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Very challenging trekking holidays

A choice of challenging treks from specialist operators. For these trips we recommend previous experience of trekking, preferably at altitude. You will need to be fit, have very good stamina, and be confident that you can to trek for many days without a break. Further information on our walking classifications here

Very challenging trekking holidays
Snowman trek in Bhutan
The ultimate Bhutan trekking experience, from £4690 (27 days) ex flights
Kilimanjaro climb, Rongai route
Ascend Mt Kilimanjaro's Rongai Route, from £1399 - £2279 (10 days) inc UK flights
Everest Base Camp trek & Kala Patar
Savour brilliant, close-up views of Mt Everest, from £950 (18 days) ex flights
Annapurna circuit trekking holiday
One of the world's most spectacular treks, from £1012 (23 days) ex flights
Trekking with Sherpas  in the Everest region
Bespoke Trek in the foothills of the mightiest mountains., from £695 (7 days) ex flights
Patagonia trekking holiday
Trek on the Patagonia Ice Cap, a stunning expedition., from US $2020 (10 days) ex flights
Climb Aconcagua, Argentina
Climb the highest peak in South America, Aconcagua, from US $3600 (20 days) ex flights
Climbing Kilimanjaro, 7 days Machame Route
Climb Kilimanjaro and enjoy the scenery & wildlife of Tanzania, from US $1895 (7 days) ex flights
Ecuador trekking holiday, Cotopaxi and Chimborazo
Discover Ecuador's fantastic highlights on this group tour, from US $2405 (14 days) ex flights
Kokoda Track trekking holiday in Papua New Guinea
Join a challenging walk through WWII battlefields, from £1875 (13 days) ex flights
Annapurna Sanctuary trekking holidays
One of the very best alpine treks to Annapurna Base Camp, from £1699 - £2199 (16 days) inc UK flights
Kilimanjaro Machame route climb
Climb Kilimanjaro via the Machame route, from £1610 (7 days) ex flights
Self guided walking holidays in Scotland
Self guided walks on Scotland’s classic treks, from £240 (4 days) ex flights
Mont Blanc climbing holiday
The exhilaration of summiting an alpine peak, from £1450 (7 days) ex flights
Everest base camp trekking tour
Breathtaking mountain panorams of Everest, from £985 (16 days) ex flights
Karamea Track hiking trip in New Zealand
A classic NZ wilderness trek, from NZ $1495 (6 days) ex flights
Remote trekking holidays in Nepal
Explore and trek secluded areas of Nepal, from £1415 - £2125 (17 days) ex flights
Patagonia luxury trekking holiday, Patagonia in style
Luxury eco-trek through Paine and Fitzroy, Patagonia, from US $5256 (16 days) ex flights
Sikkim trekking holiday in India
Trek amongst majestic snow capped peaks, from US $1610 (14 days) ex flights
Matterhorn walking holiday in Switzerland
A tough trek in the Zermatt area of Switzerland, from £1266 - £1286 (8 days) inc UK flights
Trekking and community volunteering in Ladakh, India
Trekking through the Indian Himalayas, from £699 (13 days) ex flights
Trekking holidays in the Indian Himalayas
Walking & trekking tours in the Indian Himalayas, from £330 - £897 (5 days) ex flights
Hiking holidays in Scotland
Unique and dramatic views, from £326 - £578 (5 days) ex flights
Tailormade trekking in Annapurna region
Trek amongst diversity of Nepal, from £500 - £1500 (9 days) ex flights

80 reviews for Very challenging trekking holidays4 star overall rating

These full and frank independent Very challenging trekking holidays reviews are from travellers who have booked directly through responsibletravel.com. They are not edited by us or any of the companies we work with. Find the real story, from real travellers below.

