by Backpacking is a low-cost travel and a fun way to enjoy the beauty of the world. It is travelling with simplicity, taking all unnecessary off your travel and enjoying the things that really matters: experience and adventure.
When backpacking, take note that you should make your carrying equipment as light as possible. It is advisable that your backpack, sleeping bag, and tent should be five pounds or less combined. The reason behind this is that you don’t want your luggage to become a hindrance once you go hiking. It will also become a reason that you won’t explore the place well enough. Also, you want to avoid having back aches. In some rare occasions, carrying a heavy luggage can be detrimental to your health.
You can become a backpacker even if you’re doing it for the first time. If you’re in for some adventure and be a backpacker, here are some backpacking tips for beginners:
Plan Ahead
You always have to plan ahead before traveling. You have to research well on what kind of environment you will be in. So before leaving to your destination, always check the weather condition and be acquainted on the nature of the terrain. In this way, you’ll become more prepared. Also, always bring a map of the trail.
As a beginner, you should start with a short one to two day adventure. You can go travel to a local tourist site or you could opt to travel to a nearby country.
What to Bring
As stated earlier, you should make your carrying equipment as light as possible. It is recommended that your sleeping bag, tent and backpack should be five pounds or less combined. When backpacking, you should put your safety as your priority so don’t bring unnecessary things. You should only bring things that will help you survive. Food, water, clothes, waterproof matches, first aid kit, knife, map of the trail, compass, flashlight, extra money and a whistle for emergency situations are some of the things that you should bring. Other things that you could bring are umbrellas, jackets, sunblock and a camera.
Don’t bring too much food. Bring only an extra meal or two. Also, pack your things ahead of time. Make a checklist of the things that you need to bring and double check so that you won’t forget anything.
Basic Outdoor Survival Knowledge and Skills
If you travel for an adventure as a group, it should be necessary to have at least one or two in the group who have the skills and knowledge in outdoor survival. You’ll never know what you’ll experience along the way so it’s imperative to have basic knowledge and skills on outdoor survival like knowing how to do first aid and treating a snake bite.
Go backpacking now with your friends and create your own experience that you’ll cherish for the rest of your life. It is what T.S Elliot said “Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far can one go”. Travel and see how far you can go.
