What is the difference between hiking and trekking?
Getting up and getting moving is important for heart and mental health, it is a great stress relief and crucial to a long life. The best way to accomplish that exercise is to do so outside. Studies have shown that nature releases chemicals that calm the nervous system and blood pressure of humans and can add to your life’s longevity. Hiking and trekking are great ways to incorporate being outside to your daily exercise routine, but many people are unsure of what the differences are in practice and in health benefits. This article “Hiking vs Trekking” lists everything you need to know to make an easy decision.
What is hiking?
Hiking is the practice of a short-term walk in nature that typically lasts less than one day. Generally speaking, a hike is something that doesn’t need any overnight materials and will go from 0.1 miles to anywhere that you can comfortably reach without sundown hitting.
Hiking is also less strenuous and will typically allow you some hills but you shouldn’t need any serious mountain climbing equipment in order to accomplish it. The trails may be bumpy but they should not be so arduous that you cannot make it without simple hiking shoes and maybe a walking pole to help steady you.
Be sure to travel with sufficient water bottles and snacks in case you feel lightheaded or tired along the way. For a trip this short, you shouldn’t need more than an apple and a granola bar to cover your bases. Eating too much food on a hike can result in a stomach ache or cramping while you continue exercising during digestion.
What is trekking?
Trekking is a completely different animal and can be a lot more strenuous on the body. It is a long trip lasting for two or more days and requires more preparation as a result. The length of the trip makes it more wearing on your body but generally the trails often take a longer time to get through because they are also more difficult to get through.
As opposed to hiking, you will likely need to camp or stay in lodges along the way and should probably pack extra food and water bottles for the trip. When you follow a trail or climb a mountain for a longer period of time then you are almost guaranteed to come across portions of the journey that are challenging to your body in ways that you did not expect.
It may be wise to take a look at the terrain and reviews of the trek ahead of time to know if you need any further equipment before taking the trip!
Hiking vs. trekking – benefits for the body
When you hike, you are certainly getting your blood pumping and since it is a shorter trip then you are going to push yourself a bit harder. When you trek, you know that you have a long way to go and that you need to preserve some amount of energy in order to get through the next day’s segment.
You can move a lot faster during a hike because you know that at the end of it you are going straight home to rest and recover. If you have a significantly long trek then it is recommended to ensure that you get more rest than normal because you can risk injury or strain on your muscles and joints. Make sure to get extra sleep in between the daily excursions to make sure that you do not wear yourself out too early.
The health benefits of hiking vs trekking are very similar in nature. Any time that you can increase your blood circulation and heart rate is going to be beneficial to keeping your heart pumping strongly and maintain a healthy weight.
Since trekking lasts longer, it may be seen as being healthier but they are equally beneficial. The benefits simply last longer with one than the other but they both accomplish the goal that you are looking for. Since the recommended average is about 150 minutes of exercise each week to be at your maximum potential for good health, one hike could be enough to reach that threshold for the week. If not, then you will need to incorporate other things to reach the threshold.
Trekking goes above and beyond that so the following week doesn’t need to be void of exercise but you should certainly take it a little easier to be able to properly recover.
Related: Benefits of Nordic Walking exercise
First aid kit
It is also important to bring extra materials for emergencies. When hiking or trekking, it is always important to bring a First Aid kit to immediately address any major injuries.
The odds of a snake bite or something more serious like a break are more likely to happen during a trek since that trip is going to last a longer time. However, do your research on the location where you are heading and see if snakes are common enough to be concerned about on a hike. There are tools that are easy to hike with that can help you extract venom quickly and it can save you from severe injury or infection.
If you have severe allergies or asthma, then never go on either a hike or a trek without an inhaler or EpiPen (at least antihistamines if your allergies are not severe enough to close your airways). Having splints or bandages are important to manage a sprain quickly and icepacks can also save you from worsening a sprain.
Final thoughts: Hiking vs trekking
All in all, the benefits of a hike or trek are far greater than the risks and both are worth exploring. In order to know which is better suited for you and your life requires a deeper knowledge of yourself. You have to know where your limitations are physically and whether or not you are able to handle a long trek.
You should also be an experienced hiker before attempting a trek that lasts longer than two days because you can find yourself being overwhelmed. Once you are on a trek, especially if you are with a group, it can be difficult to turn around before everyone else is ready so be sure that you know what you are getting yourself into. Do your research, find more information about hiking vs trekking, be prepared and make the most out of the adventure!