Trekking can be a wonderful way to discover a country. When walking in the woods, over mountains, or along dusty plains, you have the time to really absorb the beautiful scenery around you and get a sense of what’s special about this new land. In this post I will share the top 3 beginners’ tips for your first trekking adventure.I hope you would like these hiking essentials.
Trekking is usually the only way to find those hidden holiday treasures, such as incredible wildlife, secret waterfalls, or even little villages that no one you know has been to. Here are three tips about trekking when travelling overseas to help you get started and have a successful trekking holiday, no matter where you decide to go.
Here are the top 3 beginners’ tips for your first trekking adventure–
1. Understand the Country You’re Travelling To:
It might seem obvious, but it’s important to have at least a basic knowledge of the country you’re going to be trekking in. Will you need a guide? Will that guide speak English? Should you learn the local language? In his popular blog series for 1Cover, Ben Groundwater says the one thing you shouldn’t do in Spain, for example, is assume that everyone speaks Spanish – let alone English! There are many different local languages, such as Basque and Catalan, so it’s always worth researching these kind of details before you go to a new country.
Read more : Ghorepani Poon hill Trekking, Nepal
Forums, travel review sites and blogs are great places for getting information about a particular destination. Talk to people who have been before, find trekking communities and ask them about their experiences. Most people are happy to share their knowledge and help out a fellow trekker.
Read: Sandakphu trekkking, Sikkim
2. Don’t Overstretch Yourself:
This is the most important tips in all top 3 beginners’ tips for your first trekking adventure. It’s very easy to get over-excited and set out on a 50 mile trek over rough terrain. If you’re inexperienced, though, all this is going to do is break your spirit and put you off ever trekking again. Remember, trekking is exercise and if you’re not used to it, it can be extremely taxing. This is doubly so in a hot country, or a country that’s particularly humid.
Having said that, there are plenty of trekking routes that are suitable for beginners – ones that you don’t have to follow right to the end, or ones with plenty of stops along the way. Take Masca in Tenerife, for example. This gorgeous village seems almost plucked out of time and is set amongst one of the most striking gorges on the island. You can walk all the way from the top of the hill, down through the steep village roads, then into the gorge itself and all the way along the canyon to the ocean. It’s a steep, sometimes treacherous route.
Read: Why should you travel solo at least once in your life
However, beginners can take a break at one of several tiny refreshment stands or bars, or there’s the option to simply walk as far as the base of the canyon and then back up. Walkers who get all the way to the ocean but don’t fancy the uphill trek back can catch a boat to the pretty and bustling beach town of Los Gigantes.
3. Be Prepared:
There are plenty of things you can do to make sure you’re well prepared for a trekking holiday. We’ve already discussed looking at the destination and making sure the route you’ve picked isn’t too strenuous. It’s also a good idea to have a trekking buddy. This is for several reasons. Firstly, you can keep each other motivated. Secondly, if there are two or even a group of you, you can all look out for each other and make sure everyone is happy and healthy at all times. If anyone slips or falls, there’s always someone to go get help, or to lend a helping hand.
On that note, make sure you have a mobile device that’s charged up and can get a signal. You never know when you might need some assistance. Running out of battery at a crucial moment could turn a small problem into a crisis. Also, make sure you have the contact numbers of any local authorities, such as a park warden or landowner, and make sure you know how to contact the local emergency services.
Finally, always carry snacks, plenty of water, a physical map (in case digital devices do fail), and remember to have fun! This is your unique way to explore the world around you, and no trekking journey is quite like the next. Enjoy every moment.
So that’s all about my Top 3 beginners’ tips for your first trekking adventure. Do you like it? Please comment below. LIke my FB page and subscribe.
About the Author:
Travelling since she was 5, Pauline has had to succumb to a working student life with a long list of travel destinations. For her, everything is a balance act – working, studying, travelling and taking care of her 2 Labradors. Also a keen home cook, Pauline expresses her love for both pursuits by contributing to a slew of online publications in her spare time.