Frequently asked questions about hiking

We have had many participants with dogs, and most of the time it was cool. But at the same time, there are some definite problems and challenges. The dog can hurt himself, bite some of the participants, be mauled by local dogs (so the route should be away from populated areas). We must admit that the full responsibility for the dog and its actions lies with the owner, and if he (the owner) has to get out of the route because of the problems with the animal, we do not recalculate the cost.

Also, we have introduced obligatory conditions for the participation of dogs in the Kuluar groups:

• The owner and the dog must have experience in hiking. At least three hikes for both of them. If the dog has no experience, then there must be experience of long walks of 15-20 km.
• Full agreement of the group. If any of the participants would strongly object, we can't take the dog.
• First aid kit for the dog. Dressings and some dog medication are a must to bring.
• Dog papers and any necessary vaccinations.
• Separate tent. We don't rent tents for the participants with dogs (a wet dog can leave a smell, a dog can soak and tear a tent) and we won't put you with the other participants. But with a personal tent for you (or your friends, who wouldn't mind a wet dog getting in on them, either) we'd be happy to take you.

Thank you for your understanding. A dog on a hike is not only a cool photo and vivid emotions, but also a big responsibility!

The earlier you apply, the better. Remember that the application does not oblige you to go hiking. You want to go camping - apply at once, and then as it happens. Of course, it's better to make it work:). It's easier for us to orientate on the approximate number of participants, and we will not cancel this trip. Train or plane tickets are better to get in advance, especially on holidays.

We try to make your trekking as comfortable as possible for you and often include in the price all expenses on the route. But it happens that it is impossible to guess - in such cases we don't include. What is included in the price of the particular hike read in his description. There are routes with two costs: standard and optimal package. About each of them in detail on a page of the route. But even if you still have questions after reading this information, please feel free to ask our consultants.

There are many articles on our site devoted to gear. In these articles you can find answers to most of your questions and view lists of individual equipment for various hikes. Feel free to ask your instructor about equipment before you start your hike.
Over the years we have accumulated a lot of popular questions from you about equipment, clothing, route choice, preparation for the track and more. And tried to write about each of them in as much detail as possible.

It is difficult to answer unambiguously. For long hikes it is necessary to have both. The main criteria - hiking shoes must be strong, comfortable and must be well-worn, not to rub your feet. Benzers" or good "Salomons", old sneakers or brand-name "Nike" shoes are for you to decide. Of course, only crazy person will go to Kazbek in sneakers. But for spring, summer and autumn trekking in Turkey usual trekking shoes will do. If the route will be stony areas, it is better to wear boots. If you find it hard to decide, read our article about hiking shoes. We hope it will help you decide! Or write us, indicating in what hike and when you want to go, and we will help you with the choice of shoes and equipment.

If you have a good command of a musical instrument and you have no fear of the audience, take it by all means! If you can play guitar and sing, you will be popular and get attention. But warn your instructor before the trip, so that you won't suddenly find yourself with three guitars. You can take a vargan or harmonica and make a pleasant surprise for the whole group. Bulky musical instruments are not recommended. With a piano is not much of a walk on the mountain trails.

Of course, it depends on your physical condition and the route you choose. Usually the first two days seem to be the most difficult - the body is unfamiliar with new loads and needs to acclimatize. On the third day or so you will feel cramps. But it passes quickly and after another day you won't feel the rucksack on your shoulders. Your organism is completely absorbed and toned up, and the main part of food is eaten. Each route has different complexity, but even beginners can go on most of them. If you are too worried about your physical condition - consult us, we can help you choose the best route for you. It won't be out of place to train before the trip.

Our teamleader will be able to give you first aid, there is a first-aid kit in the group equipment. You will be given a pill, drops, ointment or painkillers, depending on the situation. If, God forbid, you will be seriously injured or seriously ill, together with an instructor you will leave the route and go to the nearest village, where there is a medical center or clinic. In severe cases (which were not) you can call a helicopter of the Ministry of Emergency Situations.

Most often, this question is of interest to girls. Hike - better than any fitness will tone your body and lift your figure. The menu we have a good and we eat a lot - because the body needs a lot more energy than at home. But by the end of the trip your legs will be more slender and your butt tight :)).

In the beginning and at the end of the route you'll be sure there will be some stores, but whether they will be there during the tour you can learn from the description of the hike on the website. On some routes it is possible to recharge the batteries, and on some it is not - take a spare. Communications in the mountains catch more often than not, and every year the coverage is improving. So soon the places where you will not be able to reach you may be almost no more.

