ingham shares his travel diary with us following the time he spent on our Delta to Victoria Falls trip to Botswana

"I was lucky enough to have just done part of the Delta to Victoria trip (trip code BS); spending two days in the Delta and two days in Moremi National Park and there are two over riding & life changing aspects I took out from the experience, which I’d like to share.

One, coming from the UK, being in environment dominated by the animal kingdom truly turned my world upside down. We live in such a populated island, the only wildlife we see on a regular basis are birds – well the last few days certainly turned that on it’s head…everything had a place and purpose, the whole environment was the result of thousands of years evolution; perfectly symbiotic. The Okavango Delta is large enough for natural migration patterns which not many other places can provide nowadays. Secondly, no mobile reception, TV, laptops, news, or worries of work – this is one of the most tranquil and serene holidays I have ever had it really showed me how little we need to live happily.

So, here are the highlights

Day One
We flew into Maun, described by one of the travellers as the frontier town for the Delta, and it certainly had that feel to it; it’s where most people start We explored the High Street and then enjoyed a 45minute evening flight over the Delta, spotting herds of elephants and zebras, but crucially, we got a sense of the scale of the wilderness; it’s a staggering 16000sqkm!





Days Two & Three
After a short drive in the Land Cruiser we entered the Delta’s designated wildlife area, once we passed the massive buffalo fence which splits the wilderness from the grazing land we were instantly hit by wildlife – a great introduction. Within two minutes there were baboons crossing the road, followed 30 seconds later by hippos relaxing in a waterhole. The 45 minute off-road drive continued to the polling station to meet our guides was and in that time we saw ostriches, giraffes, Tsebes and many birds.



Then it was into the Mokorros for a unique bush experience; being punted through the reeds, enjoying the sun and witty rapport. We arrived at our campsite, which some pollers had set up before out arrival. The wild campsites deserve a mention, the pollers put up and took done most parts, but when we were in Moremi we helped the guides, putting up tents and washing up, leaving them to manage the fire and the cooking, but help was always appreciated and every was willing to chip in. The outdoor showers and toilets were are really unique experience – particularly the shower in Moremi - I found myself lathering up looking out over a herd of elephants and a pod of hippos, definitely one of my best showers…



Here in the Delta, the mokorro pollers took us on walking safaris in the early morning and evening, which were very memorable for me – seeing these guides use their tracking knowledge to uncover herds of elephants, zebras, impala and giraffes – the whole experience was so natural it was breathtaking – nothing but bush land between us and the animals just 50 metres away and I, or they, never felt threatened. The most memorable experience here was taking a mokorro trip to see a hippo pool in the early evening – it was fascinating watching their interaction between themselves and us, all against a beautiful tropical sunset.



Days Four & Five
From here we got back in the Land Cruiser and drove up to Moremi with our local Botswanan guide, Pass. Moremi is known for being rich in wildlife – typifying Botswana’s policy of a low volume of visitors but at a higher price and this certainly added to the experience.





It was as game drive should be seen, on most the morning or evening drives we would see just 2- 4 other vehicles in 2-3 hours; a far cry from my initial perception of one leopard lying in the sun and eight trucks around it. For this Botswana is special, you really feel immersed in the wildness. No more so than at night, when you are around the campfire chatting and you hear hippos grunting the background, hyenas calling out and elephants trumpeting. In the reserve you’re not allowed to get out of the truck so our two guides are busy pointing out the game, there were so many amazing birds and animals, but the real highlight was watching a stampede of elephants come across the bush towards our truck. I’ll never forget this, lucky because my images of it were not so great...

This is an abridged summary of my few days in Botswana. I had a great time and I’m happy to talk to anyone about it. It far surpassed my initial expectations and I have come back with better feel for what life is all about. I learnt so much about the animal kingdom, got a real sense of purpose and I can not thank my guides enough- just great, super, amazing, awesome… "

James went on our Delta to Victoria Falls trip, but we also offer five other tours to Botswana. Visit our website to find out more.

Thanks for reading,
The Adventure Company

The Adventure Company: Reaching Everest Base Camp!

On our Facebook recently, we've have lots of enquiries from fans and past customers who are curious as to what its like to reach Everest Base Camp and what they should expect.

We've never been one to leave our customers in the dark, and with the help of Jo Murphy, her extensive travel diary is our blog of the week.

Here's hoping this clears up any queries with you all, but as always ask us by leaving a comment or sending an email if you wish to know anything more!

"Everest Base camp Trek 27th March 2009

Prep
After 6 months of waiting, my dream was about to begin… but first I had to squeeze 19 days worth of clothes into one teeny weeny rucksack…. Ok maybe not teeny weeny, but 15kg is not a lot for a girl!, I find it quite an achievement that I mamnaged to pack just one pair of shoes, - and even those were slippers…. Amazing!





Day 1
After a long day of travelling, scoffing haribo, and getting to know my fellow adventurures, we finally arrive in Kathmandu. Straight away we are hit by the hustle and bustle, a complete culture shock to anybody who has never experienced a completely different way of life. The sheer amount of people in the streets, the smells, the colours. One thing I can clearly remember from out first introduction to Kathmandu, is the local police shutting off a whole street because a cow decided it fancied a nap in the road!

After a “scenic” journey through Kathmandu, we arrived at out hotel, the Tibet hotel, really nice place. We had a bit of an exploration, ventured down to Thamel, saw all the rickshaws, hundreds of shops selling everything you need for the trek, - wished I had listened to previous travellers now! Would have saved a lot of money!

