FOR THE SAKE OF TRADITION, WE STICK WITH PLACES WE HAVE USED FOR OVER 20 YEARS THAT HAVE A LONG HISTORY WITH CLIMBERS. OVER THE YEARS THEY’VE FOUND LOST PASSPORTS, HELD GEAR FOR MONTHS, TRANSLATED CRAZY REQUESTS, HOSTED ROWDY BANQUETS, LET US ERECT TENTS ON THE ROOF, BEEN AVAILABLE AT STUPIDLY EARLY HOURS & MADE US WELCOME WHEN BURNED OUT & EXHAUSTED. WE TRUST THESE PEOPLE AND IN SOME PLACES WE’VE SEEN A GENERATION GROW UP AND TAKE OVER.

IN THE BIGGER TOWNS WE CAN CATER TO ANY LEVEL OF COMFORT. BEYOND THAT, WE ERR ON THE SIDE OF CHARACTER WHICH HAS INCLUDED GERS, MONKS HOMES, ABANDONED MONASTERIES, FUNCTIONING MONASTERIES & BORDER POSTS. ON APPROACHES AND IN BASECAMPS WE STAY IN FIVE-SEASON TENTS, AND UP ON THE ROUTES WE USE A MIX OF HIGH-ALTITUDE TENTS, SNOW CAVES, PORTALEDGES OR BIVYS.

TRANSPORT IN THE KARAKORUM & TIBET IS UNLIKE WHAT YOU SEE FOR OTHER 8000m TRIPS. ALL OF THIS WE DO IN SUVS & VANS WITH DRIVERS WELL-BRIEFED ON SAFETY.

BEYOND THE TRAILHEAD WE USE LOCAL HERDERS TO RUN HORSE, YAK OR CAMEL CARAVANS, RIDING THE CAMELS FOR RIVER CROSSINGS WHEN NEEDED. WE CARE THAT THE ANIMALS USED ARE TREATED WELL, AND BY BEING THE LIVELIHOODS OF THE HERDERS HAVE AS YET NEVER SEEN A PROBLEM.

EVENTUALLY ALL PACK ANIMALS REACH THEIR LIMITS, SO FROM THERE IT’S HUMANS, AND BECAUSE OF CHINA’S ECONOMY & TRADITIONS, THOSE HUMANS ALMOST ALWAYS ARE US. THE CROWDS OF LOWLAND PORTERS OR HAPS WORKING THE SEASONS ARE ABSENT IN XINJIANG & TIBET.

FOOD IS OF ENORMOUS IMPORTANCE FOR US AND PLAYS A MAJOR ROLE IN OUR TRIPS AND MORE THAN ONCE IT’S BEEN SAID THAT OURS ARE THE ONLY EXPEDITIONS PEOPLE DON’T LOSE WEIGHT ON. .

YEARS OF RUNNING TRIPS HAS SHOWN US THAT EATING LOCALLY IS BOTH CULTURALLY & RESPONSIBLY THE BEST WAY FORWARD. IN SOME PLACES WE HAVE SEEN A GENERATION GROW UP AND START THEIR OWN LIVES BY SITTING AT A TABLE WITH THEM.

WHAT A CLIMBER EATS WHEN CLIMBING IS INTIMATELY PERSONAL. BEYOND A POINT IT’S SIMPLY ABOUT GETTING KCALS IN, SO ALL RULES ARE OFF TO SOME DEGREE. DUE TO THE AVAILABILITY IN CHINA MOST THINGS ARE POSSIBLE SO WE CONSULT OVER WHAT MENUS THE TEAM WANTS. LOCAL CHINESE FOOD IS OF COURSE AVAILABLE, AND WE REGULARLY ALSO DO ITALIAN, THAI, MALAYSIAN & JAPANESE. BEING BASED FROM SICHUAN, OUR EXPEDITIONS HAVE ARGUABLY THE BEST BASECAMP FOOD ANYWHERE.

WITH APPROPRIATE LEAD-TIME & CONSULTANCY WE CAN DO VEGANS, VEGETARIANS, PALEO, KETO, HALAL & KOSHER.

*ALL OPTIONS EXCLUDE PERSONAL ON-MOUNTAIN FOOD ABOVE BASECAMP

FEEDING THE RAT EXPEDITIONS HAS A REPUTATION FOR IT’S COFFEE, INCLUDING EARNING THE TITLE OF ‘THE BREW HOUSE’ IN MORE THAN ONE LARGE BASECAMP. WHILST WE WILL HAPPILY DRINK INSTANT WHEN THE SITUATIONS DEMAND IT, WE HAVE FOUND REAL COFFEE – LIKE REAL FOOD – CAN MAKE IT A LONG WAY UP A MOUNTAIN.

ON OUR TRIPS WE TRAVEL WITH VARIOUS MOKA & ESPRESSO OPTIONS, BACKED UP WITH HAND GRINDERS AND DECENT BEANS, AND WHETHER IT’S A HOTEL, MESS TENT OR HIGH CAMP DO OUR BEST TO HAVE GOOD COFFEE AVAILABLE TO ALL WHO WANT NEED IT