Choosing a trip by how active it is

Updated 4 Oct 2026

Pick the level that matches an ordinary day for you, not your fittest day. Every trip's activity level is set by its host, so use the label as a starting point and ask the host about anything that worries you.

The four levels

Each trip on hosted/trips can show one of four activity levels. Here is what each one means, in the words you'll see on the listing.

• Easy: little walking; anyone can join.
• Moderate: some walking or light activity most days.
• Active: hours on your feet, hikes or classes most days.
• Strenuous: demanding days; good fitness needed.

The level describes a typical day on the trip, not the hardest moment of it. A gentle writing retreat might still have one steep path to the dining room. A strenuous hiking trip might have a rest day in the middle.

What each level can look like

The same label can mean different things on different kinds of trip. A few examples of what's common:

Easy

A writing or reading retreat where you mostly sit, write and eat well. A workshop held in one building. A group trip where transport takes you door to door. Easy suits you if long walks or stairs are hard, or if you simply want to rest.

Moderate

A retreat with a daily gentle yoga class and short walks. A group trip through a city with a few hours of sightseeing on foot each day. A craft workshop where you stand at a table for part of the session. Most people who walk regularly in daily life will be comfortable here.

Active

A yoga retreat with two classes a day. A group trip with a few hours of hiking most days. A cooking workshop where you're on your feet in a kitchen all morning. Choose Active if you already exercise or spend long days on your feet without feeling wrecked the next morning.

Strenuous

Long hikes on rough ground, multi-day cycling, surf every day, or high altitude. Strenuous trips expect you to arrive fit, not get fit on the trip. If you're unsure, it probably isn't the one to stretch for.

How to choose your level

1. Think about an ordinary week. How much do you walk? Do stairs bother you? How do you feel after a full day on your feet?
2. Count the days, not just the hours. One active day is easy for most people. Five in a row is different.
3. Think about the setting. Heat, cold, sand, hills and altitude all make the same activity feel harder.
4. Leave room for enjoyment. A trip you finish tired and happy beats one you spend trying to keep up.
5. When in doubt, go one level down. You can always add a walk. It's harder to take a hike away.

If you have a health condition, an injury or a mobility need, talk to your doctor about what's sensible for you, and tell the host what you need before you book.

Questions to ask the host

The label is short on purpose, so the host is your source for detail. Useful things to ask:

1. What does a typical day involve, hour by hour?
2. How far is the walking each day, and on what kind of ground?
3. Are there stairs, hills or uneven paths at the place you're staying?
4. Can I sit out an activity and still enjoy the trip?
5. Is there an easier option for the harder days?
6. Does anyone travel with the group who can help if someone needs to stop?

Hosts would rather answer these before you book than have you struggle once you're there.

Using activity level on hosted/trips

Every trip on hosted/trips has a named host, and you book directly with them on their own site. hosted/trips takes no bookings or payments, and no cut of what you pay the host. The list is ordered by soonest booking-closing date, and you can re-sort by earliest, latest or price. Nobody can pay to move up, and sponsored spots are always labeled.

If you're waiting for the right trip at the right level, set up a trip alert and you'll get an email when a new trip of the kind or theme you follow is listed.

Find a trip

Browse retreats, workshops or group trips, or see everything on hosted/trips.