Early evening went back to the hotel, met all the rest of out group, had a meeting, short introduction into what we would be doing, then off for tea! – or as Paul would call it “dinner” , differences between the north/south divide amongst the English crowd quickly became apparent!

After a lovely dinner, myself, Nicky, Hayley and Laura, decided to use our short time in Kathmandu wisely, and explore the place, unfortunately, we stumbled into a Nepalese “dance” bar, were we were treated to an hour of erm… “exotic” and slightly weird dance show! But we wouldn’t have had it any other way, was a fantastic night trying out the famous Everest beer, and getting to know each other!

Day 2: Exploring Kathmandu
So Raj, our guide, had informed us to be up and ready to go at 9am, in order to get around all the places we needed to see. Myself and Hayley, didn’t get off to the best start, as we only woke up at 9.20am, to banging on the door!! Oops!
Nevertheless, we got on our way to our first stop, Swayambunath Stupa, aka – monkey temple. We spent about an hour looking around, visiting prayer wheels, watching the locals praying, and generally just taking in the sights, and you guessed it, watching the Columbus monkeys, roaming freely around the temple.



Second stop was Durbur Square, which immediately you feel like you have walked into China, the buildings and statues stand apart from the surrounding areas. All you can see are brightly dressed local holy men, dressed in orange robes, tip – don’t take their photo without asking, as they tend to chase you for money!



Also look out for the rather “interesting” wood sculptures carved around the rafters of the buildings – lets just say the Nepalese are a bit on the kinky side!



After stopping for lunch, we went to our third and final destination, which to be honest was a bit of a shocker. We went to Pashupatinath, an ancient temple complex resting on the edge of the Baghmati river. The stretch of river is devoted to hindu cremations, and when we arrived, there were several taking place.

We were literlly sitting 50 feet on the other side of the river watching these rituals taking place. I found it a very surreal expericne, several bodies were buring, and one was led on the floor wrapped in orange cloth waiting for the ceremony. I felt slightly strange for witnessing something that I felt should be a private ceremony. Yet this was a hindu ceremony, and it was so interesting to witness it first hand.



Day 3: “Scenic flight to Lukla”
Scenic is word word to describe it alright!, I can also think of several others – nerve racking, gut wrentching, vom inducing, to name but a few, though not to put you off, this is one experience you will take with you for life, flying in an 18 seater toy plane 14,000 feet up over the himilayas is just amazing. Apparently our flight was considered “very successful” why was that Raj? – because we didn’t crash?





After 40 minutes, and a slight scary moment, we finally landed at Lukla airport, I use airport in the loosest term!.



We started our trek…3 hours trekking. Lukla (2840m) - Phakding (2610m)

Immediately, you feel at one with nature, you’ve been dumped in the middle of the mountains, and its just the most amazing feeling of freedom, now you really feel like your trekking to Everest Base Camp.



We arrived at Phakding shortly before 3pm, and settled into our first night experiencing teahouses. It was surprisingly nice. Much better than I was expecting, basically just a shed, - complete with flushing loo! – felt like I'd won the lottery!



First night sampling the local food which we were to be accustomed with for the next 12 nights, first of many many garlic soups for Paul, Fried egg and chips for Laura, Pizza for james, Mo Mo’s for Tanja, and most other people, Veggie fried noodles, veggie friend rice, or veggie noodle soup!

Day 4: 7 hours trekking Phakding (2610m) - Namche Bazar (3430m)

So after a relatively comfy night in Phakding, and my first sampling of lemon and honey tea, (yum yum!!) we set off for the famous namche Bazaar. Over the course of several hours, we were to steadily climb 800 metres. The majority of the trek today was at a slight gradient, or what Raj would refer to as “nepali flat”, that term, we would later discover, was just Raj’s way of getting our lazy backsides up a hill!

After crossing the last of 5 highly suspended bridges over the famous “Milk River”, we started out steep ascent up to Namche. This part of the trek was strenuous. But so scenic, we were walking through beautiful forests and amongst snowcapped mountains, which more than made up for the hard work.



Finally arriving at Namche Bazaar, the clouds had come down and everybody was feeling a little tired. Some had a small kip before tea, others went exploring.



That night a few of our team, Myself. Laura, Louise, Dale, Anne, and Prakash stayed up playing cards games, we had such a laugh, brought it home how little you actually need to keep you happy, just a few cards, and a hot chocolate. Was a great night.


Day 5: Acclimatising Namche (3430m) - Syangboche (3720m) – Namche (3430m)

So after a surprisnlgly good nights sleep, managed to sneak into the hot shower at 6am!, then me and gary went for a walk around namche, One thing that’s great about waking up so early, are the views, after arriving the previous day in cloud, we had no idea of the scene that met us when we woke up. Namche being nestled in a horseshoe, seems protected 360 degrees by the most stunning scenery. Waking up this early you get to see the sunrise which just gives the best start to the day!

Today was our first acclimatiasation day and we were to climb 350 metres up namche Hill, we got to visit the namche museum, and also had our first view of everest. Was an amazing feeling to be stood so far away looking at where we were aiming. This would be the first and last time we would see everest until kala patthar. The mountain looked so beautiful and peaceful, a total contrast to the book several of the team were reading simultaneously – Jon Krakauer’s "Into Thin Air!”. It made me realize just how dangerous something so beautiful can actually be.



