Activity Levels

Level 1 tours in general: A 1 out of 5 rated tour is a tour without any hiking. Walks would be in towns, cities, and villages, and the countryside walks would be on paved, or gravel/dirt roads, and occasionally on some packed earth trails. Elevation gain and loss would be negligible. The trip will be easy for anyone who can walk for up to 90 minutes without stopping.
Level 1 Terrain: Flat to gently rolling terrain with some rocky areas and maybe some steps but no sustained or steep ascents or descents
Level 1 Actual walking time: between 2 - 3 hours per day, mostly in the morning but sometimes also in the afternoon.
Level 1 Distances: Usually between 4 - 6 km (2.5 - 4 m.). Max distance is 7 km (4.6 mi)
Level 1 Surfaces: Paved or gravel/dirt roads, and trails consisting mainly of compact earth and/or gravel.
Level 1 Footing: Easy/good. Proper hiking shoes are always preferred, but sports sandals, running shoes, and tennis shoes are adequate
Level 1 Specifics: Detailed on each tour
Level 1 Hiking Poles: Not required
Compared to the Cinque Terre: This tour is significantly easier than the hikes in the Cinque Terre
Other: This tour is appropriate for first-time “hikers”
Level 1 list of tours: None of our tours are flat, but our boat trips can all be rated "easy" if you decide to skip the hikes and enjoy the boat and the small ports and villages we visit. Check out  our boat–based tours in Turkey, Croatia, and Greece Dodecanese Islands.

Level 2 tours in general: This is an Easy tour for fit hikers and will be do-able with some effort by less fit hikers.
Level 2 Terrain: Flat to gently rolling terrain with some rocky areas. Perhaps some short, relatively steep climbs and descents, but nothing longer than 20 minutes.
Level 2 Actual hiking time: Between 2 - 4 hours per day, mostly in the morning but sometimes also in the afternoon
Level 2 Distances: Usually 7 - 10 km (4.5 - 6 mi). Max distance is 12 km (7 mi).
Level 2 Surfaces: Trails consist mainly of compact earth and/or gravel and sometimes gravel roads
Level 2 Footing: Easy/good. Proper hiking shoes with thick soles with good treads are required. Sports sandals, running shoes, and tennis shoes are not adequate.
Level 2 Specifics: Detailed on each tour
Level 2 Hiking Poles: Not required, but if you habitually use hiking poles then you will find them helpful
Level 2 tours compared to the Cinque Terre: This tour is significantly easier than the hikes in the Cinque Terre
Level 2 tours other: This tour is appropriate for fit, first-time “hikers” who enjoy walking
Level 2 list of tours: Puglia & Basilicata, Piedmont Walk. All of our boat–based tours in Turkey, Croatia, and Greece Dodecanese Islands would be “easy to moderate” IF you decide to skip one or two of the more challenging hikes. Your guides of course can advise you of the difficulty level and the terrain and footing of each walk. 

Level 2.5 tours in general: This is an Easy tour for fit hikers and will be a little challenging but do-able for less fit hikers.
Level 2.5 Terrain: Flat to gently rolling terrain but with some rocky, rugged terrain. May have some short, relatively steep climbs and descents, but nothing longer than 30 minutes. The walks are shorter in distance than those on a 3-rated tour. 
Level 2.5 Actual hiking time: Between 2 - 4 hours per day, mostly in the morning but sometimes also in the afternoon
Level 2.5 Distances: Usually 7 - 10 km (4.5 - 6 mi). Max distance is 12 km (7 mi).
Level 2.5 Surfaces: Trails consist mainly of compact earth and/or gravel and sometimes gravel roads, with frequent rocky and uneven trails
Level 2.5 Footing: Good, but on occasion you have to pay attention to where and how you place your feet. Proper hiking shoes with thick soles with good treads are required. Sports sandals, running shoes, and tennis shoes are not adequate.
Level 2.5 Specifics: Will be detailed on each tour page on our website
Level 2.5 Hiking Poles: Not required, but if you habitually use hiking poles then you will find them helpful
Level 2.5 tours compared to the Cinque Terre: This tour is significantly easier than the hikes in the Cinque Terre
Level 2.5 tours other: This tour is appropriate for fit, first-time “hikers” who enjoy walking and who have good balance
Level 2.5 list of tours: in this category are all of our boat–based tours in Turkey, Croatia, and Greece. On these trips, we usually do a walk in the morning, return to the boat for a swim and then lunch, cruise for a few hours to our next destination, and then sometimes drop off for another late afternoon hike, which you could skip and just relax on the boat. Your guides of course can advise you of the difficulty level and the terrain and footing of each walk. Other 2.5 Activity Level Hike: Tuscany Val d’Orcia & Maremma Walk and Provence Walk.

