1. Choose your challenge - Pick your dream charity fundraising adventure from our range of challenges or even create your very own!! Tackle the UK Three Peaks, summit Everest Base Camp or sing your way to the top of Kilimanjaro. Read the challenge specific itinerary and Q&As thoroughly to ensure you fully appreciate what is involved in the challenge and if you have any questions, please just get in touch.
2. Choose your charity- It is time to find a UK registered charity close to your hearts. Most charities will be more than happy for you to raise funds on their behalf. Just remember, you will need to confirm with them first. Once the charity gives authorisation and sends you fundraising tips, it's time to book! Please note, we cannot proceed any further with your booking until the charity officially authorises you, so if you haven't heard back from us within two weeks, please do follow up with your charity.
3. Book your challenge - Now you have picked your adventure and chosen your amazing charity, it's time to secure a place on one of our epic adventures. Simply follow the booking instructions online! You should have your passport details ready, and be prepared to provide us with your personal contact details, medical history, next of kin, dietary requirements and any allergies.
4. Preparation Time- Once booked, we will send you everything you need to get you started. We will give you access to our sponsorship forms, fundraising ideas, fitness training notes, itinerary, kit list, Q&As, health notes, travel tips and more.
5. Your Fundraising Deadline - Your charity will be on hand to help with plenty of tips and advice for reaching your fundraising target. GoKo will also be here to answer any questions you may have. Remember, at least 80% of your target figure must be reached 56 days before your challenge start date. At this point (56 days) we will send you new documents explaining how to obtain your visa with relevant forms (if applicable for your challenge). We will also update you about your sponsorship/balance deadlines.
6. Final Sponsorship - All remaining sponsorship should be with your charity ideally before departure and at the very latest within 4 weeks of the end of your challenge.
7. IT'S TIME! - You've successfully smashed your target and you've trained hard! It is now time to embark on a journey of a lifetime!! We will be with you every step of the way: See you there!
FAQS
A charity challenge is no walk in the park. If you wish to partake in such an event, you need to be willing to push yourself to the limit and move well beyond your comfort zone. Remember, this is not a holiday and is called a challenge for a reason. Do not expect luxury or a 5* service; roads will be rough, facilities will be basic and infrastructure will be limited. This is an adrenaline-filled challenge that should inspire others to help you with your cause.
The short answer is: a basic level of fitness and good health is needed and training is highly recommended. However, you do not need to be a professional athlete or marathon runner. What is going to get you to the end of your challenge is a mental and emotional commitment to the cause. As long as you set time aside to prepare for the challenge ahead, success will be on your side!
All of our challenges are designed to be demanding, otherwise, you wouldn't really be earning your sponsorship money. Fitness training notes will be available in your account area and we recommend you spend a few months before your trip getting fit and building up stamina.
Below we have highlighted four difficulty levels:
Moderate: This is the perfect challenge for someone who has never taken on a challenge event before and is looking to test themselves or the first time. Usually, hotels/lodges are chosen over camping, and there will be no altitude involved (although training will still be necessary). A UK “moderate” challenge, would be perfect for someone who is looking to take their first steps into walking or hiking. If you are already an avid hiker or have completed hiking trailed before, we recommend something a little harder.
Challenging: A “challenging” trip will test someone who is relatively fit; even if you have a spirit for adventure. You may have had some previous experience, but this is not necessary as long as the correct training is undertaken. A “challenging” trip may involve some altitude, but this will be compensated by easier terrain and hiking conditions.
Tough: A “tough” trip should only be undertaken by someone with previous biking/trekking/hiking experience and interest in the activity. It will usually involve camping, and will certainly be in a remote environment, where facilities will be very basic. A tough challenge will test you both physically and mentally/emotionally. Training is absolutely essential, as days could exceed 10+ hours.
Extreme: Extreme challenges will involve altitude, and a great deal of endurance (Like Everest Base Camp or Kilimanjaro). These trips are not to be taken lightly, and will take place in extreme and somewhat uninhabitable environments. Before booking an "extreme" trip, we highly recommend you having previous experience in a mountain setting, and must be willing to push your physical and mental toughness to the next level. You will be pushed to your limits! Training is essential.
The accommodation could range from comfortable hotels, guest houses, eco-lodges and mountainside camping (tents). Normally, accommodation is based on two people of the same sex sharing a twin room or two person tent. Details of each night’s accommodation are given in the full day by day itinerary for each challenge.
Our challenges enable you to support any charity you want, providing it is registered in either the UK or Ireland.
However, raising sponsorship requires a lot of time and effort, so make sure you are passionate about the cause you support. Aim to choose something with a personal connection, perhaps a cause that has affected you or a loved one in the past.
If you have a connection to the cause and a story to tell, it will help to support your fundraising.
Once you have chosen your charity, simply let us know and we will contact them on your behalf.
Yes! You can cancel at any time, however, our cancelling policies will apply.
If you cancel your place within 72 hours of your first payment (if making a split payment) or after you paid your deposit, then the amount paid will be refunded in full (apart from £20 administration fee).
If you have concerns about any aspect of your fundraising journey, you always have your charity to support you. Your charity has a team of dedicated and experienced fundraising support, who can help you with any fundraising problem - big or small.
If you're not sure who to go to, contact us and we'll point you in the right direction.
The journey you are about to embark on is the furthest thing from a holiday. The physical exertion will be demanding and often extreme. Facilities are basic and you may well be roughing it in a makeshift campsite. Weather conditions are variable and can often be extreme - be it hot, cold, wet or windy. Temperatures could climb from -20°C to +30°C within 24 hours. A Charity Challenge with GoKo is not to be taken lightly, as it requires months of training, raising thousands of pounds for charity and then battling through the physical challenge itself. All three of these take time, effort and commitment.
Travel insurance is compulsory for all of our trips and we recommend that participants take this out as soon as possible.
You are free to choose a policy that suits your needs which includes cover for all activities featured as part of your trip and depending on your challenge.
All policies chosen should cover you for trekking at altitude and helicopter evacuation.