From here we continued up to our acclimatization point, after a climb of roughly 90 minutes, we stayed at the top for an hour or so, relaxing, taking in the views and slowly getting panda eyes!






Day 6: 6 hours trekking. Namche Bazar (3430m) - Tengboche (3860m)

Today the trek started off with a small climb, during the course of the day we were to drop 600 metres into the forest, then climb up 1030 metres to Tengboche, again following the milk river. After lunch we had a 3 hour steep climb, this was tough, especially now as the lack of oxygen had started to become apparent. But we were given plenty of rest stops, however those were quickly followed with lots of “jam jams”





For the best part of the day the weather was amazing, though the higher we went and the later in the day, the temparture semmed to drop dramatically. We eventually arrived at tengboche and immediately saw Tengboche monastry. A beautiful colourful building standing onto of the mountain. We had a venure round before tea, which was well deserved after the strenuous climb today, - although sneakily, Gary, Paul, James and David had already filled their tummies at the tengboche bakery!, - without telling any of the girlies! Very naughty!



Day 7: 5 hours trekking. Tengboche (3860m) - Dingboche (4410m)

The day started with an easy descent of 75 metres, - but as we had come to learn, for every down, theres an up, just around the corner, and usually 10 times as big! Today I had started to suffer with the headaches, I felt particualry sick and dizzy, Raj our guide was brilliant, he monitered several of us, as we came down with slight signs of altitude sickness. He gave us advice and kept checking on us. I found it particvualry frustrating, as I had trained for a few months beforehand, and I felt my body was failing me. Today was a struggle.

After lunch, I found the day got quite difficult, I felt really bad, and was unfortunately reduced to tears because of the headaches. After a bit of comfort talk from my fantastic team, I got the strength to carry on. Prakash, another of our guides kept me chatting for the last leg of the trek, which worked wonders in keeping my mind off the pain.

We eventually arrived at Dingboche, nestled in a valley, the accommodation was really comfortable. After a bit of a rest, id begun to feel better and Laura and I went for a wonder.



Day 8: Acclimatizing Dingboche (4410m) - Nangkar Tshang (4840m) - Dingboche (4410m)
So today we had another acclimatization day, It was pretty tough, about 2 hours of steep climbing. The lack of oxygen was certainly taking hold now, and I was struggling to catch my breath. I think most people in the group found it difficult, but nevertheless we made it. We stopped at the top for about 45 minutes and the most amzing time, we were sitting ontop of the clouds,, every so often they would clear briefly for about 20 seconds to reveal the most amazing view, then dissapear again.



Day 9: 5 hours trekking. Route: Dingboche (4410m) - Lobuche (4910m)
Today we set off from Dingboche and walked a “nepali” flat for about 2 hours, the scenery was amazing, the weather blazing hot, everybody seemed in high spirits.





Raj had told us the night before that if the altitude was going to affect us, it would happen after lunch, After a 90 minute trek up a very very steep mountain. When we reached the top, we came to a memorial site for all the mountaineers who have lost their lives on everest. It was such a peaceful place. We stayed here, reading the placques and taking in the views for around half an hour. Raj was right, this was the point when I got the most horrendous headache ive ever experienced. This is the day I finally had to take my diamox.



From here we had a 2 hour flat trek to Lobouche. A few of us were suffering by now with headaches and dizziness, but we still made it. That night, most of us were too tired to stay up and most were in bed by 8pm. We had a big day in the morning, - base camp!.



Day 10 : 8.5 hours trekking. Route: Lobuche (4910) - Base Camp (5365m) - Gorak Shep (5140m)
Today I woke up in a strange mood, very nervous, scared, and very emotional. I couldn’t touch breakfast, similar to a good few others in the group, - except of course Paul and Dave!

We set off at 5am, and had a 3 hour trek to Gorak Shep. The first part of the day was tough, Nicola was really suffering due to the altitude, and several of the group had pulled right back and were taking it slow today. The temperature was freezing. Although spirits were down, after an hour or so when we saw the sun rise over the mountains, we started to come round.



8 am and we had finally reached gorak Shep, Most people byt this point were totally exhausted, but with base camp less than 3 hours away, we all seemed to find a little bit of spare energy to spur on. We forced down a bit of breakfast and carried on.



The trek to base camp was really nice and peaceful, difficult with lots of ups and downs. The group seemed to go quiet, and we all got our heads down, taking in the beautiful scenery and looking out towards the khumba ice fell. The sun was shining and base camp was approaching.



It was approcimately 1.45pm when we reached base camp.





Tired, exhausted, emotional, but successful, a few of us had a cry, we had finally reached our destination, several of us endured a lot of pain and exhaustion, but we got here. I didn’t quite know what to expect, before I came to Nepal, people had told me basecamp was a “dump” and full of litter. But it wasn’t at all. We stayed here for around an hour, taking photos, just spending time alone, taking in the views, watching Dale with his hedgehogs he had carried all the way up, celebrating with a tube of Pringles at 17,600 feet, ( pic 31) and toasting with champagne… ok forget the champagne…more like mineral water, but hey!





We finally left basecamp and headed back to Gorak shep, good timing, as half an hour in, the clouds came down and the snow started falling….

Day 11: 9.5 hours trekking. Gorak Shep (5140m) - Kala Pathar (5550) - Orsho (4130m) (or as I like to call it – hell!)

