ADVENTURE GRADING DEFINITION

ADVENTURE GRADING DEFINITION

IMPORTANT NOTE:

Our grading is a general guide taking from our experiences since 2006 for your easy understandings. They cannot be correct all the time due to the health of each individual never similar to any others. We provide real adventure travel but you do not need to be an athlete to join in our tours. For instance, we supported for an 80-years-old climber trekking to Mt. Fansipan successfully, an 120kg (265pounds) kayaker enjoying 2-days Halong kayaking trip or a group of bikers aging from 45 - 73 years old completely taking North Loop Vietnam trail down to their wheels; on the other hand, we had to refuse a couple of 60s due to issues in their medical report. None of our tours is impossible if we have thorough communication, proper preparation before going and monitoring physical & mental health during the adventure. We strongly recommend you should clear your conditions with our travel consultant to ensure your safety and enjoyment.

Basic Grade  
Basic Grading

Involves with the tour sometimes get into remote areas where on-site facilities are often basic and simple. Active, physical required activities are included such as hike, kayak or bike but within 1-2 hours per days in good track conditions. There are several relaxing intervals among active time. You may not need to be very fit but must have proper body warming-up. No special notices required. 
Suggested preparation: having exercise routines with moderately active lifestyle and positive attitude.
Who suits: Almost active travelers
Physical activity: 1-2 hours most days
Distances: walk less than 4 miles (or 6km) most days 
Surfaces: flat terrain
Elevation change: little to none
Altitude: less than 2,000 ft (about 600m)


ACCOMMODATION TYPES
You can expect your room at pretty good level of comfort. You are about to stay at a hotel room – mostly 3 star standard in main city and good guest houses in smaller city/town. Sometimes, you will stay in homestay but it is not typical. Your toilet in homestay is western, flushing style, shower with hot water mostly available.

SUPPORTING SERVICES
The Supporting includes but not limited to porter services, mechanic, supporting trucks and/or supporting boats. With this level of physical grade, those supporting services are often accessible but not essentially required. That is the reason why our tour quotes with Basic physical grading level are all not included those services to save you good amount of money.

Sample Adventures
Discover Beauty of North Vietnam | Mighty Mekong | Cambodia Discovery
 

Introductory Grade  
ActiveTravel Asia grading 2 level

Involves tours for up to 2-3 hours of active, physical-required activities per day at a slow but steady pace. Your track trails are predominately on good conditions and tracks and might include some easy pass crossings such as a mix of quiet paved roads, forestry tracks and easy double tracks. 
Your muscles are going to relatively tense sometimes, especially for adventurous newcomers however there are some relax intervals helping you back to the phase. You should have an average level of fitness. No special notices required.
* Suggested preparation: having good routines of exercises, active lifestyle with physical-related activities, 2-3 times per week.
Who suits:  Great for newcomers to active travel. 
Activity: 2-3 hours most days 
Distances: Hike average 5 miles (8km), cycle 10-20 miles (or 16 – 32km) most days 
Surfaces: flat or rolling terrain with some possible steeps 
Elevation change: up to 2,000 ft/day (about 600m)
Altitude: up to 4,000 ft (about 1200m)

ACCOMMODATION TYPES
Your rooms are often at 3 star hotels/guest house where standard hotels are not available with some interval nights at a homestay. In some tours, you will stay all nights at homestay that we believe to give better experience. The homestay is located in main villages, has good linen and beds, toilet with western style and shower with hot water.

SUPPORTING SERVICES
The Supporting includes but not limited to porter services, mechanic, supporting trucks and/or supporting boats. Those services sometimes are very helpful for first-time adventure travelers. We can supply upon your request. Biking tours and motor tours often are divided into two price options – Incl. mechanic and support truck and No mechanic and support truck.

Sample Adventures
Highlights of Myanmar | Biking Mai Chau & Ninh Binh | Trek Cuc Phuong National Park

Moderate Grade 
ActiveTravel Grading 3 star

Involves tours that active, physical-required activities can be up to 4 - 5 hours a day at a steady pace. The tour is going to involve a considerable amount of ascent or descent under different weather conditions. Support facilities may not be available on-site and there are some occasional difficult days. You will need a good level of fitness.
* Suggested preparation: 30 - 45 minutes of aerobic, physical exercise, 3-4 times per week for a few weeks leading up to your adventure are recommended.
Who suits: For outdoor novices and above.
Activity: 4-5 hours most days
Distances: Hike up to 8 miles (or 13km) most days, cycle 20-40 miles (or 32 – 68km) most days
Surfaces: rolling or mountainous terrain with some steep ascents/descents and uneven trails
Elevation change: up to 3,000 ft/day (about 900m)
Altitude: up to 8,000 ft (about 2500m)

ACCOMMODATION TYPES
Most of nights your stays will be at local, authentic homestay. We may manage some hotel stay at the first/last night of your trip to avoid culture crush. Your homestay is often located in remote area with hours walk from main town. Clean beds, mosquito net and warm blankets, pillow are provided. They have western style toilet, hot water running mostly from shower.

