UKC

I have 2 destinations in mind for this year Morocco (Atlas Mtns) and India (Darjeeling or Assam or as north as possible) or maybe somewhere else.

I have a few questions on looking where to start, I didn't want to pay out to go with a company, I'd prefer to head out and find a guide when I'm out there if I'd need one.

How did everyone else start out?

Where did you go?

In reply to Simon_87:

If you find that you need any local Morocco advice then the guys at
http://www.the-mountain-people.com/
or
http://www.climbmorocco.com
might be able to help. They're generally more than happy to give advice or put you in touch with people, even if you don't want to use their guiding services.

In reply to Simon_87:

After a few treks on my own or with friends (Mexico, Japan, China), wife and I have started to plan our honeymoon to central Mongolia trek using a western company (we wanted the "luxury" of not planning for once). I certainly wouldn't do it again.
They put us in contact with some local guides, that we could have found quite easily anyway, but we had to pay the middle men. We were also a part of a small group (7 people) and I frankly didn't like that. I guess I'm fairly asocial though so maybe some people would like to have some company. The most annoying thing for me was that everything was really well prepared (which is good in principle I suppose) and ran very smoothly. To me it spoils a good trip. Normally you go through all kinds of problems trying to communicate with people in villages (I can mimic chicken in 29 languages), visiting places you don't know, getting a bit lost in the hills.
I have never been in trekking in high mountains on my own though and would hire a guide but I would certainly do it when I arrive there to keep some flexibility.

In reply to Simon_87:

Morocco is a doddle and good value. Ryanair and Easyjet both fly there, though I once did the journey by train, much more fun if you've got the time. I'm spending 10 days there over xmas and can't wait.

In reply to Simon_87:

I actually started out in the High Atlas, but it was on a guided trip. However, to me it would be the perfect "first trek", and cheap and easy to do, whilst still feeling a world apart from Europe. You don't need a guide, but may or may not want to hire a mule/muleteer at least, to carry your gear.

The Toubkal area is the most popular, and the route up and down a bit too busy, but its still quiet off that route and the area is studded with little villages which can be strung together to make circular routes. Our route started at Imlil/Aroumd, and then over the passes Tizi n'Tamatert and Tacehddirt, before looping round to Oukaimede, Imesker and then west over the road to another valley system and villages who's name escapes me before back to Aroumd. This took a week at a medium pace. Stayed in the "village houses" which are basically simple hostels.
We then finished with a Toubkal ascent over 2 days, with a night ascent to reach the summit at sunrise, which was truly spectacular.

I was far more impressed with the Atlas than I expected, they really did feel like a big range of mountains in an exotic country.

Cheers for all the messages and the info, I'll start looking into.

On the group sizes, I want to stay away from the larger groups and keep it cheap. I suppose it sounds like a case of just manning up and doing it.

I'll have to start looking into ideas.

In reply to Simon_87:

Buy some books, have a read through, try to figure out what a trek in the places you're interested in would actually involve. Be honest about your level of togetherness, fitness, etc. In my experience you don't really need to be all that fit to do some spectacular trips, but being able to cope with discomfort, heat and strange/boring food is quite useful.

In reply to Simon_87:

I have some personal friends who started in Morocco and had an amazing experience so I recommend you to start over there.

Cheers!

In reply to Simon_87:

Yes, go by yourself and seek help if you need it. I heard a great talk recently in which it was said that 'travellers have dreams and tourists have nightmares'. It meant that every problem becomes an opportunity for a traveller, every problem for a tourist becomes an annoyance.

In reply to Simon_87:

If you decide to hire a local mountain guide in Morocco, check they have the approriate paperwork. They should be licensed for the activity you are doing. There are a bunch of unlicensed guides knocking about who tend to be cheaper, but have little training and are less well equipped- not good for you or them....

In reply to Simon_87:

Fly to Delhi and then on to Leh. Walk down the main road past all the local operators advertising trips to this place or that on a given date and just go for the one you have looked into.
It is so easy to do the main trips for a fraction of what you would pay before leaving the UK.
If there are a couple of you you can pay a little more and go as a 2 if not just join another small team.
The main treks like marka valley you could do without any guides just hire a donkey or porters at the trail head. the beauty of going first with a local trekking company you can see what to do and decide if you want to organise it yourself. I was there and on one trek with 6 of us i worked it out that i could not have done it by myself for less.
Ladhak is amazing with so much to do trek wise and tones of culture.