Hiking vs Trekking: What’s the Difference?

Are you planning to start hiking, but you see people mentioning trekking? These two might sound similar, but there are a couple of crucial differences to consider. While both activities are walking in the wilderness, some core differences make hiking more beginner-friendly. Let’s dive into more details and pay closer attention to distinctions.

Hiking

Hiking is a leisurely activity that often follows a path. In most cases, the trail is man-made and easy to follow. That automatically means that you don’t have to get professional equipment. You can use your everyday clothes and shoes for short trails in summertime.

However, that doesn’t mean that you won’t need any equipment at all. There are hiking trails that’ll require specific shoewear for better stability and ankle injury prevention. That specifically applies to winter months when the terrain is slippery.

Additionally, hiking is, in the majority of cases, a single-day activity. There are times when people attend multi-day hiking adventures, but they usually take a couple of hours. If you’re planning a multi-day hike, you’ll need to plan your food supplies and clothing for several days. While it will be a relaxing activity, you should prepare better as it takes more time.

Hiking is more of a relaxing walk in nature, and paths usually take you through beautiful scenery that put a smile on your face. It’s a great starting point for anyone who enjoys exploring nature, but as you make progress and visit all the more accessible trails, you’ll slowly step into the trekking territory.

Trekking

Trekking is a more challenging walk in nature. After spending some time hiking with your friends, you can move on to trekking if you have enough equipment. Trekking adventures usually last for multiple days and don’t follow a man-made path. There’s much more liberty with trekking as the participants get to go off the beaten path and explore untouched nature.

During the multi-day journey, trekking adventurers change their bases. Their route takes them to a particular destination, and they take rest in different places. Hikers return to the base or go back home once they finish the hike. That’s a big difference, especially when you consider that some trekking journeys offer no accommodation. In those cases, the participants build a camp where they spend the night.

Therefore, you’ll need plenty of equipment to go through the whole journey without any hiccups.

Overall, trekking can be much more physically demanding. It’s not just about the movement speed but the sheer length of a trek and its environment. An excellent example of how demanding a trek can be is the Nort Pole one that takes over 40 days to complete.

Therefore, starting with hiking is the perfect introduction to trekking.

Which One is Right for You?

As you can tell, the differences come down to the length of the journey, its difficulty and equipment requirements. If you’re thinking about which way to go, hiking is a better option that’ll ease you in the trekking world. After exploring various hiking trails for a couple of months, or even a year, you’ll have a much better idea of what to expect on your first trek.

The difficulty doesn’t stop with trekking. As you start exploring more challenging terrains, you can always move to mountaineering—the most demanding type of nature exploration.

How To Choose the Right Sport for You

Anyone who practices some kind of sport knows that there no matter how much you like the activity, there are good days and then, there are bad days. The truth is, that whichever sport you like if you want to do it right then you should expect that there will be days when it will be very energy-demanding. 

However, not all people know what sport is the right one for them. They decide that they want to increase the level of physical activity in their life, but they are not sure what they need to start practising. So, if you are one of those people, and you are having a hard time picking the right sports discipline for your daily schedule, then read the tips below that might guide you to the solution you need.

Are You A Team Player

One of the first questions that you need to answer when choosing the right sport for you is whether or not you are a team player.

Some people deliver better results when they know that there are others that they can rely on. On the other hand, there are some people who thrive when they are on their own. Therefore, depending on which of these two types you are you can choose between individual or team sports. If you like playing by yourself (with just an opponent on the other side) you can opt for tennis or boxing. But if you prefer team activities, then you can consider basketball, soccer, or even hockey. 

Do You Like Outdoor Activities

Another thing that you can take into consideration is if you prefer outdoor or indoor activities. Luckily, there are some sports that can be practised in both outdoor courts or fields, or in an indoor arena. Fans of outdoor activities can always think about taking up cycling or hiking. What is more, they can practice these activities during most part of the year, and use special equipment like a home bike or stepper when weather conditions are poor. Additionally, if you enjoy indoor activities more, you can look for a nearby club or sports centre and see which sports you can practise. It’s very likely that you will find a place where you can practice sports like basketball, volleyball, boxing, or even fencing and mini soccer.

What Is Your Goal When It Comes to Physical Activities

The last question that you need to ask yourself is what are you trying to achieve with the sports activity that you want to practice. For some people, the sports activity is just a reason to hang out with their friends. Others want to relax and unwind in the great outdoors. And after answering all of these questions, you will find the perfect sport for you.