What exactly is trekking?
Trekking , also known as “adventure hiking,” is an outdoor activity that involves covering longer distances on foot than hiking. Etymologically, the word “trek” is derived from a Dutch term meaning ” migration .” It used to refer to mountain hikes, but the activity of trekking now refers to any itinerant walk , regardless of the environment covered. There are therefore as many levels of difficulty as there are types of routes, geographical areas, and duration of the journey.
Taking place over several days of walking, trekking is an itinerant hike that requires sleeping in refuges , or, for the more intrepid, bivouacking ! The adventure is then even more immersive ! You leave with only your backpack, your walking poles and the desire to enjoy the great outdoors and nature.
To begin your trek, you can share this experience with a group of hikers and be accompanied by a guide who is an expert in the region. Starting your trek with a group allows you to hike with complete peace of mind and benefit from the logistics of a specialized agency.
Starting trekking: knowing your level
Whether you have previous hiking experience or not, you will enjoy starting trekking! However, you cannot start without being physically prepared .
First of all, you need to take into account your physical level in order to anticipate the preparation time needed before undertaking your first trek.We explain further in this article the sports and activities to favor when starting trekking and hiking.
Assess the difficulty of a first trek
A first trek shouldn’t be too difficult! You might find yourself suffering or never wanting to repeat the experience. So before embarking on your first trek, carefully assess its difficulty so you don’t get surprised. A first trek should first inspire you to want to do it again.
There are significant differences between treks, which depend mainly on two criteria: duration and elevation .It is important to determine how long and how much walking and elevation gain you feel you can do in one day, every day.
Between a beginner and a very good walker, there can be a difference of up to 5 hours of walking and 600 meters of elevation gain . The more expert and seasoned you are, the more you can walk for more than 6 hours at 1000 meters of elevation gain per day.
Remember that a trek’s difficulty depends on its duration. As a novice, you probably won’t be able to do it all day if you’re walking for too many hours. Especially since you’ll have all your equipment on your back .