Tips and Tricks for a First-Time Trekker

Trekking is one of the most thrilling adventures that tends to challenge your limits, just so you can witness the vast beauty of Mother Nature. Considered as one of the most adventurous and exciting experiences, it can be one of the most magical feelings for any adventure enthusiast. I mean, imagine setting your foot on a trail where you get to experience the crisp mountain air around you, meanwhile, the landscapes are promising you a new, memorable experience for a lifetime.

As magical, surreal as this experience sounds, it is bound to be filled with a fair share of challenges and hurdles, like unpredictable weather, steep trails, and physical strain of carrying your own backpack, and so on.

You must know that there is a saying about traveling, which is, When you decide to set foot on some journey, the key to having a safe, comfortable, and enjoyable trip or trek is to have flawless preparation.

Being prepared for any unpredictable circumstances is very important, as mountains can be mesmerizing in one minute and can be absolutely unpredictable in another. Therefore, packing all the righteous gears to achieve a smooth trekking trip is very important.

So, in this article we’ve compiled all the essential tips and tricks that are specifically designed for first time trekkers. From choosing the right gears to understanding the fitness requirement, you will have a complete guide on how to be prepared for your first trek. Also all these insights come from real life experience on the trail. So, they are completely authentic.

In this trekking hacks on the Himalayas, you will come across many helpful tips that will help in enhancing your trekking experience. So, get ready to enter the world of trekking with full confidence, awareness and enthusiasm.

Why Preparation Matters Before Your First Trek

Every first experience of any new activity is bound to be filled with lots of excitement, thrill, nervousness and anticipation. For any new experience being prepared for it in certain ways is very important.

Speaking of preparation, trekking an adventure full of thrills requires a proper preparation to be done in a certain way by a trekker. Being prepared physically, emotionally, mentally and with all the right gears is a very essential part of it. Since, preparation level has the power to decide whether your trekking trip is going to be a memorable one or disaster one.

Your preparation has to be flawless and is crucial for your trekking because it prevents you from encountering any type of difficulty during the trek, ensures that you reach your destination safely and enjoy the trail of the trek without any strain or worry.

That’s where this complete guide on best trekking tips steps in. Not only will it enlighten you about the best trekking tips and tricks, common mistakes that you should avoid but it will also make your trekking easy. To know more about trekking, here is some guide on effective acclimatization by an expert that will help you during the trekking.

Physical Preparation

Physical fitness is one of the basic needs of trekking, without being physically fit, trekking is not possible. In order to reach your desired mountain, adapting long climbs, uneven terrains and high altitude is necessary for a trekker.

Hence, a trekker must have a good body endurance and good amount of strength in their body. To achieve these things, a trekker should do some daily set of exercises like, walking, jogging or stairs climbing on a regular basis as these exercises will help in strengthening lungs and legs of a trekker.

Apart from this, as the level of strength and endurance increases the chances of getting exhaust, injury or fatigue also decreases. So, remember to keep your physical fitness up to the point as it will help in balancing as well as stabilize your trekking more.

Mental Preparation

Trekking is really a challenging adventure in itself, but with physical elements, it also tends to challenge the mental strength of a trekker. Being mentally prepared helps a trekker in lots of ways.

The unpredictable change in weather, walking for hours, and experiencing discomfort occasionally leads to testing the patience of a trekker. Hence, while trekking, being mentally prepared is necessary as it helps in staying calm while being on the trail, teaches you the importance of a positive mindset and gives endurance to get through the rough patch of the trail.

Gear Preparation





Being equipped with a proper set of gears like, trekking shoes, headlamps, layered clothes and so on is very important while trekking at high altitudes.

You must pack things according to the provided packing list.

Other than that, make sure to keep things like rain protection, a first-aid- aid kit with you to deal with any unexpected circumstances. Just remember, it's the preparation of the right gears that decides whether your trekking experience is going to be a smooth, enjoyable one or a stressful one.

Prevention truly matters to all the trekkers because:

• It prevents injuries and altitude sickness.
• Makes the trek more enjoyable and stress-free.
• Lastly, ensure that trekkers remain safe in any unexpected condition.

Common Mistakes a Trekker Makes as a First Timer

The euphoric feeling of ticking one of your dreams from your bucket list sometimes leads to lapse of judgement and unpreparedness. Meaning, the excitement to witness the beauty of mountains, explore some unknown terrains tends to lead you in missing out some important factors related to the activity.

But making some avoidable, common, blunder mistakes is the first trait of a beginner trekker due to the lack of knowledge about trekking. Although, these small, blunder mistakes carry enough potential of turning an impeccable experience into a risky one.

Therefore, to make things easier for all the trekking enthusiasts and prevent all of you from making blundering mistakes, we are listing some very common mistakes that every trekker tends to make at the beginning, and should definitely avoid.

1. Underestimating Physical Preparedness - It’s very important for everyone to understand that trekking is so much more than just walking on the trail. In trekking having endurance, and physical strength is very vital for a trekker.
• As a trekker, you are supposed to walk on an uneven trail. Keep climbing in unpredictable weather and face many other challenges too.
• Going on a trek without having a good enough body endurance can cause extreme exhaustion in the body and even cause injuries too.

Therefore, every trekker must prepare their body enough to bear all the exhaustion and face unpredictable circumstances.




2. Carrying Too Much or Too Little - It's the most common blunder that every beginner trekker tends to commit while packing for the trek. While packing, there are only two types of things we all tend to feel. Either we will pack everything from the wardrobe, thinking every item is necessary, or we will pack too little that it won’t even fulfill the need for the required clothes during the trek.