So today, we had two options, we could attempt kala patthar at 18,192 feet, or we could start our descent down to Orsho. Over night however, the skies above everest had decided to dump a few feet of snow on our doorstep. We were told from the beginning that not all of us would have the strength to attampet kala patthar, as it was a tough 2 hour climb at freezing temperatures, made even worse by the snow. Nevertheless 11 out of our 14 set off at 5am to attempt the mountain. I managed to climb for an hour and a half before finally giving up, I got to see the sunrise over everest, manage one quick photograph looking distionctively in pain, be hand fed a snickers bar by one of our guides. Then, I quickly get off the mountain. In a flood of tears due to pain and dissapointment, I sat having my fingers and toes thawed out in Gorak Shep by 4 sherpas. Ive never felt pain like that in my life!.



It was another hour or so until we discovered who had made Kala Pathar. Paul, David, Gary, James, Dale, Anne, Louise. They came back with a couple of war wounds. Dale had received a massive gash on his leg after falling on a rock, Gary had dislocated his shoulder, and been made to walk half an hour before having it popped back in! but all in all the heroes all made it back in one piece, - their photos looked amazing.



We eventually all caught up with each other in a massive snow storm, followed by blazing sunshine, most of us owe our attractive panda eyes to this day!

Day 12: 6 hours trekking. Orsho (4130m) - Namche Bazar (3430m)
Back down to namche, and all the girls could think about was a hot shower, and the boys a cold beer! Typical! We celebrated later on in the night by visiting the local nightclub with our guides. Was a brilliant night!



Day 13: 3.25 hours trekking. Namche Bazar (3430m) - Phakding (2610m)
In the words of James, this was the day that the “pathetic testosterone driven kids” – aka – boys!!! decided to literally run 700 metres downhill to phakding and try to beat Prakash.

The girls were in stitches watching the boys try and race each other, we held back taking in the scenery for what will probably be the last time for many of us.

When we arrived at Phakding we were greeted by the next group heading up to base camp, it brought back memories from the first night of our trek, we were swapping stories and giving advice.

Meanwhile Nicola and myself were scaring the sherpas by unplaiting my braids id worn for ease for the last 3 weeks. The look on their faces was hilarious as they were watching all my hair end up in a pile on the table. It was soooo nice to finally be able to scratch my head! And feel like a girl! Haha





Day 14: 3 hours trekking. Phakding (2610m) - Lukla (2840m)

The last day of our trek, I think most of our group, except the boys, decided to take this one slowly, it was the last time we would see the mountains so close, the weather was amazing, the views simply stunning and the walk so relaxing. I think all of us at some point got a little emotional that our trek was finally coming to an end.

That night we stayed in Lukla, - what a memorable night!, - we had a meal altogether with our guides and sherpas, then partied sherpa style. Then wondered down to the local bar for cocktail happy hour! I think a few of our group forgot what awaited us the following morning…..yeti airlines! and probably drank a wee too much than they should have…. Brilliant!



Day 15: Lukla (2840m) – Kathmandu

Today was our final day in mountains, it was emotional, we had to say goodbye to our guides, Iswur, Chhewang, Nara and prakash, and our sherpas. Then hopped on yeti airline for our “scenic flight to kathmandu” – I think you already know what comes next so I wont go into detail!

Few hours later and we are back in the smog, a whole day ahead of us to explore the hustle and bustle of Kathamdu. That night Raj took us out to a well known restaurant in Thamel, - Rum Doodles, we had a brilliant meal, and at the end we got given a foot to sign…. this is when team jam jam was born…. Out foot now hangs proudly from the ceiling displaying “team jam jam – the toast of everest base camp” on one side, and something else which I wont tell you on the other! So if you see it in the future take a pic for us so we know its still there!



Day 16 : Kathmandu

Another free day to shop and explore… and sunbath and swim… yep, a few of our group had found a little haven across from our hotel, 7 stories up we were pampering ourselves in the sauna and stemroom of the Radison hotel. Just what the doctor ordered!

Day 17: Homeward Bound
Today was another emotional day, most of the group were traveling back to heathrow together, but we had to say goodbye to Tanya and Gary beforehand which was sad.



My experience…..
Everest Base Camp was something id wanted to do for a long time, but I kept putting it off, until one day about a year ago I just went for it. For 4 months beforehand I'd trained and researched about my trip. The time flew by and before I knew it I was sat on a plane with my fellow adventurers. For me this trip was the start of a new chapter in my life. It truly was a voyage of self discovery, I went through hard times and painful times, days when I was so happy I didn’t want them to end and days when I felt so sick I didn’t want to carry on, above all absoutley fantastic times.

I was so lucky to be with the most amazing group who truly made it for me, as a solo traveller I was worried about the people I would be with, in case I didn’t get on with them, but thankfully, through the wonders of The Adventure Company Facebook several of us had had contact for a good few months, - something which I strongly advise any grioup doing this trek. We already had a bond before we even arrived at Heathrow.

14 people from totally different backgrounds, different ages and different countires, all brought together by one mountain, we all had something in common, this was something that we all felt passionate for. I wil have memories from this trek for the rest of my life, and hopefully friends too. This is just the start of my adventures, and already, myself and Nicky are booked onto another trip with the Adventure Company. If our next trip is only half as good as Everest base camp, then it will be fantastic.

So thankyou to the adventure company, to Raj our guide, all our other guides and sherpas, and our team jam jam, Marjorie Davey, Anne and Dale Foden, Tanja Heijnemans, Paul Hopkins, Laura James, Gary Jordan, Louise Marsden, Clare Morton, Nicola Moss, James Richardson, Hayley Rose and David Vu, for truly the best experience of my life."

