It doesn't matter how brilliant the adventure, how talented the team - if a vital piece of equipment is missing, or the food or fuel has run out, not only could the expedition fail to achieve its objective, but lives could be put at risk. Sound logistical planning ensures that you have the right supplies to achieve the objective and survive, in relative comfort and with enjoyment. The principles are the same for any type or scale of expedition or journey, though the size of the party and the nature of the objective obviously must affect the complexity of the logistics. Since my own expertise is in mountaineering, I shall use the planning of a mountaineering expedition as my model, but the principles behind this could be transposed to almost any venture.

It is important to start by deciding exactly what the objective is to be - this might sound very obvious but it is amazing how many people become confused about precisely what they are trying to achieve and end up with a set of conflicting objectives, which in turn make it difficult, if not impossible, to prepare a workable plan. There could, for instance, be a conflict between trying to introduce a group of youngsters of different nationalities to the mountains and tackling a very difficult unclimbed peak.

Having clarified the aim, the next step is to formulate an outline plan of how to achieve it. In the case of a mountain objective the first consideration is the style of climbing proposed to tackle it. There are two approaches: alpine style - packing a rucksack at the bottom of the peak and then moving in a continuous push to the top, bivouacking or camping on the way; or siege style - establishing a series of camps up the mountain, linked by fixed rope on difficult ground. The latter inevitably demands a larger team, more gear and more complex logistics. These have to be worked out in detail, from the number of camps needed, the quality of rope to be fixed if the ground looks steep, the cooking gear needed for each tent, and then the amount of food and fuel necessary to feed the climbers and/or porters while they force the route and ferry loads.

It pays to start the calculations with a summit bid of, say, two people from a top camp of one assault tent, and then work back down the mountain. As a rule of thumb, estimate a camp every 500 metres which represents a reasonable distance for a load carry. Loads of around 15 kilos can be carried comfortably up to 7,000 metres, but the higher you get the lighter the load should be. It is also important to allow adequate rest periods, so that the team doesn't burn itself out. Using a spreadsheet on a computer makes the calculations easier and the various 'what if?' scenarios can then be played out.

Planning in this detail at an early stage automatically supplies information about the size of the team needed and the kind of skills required. This will help choose a team that is not only the right size but also the right composition. This may not appear to come under the heading of logistics but it most certainly does, for without the right people to carry out the tasks in hand, the best laid plans and logistics fall apart. From this point of view, in choosing a team it is essential to have a good balance between people who are capable of taking on organisational or management roles and those with skills to attain the objective - in the case of a climbing expedition, talented climbers, or for a scientific one, people with the right scientific qualifications and knowledge. It is also important that the team is compatible, that the brilliant expert - climber, canoeist or scientist - will work effectively for the team as a whole.

The foundations of the expedition are laid in this initial planning phase and are then built into the organisational stage in the home country when everything is being assembled. If vital items of food or equipment are left out, shipping arrangements mishandled or, perhaps most important of all, there is a shortfall in the amount of money to pay for the enterprise, it could be condemned to failure before even setting out. In this organisational phase it is important for the leader to delegate responsibility effectively (in the first instance ensuring that the right person has been given the right job), give briefs of what is required and the deadlines to be reached, and finally leave them to get on with it; but maintain a reporting-back system so that if there are any critical problems, the leader can take any necessary action. This role should be one of support rather than interference.

Sound budgeting and raising sufficient funds is obviously a key task in this preparatory phase. In getting sponsorship it is also very important to be realistic over what is promised, so that not only can the promises be fulfilled but, equally important, the commitments to a sponsor do not prejudice achieving the end objective or the way the expedition is conducted.

