About Alpine Treks
About us
Alpine Treks is a small, independent and fully licensed UK tour operator based in the Lake District National Park. We offer authentic, personal mountain adventures in the Alps in small groups.
Our trips are researched, led and supported by friendly, professional guides and instructors who have intimate knowledge of the areas we operate in.
Who are we?
Mark Jensen, Founder
Originally from Scandinavia, Mark moved to the UK to pursue a corporate career. But his passion for mountains and the outdoors soon made him swap his corporate career for a career in the outdoors. Over the years, Mark has trekked, climbed, skied and mountain biked in mountains from wild Alaska in the West to the mighty Himalayas in the East, and quite a lot in between. He's qualified as an International Mountain Leader (UIMLA) and as an alpine, nordic and telemark ski instructor (ISIA) and he spends as much time as possible, guiding and instructing on our trips in the Alps. When not in the mountains, Mark spends time with his young family and hides out in his garage sorting his gear and brewing beer.
Pete Davies, Director
Pete grew up in the Caribbean so it was initially the watersports that got him hooked on the outdoors. When he later moved back to the UK, he found the mountains a perfect substitute for the ocean. His greatest passions are ski touring, mountain biking and trekking, but he's certainly not averse to a bit of climbing, particularly if it involves a pair of skis for the descent! Living in the Lake District, he's also realised that kayaking is a perfect alternative to the bike when the trails are a bit too damp.
Pete has travelled extensively to all continents of the world with his mountain bike, his skis or his trekking boots. When not working, he's busy researching trails and routes for future adventures.
Our Philosophy
In a market dominated by a handful of very large adventure travel companies who sell standardised trekking trips by the thousands, Alpine Treks stand out as a small dynamic company whose main focus it is to offer a friendly and personalised experience of the highest quality at competitive prices. We have achieved this by keeping the numbers in our groups low, using the best guides and instructors and always be prepared to change our itineraries to suit the needs of our group members and the prevailing conditions. Our trips are run in areas where we have extensive personal experience to ensure that we can provide our members with interesting insights about the local region, be it the alpine flora or the local wine and cheese. We believe that an adventure holiday is not just about the trekking, climbing or skiing, but also very much about experiencing the local culture and making your precious time off as enjoyable as possible. We do not have costly offices, unnecessary administration and plush marketing, so rest assured that the cost of your trip goes towards providing a great service.
Our Guides and Leaders
We always use certified guides and istructors according to the requirements of the specific itinerary. Our guides and instructors are members of their relevant international associations, whether UIMLA, IFMGA or ISIA. Not only is this a legal requirement in most of the Alpine countries, but it's also your guarantee of a safe, knowledgeable and experienced leader on your trip.
Our leaders are hand-picked and have extensive experience in the areas they operate in. Most of our leaders are our long-time friends and climbing, trekking or skiing partners who, in addition to being incredibly skillful, are great companions in the mountains. Obviously, all our leaders are fluent English speakers.
Responsible Travel
The mountains are refuges for many of the planet's most rare animal and flower species. Yet these refuges are increasingly threatened by advancing changes to the land and by changing climate patterns. Glaciers are retreating and permafrost is melting at alarming rates. At Alpine Treks we respect the nature and all of it’s inhabitants. We are committed to running our business and our trips in a way that minimises the negative impacts on the environment. We believe that the saying “Take only memories, leave only footprints” is more valid today than it ever was. We also believe that it is important to preserve the local culture and support the local communities in the areas we visit. We kindly ask that our group members do the same on our trips.
Read or full Responsible Travel Policy by clicking here.
Financial Protection and Insurance
Alpine Treks is a full member of The Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust (ABTOT) and complies with "The Package Travel and linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018" (ABTOT member number 5345).
In addition, Alpine Treks holds Tour Operators and Travel Agents Insurance, which includes Legal Liability and Professional Indemnity cover.
Mark enjoying (a few) post-trekking drinks with clients
Pete doing the thing he loves the most - ridng his bike!
Hiking in a large group like this is neither fun nor safe!
Look for the logos! Your guide or instructor should be certified...
The more you travel in nature, the more you appreciate it.
