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Do I need to be fit to go on an Expedition?

No. So long as you are healthy and reasonably active, your fitness should not be an issue. It is far more important to be enthusiastic and to participate fully in the expedition.

 

The routes that we use through Asia and The Middle East are well established and have been used for many years. Problems in these countries are today very rare. However, there is always some degree of danger associated with overland travel and we do everything in our power to minimise these dangers. This includes constant communication with established contacts along all routes, frequent updates from the UK foreign office and other government, and information services, and quick and effective contact with our drivers.

 

As a general rule a three seasons, synthetic sleeping bag is ideal for the majority of our expeditions. They are hard wearing and sufficiently warm for most conditions and where extra warmth is required, blankets can be easily bought en-route. The best sleeping mats are either of the closed-cell foam type like Karimoor's Karimat, or the covered foam and self inflating type like those made by Therm-a-rest. Along with sleeping bags, try some out and see which you find most comfortable.

 

Yes. Wherever possible we will accommodate joining en-route. You may be planning to travel around a country through which we pass and wish to join one of our trucks for part of an expedition, or you may be unable to start on the published departure date, or be otherwise constrained by time. In any event it is likely we can sort something out for you, so please contact us and ask.

 

The majority of people on our expeditions are between 25 and 35 years of age, come by themselves, and the ratio of men to women is normally about 50/50. Obviously the make up of each expedition varies, and some may have more women than men or more younger passengers than older. There are plenty of exceptions to the above guidelines so don't think that you will be out of place if you are older or younger than the average. Variety in the type of passengers usually makes for the most successful expeditions.

 

Yes. When travelling in Muslim countries women should wear long loose fitting clothing. This is especially true when entering religious buildings like mosques, and applies equally to men in this case. Women should also consider wearing a headscarf to cover their hair. While travelling in Iran women are currently expected to wear a chador with headscarf, which is the local dress and fully covers all the necessary parts. You can find out more by reading our guide to muslim clothes.

 

You should budget around UK£5 to UK£10 per day, excluding site entrance fees (which are detailed on the expedition factsheets for each itinerary), and expensive purchases like carpets, gifts and souvenirs. Everyone has different spending tendencies and therefore if you know you tend to spend a lot, budget a little more. Another thing to bear in mind is that The Middle East tends to be a little more expensive than Asia; therefore if you are spending more time in The Middle East, set your budget higher.

 

This is difficult to say as it depends upon which route you are doing and at what time of the year. The best suggestion is to check our country guide pages, which give a brief overview of the weather in each of the countries we travel through. Remember that you will always be able to buy more clothes en route, generally very cheaply, if you have not brought enough with you. Dressing like the locals is all part of the fun.

 

We suggest that you bring a combination of cash and travellers' cheques. As a back up it is worth bringing a credit card (Visa is probably best) as they are generally accepted in most countries that we travel through. The best currency to take abroad is the US$ at it tends to fluctuate less than the UK£, is more widely accepted (exclusively in Iran) and gives better exchange rates. Certain visas can only be bought on the border and require a cash payment, usually US$. As an example for a London to Kathmandu (18 weeks) we would suggest taking 6XUK£10 notes (or a few UK£20s), 9XUS$20 notes, US$20 in smaller denominations and the rest in travellers' cheques. For an Istanbul to Cairo we would suggest taking 10XUK£10 notes (or a few UK£20s), 6XUS$20 notes, US$20 in smaller denominations and the rest in travellers' cheques. It is always better to have US$ than UK£.

 

In general, no, there are usually enough people on the truck that you can always find someone you get along with or avoid someone you don't get along with. The type of people attracted to this kind of travel usually realise that the smooth running and enjoyment of the expedition relies on everyone making an effort to work together and become a close group. Our expedition leaders are also very experienced in how to manage group dynamics and how to spot and avoid potential problems.