To prepare your hike correctly, you need to do some research based on two parameters: the distance you will hike and the walk duration.

 You should also not aim too high in terms of difficulty and choice of route. Let’s see further below how to prepare for hiking.

 The distance to cover

 According to each level of difficulty, your hike will require more or less effort. This level of difficulty is calculated according to several points: the length of the stages, the difficulty of the route, and your hiking experience.

 I will advise you to choose a duration of walk per day according to your physical aptitude.

 The total duration of the hike

 By adding up all your steps and stops, you will arrive at the total duration of your hike, but not that you have to include in your calculations the height, the differences in altitude, the nature of the ground, the type of hike, whether you are in a group or alone, your physical abilities, …

 Prepare your itinerary

 Once you have chosen your hiking destination, you must create an itinerary with the help of a specialized guide who will propose several itineraries so that you can choose the one that is the most adapted to your capacities because, despite what you may think, hiking is a sport that requires an excellent physical condition.

 I advise you to write down your itinerary and each stage on a map and always have this same map with you to avoid getting lost.

 Knowing your group

 In a group, knowing everyone’s experience and physical abilities is essential for planning an itinerary adapted to their profile.

 The roles

It dramatically helps to assign roles to everyone to avoid conflicts during the hike! Every experienced hiker will tell you that!

 Experience

 Knowing the experience and skills of each person in the group will allow you to plan a route that is appropriate for the group, taking care that everyone is physically able to do the entire course.

 Equipment for hiking

 To prepare for a successful hike, you will need hiking wear & gear. You must adapt the equipment to the type of hike you are going to do, that is to say, if you are going to hike in the mountains, you need equipment for the mountains, because depending on the place the weather, the nature is different.

 To succeed in hiking, you need good equipment and sound material; it must be adapted to the route you will take and the nature surrounding it, and the weather. But not only that, the equipment must be strong enough to last until the end of the adventure.

 The list of the leading equipment

 – Walking sticks to help you on your journey

 – Appropriate footwear

 – Warm clothes

 – A survival knife to protect yourself

 – A survival backpack

 – A water bottle for filtration

Feeding equipment

 It is imperative to have enough food and water for your trip, but this gear must be light and not bulky.

 Therefore, bring dehydrated food, freeze-dried food, and a drinking bottle always to have drinking water.

 FAQ

 How to sleep?

 As far as sleeping is concerned, I would advise sleeping with the bivouac system, which consists in sleeping in an aunt like the surroundings of the field. The comfort of the bivouac is not the best, but it has the merit of not adding a lot of weight to your back, and it has the advantage of being able to sleep almost everywhere.

 Is a hike expensive?

Hiking, typically, is not expensive for all the passionate hikers out there. If you want to hike, you should still budget for your gear to ensure reliable outdoor equipment.

 What kind of gear and equipment do I need?

 It will help if you have the right equipment to live your adventure in the best conditions. For this, you need a survival backpack, a filtering water bottle, adapted food, adapted mountain or terrain equipment, …

 Conclusion

 Preparing a hike or a trip requires a lot of preparation, whether it is physical or material. Several parameters will allow you to make your walk a great adventure; there is the group, the physical condition, the material, the equipment, the condition of the ground. By optimizing these various parameters according to your hike, you will have an exceptional adventure without too many inconveniences.

Read more:

The Camper’s Ultimate Backpacking Checklist;

How to Choose Your Camping Equipment;

What to Wear and What to Do While Camping?

5 Common Mistakes Made by New Campers.