Going on an adventure tour can be a great way to get fit on the road, but are you prepared enough to handle it? Here’s what you should ask before you go.

If you’re planning a hiking or biking trip, the obvious questions are: what is the altitude, how steep is the climb, and how many miles will you cover a day?

But don’t forget to ask about the type of terrain. For example, hiking trips in Switzerland are on wide and well-marked paths, but in northern Spain, you may literally be going off-the-beaten path on rocky, narrow routes and steep dropoffs.

A driving tour may not be as easy as it sounds: It’s one thing to take an African safari in a Land Rover designed for the terrain. But if you’re driving across Mongolia in a Soviet-era van with no suspension, it can be rough going. Many road adventures can be extremely bumpy and dusty, which can aggravate back problems or exacerbate breathing problems.

Also, find out how many nights you’re staying in the same place. It’s easier to physically recover and rest if you’re not packing up and moving every day.

To prepare yourself physically, don’t rely on your gym membership. A treadmill and stationary bike can’t replicate the effects of going outside and testing yourself on actual terrain and altitude.

Use an established adventure tour company like Wilderness Travel, Backroads or Mountain Travel Sobek which puts its consultants on the ground—so when you’re asking the right questions, you know that they’ve experienced that trip.