Any sort of adventure travel is fun but nothing comes close to the joy of trekking. For those who have trekked will agree that trekking is more about learning and staying put. And, the magnitude of adrenaline rush is definitely of a different kind courtesy the enchanting views one enjoys while at it.
But if it happens to be your first trek, the feeling is exciting yet overwhelming. So, in order to get the maximum thrill out of your first trek, doing your homework about the trek and brushing up on basic trekking tips is important.
Easy Trekking Tips For Beginners:
#1: Be In Good Shape
The first thing that matters the most is your health and physical fitness. This is not a tip but one of the most basic things one needs to be sure of before going on that first trek. You will be spending money on the trip and you don’t want it to cut short because of your health. So, ensure you are physically fit because the fitter you are, the easier the trek will be. Also, remember to drink water and stay hydrated throughout the journey.
#2: No Compromise On Research
If your first trek is in a group and the trek manager knows everything, ensure that you are digging out every bit of information about the trek. One needs to have a fair idea about the culture, locals, weather condition and the overall familiarity with the surrounding. There’s nothing that will make you feel more confident than reading and researching and having a fair idea about the place.
#3: Choose An Easy Trek
Trekking is fascinating, but for beginners, choosing an easy trek should be the thumb rule. People often think that an easy trek means compromising on the adventure factor, but on the contrary, when it’s an easy trek, you are more confident and can enjoy the maximum thrill. Ask the veterans, because even they believe that an easy trek always turns out to be a wise move.
#4: Comfortable Companions
When you are a first time trekker, it is obvious that you will be travelling in a group. While it’s good fun to travel with friends, but when it is trekking, comfort factor becomes the topmost priority. You don’t want to stay back at the camp for your friend or cut short your first trekking trip, right? So before embarking on your this voyage, ensure that the people you will be with are on the same page as you.
#5: Smart Backpacking With All Essentials
People often confuse smart backpacking and light backpacking. Light packing may or may not include essentials and safety gears while smart packing includes everything that is needed for the trek, but put together in smart way. An ideal smart backpack should include basic medicines, hand sanitizer, a walking stick (in case you are tired), reusable water bottle, headlamp (in case you trek at night), torch, extra cells, pocketknife, plastic bags, travel towel, waterproof pants, sunscreen, a raincoat, sleep sack (preferably made of silk), a camera bag, other than warm clothes and a jacket, wind gear, rain gear etc.
#6: Carry Flip-flops Or Any Comfortable Pair Of Footwear
Though everyone emphasise on a good, sturdy pair of trekking or hiking shoes, but the importance of a good pair of rest shoes or flip-flops is often neglected. While trekking, if you plan to rest for a bit, hiking shoes may not be the best option, so carrying flip-flops for resting your feet will be a wise option.
#7: Stay Calm And Trek On
Last but not the least, always stay calm and be positive because you are after all a stranger in a strange land. If the weather is not that great, or the trail is not the way you imagined, do not panic or crib, it may scare others too. So, keep a good, positive attitude and march along.
Travel hacks that are useful and make the vacation hassle free.
#1. Roll And Not Fold Clothes:
To make extra space in your baggage, roll your clothes rather than folding them. In fact, you can place undergarments, socks, and other small size stuff inside the full size clothes to better organize and optimize place inside luggage.
#2. Soft Copies, Hard Copies, And Pics Of Documents:
You can buy or at least manage without any other stuff except for the personal as well as travel related documents. So, keep soft copies, hard copies as well as pictures of the documents in your smartphone to avoid any rough situation.
#3. Eyewear Cases For Multiple Usage:
Glass cases can be used in multiple ways to keep things organized. Apart from shades and glasses, you can keep your cables, chargers, and earphones inside these cases.
#4. Binder Clips:
This stationary item can be used for covering up the head of a shaving razor as well as to keep the earphones tangle free. You can wrap the earphones on the binder clip and then can easily attach it on your travel bag or pockets.
#5. Offline Use Of Google Maps:
Do not want to empty the internet data pack by accessing the Google Maps again and again? Then, type OK Maps on a particular location to save that location for later access.
#6. Protect Your Luggage From Rash Handling:
Stick a ‘Fragile’ or ‘Handle With Care’ note on your luggage so that your luggage is handles with better care. Though, there is no guarantee of it, yet you should take precautions from your side.
#7. Keep Pen, Paper Handy:
Though it sounds like an old-school habit but you never know where you might need to fill forms, or write down local details of the place you are visiting. So, keeping a pen and paper is not a bad habit at all.
#8. Carry A Scarf:
Do not forget to carry a scarf while travelling. A scarf can be used for cover yourself up, cover the face, head, to wipe off sweat or for that matter, you can ties it on your luggage to mark it.
#9. Use Incognito Browser:
While checking out flight ticket and other details, remember to use incognito browser. If you have ever noticed, the flight ticket rates to the same destination that you checked earlier is higher when you check on a later date. It is because the airlines can track your search history, so to avoid that use incognito mode.
#10. Hide Some Cash Here And There:
You can never know where and how much cash can be needed while travelling or vacationing in an unknown place, so keep some cash here and there in your baggage. It is like the emergency cash, you might not need it at all and if you need cash, then only you know where it is kept.
#11. Off-Season Travelling Is Always Better:
Rather than visiting a tourist spot in its peak season, it is always better to go on off-season. The destination is less crowded, the transportation and lodging cost are low, and also you get to explore the local areas without much hassle.
#12. Hotel Cards And Address:
Do not forget to collect the card of the hotel or to take down the address of any other facility where you are staying, so even if you are lost you can show these cards and address to locals to get back to where you started.
Here are some basic travel tips you should do or consciously keep in mind for a better travel experience.
#1. Believing that everything will go as planned.
#2. Do not ANTICIPATE too much; just go with the flow.
#3. Carry minimal LUGGAGE.
#4. Do not keep all your MONIES together. Split it.
#5. Be ready to face UNEXPECTED weather condition.
#6. Try to enjoy the JOURNEY as much as the DESTINATION.
#7. Carry a notepad, make notes.
#8. Take UNPLANNED walks/treks.
#9. If you like the view of a certain place, do not hesitate to STAY a little longer.
#10. Use a CAMERA to click pictures instead of a phone.
#11. Do not let your SMARTPHONE play a spoilt sport. Answering calls or replying to messages can wait unless they are urgent.
#12. Be updated on the LOCAL NEWS.
#13. Try and learn the LOCAL LANGUAGE for basic communication.
#14. Make an effort to CONNECT with the locals.
#15. Try and cover places on foot or by using LOCAL TRANSPORT.
#16. Be COURTEOUS to locals because you are a GUEST visiting someone else’s land.
#17. Try NOT to bargain much.
#18. Do not be reluctant; get OUT of your comfort zone.
#19. Make it a point to try LOCAL CUISINE.
#20. Do not LITTER.
#21. Stay PUT for a while if nature comes down as an irresistible mistress.
#22. Relish the NATURE through your eyes than your smartphone.
#23. Do NOT be in a hurry.
#24. Try and learn about the CULTURE.
#25. Be a FREE soul.
#26. Do not RUSH to cover all the places.
#27. Buy at least one MEMENTO for yourself.
#28. If you are travelling alone, let your hosts know your WHEREABOUTS.
#29. Don’t be DEPENDENT on smartphones, jot down important PHONE NUMBERS in a diary.
#30. Flash a SMILE while dealing with the locals.
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