Participants should expect around 6 hours walking each day of this trek in potentially challenging conditions. There will be soft sand, sharp and uneven rock, scrambling over crags etc. The distances are not great however this is almost irrelevant as the time and effort required is equivalent to much longer treks. Strength and agility will be important as well as adaptability to heat. Thorough physical and mental preparation is important for your safe participation and enjoyment of this expedition. As with any active holiday, the fitter you are for the activity, the more the attention moves from looking at your feet to experiencing your surrounds. In short, fitness enables you to do more, see more and simply relax more. You will need to carry a full pack on days 1, 4 and 5. On the other days of the trip you will only need to carry a day pack.
Suggested preparation: We recommend one hour of strenuous exercise 4 times per week (this can be cycling, jogging or walking) interspersed with relatively demanding bushwalks carrying a full pack weight (up to 18kgs). At least once a week, you should walk with a weighted day pack (5–7kg) for several hours for leg strengthening and aerobic fitness. The best way to train for an active holiday is to simulate the activity you will be undertaking on the trip. Train for uneven terrain by finding a rough narrow bush track, even just your local park or sports field, and go for a lovely long walk in your trekking boots (nothing spoils a trekking holiday quite as much as poor fitting boots!) – splash in the puddles or kick up the dust! Be sure to include full pack and multi day walks in your training.