We're sure you agree- an absolutely fantastic account of a great trip. Find out more about Everest Base Camp by visiting The Adventure Company website.

Thanks kindly to Jo for taking the time and effort spent in sending us her experience, and thank YOU for reading!

The Adventure Company

The Adventure Company: Pair in Peru!

Ever wondered what it is like to take on an adventure with your dearly beloved? Kirsty and her partner Allen recently went to Peru and completed The Inca Trail. She's kindly submitted her travel diary for us to browse through:



"Friday 24th August
Check in with Iberia airlines at 5.00am and pop into Wetherspoons for a fry up, something we probably won’t get on the Inca trail. The flight from Heathrow left at 9.00am and we are now on our way to Madrid. Arrive in Madrid at 12.00noon, and then run ‘Home Alone’ style to catch our 12.40 flight to Lima. This flight is for 10 3/4 hours but with thoughts of the Inca Trail in our mind we just doze off for the majority of the flight – I love it when that happens.

Arrive in Lima, collect our luggage and meet our guide Nela – she is lovely, along with a guy who is also booked on this trip with us. Nela drove the 1 hour trip to Miraflores in Lima – I instantly felt excited for the trip ahead as the roads were manic and there were people and cars everywhere – such a buzz, she said 8 million people live in Lima – wow. Arrive at our hotel ‘Leon de Oro’ at 7.30pm. It is a lovely hotel, and our room is massive – it has 2 double beds! We then meet the other guy on our trip and go for a wander round Lima and get some food from a lovely little place called ‘Chefs Café’. The streets are so lively and the atmosphere is great! Go to bed at 10.00pm – absolutely shattered!

Saturday 25th August
Wake up at 6.30am and have a lovely hot shower. Wander down for breakfast and meet the other two people also on the same trip, a father and daughter – already feels like we are making new friends. Nela then came to collect us to take us to Lima airport for our domestic flight to Cusco. The flight left at 10.40, and is 1hr long. The mountain views from the plane are fantastic. Arrive at Cusco airport, some Peruvians are playing music in the entrance – this gave us a great welcome. As soon as you step outside you are surrounded by Mountains, its so refreshing. We are at about 11,000ft, so far I feel great.

We then meet our guide Leo, he’s a lovely guy and makes us all feel at ease. He then drove us the 15min drive to Cusco. The streets of Cusco are even busier than Lima, and the whole place is colourful, and there is such fantastic lively atmosphere. Arrive at our hotel ‘Hotel Suenos del Inka’ It is on a small cobbled street, up some small steps. It is wonderful. The hotel is lovely with wooden carved stairs and stone floors. Check in and have some Cocoa tea – not crazy about that, but give it ago, its meant to be good for altitude. Leo welcomes us to Cusco and gave us a small brief of what will happen today and tomorrow. We have the most amazing view from our room, the window is the full length of the room and you feel like you can see the whole of Cusco lay out before you.



Meet up with everyone and Leo at 2pm, and drive to Sacsayhuaman – believed to be an Inca temple. The site was incredible and the large rocks fit together so perfectly.



The temperature is rising – it is so hot now. Next we visited Qengo, a temple of the Incas, where they made offerings to mother earth, and Tambomachay. This is a natural spring, which the Inca’s built around using magnificent stones.



Next we went to Puka Pukara, believed to be a military base, again wonderful remains of Inca craftsmanship. Leo is so knowledgeable about Cusco and the Inca’s, and so passionate about it.



We then travelled back to Cusco, and visited the Cathedral. It was amazing and huge! The detail and craftsmanship is outstanding and the amount of gold and silver used I have never known before. We then visited a monastery.



Leo showed us some great examples of Inca’s precise geometry used when carving rocks at exact angles. He also showed us some original Inca walls, which were only found after an earthquake, they were perfect, as they had been covered with Lime, hidden by the Spanish. Had such a great day here, Cusco Square is very lively and has a fountain in the middle, with everything situated perfectly around it.



Back at the hotel Leo talked to us about the Inca Trail and gave us our duffel bags, which the porters will carry for us on the trail. In the evening we all met up to go out for something to eat, at a small restaurant called ‘Mythology’.

Sunday 26th August
Wake up with a headache, but slept great, go down for some breakfast – the food was lovely. Meet up with the others – they all look a bit grey, but it doesn’t cloud our excitement. This morning Leo came to brief us some more on the Inca trail, then we organised our duffel bags. We all met up at 9.45 and took a walk to the main square, it is really busy and they are having a parade.



There are processions of Military, schools and bands. They are all playing and marching and singing – it was great, they have such a great spirit and the atmosphere was brilliant.

We all went to shelter from the heat and had a lovely cool drink in a café sitting on a balcony overlooking the square. This morning we all changed some currency and found a little chemist to buy some altitude tablets and re-hydration salts – better to be safe than sorry. We all then went to an Italian ‘Tratoria Adriano’, where we had lunch and had a toast to the Inca Trail – fingers crossed we can all make it. Go back to the hotel, where we check our GPS we are now at 11,300 ft – wow.



At 2pm Leo take us to Cusco market, it was thriving with locals, selling everything and anything – fruit, vegetables, flowers, clothes, spices, bread – you really felt like you’d pinched a bit of local life. Everyone was bustling around it really was lovely.

