New to Trekking-8 Important Tips for Beginners

We know you are not free from the stresses of your day-to-day life. And they come from all corners. At times, it just gets too much to handle and your mind feels the need to have a break. We’ve been there as well. And there’s a solution to the problem; trekking.

There’s no denial in the fact that nature is the best stress buster. And trekking is one way you can stay away from the regular noise of the world. But it’s not as straightforward, especially if you have never been on a trek before.

Since you are new to trekking, we have prepared a list of some really useful and important tips for beginners. Without any further adieu, let’s jump right in.

1. Pick the Trek meant for Beginners:

It’s given that you being a novice trekker cannot go for the treks that are not for the beginners. You need to take it easy and start with something that’s not too difficult. One mistake that beginners make is to overdoing it.

You may have the company of experienced hikers with you but that is still not enough. A straight uphill trek is just not good for a beginner and it’s in your best interest to select the trek that matches your current fitness levels. You need to be able to complete the journey without much complexities. And getting familiar with routes of the trail is one of the first things that you need to do.

2. Prepare Yourself Mentally:

Before you embark on your journey to the trekking site of your choice, you need to prepare yourself on the mental level. The scenic views may be tempting, but it’s a no-brainer that going up there requires a great deal of effort; both physical and mental. And this is true not just for beginners but for experienced as well.

A positive mindset is essential as it can make or break the chances of a successful trekking experience. What helps a lot of people prepare mentally is regular meditation. Just don’t set a lot of expectations from your trip, and try to avoid being too hard on yourself.

3. Time for Physical Preparation:

Now that you have prepared yourself mentally, it’s your body that needs the working. Follow a strict exercise routine in the weeks leading up to your trek. Start slow and gradually work it up as the days progress.

Trekking requires stamina and your target must be increase your stamina. Supposedly, you go for a walk everyday. Now, as you are going for trekking, you can enhance your stamina by walking more than usual and also carrying some weight along.

Just don’t forget to give your body the time to recover in between the workout sessions. And what’s also essential is a great sleep for the body to work properly.

If you happen to be a smoker, there cannot be a better time to say goodbye to the burning sticks. To walk such distances at such high altitude, you need to have your lungs work to the fullest. And it is without a doubt that smoking interferes with the proper functioning of lungs.

4. Say a Big No to Cotton:

It’s already too cold up there and you don’t want to add to the misery. Anything made of cotton is a nightmare on treks as it absorbs quite a lot of water and sweat and then refuses to let go.

Cotton may be best to wear elsewhere but it’s synthetic that does the job on treks.
Any sort of wetness in the feet or clothes may rapidly decrease your body temperature which is not an enticing prospect when it comes to living on mountains.

And don’t forget to carry some clips and clothesline to dry out your clothes as it’s inevitable for the clothes getting wet on treks. One major benefit you’ll get out of this simple hack is that your clothes will dry out in no time and be ready to be worn again. You may not need to pack a whole lot of clothes, thus reducing the backpack weight significantly.

5. Respect the Environment:

This cannot be said enough that one needs to careful about the nature. Burying your disposable cutlery is never enough. In fact, it ruins the environment. Our eco-system is fragile. It needs to be taken care of, especially when you are so close to the nature.

Start by eliminating the tourist mindset. Mountains are meant to be peaceful and you don’t play loud music on treks. If you wish to have the luxury of the city life on the mountains, well, then trekking may not be the best choice for you.

Once you get back from the trek, there must be no traces left. You must leave no trash on the treks.

Additionally, your body might crave a hot campfire at times, but only start one where it is permitted and it make sure it is extinguished before you leave the site. No campfire must stay unattended as it can easily spread in the wildlife.

You should be mindful of your surroundings at all times. Make it a practice that you don’t litter and if in case you see litter around, pick it up and take it back to the city to dump it there.

6. Conserve the Energy:

Considering this is your first or one of first treks, you may be full of energy. But one of the mistakes the beginners make is to burn themselves out at the beginning to the trek itself. Learn to listen to your body before anything else.

There may be times during the entire trail where you would need to go the extra mile. That’s when you would need to expend the energy you save by not going too fast at the start of it. If you are going too fast, you might well start gasping for air, and that’s the perfect indication for you to slow down.

Remember that you are not there in competition with fellow hikers. You are there to soak the freshness of the mountains and that can be done only when you do it at your regular pace.

7. Pack the First Aid Kit along:

Within your backpack must lie enough necessary medicines for all the possible issues that might arise during the trek. Some people encounter altitude sickness, some get headaches while others may feel the need to vomit. And you need to be prepared for it all.

Some cotton rolls, a couple of bandages, antiseptic cream, pain relieving spray are some of the essential things that should be carried with your personal medical kit,

Not just the general ones, carry along all the medicines prescribed by your doctor if you happen to have some medical issues. The bad weather, lower oxygen levels, constant walking are the factors that should be kept in mind while preparing your backpack.

8. Invest in a good tent:

If you are not with a travelling organization, you need to invest in a tent. And not just any tent. You need to have something which is lightweight, but is strong enough to handle the brunt of severe weather conditions, which you may likely encounter at such high altitudes.

Besides, your tent should be durable. Remember, when you are out there in some of the remotest places on our earth, it’s your tent that gives you the shelter. And if you do not have a shelter good enough to protect you, it’s certain that you won’t like the experience of trekking at all. That’s the last thing you would want.

And don’t worry if you don’t know what all should be considered before buying a tent; we’re here to help you out. Here’s how you choose a good tent for camping.