Planning to try solo hiking? If this is your next goal, you need to know the essential tips for solo hiking trips.
Following the essential tips before heading out would help you minimize and avoid undesirable things during your hike later on.
Solo hiking is certainly different from going out alone to a coffee shop. Therefore, you need to follow all the crucial tips from professional guides.
Let’s take a look at the explanation of solo hiking tips in this article, shall we?
13 Solo Hiking Tips for Your Safety
If you are interested in trying solo hiking trips, below are some tips and essentials you need to know. Check this out!
1. Make Sure You’re Physically Well
First and foremost, you need to make sure that your physical condition is in prime shape and not exhausted or sick.
Feeling well and healthy is really important to support safety and comfort during trekking. You will certainly need to walk for hours to finally reach the end of the trails.
Therefore, if your physical condition is not in prime shape, you might get exhausted halfway or even encounter undesirable situations.
2. Do Research
The next tip for solo hiking is to gather as much information as possible. This is especially important for beginners and if you are going to a new trekking place.
For example, find out the hiking route first, how to access the location, whether the terrain is challenging or not, and what the vegetation conditions are like.
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3. Choose a Safe Trail
In some cases, a mountain has more than one hiking trail. In cases like this, it’s best to choose the most common one.
The reason is that popular hiking trails are usually easier to follow because the signs are clearer which would further ensure your safety.
Further, you’ll also have more opportunities to meet other hikers who are trekking along the way. So, besides minimizing the chances of getting lost, you’ll also find it easier to seek help if needed.
4. Be Prepared and Use Standard Tools
There will be a lot of challenges you face during a hike, especially if you choose solo hiking, like the cold weather, rugged terrain, or even storms.
That’s why the next tip for solo hiking is to bring proper hiking equipment. Get yourself prepared for the worst.
For example, wear a jacket for hiking and bring a double-layered tent to keep you safe from and prevent hypothermia.
5. Prepare Your Food
Another important solo hiking tip you need to pay attention to is the food. Just because you are excited about solo hiking, don’t ever forget to bring enough food and drink.
You can simply bring instant foods, such as instant noodles, oatmeals, honey, bread, sausages, or nuggets.
Read also: 9 Ultimate Tips for Solo Travel to Stay Safe and Comfy
6. Know Your Limit
You might want to challenge yourself to go beyond your limit but never try a marathon in a solo hiking.
It would only get you exhausted and might lead you to make mistakes as you get overly fatigued.
In fact, you can still challenge yourself without pushing the limits. If you think about going back, don’t be discouraged about that. You’ve had your own achievement by going solo hiking.
7. Prepare Your Personal Stuff
Next, let us give you some friendly tips for solo hiking. It’s important to bring along personal essentials such as spare clothes, sunscreen, moisturizer, a toothbrush, and toothpaste.
In addition, solo hiking tips for women also include packing some sanitary pads, just in case you need them during your trekking.
8. Bring a First-Aid Kit
It doesn’t matter whether you are going solo or group, don’t ever forget to bring along your first-aid kit.
Some essentials that you need to bring include gauze pads, scissors, eucalyptus oil, bandages, antiseptic, and personal medications.
9. Follow the Rules
It is common that there are certain taboos and rules that must be followed by every hiker. For example, never leave any trash behind to preserve the environment.
Moreover, following the rules is part of respecting others and ensuring your own safety while hiking.
10. Bring Communication and Navigational Device
Everyone knows that it would be difficult to have any signal while on the mountain, right? So, it’s impossible to communicate using a smartphone. The solution is to use a Handy Talkie (HT).
Therefore, before you embark on your solo hiking, don’t forget to connect your HT to the basecamp frequency.
Additionally, don’t forget to bring navigation tools like a compass. That way, it will help you to navigate and find directions easier.
11. Educate Yourself with Survival Tips
Considering that solo hiking can be quite dangerous, it is strongly advised to thoroughly prepare yourself.
It’s not only about the equipment but also educating yourself with some survival skills, such as how to aid yourself when you get a scar.
Read also: 8 Tips on How to Stay Safe on the Bus and Feel Comfortable
12. Make Friends with Other Hikers
Even though you are going for solo hiking, you will still meet other hikers along the way. It’s a good idea to make friends with them or simply say hi to them.
Not only that they might help you in case of emergency but also you can have new friends with the same hobby.
13. Tell Someone When You’re Going
Before heading out for solo hiking, always tell someone, either your family or friends, every detail of the trail you are going to. This is crucially important to ensure your safety.
That way, your friends and family won’t be worried about your whereabouts and know where to contact you.
Use the Social Map Jagat to Stay Safe during Solo Hiking
If you want to be extra safe, consider using the social map by Jagat. This app offers a social map feature that allows users to track locations in real-time.
In this case of solo hiking, your friends or family can track your whereabouts for safety reasons. You might question that your phone might not get any signal on the mountain. At the least moment, your family can track your location until you reach the base camp.
Well, those are various tips for solo hiking that you should know to ensure a safe and comfortable trekking experience.
The most important thing is not to forget to bring communication and navigation tools, as well as inform your parents or close ones.
For further safety reasons, you can use the social map by Jagat to track locations in real-time. It also allows your family and friends to know about your location.
So, download the app for your smartphone on App Store or Play Store now!
Read also: Going Home Alone? Follow These 8 Tips to Stay Safe
