Walking
and hiking are great ways to experience
culture, landscape and local traditions.
Some routes are also of great historical
significance like the Kokoda Trail in Papua
New Guinea with its associations with WWII,
the Inca Trails in South America and even
heritage walks in the English countryside.
Many walking holidays are featured on our
online tour booking service provided through
hostelworld.com
WHAT TO TAKE
As little as possible goes without saying.
Packs somehow seem to weigh more at the
end of the day than the beginning. Try and
stash non-essentials in a place you can
return to at the end of the trip.
FOOD AND WATER
Check your route before you leave. If clean
water and essential food supplies are not
available on-route then you need to hike
them in. There are enough packet foods around
now that make quick and easy meals. Fruit
is great but it is heavy as are tins. Take
a trail mix for nibbles along the way. This
can be made up of anything (nuts, chocolates,
sweets, dried fruit etc). In places like
Nepal and Tibet there are small villages
everywhere where you can get an affordable
meal along the way and it will save you
carrying the supplies and cooking utensils
with you.
ACCOMMODATION
Bring your own tent for the most budget
of walking trips, otherwise investigate
on options along the way – there may
be small villages, refuges or cheap places
to stay. We recommend the Lonely Planet’s
“Walking In…” series available
through Amazon.
We have a list of other accommodation that
you can book online through hostelworld.com
TOUR GUIDES/TOUR
GROUPS
Check our online booking engine with hostelworld.com
for options on walking tours. There are
many to suit every budget. If you decide
to do it alone make sure you have all the
correct equipment and more importantly you
know where you are going. In some countries
porters are an affordable option. These
guys will carry your stuff (be easy on them)
and speak the local language to help you
out. Make sure they know the route and have
hiked it before. It’s best if they
come from one of the villages along the
way.
MAPS
A range of maps are available through stores
like Amazon
in the Lonely Planet series for example.
Take a good map with you and make sure you
know how to read it.
SAFETY
If you are travelling alone or even as a
group inform a third party of your intended
route and time. Check in if you can every
few days. A first aid kit and backup food
is a good idea and wet weather gear. Check
weather forecasts before you go and the
usual climate for the time of year.
