Reach new heights by taking part in an unforgettable overseas challenge in aid of Helen & Douglas House.
All treks are organised by experts Charity Challenge (www.CharityChallenge.com) and offer you the chance to experience some of the world's most amazing places.
These challenges, however, are not holidays. You will need to spend months training and fundraising, before undertaking a demanding physical challenge. A useful starting point is Charity Challenges's Frequently Asked Questions
These are just a selection of the many treks available:
Exclusive to Helen & Douglas House supporters
Open to all charity supporters
Scroll down the page to read about each trek and scroll right to the end for information about funding your trek. After each trek description you can click through to the Charity Challenge website to get full information on the challenge including itinerary, fact sheets, required kit and frequently asked questions.
Exclusive Helen & Douglas House Everest Base Camp Trek - Friday 2nd to Sunday 18th May 2008
This outstanding trek to the base camp of the world's highest mountain will take you through the lush valleys of Sagarmatha National Park, with time to explore its villages and monasteries. Eight of the world's fourteen peaks that exceed 8,000m in height are situated in the Nepalese Himalayas. The highest of them all, standing at 8,848m, is Mt. Everest.
Your trekking adventure begins at Lukla, where you will trek to the Sherpa capital of Namche Bazaar. You will have plenty of time to acclimatise to the altitude, following the trail across numerous rivers. Your trek leads gradually uphill from Thyangboche, where you will reach a highpoint at Kalapathar (5,545m) with breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding peaks and glaciers including Mt. Everest. Having completed the challenge, you will have the chance to explore the city of Kathmandu and its many temples and bazaars.
Key facts:
Registration fee: £395
Minimum sponsorship: £2,650
Expedition duration: 17 days
Other info: 6-8 hours of trekking a day on rough terrain
Charity Challenge Everest Base Camp
Exclusive Helen & Douglas House Saigon to Angkor Wat Bike Ride - Thursday 23rd October to Saturday 1st November 2008
This challenge entails cycling 500kms past plantations, across waterways and through villages deep in the heart of the lush Mekong Delta in Vietnam, to the dry lands and contrasting sights of ancient Cambodia.
You will pass temples and countless colourful pagodas, havens of calm and tranquillity and bustling markets. Your route takes you off the beaten track into the Mekong proper.
Few locals will have seen foreigners cycling past, and their interest and hospitality will spur on even the most tired cyclist to keep on pedalling.
Your end destination is the town of Siem Reap from where you can explore the ancient city of Angkor. Built from 879-1191AD by the Khmer civilization, Angkor represents one of humankind's most astonishing architectural achievements and in 1992, the city of Angkor became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Key facts:
Registration fee: £495
Minimum sponsorship: £2,850
Expedition duration: 10 days
Other info: trek 500km
Charity Challenge Saigon to Angkor Wat Bike Ride
Avenue of the Volcanos - Wednesday 5th September to Sunday 16th September 2007
Arriving in Ecuador at the multi-ethnic city of Quito you will kick off this fantastic challenge with a visit to the equator line before heading for the nearby volcanoes to start your trek.
Your challenge in the spectacular Avenue of Volcanoes begins with Pasochoa and El Corazon volcanoes, followed by Iliniza and culminates in the world�s highest active volcano, the magical Mt. Cotopaxi.
The climb to Mt. Cotopaxi's (5,897m) summit is optional to those of the group who are exceptionally fit and prepared for the tough summit bid. Much of the final climb is on its glacier.
You will start your climb at about midnight when the ice is hard and easier to trek on. As the sun starts to rise you will see that the clouds that for days have been so far up, are now down below you.
Through gaps in the cloud, there are spectacular views of the Andes in every direction.
Key facts:
Deposit: £395
Minimum sponsorship: £2,750
Expedition duration: 12 days
Other info: high altitude trekking
Charity Challenge Avenue of the Volcanos trek
Funding your expedition
There are two ways of paying for your expedition. You can pay the full cost of the expedition yourself (which includes a £100 donation to Helen & Douglas House).
Alternatively, you simply pay the registration fee and pledge to raise a minimum amount of money for Helen & Douglas House. We then pay the balance of your expedition costs out of the minimum sponsorship. This amount will not exceed 45%, and we then benefit by keeping the remaining 55%, together with any additional funds raised, and of course we will help you raise as much money as possible!
We ask you to pay your registration fee and insurance premium when applying. You then send your sponsorship money to us as you raise it. At least 80% of the minimum sponsorship MUST be sent to us eight weeks before departure, at which point we settle the balance of your expedition costs.
For a full information pack on all treks listed contact Fiona Evans at fevans@helenanddouglas.org.uk or call 01865 794749.
Charity Challenge also offer many other overseas expeditions. For details go to www.charitychallenge.co.uk or call
020 8557 0000.