SUPPORTING SERVICES
The Supporting includes but not limited to porter services, mechanic, supporting trucks and/or supporting boats. Those services are available for requests in advance due to the area you are about to visit is rather far from the main town and the support may take time to arrive in time. Biking Tours and Motor biking tours often are divided into two price options – Incl. mechanic and support truck and No mechanic and support truck.

Sample Adventures
Kayaking Halong bay Vietnam | Motorcycling North West Vietnam | Kyaing Tong Myanmar Trek

Challenging Grade 
ActiveTravel Grading 4 stars

Involves in tours that have active, physical required activities up to 06 – 08 hours per days in remote area, under variable weather conditions or quick attitude changes. You are going to get into remote areas where the support facilities are not always available or facing to passes or river crossing. You should be in very good level of fitness. For those biking or motorcycling adventure, experienced riders with good driving skills may be required.
* Suggested preparation: 45 - 60 minutes of aerobic type exercises, 4-5 times per week for about 04 - 06 weeks before your adventure. Outdoor hill or stair walking is recommended. 
Who suits: Recommended for fit travelers
Activity: 6-8 hours most days
Distances: Hike up to 10 - 13 miles (or 16-22km), cycle 40 - 55 miles (or 65 – 88km) most days
Surfaces: mountainous, exposed terrain with steep ascents/descents and uneven trails
Elevation change: up to 4,000 ft/day (about 1200m)
Altitude: up to 12,000 ft. (about 3600m)

ACCOMMODATION TYPES
Most of your nights will be at local, authentic homestay or in camping sites. The homestay is authentic with good hygiene of beds and toilet that allows you to immerse in real local life. Prepare for culture crushes. Camping tent will be prepare with sleeping bags. The camping site is often in very remote place such as jungle or mountain. Sometimes, we manage the first or/and last night at the hotel for relax.

SUPPORTING SERVICES
The Supporting includes but not limited to porter services, mechanic, supporting trucks and/or supporting boats. We request those services are requested in advance in order to proper preparation. Otherwise, those services are inaccessible while we departed. Under this case, with Biking and Motor biking tours, we may require your previous experience for the option No mechanic & support truck. Porter services are often included in Hiking mountain tours.

Sample Adventures
Fansipan Climbing Tours | Hang En Cave Trekking | Mekong Delta and Cambodia Biking

 Strenuous Grade 
ActiveTravel Grading 5 stars

This is our highest grade of physical requirement. Activities are of a strenuous nature requiring a high level of fitness and a high degree of competency. We give this grade to the journeys that combine a high level of challenges or need special notices of physical, mental health. This kind of tour will provide a real sustained workout even for fit and experienced adventurers. A high level of fitness with previous experiences is essential. In special cases, we may request your most recent medical report.
* Suggested preparation: 1 - 1.5 hour of aerobic type exercise daily for 06-08 weeks before your adventure. Hill walking with a pack in variable weather conditions is also strongly recommended.
Who suits: Designed for very fit travelers with good routine of physical activities
Activity: 9-10 hours/day evern more
Distances: Hike 12 or more miles (22km+), cycle 55 or more miles (90km+) most days
Surfaces: remote, mountainous, exposed terrain with steep ascents/descents, uneven trails with loose features.
Elevation change: up to 4,000 ft/day (about 1200m+)
Altitude: may well exceed 12,000 ft (about 3600m+)
Previous experience evidence may be required
 

ACCOMMODATION TYPES
Most of your nights will be at local, authentic homestay or in camping sites. The homestay is authentic with good hygiene of beds and toilet that allows you to immerse in real local life. Prepare for culture crushes. Camping tent will be prepare with sleeping bags. The camping site is often in very remote place such as jungle or mountain. Sometimes, we manage the first or/and last night at the hotel for relax.

SUPPORTING SERVICES
The Supporting includes but not limited to porter services, mechanic, supporting trucks and/or supporting boats. There are supporting services compulsory for your own safety – such as in the tours of trek Fansipan, hiking Mt. Everest Base Camp. Your previous experience evidence with latest medical report may be required.

Sample Adventures
Mt. Everest Base Camp | Trekking Mt Fansipan and Hoang Lien Son Park | Putao (Myanmar) Adventure

 
 
 

ActiveTravel Trekking Mt. Fansifan

Kids Under 16 are not allow to climb Mt. Fansipan

Mt. Fansipan at 3143m with dense forest trails is not suitable for kids under 16 even going with their parents. All climbers must be escorted by local guide and porters. ActiveTravel Asia is sorry to refuse requests of climbing Mt. Fansipan without our tour guide/porters.
ActiveTravel Grading Motor

Previous experiences are required in some of our tours

Due to conditions in Indochina very much different to your home countries, we may ask for your previous experiences for some tours such as motorbiking or very hard biking challenges

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Responsible Travel

Being a responsible eco tour operator is at the heart of what ACTIVETRAVEL ASIA is all about. From the start, we have been committed to offering low-impact tours that benefit traveler and host alike. We work with local communities, businesses and individuals to develop sustainable tourism opportunities that help local economies while minimizing negative environmental and cultural impacts.
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