Learn About Trekking Terms and What They Mean

Many people use the words “hiking” “trekking” and “mountaineering” as if they were synonyms. Every field has its own so-called technical or standard terms. It’s important to know the difference between hiking, trekking, and mountaineering. The easiest way to explain how these three activities are different is to distinguish each term and to categorize them by difficulty.

1. Hiking
2. Trekking
3. Mountaineering

1. Hiking
Hiking is easier than trekking or mountaineering but it can still be challenging. This is the least dangerous form of walking in the mountains involving 3-4 hours or day-long activity. You walk on well-marked trails of easy to moderate difficulty, although this depends on where you’re hiking.

Some hikes have a different start and endpoints, so always check before you start. For hiking, you need minimal equipment compared to trekking and mountaineering. you’re new to hiking, begin with shorter, flatter hikes and work your way up from there. Additionally, on the off chance that you’ve never hiked it might appear to be difficult at the initial couple of climbs that you do. However, stick with it. It gets simpler.

2. Trekking
This is more difficult or dangerous than hiking. Trekking is between hiking and mountaineering regarding difficulty. It’s more similar to hiking. These usually take two or more days. Normally, trekkers halt at night and continue walking the next, until they reach the top and then back.

During trekking, you have options to take porters with you and hire a guide. You can hire a porter to carry your belongings, hire a guide to walk with you throughout the trek.

Trekking is more challenging than hiking because you will be walking for number of days in a line. Treks usually start in one place and end in a different one.

3. Mountaineering
It usually begins where the trekking ends, to climb really high peaks involving technical climbs and equipment. Mountaineering is the most challenging. Skills and prior technical knowledge is required. Need more equipment than with hiking or trekking. For mountaineering food, pack proper mountaineering gloves, pants, boots, sunglasses, gaiters, and so on.

Also need to be very careful about the risks involved in mountaineering. High level fitness is very important. Need to take in technical training months before your actual expedition.