Level 3 tours in general: This is a Moderate tour for fit hikers and will be a little challenging but do-able for less fit hikers.
Level 3 Terrain: Rolling to hilly terrain with frequent climbs and descents, often over rocky terrain. May have some short, relatively steep climbs and descents. 
Level 3 Actual hiking time: between 2 - 5 hours per day, mostly in the morning but also in the afternoon.
Level 3 Distances: Usually between 8 - 12 km (5 - 7 mi). Max distance is 14 km (8 mi).
Level 3 Surfaces: Trails consist mainly of compact earth and/or gravel and sometimes gravel roads, with occasional rocky and uneven trails
Level 3 Footing: Good, but occasionally you have to pay attention to where and how you place your feet. Proper hiking shoes with thick soles with good treads are required. Sports sandals, running shoes, and tennis shoes are not adequate.
Level 3 Specifics: Detailed on each tour
Level 3 Hiking Poles: Recommended but not required, but if you habitually use hiking poles, then you will find them helpful
Level 3 tours compared to the Cinque Terre: These tours are easier than the hikes in the Cinque Terre
Level 3 tours other: This tour is appropriate for fit, first-time “hikers” who enjoy walking and who have good balance
Level 3 list of tours: Tuscany Chianti, Dordogne Walk, Sicily Walk, Spain Andalusia, Lake Como Hike, and Corsica Hike

Level 3.5 tours in general: This is a Moderate tour for fit hikers who will find the walks a satisfying workout, while less-fit hikers will find them challenging but do-able and have a great sense of achievement at the end of the trip. These tours are a little more difficult than the 3/5 tours because of rockier trails and some steeper uphills and downhills.
Level 3.5 Terrain: Rolling to hilly terrain with frequent steep ascents and descents. The terrain is more rugged, rocky, or steep than the "standard" 3/5 rated tours.
Level 3.5 Actual hiking time: Between 3 - 5 hours per day, mostly in the morning but also in the afternoon.
Level 3.5 Distances: Usually 8 - 12 km (5 - 7 mi) per day. Max distance 16 km (9 mi).
Level 3.5 Surfaces: Trails are a mix of compact earth or dirt tracks, gravel roads, and rocky, uneven trails. You will also encounter ancient stone stairways and rocky steps.
Level 3.5 Footing: Good, but you have to pay attention to where and how you place your feet. Proper hiking shoes with thick soles with good treads are required. Sports sandals, running shoes, and tennis shoes are not adequate.
Level 3.5 Specifics: Detailed on each tour
Level 3.5 Hiking Poles: Highly recommended but not required, and if you habitually use hiking poles, you will regret it if you don’t have them.  
Level 3.5 compared to the Cinque Terre: The Cinque Terre is the perfect example of a 3+ rated tour. Our most common comment about the Cinque Terre walk and other tours rated 3+ is “More challenging than I expected but I am glad I did it”.
Level 3.5 tours other: This tour is appropriate for “sporty and fit” first-time hikers who enjoy walking and have good balance. People with hip and knee issues might find a 3+ tour challenging because of the terrain and the duration of the hikes.
Level 3.5 list of tours: Amalfi is the easiest of this group, then Dolomites Lite, followed by the Cinque Terre, Sardinia, and Greece Meteora & Zagori

