2-1 So, you want to go on a high altitude trek

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I congratulate you o­n this initiative. Trekking has a way of making us aware of the world at large that goes beyond our routine human lives.

Obviously, no o­ne can do every trek in the world, and there is no such thing as "the best trek". They all have their own special charm. The key is in figuring out which o­ne fulfills what you want from it.

Before you even begin hunting for itineraries, make a list of what you would like to experience. Good keys would be:

• Challenge: Is difficult/easy an issue for you? What do you think of your fitness levels? No point going o­n a trek o­nly to find out that its too much for you to cope with. Too easy can probably be handled happily by exploring the places you reach - in fact, a superb experience requires you to have energy enough to appreciate where you are o­nce you reach there. Unless your point is pushing your physical boundaries...... Take some time to think carefull about this o­ne.
• Region: Has your heart already fallen in love with some area? What is it about that area that appeals to you? Go for treks that fulfill that, whether in that area, or elsewhere. Its basically the 'feel' that has captured you. You will never overcome the "what if" if you don't fulfill this o­ne.
• Interests: Okay, you'll be walking, but what else about the place would you like to know? For example, culture and wildlife are obviously not found in o­ne location.
• How much is high enough: Some people say that "high altitude begins at 2000m. What they are actually trying to say is that high altitude sickness starts bothering susceptible people at that altitude. Part of that temptation is the danger element - the lure of extreme adventure. Others say that it isn't high unless you touch the snow line. Still others define their 'high' according to how high they have been until now. What does high mean to you?

These are just samples of things to consider - you will probably develop your own list.

Now that you have this list, its time to move to the next step - planning/booking your tour.
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