Our objective when it comes to activity levels is to find a descriptive adjective that describes the “average” woman’s ability to do the activities described in the tour. So who is the average woman? She can:

• Walk 15 minutes without having to stop or sit down and rest.

• Climb one flight of stairs without stopping.

• Stand for 30 minutes, without needing to sit down.

• Get in and out of transportation unassisted (i.e. bus, van, train, boat, etc.)

• Manage her own suitcase without assistance.

Breaking It Down:
New Percentage Rating System

Instead of averaging the overall activity level of a tour, we will begin rating them on a percentage system. Each tour will describe the amount of the tour that is easy, moderate and strenuous–for a total of 100%. For example, a tour’s activity rating might be: 75% Easy; 15% Moderate; 10% Strenuous.

Easy:

• Leisurely pace with opportunities to rest at least every 15 minutes.

• Mostly level ground, and primarily paved.

• Activities that require little to no physical participation other than walking, standing and getting on and off transportation.

• Walking and hiking activities up to 1 hour that involves hills, steps or inclines of more than one flight of stairs at a time.

• Uneven ground with no paving and the possibility of small obstacles such as roots, water, ice, or rocks that would have to be traversed.

• Activities that take place in an elevation above 5000 feet.

• Non-walking activities in duration of 3 hours or less that requires balance, agility and some level of participation such as biking, horseback-riding, or rafting.