Before you undertake any type of hiking or travel journeys anywhere in Nepal, Bhutan or Tibet, you first need to know about the difficulty level and the grade about the route you have chosen.
This understanding will help you know if you are physically and mentally capable to tackle your selected trail or not. It will also allow you to comprehend the technical challenges of the route, the physical exertion it may need, the type of terrain you have to traverse and the possible risks that you may encounter.
There are primarily four main grades or difficulty levels of hiking or travel trails:
Level 1: Simple and Accessible
The route of level 1 grade will deeply connect you with nature through the easily walkable and manageable trail. The walking duration on each day usually spans between 2 and 4 hours with few simple barriers here and there.
The terrain involved is usually flat with paths that are signposted. The routes are often well paved and the travel program is also relatively short and simple.
The elevation change involved each day also doesn’t usually exceed 500 m with maximum point reaching 3000 to 3500 m height. Thus, the occurrence of altitude sickness is also minimal.
For walking or traveling along this trail, no prior skills or physical training are essential. The Bhutan Paro tour, Tiger Nest Monastery tour, Lhasa tour, Chitwan tour are some of the best examples of this type of grade.
Level 2: Medium
This level of trekking or traveling route will take you to the highest altitude of up to 4500 m with daily elevation changes between 500 m and 1000 m. Any level of fitness and any level of people (new and experienced ones) can overcome this type of difficulty.
The daily hiking stage often varies between 4 and 6 hours along the routes that are mostly clear of any type of barriers. The chances of accidents or injuries are also minimal as the route mainly traverses the well-established tracks.
The terrain will also diversify each day from the open terraced fields to rocky slopes. However, having any kind of experience in mountainous environments, along with basic hiking training, will certainly enhance your adventure.
Thousand Lakes Trek of Bhutan, the Everest Base Camp trip in Tibet, and the Everest Base Camp trek in Nepal are some of its best instances.
Level 3: Strenuous/Difficult
This level of travel and hiking journeys feature the daily variation in altitude above 1000 m. This journey will take you to the maximum elevation reaching 5700 m.
On route, there can be the presence of several mountain passes each showcasing the unique challenge of long journey, varied terrain and altitude.
The daily traveling duration can also lasts between 6 and 8 hours for which the excellent mental and physical conditioning from each of the participant is a must.
Thus, this type of expedition often needs advance preparation from its travelers involving walking, running, cycling, or any other form of sports or exercise.
Similarly, this type of trips also demands the travelers to posses some previous mountain hiking or traveling experience along with the ability of using special gear such as crampons or hiking poles.
There can also be some sections that present some technical complexity such as steep scree, descents, dizzying drops, and snowfields. The risk of serious injuries, altitude sickness, and accidents are also considerable.
The Kailash Mansarovar tour, the Everest Three Passes Trek, and the Upper Dolpo trek are some of its examples.
Level 4: Technical and Very Difficult
This level of travel or trekking journey will be one of the most challenging adventures that exceeds the daily elevation change of 1500 m ultimately concluding to the altitude of more than 5700 m.
Each day, the traveling journey will occur between 7 to 9 hours along the landscape that demands the athletic ability form its travelers. Equally, the trekkers or the involved travelers must also have technical know-how, and the ability to maneuver off the beaten path and along high ledges.
Those who regularly undertake the mountain trails and are in exceptional physical and mental conditioning should take on this type of adventure. The physical challenges of the trek are also considerable that can feature several high passes of the mountains that reaches 5000 m o above.
Some sections may also literally need the climbing skill and the utilization of the technical gear such as jumar, carabiners, ropes, and harnesses. The terrain also include some very vertical sections that can heighten the risk of injuries and accidents.
The Kanchenjunga or the Dhaulagiri Circuit trek are the best examples of this type of adventure.