If you fancy a good holiday with the benefit of altitude training, you could do a lot worse than head for Ladakh in Northern India. Located within the state of Jammu & Kashmir, it borders Tibet to the east and Pakistan to the north. It sits at an average height of over 12,000 feet and for centuries it had been closed to the outside world, due to its sheer in accessibility.

The stark Himalayan landscape, comprising of stunning mountain ranges, dramatic ridges, and valleys, makes an indelible impression on any visitor. Apart from the stunning scenery, you can visit many of the 'Guptas' or monasteries that pepper this heavily Buddhist area.

KO instructor Jon Lilley was out there during September 2000 flying the KO flag. He said 'It took me around 10 days to acclimatise'. I'd planned on doing a few 3 mile runs to get my fitness up while I was there but after 2 rounds of shadow work I was in bits.

The Indian army has a very large presence in Ladakh due to the political trouble in the area, 'I exchanged training tips with a few of them' Jon confesses, 'A lot of those guys are very well trained and prepared for action'. It goes without saying that anyone trains at that kind of altitude is going to be very, very strong.