Sirimon Route

Accommodations:
Accommodations on the route is in roomy two person tents or in huts. The choice of lodging is part your preference and part availability.

The tents are usually erected for you when you arrive, although if you want a particular position it’s worth taking charge. In the mornings it helps everyone to get away early if you lend a hand with taking the tents down.

Huts on the other hand can be warmer however you there may be other trekking parties besides yours inside the shelter.

Acclimatization:
Acclimatization is extremely important, both to let you enjoy your ascent but more importantly to avoid any serious complications. The route is planned to optimize the height gain, but you may still get a headache or feel nauseous. There are two important preventative measures: to drink copiously, even when it is really difficult, and to walk very slowly, avoiding as much as possible increased heart and breathing rates.

A drug is available, Diamox, from your doctor which is well proven to help with acclimatization. This is taken as tablets for a few days before and then during your ascent. It is safe and has no serious side effects.

It is important to remember that one possible effect of altitude is light-headedness and odd behavior, which can lead to foolish decisions. The danger here is someone who is not well insisting on continuing. Watch each other closely.

Water & Washing:
Water is available at several points and should be purified before drinking. All water in camp will be boiled and some provided for drinking the next day. A comforting tip is to fill your bottle in the evening with boiled water for the next day, and to use it as a hot water bottle overnight. Check with your guide where the water points are.

Washrooms are available at the huts but not the camps. Some camps have several and so it’s worth checking for the cleanest. If you are caught short during the walk, please find a spot as far as possible from the trail and any water. Bury your feces and paper. It is often easiest to move a large rock and use the indent as a hole. Mark your spot by balancing a couple of stones.

Trekking Fitness:
Most hiking is strenuous, but not technical climbing, and no mountain-climbing experience is necessary. But there’s no avoiding the steep ascents and high altitudes that make robust physical fitness (and a minimum age of 11 years) a prerequisite for any trip. You’ll want to consult your physician before undertaking this unforgettable adventure. 

Mountain Cuisine:
The menus for all climbs are specially prepared to provide a balanced diet of fresh fruit, vegetables, plenty of protein and carbohydrates. We have tried to choose food items that are easiest to digest at high altitude. 

Dinners are typically a main course with vegetable and salad. Chicken and fish are served at some of the days during the climb, with pastas and rice dishes being served in the middle of the climb while up high.

Lunches are often on the trail and usually consist of cold cuts and vegetables laid out on a table so you can make your own sandwich. Fresh hot vegetable soups are served at every meal, and packet soup is available on request between meals as is coffee and tea.

Breakfast is your choice: granola, toast, fruit, eggs, and sometimes pancakes or French toast. 

Kitchen Safety:
Food and kitchen equipment will be carried by the porters and cooked by an experienced cook. It will be plentiful and wholesome but may be limited by the circumstances. Our cooks undergo extensive training and we have ongoing workshops to review menus. The cooks are particularly vigilant in their hygiene practices as contracting stomach bugs is common for visitors to the developing world.

Your own supply of chocolate and high energy snacks is a recommended.

While hiking some people have a favorite food that they like; it is a good idea to bring this from home.