It pays to build some slack into the schedule to allow for delays and crises. In 1970 when I went to the south face of Annapurna, we sent all the expedition gear by sea, scheduled to arrive in Bombay a fortnight before we were due to reach Nepal by air. The ship carrying it broke down off Africa and was over a month late, giving us a major crisis at the very beginning of the expedition. We got round it with the help of an army expedition going to the north side of Annapurna. They allowed us to send some gear out with their air freight and loaned us some excellent army compo rations. This kept us going until the main gear caught up with us, but we experienced a lot of unnecessary worry and delay. Even today, when most expeditions use air freight for their baggage, gear can be lost, delayed in customs or sent to the wrong place. So it pays to allow plenty of time, particularly for clearing customs.

When packing, keep in mind at which stage of the trip the different items of food or gear will be used, and also how they are going to be carried to the base of operations. Put together all the items not needed until base camp. The gear and food for use on the approach march needs to be separate and accessible. It is best carried in lockable containers and it pays to get a set of padlocks with a uniform key so that any team member can get access to communal equipment.

It saves a lot of time and hassle if containers are kept to a weight that can be carried by local porters or pack animals, and are protected robustly to withstand rough treatment and exposure to the weather. It is best to distribute similar items in different loads, so that if a single box goes missing the total supply of a vital piece of equipment is not lost - all the oxygen masks, for example, or all the matches. The other vital task is to list everything and mark all the boxes clearly with some form of identification that gives no clue of the contents to the casual observer.

Remember that certain items cannot be sent by air. It is irresponsible and dangerous to try to smuggle such items. Gas cylinders can be sent by cargo plane, but must be specially packed. The air freight agent can give advice on these matters.

Once at the roadhead, life becomes much simpler. At last everyone is together and, with luck, all the gear and food is there with you. It is just a matter of keeping the porters happy - not always easy - and keeping tabs on gear and loads. To make this easier, on some expeditions I have issued each porter with a numbered plastic disk to coincide with the number of their load, and then taken a Polaroid photo of him holding his disk and load.

An approach march can be a leisured delight or a nightmare, depending on the behaviour of the porters. Very often, problems with the porters are outside your control, since so much depends on the local situation, the attitude of the liaison officer and the conduct of the naik or overseer, who might have extracted a large commission from the porters in return for employment. It is very difficult to advise on any specific reaction other than to stay cool, to listen carefully and to bargain effectively.

And so to base camp. The objective - in my case, a mountain - is in sight and some might think that this is where the real challenge begins. However, the eventual success or failure will have been strongly influenced by everything that has been done in the preparatory phase and the approach. If the expedition has been planned in detail, all the essential gear that was packed in containers to go straight to base camp is now ready for use. Provided team members are fit and relaxed and happy, they certainly have a much better chance of success, or at least of having a good try at achieving the objective and enjoying themselves at the same time.

In the case of a mountain, particularly one that is unclimbed, the first priority, after making base camp comfortable, is to make a thorough recce, to check out if the actual terrain corresponds with what pictures and maps you have managed to get hold of, and to assess whether the plan of campaign needs changing or adjusting. A plan should always be flexible. It is possible to change and adapt it to circumstances, but it must be a well thought out plan in the first place. On the south-west face of Everest in 1975, we completed a detailed plan using a computer model in Britain, but made frequent changes during the actual expedition. However, without the original plan as a solid foundation, we could never have climbed the south-west face as quickly and smoothly as we did.

It is all too easy, when the weather is good, to believe it will last forever. Each fine day needs to be regarded as the last one you will get on the expedition. Equally, when the weather is bad, it is also easy to slip into lethargy. It is just as important to be poised to take advantage of a clearance.

We all want to achieve success, to reach our objective, but I believe it is important to remember that the journey is as important as the final objective. The way that journey is carried out not only determines the eventual outcome but, equally important, how you are going to feel about it in the future. If the logistics are right, if everyone works well together as a team, with each individual being prepared to sacrifice personal ambition for the good of the group as a whole, being aware of the needs of others and helping where necessary, then the venture has achieved complete success. Sound planning from the very beginning provides the foundations of that success.