Leo then took us for a walk of some local sites. We all got into 2 taxis and set off, travelling back past Sacsayhuaman, we visited a shop selling Alpaca clothes and rugs. A lady explained how they are made and the difference between the types of clothes produced. We saw a 100% Alpaca rug that would cost around $1900!! We then walked back to Cusco with great views of the town, and saw some houses built into the mountainside and children running around – what a way of life.



We walked back to the main square, where we paid Leo the local payment and arranged to meet tomorrow morning at the hotel for 6.30am. We all went back to the hotel and weighed our duffel bags. Mine was only 4.6kg, which is great as you are only allowed to take 7kg on the trail.



We all met up in the evening and went to a great place called ‘Macondo’ – a really funky place, all lit up with paintings everywhere and great music. Have such a great laugh, and the food was gorgeous! We went back to the hotel at 9.00pm.

Monday 27th August
Wake up at 5.00am – Yuk! Have a lovely shower then go down for breakfast at 6.00am, can hardly eat as feel quite nervous this morning. Leo came to collect us at 6.30am. Travel to Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley. There are beautiful terraces and buildings here, what a view. It is a traditional Inca village, and Leo said from afar the village landscape is in the shape of a Llama. There is also a giant Inca head sculpted into the mountainside.





As a group we all walk around, doing some up hill walking makes me feel out of breath, which quite surprised me. Pacing myself on the trail is going to be vital. Leave there and travel for 30mins to Chilca – the start of the Inca trail. Allen gets some supplies…..



Start the trail at 10.30am. The first part of the trek was a very comfortable walk; we walked past forests and through a lot of vegetation. The sun was shining, though there was some cloud cover. We followed the Umbamba River. The paths were quite narrow so we were a bit follow my leader, but it gave us plenty of time to take in our surroundings.



We arrive at the first checkpoint KM 82 Piscacucho at 12.15. We are officially on the trail! The walk had been gentle and the views fantastic, so we were all in high spirits. Leo also points out all kinds of plants and trees. We all eat our lunch at this checkpoint and have our passports stamped, we are at about 9,000ft. We left the checkpoint via a swing bridge, some parts of the trail now were quite tough, but the views made up for it.



We reached the Inca ruins of Qanabamba, a small site of houses and terraces; it is so amazing to see them in the middle of nowhere! We carry on following the Umbamba River.



We see a few houses on the trail where locals are living today and some little goats - they are very inquisitive, standing on top of the rocks sussing us all out. The Umbamba River has cut a mouth in the mountainside and we follow it up and down, some parts are fairly steep.





Leo took us past some amazing Inca ruins Patallaqta, they were built in the side of the mountain in a perfect position for the sun.



Finally we arrived at our first campsite in the Sacred Valley at 3.10pm, everything is set up for us, and the porters bring us each a bowl of hot water at our tents. The campsite is in the middle of the mountains and has a stream running through it.



We all meet in the food tent at 4.30pm for ‘Happy Hour’ as Leo calls it, here we discuss the day, and talk about tomorrow, we all eat bread and jam, crisps and crackers round hot drinks – this is wonderful. We then went for a walk round the site – and found the ‘Poop tent’ – hooray! The camp site was next to a little ‘village’ there were a few houses, a small farm and some children playing with a ball, lots of animals were roaming around, we had a chat to the local children and walked back to the camp site.



Tea was at 6.30pm and we were amazed at what they made. We had spinach soup, followed by chicken and mashed potatoes, with a crème caramel dessert – all very good. After we sat and talked to Leo about tomorrow, Leo said the walk will be a bit tougher and the altitude will start to rise more rapidly. We all went to bed at 8.00pm, it has been a great day and we all feel really positive. The sky is so clear and you can see every star, all you can hear is the running water in the background.

Tuesday 28th August
Wake up at 5.30am, we slept ok, but were a bit cold in the night. It is great to wake up in the Sacred Valley surrounded by mountains. This morning there are ducks, chickens, a dog and a cow in the campsite!! Breakfast is at 6.30am – bacon and vegetables – very nice. Leo introduced all the porters to us this morning, the youngest is 25yrs and the eldest is 58yrs, they are remarkable. One porter is called the ‘rabbit’, and he runs ahead to get a good camp spot for tonight. We start the walk at 7.15am, a moderate 1.5 hr walk to the second checkpoint. The vegetation is really green and colourful and there are little bridges along the trail, small houses and donkeys wandering around carrying loads for their owners.



I got in the way of a running donkey, and went flying! – didn’t get hurt and the group found it very funny, apart from Leo – I was fine though.

Once we reached the second checkpoint we took a break and waited for the porters to pass us, it’s amazing how they carry all our stuff on their backs and head! Leave Wayllabamba checkpoint and walk until 10.45am where we stop for lunch. The walk is getting a steeper climb and we feel a little breathless. The porters were brilliant; they walk faster, carry heavy bags and managed to prepare a lovely lunch just sitting waiting for us to arrive.



Our lunch was pasta, chicken, carrots, broccoli, and beans – all very yummy. We had a cup of tea then left the campsite at 12.20pm.

The walk then started to get quite tough, my legs felt quit heavy and breathing was more difficult. We are now above 11,000ft. Allen my partner is really good at keeping me moving as I keep stopping to catch my breath. The views are amazing; we are climbing through tress up large steps, with a running stream down one side of us. There are lovely trees and flowers everywhere, Leo knew the names of everything, I just wished I’d written them down.



