Roughing It Out - How to Prepare for the Best Hiking Trip of Your Life

Many people like to spend their time in the outdoors, relaxing in a hammock on the beach. While this soothing experience is some people’s dream, other nature lovers prefer to be active, interacting with the world around them. For these people, a hiking trip is the perfect outdoor experience.

While novice hikers might prefer to step into their backyards for a 15 minute walk, other hikers with more experience frequently plan entire vacations around hiking. Hiking trips are not easy endeavors to plan - there are many decisions to make about all aspects of the trip. However, once all the details are finalized, a hiking trip is a great way to be at one with the world.

Where to Hike?

The first and perhaps most obvious decision you will have to make is where you are going to go hiking. There are so many options available - after all, you do have the world at your fingertips. However, you can narrow the choices down by asking yourself whether you want to make your hiking trip local or international.

If you decide to travel to a local hiking spot, then your options are only slightly narrower. There are still many hiking options in North America that appeal to all levels of expertise. Beginners might want to start with weekend trips to local trails. However, those with more experience might consider week-long vacations to wilder regions, such as the Rocky Mountains, Alaska, Canada, Mexico, and the Appalachians.

Making the decision to take your hiking trip to an international scale opens up many doors. Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America all host many attractions. Make sure not to forget about islands in the Pacific and Caribbean!

Getting Down and Dirty

Knowing how involved you would like to get in the hiking experience is the next step to planning your hiking trip. Are you prepared to sleep in sleeping bags and eat beans from a can? Or are you looking for a trip with a little more luxury? This consideration is extremely important when it comes to planning a hiking trip.

When to Hike?

Planning your trip around the rainy or hot season of a certain region is a great idea to ensure your satisfaction. Yet, just because you go on a hike during the dry season does not mean there is no chance of rain. The main advantages to planning a trip during a particular season is to look for discount deals on guides and special opportunities.

Working Your Way Up

For beginners, taking a short backyard hike might not seem like an accomplishment. However, this experience can lead to bigger and better ones -and perhaps the hiking vacation of your dreams.