June - August: Monsoon months, but the best time for Ladakh which is in the rain shadow of the Himalaya, and also Tibet. East Africa is dry and in Botswana they are having winter which, for us, is a perfect time to travel so close to the equator.

September: Nepal remains cloudy and damp, Ladakh and Tibet are still good. This is a good time for Kilimanjaro climbs and Lesotho.

October - February: Nepal is beautifully clear although in December/January it is cold at night and you would need a warm sleeping bag! December to February is the second dry season in East Africa and perfect for Kilimanjaro.

March - May: Nepal and India are warming up, pre monsoon showers are a possibility but perfect trekking weather. This is a good time to visit Lesotho.

Peru and Ecuador offer an excellent experience all year round, although March to October is recommended for Macchu Picchu trips. Consult us to find out what temperatures and weather to expect at your planned journey time.

Travel Arrangements: Flights to Nepal are with Qatar Airways via Doha, operating out of Heathrow. Flights to Tanzania and Kilimanjaro are with Ethiopian Airlines. Flights to India and to Leh are usually with Gulf Air, although we may use other carriers including British Aiways and Royal Jordanian Airways when availability dictates. Internal flights in Nepal are with local airlines and are included in the cost of your trek.

Take only photographs, leave only footprints: We adhere to the principles of responsible tourism and follow the Himalayan tourist code. We feel we are responsible for the people we employ and the people whose lives we affect as we pass though. We aim to minimise our environmental impact by carrying out and properly disposing of our rubbish and leave our campsites clean. We pay our porters fairly and provide proper shelter and equipment and fair loads, supporting the work of IPPG.

Fitness and equipment: Snow Leopard School Treks offer adventure holidays and we don’t try to provide all the comforts of home on trek. We do, however, provide robust two-man tents suitable for all weather conditions, together with mattresses (but not sleeping bags). Toilet tents and a dining tent with tables and stools are provided and camp is set up and taken down by our staff - you will not need to pitch a tent, and hot tea will greet our arrival in camp every afternoon!

Your Personal Kit: Your personal kit needs to involve only the kind of gear you would use for walking in the UK, although if you visit Nepal in December/January to trek you will need a four season sleeping bag. You will need a pair of trekking poles. Your personal kit is carried by the porters - you need carry only a small rucksack with your water, camera, waterproofs and suncream! When you book with us we will send you a detailed trek brief - but we will also be liaising and offering to come and talk about equipment, training and medical kit.

Trek staff: Our treks are accompanied by a team of porters who carry your personal kit, the trek equipment and food. Local guides (sherpas) will walk with you and help around camp. Your local trek leader (sirdar) looks after all the trekking arrangements and meals are prepared by the cooks. We supply a largely Western diet on trek as we have found that most school parties prefer it. Many of our staff have worked with our team for years and they are genuinely dedicated to making your trek as enjoyable as possible.

Practicalities on trek: Camping is in tents of two with all meals being served in a central and communal mess tent. Wake up call will be announced with a cup of tea and a bowl of hot water for washing. The day's trek will start at approximately 7.30 am and all trekkers will arrive in camp by about 3.00 pm. Packed lunches or cooked lunches will be served along the way. There will be opportunities to purchase bottled water from the many teahouses along the route.

Porter Ratios: Portering ratios of 3:1 are provided for trekkers, but we offer 2:1 for under 14s and 1:1 for under 10s.