The perfect way to avoid this problem is -

• Keep your luggage light by packing the trekking essentials smartly.
• Keep the trekking essentials limited, as mentioned in the provided packing list by the trek leaders.


3. Ignoring Wearing Proper Shoes - Not wearing proper trekking shoes that help in maintaining the balance of the body during the trek can be the biggest mistake. Not wearing the appropriate trekking shoes while being on the trek can cause serious long term leg injury.

There are some factors that you should keep in mind while choosing the trekking shoes and getting gear up for a trek.

• Purchase a good quality of trekking shoes, rather than buying some regular sports shoes.
• Those shoes must have ankle support itched in them as well as must be waterproof.
• Remember to wear your trekking shoes two weeks prior to your trekking trip and pair them with moisture absorbing socks to save yourself from getting any blisters.


4. Skipping the acclimatization - while trekking, in excitement, we tend to ignore what our body is saying. So make sure to listen to your body, give it time to adjust, and acclimate to the atmosphere to face the mountain sickness.

You can avoid making such blunders while being on the trek utilizing the acclimatization day as mentioned in the itinerary fully. Apart from this, during the trek if you ever feel dizzy don’t hesitate and without any delay inform your trek leader about your health condition.

5. Not Staying Hydrated - Due to excitement, all the trekkers get so overwhelmed that they all tend to take proper intake of water while trekking, and as trekking requires a lot of walking it leads to dehydration in all of your body, resulting in loss of strength in the body.

Hence, it’s important for you all to have an intake of some amount of water in your body after every hour. Except for this, you can keep energy bars with you during the trek for an energy boost.




6. Ignoring the Weather - Remember to never ignore the weather. It can be completely unpredictable and can become a big hurdle in your trip. So, before beginning your trip, always check the weather update and pack your clothes and essentials according to it.

In the above paragraph, we have listed out some most common blunders that every beginner trekker commits every once in a while as they prepare for their first trekking trip. So, read these trekking tips, pointers carefully. All these mistakes are gathered and mentioned by trekking experts as they advise every beginner to avoid these blunders at all cost.

Pro Trekking Tips for Beginners During the Trek

Obtaining some best mountain trekking tips from the experts are always going to be beneficial and will only help in making your trek more smooth, safe and enjoyable. Therefore, to make your first trekking experience more memorable, comfortable for you and to also prepare you for your first ever trekking experience.

Here are some most important and must noted mountain trekking trips by the trekking experts. These 11 essential tips will prepare you for your trekking adventure.

• There is no need to rush while trekking, keep your walking pace steady and make sure to take some breaks in between the trail if required.
• Keep your water intake proper while being on the trail and apart from that keep an energy bar with you for the energy boost in your body.
• Always carry and dress in layers, meaning always dress according to the weather.
• Use the navigation tools properly, and if necessary, ask locals for route guidance.
• Follow the mountain etiquette, keep the mountains clean, don’t leave the litters of your waste on the trail of the trek.
• Always carry a trekking pole with you while being on the trek to ensure the balance of your body and to maintain the walking pace steady.
• To ensure the safety of your leg and to maintain the pace of your trekking, always wear the right trekking shoes.
• As a first-time trekker, always carry the trekking essentials according to the packing list provided by the trek leader.
• A headlamp is very essential to carry on the trek. As it helps in keeping the vision clear of an unknown route during the dark.
• To deal with some sudden medical circumstances during the trek, always make sure to carry a first-aid kit with you.
• Make sure to prepare a toiletry kit with all your necessary items for the trek.

Conclusion

Every nature and adventure lover experiences a rush of adrenaline when it comes to talking about mountain trekking in the Himalayas or other trekking regions too. To experience a dauntless and thrilling adventure like trekking is a dream of every adventurer.

But to experience such a thrilling adventure, it’s very essential for their safety to do some preparation before setting foot in the world of trekking. As doing a trek without seeking proper guidance, and doing necessary preparation can easily turn your dream adventure into a dreadful nightmare for you.

So, if you wish to fulfill your dream of doing a trek in your favorite mountains, do it. Just don’t forget to start preparing two weeks before your trip, make sure to keep all the tips and tricks mentioned by us in your mind and to guide you more, Trek The Himalayas is always here to help you all and make your trip an unforgettable memory for a lifetime.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How should I prepare physically before the trek as a beginner?

Staying physically fit for a trek is very important. So, make sure you walk daily, do light jogging, try to climb the stairs daily, and do strengthening exercises for legs and lung endurance daily.

2. What’s the most common mistake that every first-time trekker commits?

Usually, enthusiastic trekkers tend to do the overpacking and wear newly bought shoes on the treks. Avoid making these blunders, pack accordingly, and make sure to start wearing your shoes at least 2 weeks before your trip.

3. What are the most important must-pack items for trekking?

The most important gear that you must pack is a backpack, layered clothes, and to keep yourself hydrated, a water bottle is a must.

4. What is the ideal pace while trekking?

Make sure to start your trekking day early, and keep taking regular short breaks every hour to give your body enough rest. Also, try to avoid running while trekking.

5. How can I avoid getting lost during trekking?

Try to stay on the marked trail and avoid using earphones to ensure that you can hear your trek leader and know what is happening in your surroundings.

6. What are the most important things to keep in mind while trekking?

Some important tips are to always prioritize your safety, stay hydrated while being on trek, pack light but smartly, and last of all, always be aware of your surroundings.