Level 4 tours in general, a Level 4 out 5 tour is physically challenging for fit hikers, and they are not appropriate for unfit hikers and inexperienced hikers. You must be physically fit to do these hikes and enjoy exerting yourself.
Level 4 Terrain: Rolling and often steep terrain with frequent challenging ascents and descents, often over rugged and uneven terrain
Level 4 Actual hiking time: between 4 - 6 hours per day, mostly in the morning but also in the afternoon
Level 4 Distances: Usually 10 - 15 km (6 - 9 mi). Max distance is 18 km (11 mi).
Level 4 Surfaces: Trails are a mix of compact earth or dirt tracks, gravel roads, and rocky, uneven trails. You will also encounter ancient stone stairways and rocky steps. You may also find somewhat overgrown sections. 
Level 4 Footing: Good to tricky. You must pay attention to where and how you place your feet. Proper hiking shoes or boots with thick soles with good treads are required. Sports sandals, running shoes, and tennis shoes are not adequate.
Level 4 Specifics: Detailed on each tour
Level 4 Hiking Poles: Highly recommended and your guides will mutter to themselves when they see you did not bring any poles. If you don’t bring your poles and ask your guide to use his or hers, they will refuse because they need them!   
Level 4 tours compared to the Cinque Terre: More difficult than the Cinque Terre mostly because the distances are longer. If you enjoyed the hikes on the Cinque Terre and want to hike more, then these 4-rated “Rewarding” tours are perfect for you. 
Level 4 tours other: These tours are not appropriate for first-time hikers. People with hip and knee issues might find that they aggravate their pre-existing injuries. Hikers need to be fit and able to hike for five hours a day. You should also be used to negotiating rocky, uneven terrain. You should also have good balance and understand where to place your feet when climbing, or descending rocky, uneven terrain.
Level 4 list of tours: Dolomites "Classic" Hike is rated 4 out of 5 as is our Piedmont High Peaks Hike.

Level 4.5 tours in general, a Level 4.5 out 5 tour is physically challenging for fit hikers and they are more difficult than the 4 out of 5 because of the length/duration of asscents and descents, the difficulty of the terrain, and the fact that hikers may be carrying heavier packs than usual. Furthermore, there might be more exposure and therefore the tour is not suitable for people who do not have a head for heights. A 4.5 out of 5 touir is not appropriate for unfit hikers or inexperienced hikers. You must be physically fit to do these hikes and enjoy exerting yourself.
Level 4.5 Terrain: Steep terrain with frequent long and sometimes technically challenging ascents and descents on scree. The trails are rugged and uneven and attention needs to be paid to foot placement.
Level 4.5 Actual hiking time: between 4 - 6 hours per day, mostly in the morning but also in the afternoon
Level 4.5 Distances: Usually 10 - 15 km (6 - 9 mi). Max distance is 18 km (11 mi).
Level 4.5 Surfaces: Trails are a mix of compact earth or dirt tracks, gravel roads, and rocky, uneven trails. You will also encounter ancient stone stairways and rocky steps. You may also find somewhat overgrown sections. 
Level 4.5 Footing: Good to tricky. You must pay attention to where and how you place your feet. Proper hiking shoes or boots with thick soles with good treads are required. Sports sandals, running shoes, and tennis shoes are not adequate.
Level 4.5 Specifics: Detailed on each tour
Level 4.5 Hiking Poles: Highly recommended and your guides will mutter to themselves when they see you did not bring any poles. If you don’t bring your poles and ask your guide to use his or hers, they will refuse because they need them!   
Level 4 tours compared to the Cinque Terre: More difficult than the Cinque Terre mostly because the distances are longer. If you enjoyed the hikes on the Cinque Terre and want to hike more, then these 4-rated “Rewarding” tours are perfect for you. 
Level 4.5 tours other: These tours are not appropriate for first-time hikers. People with hip and knee issues might find that they aggravate their pre-existing injuries. Hikers need to be fit and able to hike for five hours a day. You should also be used to negotiating rocky, uneven terrain. You should also have good balance and understand where to place your feet when climbing, or descending rocky, uneven terrain.
Level 4 list of tours: Our Dolomites Alta Via Hike is rated 4.5 out of 5, as is our Tuscany Mountains tour. 