We arrive at camp at 1.40pm; we are now according to our GPS at 12,300ft. The porters are busily setting up camp, so we relax in our tents. Wayllabamba is the last human habitation on the trail. Allen and I decide to take our first altitude tablets, as our heads feel a bit squiffy. At 3.30pm Leo took us for a walk around, we are surrounded by mountains, and some are snow capped.



At 4.30pm we sit down and Leo talk to us about tomorrow, it sounds tough we will be starting at 5.30 and doing about 8 hrs of walking depending on pace. A lady and her son wandered up to camp selling water, this will be the last time we can buy some water until we finish the trail.



We all sat around chatting until tea at 6.00pm. Again the food was lovely and we were astonished at how they can cook this, we had Asparagus Soup, followed by rice, beef and vegetables, then for dessert it was apple with blackcurrant sauce. After tea Leo pointed out some of the star constellations. Go to bed at 7.15pm, it is pitch black and very cold, we got into our sleeping bags with our thermals on, and our hats! – Definitely make sure you buy a 3-season sleeping bag!

Wednesday 29th August
Wake up at 4.30am – it is freezing. Pack up our bags, and have a cup of tea and some bread and jam. The porters brought us some hot water to wash our faces, I’ve never been so happy to see someone at 4.30am! Leave the site at 5.45am, and with our head torches switched on we set off, I feel nervous about today as it will be the toughest day and we reach the highest altitude. We have been lucky so far, apart from a minor headache and some slight dizziness we have all felt really good. We start our ascent up the path to reach Dead Woman’s Pass (Abra Warmiwanuska). The path is made up of large stone steps, but they are relentless, the cloud is quite low, so you can’t see very much, but you can see the top of the pass and realise you are walking up through a valley. You feel an incredibly small dot in comparison to the landscape. The porters practically run past us!



We finally reach Dead Woman’s Pass and according to the GPS we are at 13,886ft, it is 7.00am! This was tough, but feel great and no headaches! Feel a bit of a relief as if this is the highest altitude and I feel pretty well I can stop worrying about the rest of the trail. After a group photos where we all look like white ghosts, we start to descend down a very steep path, the cloud is still low, but you can see bushes and flowers all around us, at 8.15am we stop for breakfast.



We have cereal, eggy bread and porridge – lovely. This place is mossy city and it is raining now, but it doesn’t dampen our spirits and we leave at 9.00am for the second pass - Runkuracay Pass, which is about 13,200ft. This was also a tough, steep descent, the paths are all stones, but you need to tread carefully.



We have seen some lovely Inca ruins this morning. We saw Runkuraqay, a religious Inca building, which Leo said was important because of its shape; it was round stone building, built like the sun.

We also visited Sayaqmarka, an inaccessible Inca town/military base discovered by Hiram Bingham whilst on his trek where he discovered Machu Picchu. The views would have been amazing but the cloud was still very low. After lunch we walked the rest of our walk through Cloud Forest, Peru’s rainforest. The forest was very dense and bursting with flowers, lots of orchids and exotic plants and trees – Leo knew all of their names.



We stopped for dinner at 1.00pm; it is very cloudy and has been raining on/off all morning. For dinner we have chicken curry, rice, and potatoes. We finally reached our camp at 3.00pm at Phuyupatamarka – ‘Town above the clouds’. We got quite wet on this section of the walk as it was raining and the humidity was high.



Have a good chat and laugh about the day then go to bed at 7.45pm. We are so excited about reaching Machu Picchu tomorrow.

Thursday 30th August
Wake up at 5.30am to a cup of tea – and its freezing!!! The cloud is still quite low but we can see the snow-capped mountains. I am feeling so excited. Have pancakes for breakfast, then we all tip the porters, we also gave some of the extra socks and t-shirts we had brought, we said a big thank you and hoped they realised how wonderful they had been, and how they really made the trip a lot easier and comfortable for us. We started walking at 7.00am, still in Cloud Forest, still in the rain, but now we start to go down 2000 Inca steps! Now this does test your walking boots!



Go past the ruins of Phuyupatmarka – amazing stone buildings.



Arrive at Intipata just before lunch, take loads of photos here, the terraces here are amazing, and because the cloud is low – they are quite eerie, and look like they are floating.



At 9.15 we arrive at Winaywayna. The terraces here were the best we have seen, brilliant rows of terraces, stone baths and houses, with lovely water springs, 19 in total. The sun finally came out and the site was amazing.



It is split into an upper and lower part, you felt like this was an Inca resting place before they reached the grandeur of Machu Picchu. Spend some time here and have lunch in the camp building. Again the food was lovely, tomato soup, then pasta, potatoes and tuna.



Leave Winaywayna at 11.15am and start our walk to the Sun gate (Intipunku) it is really hot now, and the cloud is clearing up. The trail is at its loveliest, all the trees and bushes are green, and the flowers are gorgeous, and there are so many different types of Orchids. There are also butterflies everywhere.





Finally reach the Sun gate at 1.00pm, climb the steps on my hands. We are all nervous and excited, it is very emotional. Leo who is already at the top is cheering us on, then…. We see it! I start to cry, I’m so happy that we are here, and every second of it was worth it for one glimpse at Machu Picchu. It is fantastic and everything I thought it would be, it really does look magical perched in between all the mountains like a jewel.





After we have taken the first site of Machu Picchu in we start our descent to the lost city, the view gets more amazing the closer you get.



