Europe

Your passport must meet 2 requirements. It must be:

• less than 10 years old on the day you enter (check the ‘date of issue’)

• valid for at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave (check the ‘expiry date’)

For the latest details on visiting countries within the EU or the European Economic Area (EEA), please check the UK Government website

The information that we provide is for UK passport holders. A passport with 6 months remaining validity at the end of your stay is generally required, and you should have at least 2 blank pages for each country that you visit.

It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the correct travel documents and visas for your holiday. Please ensure that you check for the latest advice before travel. For the most up to date information on entry requirements, please visit the UK Government website.

If you have a severe allergy please inform the KE office before you travel. We will do all we can to help, but we cannot guarantee an allergy free environment on KE trips. You will need to carry your own treatment for the allergy with you, as 'adrenaline auto-injectors' are not carried as standard by KE leaders and staff. You should inform your leader on arrival of your allergy, and let them know where you keep your adrenaline pen.

Vaccinations

You should contact your doctor or travel clinic to check whether you require any specific vaccinations.

GHIC / Medical cover

UK residents should carry a free Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC). This entitles you to state provided medical treatment when you're visiting an EU country or Switzerland. This is not a substitute for medical travel insurance which is vital when travelling overseas.

The currency for part or all of this holiday is the Euro.

The unit of currency in Switzerland is the Swiss Franc.

The temperatures we can expect to encounter during the day will be in the range -10 to +15 degrees celcius/ 14 -59F, though it can feel much warmer than this in the reflected sunlight high on the slopes. In the evening the temperatures will drop. January to March is statistically the time of the lowest precipitation in the Alps but mountainous areas do generate their own weather systems so occasional rain, snow and even stormy weather cannot be ruled out.

As a reputable tour operator, KE supports the British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's ‘Travel Aware’ campaign to enable British citizens to prepare for their journeys overseas. The 'Travel Aware' website provides a single, authoritative source of advice for all kinds of travellers and we recommend that before travel, all KE clients visit the official UK Government website at travelaware.campaign.gov.uk and read the FCDO Travel Advice for their chosen destination. North Americans can also check out the U.S. Department of State website: www.travel.state.gov for essential travel advice and tips.

KE treat the safety and security of all clients as the most important aspect of any trip we organise. We would not run any trip that we did not consider reasonably safe.  Should the FCDO advise against travel for any reason, we will contact everyone booked to travel to discuss the situation.  We receive regular updates directly from the FCDO and are in constant touch with our contacts on the ground.  If you have any questions about government travel advice, please call our office.

KE do not encourage the use of single use plastic items. We are ensuring that our agents all over the world are working together to reduce the problem and educate those around them. We are leading by example in our KE office by reducing our plastic use.

It is an essential condition of joining a holiday with KE Adventure Travel that you have a valid travel insurance policy to cover the cost of medical treatment and to protect the value of your holiday in the event of cancellation.  When taking out insurance please ensure the policy you choose covers you for the activities and altitude included in your itinerary.

For appropriate insurance cover we recommend Campbell Irvine Direct.  Please go to our Travel Insurance page for further information and to get a quote.

This holiday is part of our Explore International range. Participants on these trips can book through KE or through one of our international partners. This helps us to gather together sufficient numbers of like-minded adventurers to get your holiday up and running quickly. Led by an English-speaking guide, the cosmopolitan nature of these groups can be an important part of the experience!

The following checklist should help you with your packing. As a general rule, you should always try to keep the weight of your equipment to a minimum.

You should bring the following items:

• Hiking boots (must be waterproof)

• Gaiters

• Trainers  (for valley use)

• Socks

• Walking socks (2 or 3 pairs)

• Spare laces

• Trekking trousers
  

• Lightweight waterproof overtrousers
  

• Underwear

• Thermal baselayer - leggings

• Thermal baselayer shirts

• T-shirts and/or casual shirts

• Fleece jacket or warm jumper

• Waterproof jacket

• Warm jacket (eg. down)

• Daypack of approximately 30 litres capacity

• Water bottles 1 Litre (x2) (we encourage re-filling water bottles rather than single use plastic)
  

• Water purification tablets

• Warm and waterproof gloves or mittens

• Lightweight thermal gloves

• Basic First Aid Kit - Our professional tour leaders hold first-aid qualifications and will carry a basic medical kit. You should bring your own personal first aid kit consisting of the following: throat lozenges, painkillers (anti-inflammatory), antiseptic cream/spray, plasters, blister treatment/tape, and re-hydration salts (Dioralite). Glucose tablets are a good idea.
  

• Sun protection (including total bloc for lips, nose etc.)

• Washbag and toiletries

• Antibacterial handwash

• Fleece hat
  

• Sunglasses with side protection

• Ski goggles

• Headtorch and spare batteries

• Sunhat

• Ski poles (provided)

The following items are optional:

• Earplugs (particularly if you are not the one snoring!)

• Waterproof liner for your daypack

• Swim-wear (for the hot tub)

• Camera

• Travel clothes

• Spare clothes

• Reusable cloth bag for shopping (to avoid plastic bags)

Notes:

Specialist Equipment: Snowshoes, ski poles, and standard safety equipment including an avalanche transceiver, probe and shovel will be provided by KE, and available to collect at the group hotel.

If you wish to take your own walking poles, make sure that they have snow baskets fitted.

Please note you will be liable for any damage caused to the specialist equipment due to negligence.

Many of the equipment items listed above are available from Cotswold Outdoor - our 'Official Recommended Outdoor Retailer'. When you book a holiday with KE you will receive a 12.5% discount with Cotswold Outdoor, Snow+Rock and Runners Need. The discount code can be downloaded from your MyKE account and you can use this code at the checkout, either in store or online.