Level 5 in general: A 1 out of 5 rated tour is a tour that would be physically challenging and technically difficult even for very fit and experienced hikers. The hikes would have steep ascents and descents on narrow, exposed trails with challenging footing, such as on scree fields, or through rock falls and boulders. Distances would be up to 25 km/16 miles per day and feature ascents of over 1,000 m/3,200 feet in a day. A 5 out of 5 tour would also mean that you would be carrying a heavier-than-normal pack. None of our tours are rated 5 out of 5. Our most challenging tours are 4.5 out of 5, and they are the Dolomites Alta Via (because of some exposed trail that requires some technical expertise) and our Republic of Georgia tour which has some long hikes with over 1,000 meters of elevation gain. A level 5 out of 5 tour is not appropriate for novice hikers or even for experienced but unfit hikers.
Level 5 Terrain: Rolling and often steep, mountainous terrain with challenging sustained climbs and descents of up to 1,200 m (4,000 ft). Altitude can play a role as our Challenging tours are in the mountains. On the Dolomites "Alta Via" tour we sleep at 2,700 m (8,500 ft).
Level 5 Actual hiking time: between 5 - 8 hours per day
Level 5 Distances: Usually 15 - 18 km (9.5 - 11 mi). Max distance is 22 km (14 mi).
Level 5 Surfaces: Trails are a mix of compact earth or dirt tracks, gravel roads, and rocky, uneven trails. You will find scree slopes and steep switchback trails, and at times you may have to use your arms to climb up a short “impasse,” or sit down on your bum to descend sections that are too big for a step. You might also find somewhat overgrown trails. 
Level 5 Footing: Good to tricky. You must almost ALWAYS pay attention to where and how you place your feet. Proper hiking shoes or boots with thick soles with good treads are required. Sports sandals, running shoes, and tennis shoes are not adequate.
Level 5 Specifics: Detailed on each tour
Level 5 Hiking Poles: REQUIRED! If you don’t bring your poles the guide will hit you over the head with their poles. 
Level 5 tours compared to the Cinque Terre: A 5 out of 5 rated tour is significantly more difficult than the Cinque Terre because the distances are much longer and the terrain and footing much more difficult. If you enjoyed the hikes in the Cinque Terre and found them to be a dawdle, and you regularly hike and backpack, then these 5-rated tours are right up your alley.  
Level 5 tours other: These tours are not appropriate for first-time hikers. People with hip and knee issues will probably find that the hikes aggravate their pre-existing injuries to the point that they may have to abandon the tour. Hikers need to be fit and have healthy joints, and easily be able to hike for six hours a day. You should also be used to negotiating rocky, uneven terrain. 
Level 5 Backpacks: On these trips, you will be carrying more in your backpacks than on other tours because a) we are in the mountains so you need to carry more layers and be ready for any weather conditions; b) you may need to carry more water since it may not be available; c) you may be carrying your lunch; and d) in some cases you may have to carry an extra change of clothing, as in our Dolomites "Alta Via" Hike you stay up in the mountains where luggage transfers are not possible.  
Level 5 tours: We do not have any 5 out of 5 tours, but the Dolomites "Alta Via", The Dolomites Grand Traverse, Tuscany Mountains and the Republic of Georgia – Tusheti National Park are our most challenging tours and they are rated 4.5 out of 5.