We went past a sacred rock and burial ground, Leo said that Hiram Bingham found 128bodies here on his first visit. Finally our feet touch down – we are here!



There are a lot of day visitors, but I feel we are more deserving of it as we have spent 4 days getting there, and after seeing all the Inca ruins on the way feel a more personal connection to Machu Picchu. We spend a hour or so walking round some of the main pathways and sites, but Leo plans to bring us back here tomorrow morning very early to appreciate Machu Picchu without the crowds.



We have our passports stamped at the gate, we have officially arrived – I love it! We take the bus down the mountain to the village where we are staying tonight – Aguas Calientes. Arrive at our hotel at 2.30pm and have a lovely shower, and finally relax. Meet Leo at 4.30pm and he take us for a walk around the village. We went to a small information centre, all about Machu Picchu, he is so passionate about it – bless him. We then went to a large market, it was lovely, and we bought lots of little souvenirs and had a good look around.



We then went to an Italian place on the main street, the food was lovely and they had big ovens for cooking. This place is brilliant and the atmosphere is fantastic. After we’d eaten Leo left us to go to bed so we stayed out to explore a bit further. We found a lovely bar called ‘Big Brother’ where there were 2 Peruvian bands playing – we had such a great time in here, we had our first drinks here to celebrate the trail! At 10.00pm the heavens opened as we ran back to the hotel, what a great day, one I will never forget.

Friday 31st August
Wake up at 5.15am, get an early breakfast and catch the 6.00am bus up to Machu Picchu, arrive at 6.45am – it is so quiet as there is hardly anyone up here. Leo gave us a tour around the Lost City, and explained the importance of the sun, moon and constellations to the Inca’s. He is fascinated by Machu Picchu and it rubs off on everyone. It is amazing; no photo I take will ever match how magical it is here.





Leo left us at 9.45am to explore on our own. Here the group split up as some wanted to explore and others wanted to sit quietly and contemplate Machu Picchu. We went to explore, I wanted to see everything! We saw the temple or the Sun and Moon, the temple of the Condor, and the Royal tomb, we walked up and down the terraces and visited the storage houses. The Inca’s also made use of water all over the site by creating springs around it and channelling it all over Machu Picchu.



We found large cut rocks used as compasses and sundials, and large rocks used as looking glasses, which were believed to hold water and show the constellations up above. We found various different fountains across the whole site, and marvelled at the Quarry and the huge rocks that the Incas used to cut/ move, I have no idea how. The work and craftsmanship is tremendous and leaves you just in awe of the whole place.



The temperature is rising, it is so hot here, after 3 hours we decide to go outside and see if we can find anyone else from the group. We meet up with the others, and then catch the bus back down. A small boy chased us down the zigzag path by cutting across the road and then waving at us! At the bottom we then took the 25minute walk back down to the village, visiting the Inca/ Machu Picchu Museum and botanical gardens – very interesting.



We met up with Leo, and then all went for dinner in the square. The food was lovely, Guinea Pig was on the menu, but none of us were brave enough. We all then had another wander round and visited another market, and also had an ice cream. At 4.30pm we met Leo and walked to the train station to catch the 5.00pm Peru Rail backpackers train, for the 3hr 15mins journey back to Cusco.





The train was very slow, but the views were really nice and we saw parts of the trail and KM 82 our first checkpoint. We got off the train one stop before Cusco, as Leo said the journey was 15minutes by Taxi, but another 1hr 15mins by train. We arrived back at the same hotel as before, quickly got changed and then walked to the ‘Fallen Angel’ restaurant, which we had previously booked. We had a table booked for 9.30pm, it was a really trendy place, and the food and atmosphere was great. We had asked Leo, and his wife and daughter to come with us, to show our appreciation for everything he had done for us, we tipped Leo and took lots of group photos, he really made the whole holiday brilliant. We all feel really proud of ourselves, and have some fantastic memories. Have a lovely night out, a great ending to the perfect holiday! We left the ‘Fallen Angel’ at 12.00am, aargh! We are up at 4.30am! Back to the hotel for a good night sleep.



Saturday 1st September
Wake up at 4.30am, have a quick shower, and breakfast. Leo arrived at 5.30am to take us to Cusco airport for our flight back to Lima. One of the guys in our group was staying for the Puno extension, but he came with us to the airport to say goodbye. Arrive at the airport and check in our bags, our flight is at 7.15am. Give everyone a hug, Leo said he is no longer our guide but our friend, that was lovely and nearly bought a tear to my eye. The hour flight from Cusco to Lima was quite sad. Nela came to collect us from the airport and took us back to the same hotel in Lima as before. We left our bags in the hotel and went to get some lunch and have a wander round Lima. Do a bit more shopping and walk down to the sea front. It is quite developed here with lots of shops and cafes. We found a star bucks and went for a hot chocolate. We found some more markets and had a look round. We then went back to the hotel at 4.30pm, and Nela came to collect us at 4.45pm. Give everyone a big hug, and promise to keep in touch. Our 10hr flight to Madrid was good – we are so tired we slept through most of it. Arrive back in the UK and go to Victoria station to catch our bus back home. I feel really sad the holiday is over, but feel I am bringing something special back with me. We have had such a wonderful time, I will never ever forget it"

Kirsty and her partner Allen went on The Inca Trail. If you are considering a trip or tour of Peru, the Adventure Company has many tours which cater for families, groups and couples no matter what your age. Visit their website for more information

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The Adventure Company