In the clean water of mountain rivers or lakes you can bathe and wash. You can wash your head in the river or just pouring water from a dish, and if the water is very cold, you can heat it on the fire. Ten liters of hot water is enough to clean five people. You can brush your teeth near a spring or river. Modern tourists are very lucky: now on sale a lot of wet wipes, the use of which greatly simplifies the care of the body. But all the garbage we always take with us and leave a clean parking lot, so garbage bags for used tissues and other small trash will not be superfluous in your backpack.

The food is prepared by the duty officers under the keen guidance of the team leader, if necessary. The duties of those on duty include: fetching water, gathering firewood, building a fire, and hanging water pots to heat/boil. Pour something edible (grits, pasta, etc.) into the boiling water. Add seasoning, stir. Cook until cooked and then scatter the food on plates for all participants. After the meal you need to wash the cauldrons so that the next people on duty get clean ones. Usually the whole group helps out with the firewood. The person on duty is assigned by the team leader and changes every day. There are usually two of them. They can be two girlfriends or a couple, for example, or complete strangers meeting for the first time on a hike. Doing things together often allows you to make new friends for years to come)

Meals can vary slightly from hike to hike. For breakfast, it's usually sweet porridge with dried apricots, raisins, and condensed milk. Or porridge with stew. For lunch we have a snack of sandwiches and an assortment of dried fruit and nuts. For dinner we have pasta, rice, buckwheat, soup, and even real borscht. Often our team leaders try to surprise the participants of the expedition and cook their own specialties. It can be a soup, delicious pilaf, or even an impromptu cake to celebrate the birthday of someone in the group. After each meal tea is brewed. We'll eat chocolate, gingerbread, crackers, croutons, cookies, and waffles with tea and during rest periods. So twice a day we will have hot food and once a snack.

Be sure to indicate this on the participant form. We can adjust the menu. It's usually easiest to give yourself a portion of porridge before you get some condensed milk/stew or something in there. The people on duty will change every day, so it's not unreasonable to remind them as well. In recent years we have been seeing more and more vegetarians in the group, and we have come up with a special camping discount just for them. Check with our consultants for details.

In the hiking your appetite grows enormously, because you have to walk a lot, and your body needs more energy. Sometimes after a formal breakfast (lunch, dinner) is a little food - here's a little extra. If this feeling of hunger began to torment you during the day crossing and you absolutely can't stand it, ask the instructor, and he can give you something tasty. But do not abuse such requests, too, you're not alone as such a sly. Or take the will in the fist and bear with the next official meal. There are official norms on the layouts for hiking - that's how we make our menu. You'll get as much food and energy as you need, but you may think otherwise. A little hunger is natural on long hikes. It's a good idea to bring a little stash, but don't go overboard - you'll have to carry it all on you!

Depending on the complexity and nature of the terrain, we will stop every 30-50 minutes, the duration of the halt will be 5-15 minutes. In the middle of the day there will be one big halt for lunch lasting one hour. The speed of the group is determined by the slowest person-turtle and the general mood.

The likelihood of this happening tends toward zero. But if you do get caught up in the butterfly/tree/cloud/scape and manage to get lost, the first thing to do is to stop panicking. The second is to call someone in the group, shouting "Eva. If the attempt is unsuccessful, call the team leader. If there is no connection, do not rush on the road ahead. You do not know the exact route, and you can get even more lost. It is better to stay in place and wait until they come back for you and tell you off strictly.

Very simple - just exchange contacts with the person who had the camera. After the hike you can meet, or a friend will upload wonderful photos on a file sharing, and you download and show your loved ones, among what beauty you had the opportunity to visit. Moreover, for every trek our consultants create separate chats where you can communicate and get acquainted even before the trip. And after the trek back home, many leave links to photos from the hike. So if you do not have s oboy camera. Which is unlikely, because now it's difficult to meet a person without a phone with a camera, you can always find a photo and again to recall experienced pleasurable e-motion.

The best thing you can do - this is to write on the site a review or report on the trip. And we will be pleased, and your fresh impressions will be immortalized on the expanses of the Internet.
If the program exceeded your expectations, the consultant or team leaders did more for you personally than it was worth, you can thank them with a tip. Recommended amount: $3-10 per program day