Hiking in the mountains: everything a tourist needs to know

Trekking at the foot of majestic peaks is one of the most exciting types of active recreation. This is a picturesque journey – for sports youth, a group of like-minded friends, even for families with children – helping to get new impressions, forget about work, unite, and become closer to each other. And any hike in the mountains literally requires good preparation.

So, what does a tourist need to know before embarking on such an adventure?

  • Route – a path with all the key points on the map; to understand where to go.
  • The group consists of guides or other accompanying persons; to see in advance whose help you can count on.
  • Duration and general schedule of the hike – to know how long each stage of the adventure will take.
  • The level of physical fitness is yours and that of each participant in the hike; to choose a route of reasonable difficulty.
  • Psychological state – personal and of all fellow travelers; to understand what emotions people will have in an unusual environment.
  • Food consumption – per person daily; to avoid malnutrition and loss of strength, but not to carry too many supplies with you.
  • The condition of the equipment – right down to individual ropes and carabiners; to be sure of your own safety.

Types and differences of mountain regions

ExtremeGuide’s geography covers all of Ukraine, neighboring countries and even far abroad (countries of Europe, Asia, Africa, Latin America). We offer and organize trips to the mountains of any region. Do you want to take your children to Hoverla or Manyavsky waterfall? Nothing could be easier! Would you like to show your friends what trekking without backpacks is like in Greece or Cyprus? Yes please! Maybe you dream of admiring the snow-capped Aksu Peak in exotic Kyrgyzstan? And we will provide this pleasure too!

It is important to understand that the climate, the steepness of the slopes and even the type of mountain ranges differ from each other. If Svaneti in Georgia literally greets you with flowers and mild weather of the valleys, then the Carpathian Spitsa will become a real test, even for the experienced and persistent, especially in winter.

Of course, you can take into account the numerous regional differences yourself, but there is an easier option – call ExtremeGuide. We will advise you in detail on the trip you are interested in and help you get ready for it.

Required Equipment

There are things that you will need anyway, and these are:

  • roomy backpack;
  • a set of warm (but not restrictive) clothing for the season;
  • thermal underwear;
  • 2 shoes with durable soles and the same number of socks – for hiking and replacement ones;
  • snowshoes, trekking poles;
  • first aid kit, personal care products;
  • maps, navigator, compass;
  • sunglasses (or mask);
  • food supply (based on the daily consumption of each participant in the mountain trip);
  • set of dishes (aluminum cup, plate, spoon);
  • matches, pot, ignition supplies;
  • flashlight, powerbank for smartphone;
  • a small supply of money in local currency.

Also you may need other things – the instructors will tell you what else you need to take, depending on the program of a particular tour.

How to choose a hike: difficulty, duration, region?

There are two ways. The first one is independent. You study the available offers and roughly figure out where you can go – with friends, children, parents, whatever you want. At the same time, you start from where you want to go, how much time and money you are willing to spend on it, as well as from the experience of previous trips. But this is a very approximate method, because there is always a risk of making a mistake and choosing a route that is too complex or not taking something into account.

Just imagine: halfway through, it turns out that one of the companions is unable to continue, or it turns out that the supply of food has come to an end. Or some other misfortune happens, but in the end you are forced to return home. It’s a sad prospect, isn’t it? To avoid it, it is better to choose together with specialists, that is, with ExtremeGuide. Just call us, tell us what you expect from an ideal trip to the mountains – and we will organize just such a tour for you.