Published on 08 November 2020

What is Trekking?: It Is For You?

Trekking what-is-trekking
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Trekking, often known as long-distance trekking, is walking for several hours or weeks while entirely or partially self-sufficient. Initially, the activity was primarily practiced in the mountains, often in notoriously difficult-to-reach regions; however, the name now encompasses a wide range of terrain and itineraries for all skill levels.

Setting up your tent at dusk, having time to look at the sky, and discovering new scenery daily are all part of the trekking spirit. The setting is up to you: the expanse of the desert, the town or countryside, the grandeur of the mountains, and so forth.

Trekking is a soft-adventure sport that anyone can do. Start with day hikes and return to your starting point in the evening to gain a feel for trekking. Afterward, take a pretty easy multi-day walk to test your abilities and aptitude. You can go into the mountains with a seasoned trekker, join an adventure club, or book a trip with a reputable adventure travel firm.

Before You Begin Trekking

You must understand camp craft, map reading, and first aid. An adventure course from one of India's mountaineering adventures leading to a healthy lifestyle is a fantastic idea. If you want to take mountaineering more seriously and go to remote/high-altitude places, you should take basic training in mountaineering and a first-aid course. 

Before you go, learn as much as possible about the trekking area, including the people, their culture, the topography, terrain, medical/rescue services, and weather conditions.

What Are The Benefits of Trekking?

The benefits of trekking are numerous and include physical, mental, and emotional benefits. Trekking is an excellent exercise that improves cardiovascular health, muscle strength, and endurance. It also helps to relieve stress and anxiety, enhance mental clarity, and increase overall well-being. Trekking provides an opportunity to connect with nature, appreciate the beauty of the outdoors, and learn about the environment. Additionally, it can be a great way to challenge oneself and build self-confidence. Trekking is a rewarding experience that offers many health and personal benefits.

Improves fitness 

If you go trekking, then it is sure that you will lose so many calories in a small amount of time. Averagely, a person loses about 500 to 600 calories per hour if he continues to trek at a constant speed. Just remember to walk carefully on the muddy surface.

Stress reliever

According to experts, nature is the natural thing that reduces the stress and mood of human beings or even some animals. You can feel all your negativity disappearing from your mind and find peace when you feel yourself.

Nostalgia 

When you go to a place that gives you inner peace, remember it is likely to happen as a nostalgic memory in the future. So if you and your partner go on a trek, there is a high chance that nostalgia will hit both of you in the future.

Lifetime relationships with others

Remember that going with a friend or partner will always be a good idea when trekking. Trekking is a type of thing where you should go with your partner, and not only with yourself, it will be suitable for just the trip, but it will also make a good bonding and lifelong relationship with them.

Taking breaks from bad habits

If you have some habits you think are harmful and destructive, you can quit or take a break from them. It doesn't have to be an addiction only. It could be anything else too. While trekking, only concentrate on trekking and forget the other urge for the bad stuff.

Four Types Of Trekking:

You can choose any trekking per your budget, stamina, and wish. Every trek has its importance and benefits.

  • Easy Trekking: This beginner's adventure entails viewing colorful horizons or taking in the beauty of nature.
  • Moderate Trekking: Compared to easy trekking, moderate trekking is more complicated. It's done at medium to slightly higher elevations. Individuals participating in this form of trekking should be in good physical condition.
  • Strenuous Trekking: This form of hiking necessitates considerable physical exertion. It is primarily carried out at high altitudes and is only suitable for individuals with prior trekking experience.
  • Difficult Trekking: This is the fourth form of trekking, which takes place on steep slopes. Professional or experienced hikers usually do this style of hiking. This trekking necessitates the trekker's high precision, skill, and stamina.

Essentials You Need To Carry

You cannot just walk barehand. If you do so, then it's not a good idea. It would be best if you had enough preparation before getting on trekking. Below given things will help you to have the best trekking experience.

Seasonal type footwear

Find the appropriate footwear because you will not walk on the road. So it will be a rough place to walk. Suitable footwear can reduce the risk of knee and ankle problems.

Compass and SOS device

For precaution, if you get lost in a confusing place, mainly in a forest, or somewhere, you need that compass to figure out the direction, GPS, or SOS in an emergency.

Food and water

Although it is necessary to carry food and water, some people may think that they need to decrease the weight of the bag as much as possible and may feel that they would find or encounter a store near the location where they could buy the food and water, but not every time and everywhere you may find those types of stores. So always carry food and water.

Safety item

In case of emergency, like you find yourself in a bad situation, or it's nighttime, and it's getting cold and dark, then you may need to lite a fire; at that time, you may need Safety item like a lighter. Also, carry a whistle and torch with you for extra precaution.

Carry First-Aid

Carrying a first aid kit for Safety is essential because you may likely have a minor injury. After all, there are rough roads where you go and trek. 

Difference Between "Trekking" And "Hiking"

Hiking and trekking are two of the most popular hobbies among adventurers. On the internet, the two names are used interchangeably, as though they mean the same thing. Is that true?

  • While hiking involves the word "walk," often associated with something cheerful, easy, and enjoyable, trekking is characterized as a "journey," which is typically more complex, needs more effort, and takes more than one day.
  • Hikes are usually completed in a single day, whereas treks might take several days or weeks. The route hikers take a loop, leaving their base camp in the morning and returning in the evening to sleep.

Trekkers bring a bivouac and spend each evening in a different location. Trekkers occasionally go from designated hiking trails, but only if local regulations allow it and always in an environmentally friendly manner. In addition, because the trekker must be entirely or partially self-sufficient and is away for several days at a time, his bag contains "his entire home," In contrast, the hiker needs to carry the necessities for the day. A trekker's equipment is his lifeline; thus, it must be dependable and long-lasting.

Trekking entails walking for hours, yet it is possible to learn if one can pay attention to the nature and community around them. Meeting new people on the trails and walking with people from all walks of life will teach us how to work together as a team, act, and respond. Using and adapting different cultures, customs, or practices in your daily life may be interesting.

Bottom Line from Practical Anxiety Solutions

The most important thing is to comprehend how humans may be content with only the most basic requirements met. Trekking in distant locations can teach us what matters most in life and what doesn't.

Trekking is a type of meditation in which you can concentrate on each step and feel the ground beneath your feet. Your inner soul will be rejuvenated by breathing fresh air and feeling quiet and pleasant highland vistas and diverse terrain. Ultimately, a beautiful panorama and a sense of loss in nature benefit our minds and soul.

This silent pleasure experienced by trekking will instantly supply your mind with a sensation of rest and peace, away from all the social media, hustling and busy lifestyle, television, and world news. This mindset allows you to think more critically about yourself and those around you. Peace and tranquility will allow you to assess your difficulties, challenges, and potential solutions.

  • Ayala, R., Shu, T., & Tsai, L.-H. (2007). Trekking across the Brain: The Journey of Neuronal Migration. Cell, 128(1), 29–43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2006.12.021
  • BOHNE, M., & ABENDROTH-SMITH, J. (2007). Effects of Hiking Downhill Using Trekking Poles while Carrying External Loads. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 39(1), 177–183. https://doi.org/10.1249/01.mss.0000240328.31276.fc
  • Brockelman, W. Y., & Dearden, P. (1990). The Role of Nature Trekking in Conservation: A Case-study in Thailand. Environmental Conservation, 17(2), 141–148. https://doi.org/10.1017/s037689290003191x
  • Kang, S.-J. (2014). Trekking exercise promotes cardiovascular health and fitness benefits in older obese women. Journal of Exercise Rehabilitation, 10(4), 225–229. https://doi.org/10.12965/jer.140136