While some people dream of traveling to busy cities or spending hours lounging around on a beach as part of their vacation, there are others who want to finish their travels feeling like they’re tested and tried themselves and really accomplished something. For those who resonate more with the latter, taking a backpacking trip is a great way to check off all the boxes for what you’re looking for in a traveling experience. However, backpacking can also bring with it its own challenges, especially if you’re planning to try your hand at a new route or location. So to help you find success, here are three tips for preparing for a backpacking trip that you’ve never done before.
Talk To Other Backpackers
Once you’ve nailed down which hike or trail you want to take over your backpacking trip, it’s now time to start doing some real research about the area. While you can learn a lot about a route through resources like the Internet, REI recommends that you try to find other backpackers who have actually completed this route in the past. By asking these people about their experience and gaining some additional knowledge from them, you’ll be able to ask specific questions that you have and get detailed answers from someone who’s actually been there and experienced what you’re about to experience yourself.
Share Your Plans With Loved Ones Back Home
When you’re out backpacking, you’re likely to not have cell phone service for at least the majority of your adventure. In our modern world, this can be a very scary prospect for some people. So to help your loved ones feel more at ease, Backpacker.com recommends that you map out your entire route before you head off and share those plans with someone who’s staying back home. By giving everyone an idea of where you’re going and when you’re expected back, your friends and family will be able to know where to look for you if you don’t return when you planned or will be able to offer real help if some type of emergency or accident happens.
Learn The Right Survival Skills
Regardless of how much you’ve planned and prepared for this exact backpacking trip, things are bound to go a little off book. When this happens, you’ll be glad you took the advice given by Backcountry.com of learning some basic survival skills before you go. Things like knowing how to start a fire, basic first-aid, the proper way to construct a shelter will help you immensely if you wind up backpacking for longer than you thought or if things go sideways for some reason.
If you’re going backpacking into new terrain, consider using the tips mentioned above to ensure you’re prepared for this exciting adventure.
