Fitness & Track Training

Getaway Trekking Pty Ltd

Preparing for a trek

Getaway Trekking is a stand alone company when it comes to developing the fitness and preparation of our trekkers. We are proud of the success rate of our trekkers and have never had a retirement from the track due to poor fitness from anyone who has adhered to our program!

Physical and mental preparation are by far the most important prerequisites for any kind of trekking activity. You do not have to be super fit to complete Everest Base Camp, Kokoda Trail Tour, or indeed any of our tours. The advantage of having suitable fitness levels lies in your ability to firstly complete the journey.

We offer a journey which begins with your decision to embark on one of our tours. The climax may be at the completion of the trek, but the relationships you build and the experiences you enjoy, will extend your journey for many years to come after you have hung up your trekking boots. Many of our trekkers continue to train when they return home. It becomes a lifestyle which enhances general health and well being.

Depending on your current level of fitness, you should consider dedicating 1-2 hours per day, three days per week to physical training to start with and increase it progressively. This should consist largely of trekking in a hilly environment with a pack loaded with a similar amount of weight to what you will be carrying on your expedition. As you get closer to your departure dates the regularity with which you train will increase.

If you are located in an area where hilly terrain is not accessible, such as a city, then this can be supplemented by regularly climbing the stairs of a tall building. This is a favoured method of training by a lot of trekkers.

By necessity, we assume that our clients have little knowledge of how to improve their fitness. If you are already participating in a training regime then the initial phase may not be appropriate and you can move directly into higher levels.

For our Melbourne, Adelaide and Cairns trekkers, we have schedules of weekend walks throughout the trekking season. Please check the trek training schedule and contact us to let us know which walks you’d like to attend.

Many Saturday mornings you will find Getaway Trekking Melbourne staff and leaders on both the Glasgow Road Firebreak and the 1000 Steps in Ferntree Gully. You are welcome to come along – please contact us to register your intention to come along.

We have developed a comprehensive training program that is available to all of our registered trekkers. This will be forwarded to you on receipt of your deposit.

In the meantime, if you have any questions regarding training please do not hesitate to contact one of our leaders at[email protected]

Equipment & knowledge:

There is more to preparing for your adventure than just fitness.

Preparation is also required in the areas of equipment and information. Poorly fitted boots will not contribute to a positive experience, any more than chafing shorts. We will talk with you about the benefits of buying v hiring, and just what you really need.

It is also very important that you know what you will be going into, so there are no unhappy surprises, particularly in the areas of accommodation, toilets and food. Equally important is preparation of what is acceptable in a cultural sense, so that relationships with carriers – and fellow trekkers – will be positive, ensuring your experience will be both rewarding and educational.

The expression ‘life changing experience’ may well be a cliché, however many people have returned to their homes and their families truly changed in their outlook to life. Perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised by this – most really significant growth experiences occur when we take ourselves well outside our comfort zone, only to wonder later…..’I never thought I could…….’

We’d love to help you with your preparation. The bottom line is – the better prepared you are, the more powerful your experience will be.