Trekking with Sherpas  in the Everest region
Words don’t describe what an incredible experience it was for us... but we also had a guide and porter who loved to run like we did, and they had a great sense of adventure and fantastic sense of humor... so it was a blast.  (more)
From £695 excluding flights
Kilimanjaro climb, Rongai route
Most memorable will be reaching the summit of Kilimanjaro, not without the expert help from the guides, especially Dae. The team were fantastic, helpful, professional, considerate, and made everything as comfortable as possible, they were brilliant.  (more)
From £1399 - £2279 including UK flights
Annapurna Sanctuary trekking holidays
Excellent; an enlightening and refreshing experience... The overall experience of being surrounded by the mountain ranges was truly indescribable. (more)
From £1699 - £2199 including UK flights
Mont Blanc climbing holiday
I think the attempt to reach the summit of Mont Blanc and in spite not having made it due to bad weather conditions it was still nice to have been to the Dome de Gouter. Other moments were the stunning landscapes. (more)
From £1450 excluding flights
Climbing Kilimanjaro, 7 days Machame Route
The whole trip was wonderful. I was passionate about wanting to climb Mount Kilimanjaro and got 2 friends to agree and with the added incentive of raising money for a charity...Just do it! It is an experience and if you like trekking it is absolutely fantastic....would love to do it again. (more)
From US $1895 excluding flights
Annapurna circuit trekking holiday
The trekking was absolutely amazing! The views each day were breathtaking and the scenery changed by day - we went from lush green paddy fields to rocky morane and isolation to dessert - it was awesome. (more)
From £1012 excluding flights
Everest base camp trekking tour
Seeing and interacting with the people who live in the Everest/Himalaya region was the most memorable part. (more)
From £985 excluding flights
Chomolhari trekking holiday, Bhutan
The best experience was caused by a mistake. On one night of the trek we lost our horses & luggage! Our clean socks & toothbrush went one way & we went another. Our guide rescued the situation by arranging us to stay in a yak-herders hut. (more)
From £1840 excluding flights
Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, tailor made
The most memorable and exciting part of my holiday was Kilimanjaro - reaching the summit despite the cold! (more)
From £1130 excluding flights
Cordillera Huayhuash trekking holiday
The scenery was fantastic and some great days walking/climbing. The optional climb of Diablo Mudo towards the end was tougher than expected but very rewarding - don't miss it!  (more)
From US $2215 excluding flights
Tailormade trekking in Annapurna region
The jungle tour in Chitwan’s national park was fantastic. We enjoyed elephant rides through the jungle, came close to wild rhinoceros and crocodiles and learned about the local wild life, plants and culture. The accommodation was second to none. (more)
From £500 - £1500 excluding flights
Hiking holidays in Scotland
Everything that can be recycled or reused is, but yet at the same time this doesn’t effect the quality of the service offered and I feel this certainly adds to the whole experience and ambience of the lodge.  (more)
From £326 - £578 excluding flights
Shira route trek up Kilimanjaro
The most memorable part of the holiday was being on top of Kilimanjaro. It was so hard getting there but the beauty at the top made it worthwhile. I would give this holiday 4 stars. I had a brilliant time!  (more)
From £2098 - £2489 including UK flights
Simien Mountains trekking holiday, Ethiopia
Touring lake monasteries in Bahir Dar, Lalibela - especially the mule trek...I would definitely recommend visiting Ethiopia - a beautiful and friendly country and using this tour operator.  (more)
From £320 excluding flights
Remote trekking holidays in Nepal
The holiday was a good combination of trekking which was some times challenging and sometimes easier. It was a quiet route so not ruined by over crowding. The scenery was exceptional and weather was wonderful.  (more)
From £1415 - £2125 excluding flights

Holiday Reviews

We invite every traveller who books a holiday via us to send in a review. Because we don't run the holidays they're completely independent and unedited... remember to read between the lines though, as two people on the same holiday can have different views!

Read our review policy

Unedited reviews from other travellers

5 stars
I am reborn! Simply the best holiday I have ever been on
4 stars
Some great stories to tell the grandchildren. Would recommend to a friend
3 stars
Very enjoyable
2 stars
It was OK
1 star
A bit disappointing really

Walking holiday classifications

We organise our walking holidays by difficulty & the number of hours you walk each day to help you find the right walking holiday for your level of fitness.

Introductory walking
You do not need previous experience for these trips, but you do need to be in reasonably good health. If you enjoy walking, and will be able to walk for 4-5 hours per day then these trips will be for you. Although these trips are not at higher altitudes, and will have time for rest, remember that the walks will not be flat and that you'll enjoy them even more if you've built up a little stamina!
Moderate walking
If you have walked in the hills at home and are reasonably fit you will enjoy these trips, which will typically involve 5-8 hours walking per day. These trips might involve a day or two of harder and steeper walking, but generally walking conditions will be good.
Strenuous walking
Fitness is important for these trips, and you'll need to improve your stamina before you depart. You should expect to walk in mountainous terrain, usually at significantly higher altitudes than at home, for between 6 to 8 hours per day. You will either have trekked before, or be confident of your fitness.
Very challenging trekking
We recommend previous experience of trekking. You will need to be fit, have very good stamina, and be confident that you can to trek for many days without a break. You will be able to cope with difficult underfoot terrain such as scree, snow or difficult paths on steep mountainsides. Extremes of altitude and weather may also be encountered and walking days can be from 6 to 9 hours.
High altitude trekking
If you want to get away from it all and up into some of the highest and most spectacular mountain ranges in the world then here are some awesome treks for you! As you will be at altitude you will need to be in good health, and have good stamina and fitness for those uphill days. You should expect some long days, cold temperatures, high altitudes, and some tough terrain in simply spectacular scenery.
Climbing
A choice of climbing holidays from specialist operators. For these trips we recommend previous climbing experience, preferably at altitude or the confidence to learn as you go. You will need to be fit, have very good stamina, and be confident that you can climb in demanding conditions.
Wilderness trekking
We've selected these treks for you based on their remoteness and beauty. If you prefer to enjoy the solitude of the mountains away from too many other people then these treks are for you. You'll need a reasonable level of fitness and you will enjoy walking, but these trips are more about enjoying the surroundings than searching out really tough treks.
Walking safari
There is no better way of really experiencing wildife and wildlife habitats than getting out on foot to see and track game. Your safety will be paramount and you will be accompanied by expert guides. It might involve anything from a 3-4 hour walk from camp, to a mobile safari over several days moving from camp to camp. You'll will simply need to be able to walk for 3-4 hours.
Self guided walking
If you prefer to avoid groups and guides, or want create your own group, then a self guided walk is for you. No previous experience is needed.
Charity treks
Charity treks are ideal for people who don’t only want to travel responsibly, but also want to give that little bit extra and help contribute towards a favourite charity. All of our charity treks are either run by charities, or contribute a significant proportion of the cost of the holiday to a good cause.
Summer walking
Want to enjoy the fields, meadows and mountains in the summer sunshine? No previous experience required, just an enjoyment of walking and the outdoors.
Winter walking
Are you looking to get away during the winter months to enjoy an invigorating winter walk? No previous experience required, just an enjoyment of walking and the outdoors.
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