Having a guide is not just about making sure that you don't get lost, although that's pretty important!

Your guide is an experienced, trained and fully qualified mountain guide. They are registered with the Department of Tourism. Without these qualifications and registration it it illegal for them to be guiding you. Please ask to see their credentials.

Your guide is there to make sure that in the unlikely event that something does go wrong you are in the best possible hands. Your guide will attend to any injuries and ensure that you are taken off the mountain as safely and quickly as possible.

Your guide is a qualified Wilderness First Responder and will be carrying a comprehensive first aid kit with them, they can deal with everything from a blister to a severe head trauma.

Your guide will be constantly assessing the weather, terrain, fitness and happiness of the group.

Your guide will have hiked the route many times, and will know the best places to stop for a rest, for lunch or to get that epic photo for Instagram.

For our Day Tours, please wear comfortable, weather appropriate clothing.

For one of our day hikes or scrambles please wear:

• Loose fitting trousers or depending on the weather shorts, (no jeans, skirts or dresses)

• Comfortable hiking boots or shoes - running shoes or sneakers are fine for day hikes (no flip-flops, Crocs, sandals, high-heels!) If is a route with scrambling then sneakers will not have enough grip, but trail running shoes can work.

• Long-sleeved shirt for sun protection, preferably a wicking or technical fabric.

Please bring:

• A day pack, big enough to carry everything you want to bring.

• Sunscreen and a hat

• Water (at least 1.5 litres) No glass containers please.

• Sufficient snacks and food.

• Something warm like a fleece or sweater or wind jacket.

• A lightweight emergency blanket.

PLEASE NOTE: Depending on the route and weather, we might advise you to bring additional water, lunch, a light weight rain jacket, gloves and a warm hat.

Your guide will be carrying a First Aid kit, but please bring any personal medication or preferred pain meds.

On the scramble routes we will provide helmets, rope or any other safety gear that may be needed.

For one of our overnight hikes you will need:

• Loose fitting trousers or depending on the weather shorts, (no jeans, skirts or dresses).

• Comfortable hiking boots or hiking shoes or trail running shoes.

• Long-sleeved shirt for sun protection, preferably cotton or wicking.

• Hiking Poles (optional, but highly recommended - we always use them!)

• Potentially a second set of clothes - your guide will advise you depending on the route duration.

Please bring:

• A comfortable backpack that can fit all of your gear (60litres +).

• Sleeping bag - your guide will advise you of type depending on when the hike is.

• Sleeping pad/mattress.

• Tent (optional) - your guide will advise you depending on the route.

• Gas stove and pot and lighter - this can be split with the group but your guide will advise you.

• Spoon, fork or spork.

• Small first aid kit, including any personal medication and preferred pain meds.

• Torch or head torch.

• Camera or cell phone.

• Power bank and cables.

• Sunscreen and a hat.

• Hydration pack or water bottles, enough to carry (at least 3 litres) No glass containers please.

• Sufficient snacks and breakfasts for the number of days.

• Something warm like a fleece or sweater.

• Change of clothes for when we are at the overnight spot.

• Change of hiking clothes depending on the duration of the hike.

• Sufficient underwear and socks for the duration of the route.

• Gloves and beanie - your guide will advise you depending on the season.

• Swimming gear - your guide will advise you depending on the route and season.

PLEASE NOTE:

Depending on the route and weather, we might advise you to bring additional clothing, water, food, and other equipment.

On the scramble routes we will provide helmets, rope or any other safety gear that may be needed.

Your guide will be carrying a full First Aid kit.

For one of our overnight hikes we will provide you with your evening meals.

We recommend and only use Back Country Cuisine. These are freeze dried meals imported from New Zealand. They are extremely light, quick and easy to prepare, full of energy and taste great! There is a wide range available including vegan and gluten free options and your guide will go through the choices before your hike.

You are of course welcome to bring your own choice of evening meal, but please make sure that it is suitable for transport and preparing in the wilderness, we can advise you.

You will need to bring your own breakfasts, snacks and lunches.

You can either join a hike that's already been scheduled or book a hike on a specific date that suits you.

Once you have an idea of which hike you would like to do, please take a look at our 'Bookings & contact' page.

Our calendar there shows all of the dates that we have hikes scheduled. You can then choose a scheduled hike you would like to join if there is space or see if we have availability for a private hike on a date that suits you.

We generally limit the size of groups to 6 people.

For routes that have scrambling this means that we have enough time to make sure each person gets individual attention and no-one is rushed.

For multi day hikes, we find that smaller groups enhance the feeling of being out in the wild. There is more chance of seeing animals and more space in the overnight spots.

We do on occasion take larger groups but it will depend on the route.

Private hikes are for you and up to 5 of your friends or family.

To hike any of the routes we offer you must be at least 16 years old and all hikers under the age of 18 must provide consent from their parents or legal guardians.

You must be in good health and enjoy a moderate level of fitness for all the routes we offer. Some routes are more difficult than others and can involve walking near edges and heights, moving up rock using your hands or moving over obstacles near or over water.

If you are unsure whether a route is suitable for you please contact me for more information and to discuss the route in detail.

For your safety we will ask you to complete a medical form listing any medical conditions or issues that you may have.

Mountain weather is notoriously unpredictable. You need to be responsible for your own preparedness to manage all type of weather, regardless of season.

On day hikes we will postpone hikes if the weather indicates difficult conditions that the National Park regards as problematic. The weather reports are sometimes wrong and can often change drastically on short notice. On private hikes it is best to book on your first available day, with flexibility for a second day for weather concerns.

If the hike is rescheduled due to bad weather we will inform you as soon as the rescheduling becomes evident.

We cannot guarantee that there will be availability on the same route at another date, but will do our best to accommodate you.

On overnight hikes and multi day hikes we can only reschedule if advised by the reserve to do so. If the reserve cancels our booking (due to weather or emergency trail maintenance) they will either offer us a refund, partial refund or a new date. No refunds will be given, unless the reserve has refunded us and your refund will be dependent on what the reserve offers us. We can only offer what the reserve has given us. Proof of refund or new date from the reserve will be given, provided this is given to us in writing by the reserve.

If the weather during the hike necessitates the evacuation off the route, no refund will be given.

We accept EFT's from local banks, Yoco and cash.

Please note that you are responsible for bank fees if paying from an overseas bank account.

Our standard payment terms are a 50% deposit upon booking to confirm and reserve your dates. The remainder is strictly due 10 days before the start date of the hike. Unless there is a written agreement otherwise, failure to meet these terms can result in forfeit of your booking and any deposits or payments made are then non-refundable.

Please note our basic cancellation policy:

Day hikes and tours :

We do not offer a refund if you cancel a day hike or tour, for any reason, less than 72 hours before the start of the hike or tour.

If you cancel between 3 and 5 days before the date of the hike or tour, for any reason, we will only be able to offer you a 25% refund (less any bank or service fees).

If you cancel 5 days or more before the date of the hike or tour, for any reason, we will only be able to offer you a 50% refund (less any bank or service fees).

Multi-day (overnight) hikes and tours:

We do not offer a refund if you cancel a multi-day hike or tour, for any reason, less than 7 days before the start of the hike or tour.

If you cancel between 7 and 21 days before the date of the hike or tour, for any reason, we will only be able to offer you a 25% refund (less any bank or service fees).

If you cancel 21 days or more before the date of the hike or tour, for any reason, we will only be able to offer you a 50% refund (less any bank or service fees).

Deposits made to book hikes and tours with us, are non-refundable.