How to make you first day hike trip a success

If you’ve seen those beautiful nature pictures and you want to go out there to try and get a few of your own or just breathe in the same scenery, you don’t have to be a wilderness professional to do it. There are plenty of national and nature parks that are easy to visit and here are 5 useful tips for you to make that trip a success.

1. Wear shoes that you’ve worn before
If you are tempted to buy those new hiking shoes for you trip, walk with them before you go to the forest. It will take roughtly three hours of active, continuous walking before you can be sure that the shoes won’t cause you blisters. If you don’t own hiking shoes - that’s fine. Just pick a route that has easy terrain and you can go in your trusty trainers.

2. Wear layers

If you’re planning to be there for hours, wear layers. It’s easy to remove a jacket if it becomes too hot and while resting, you can grab that fleece jacket to keep you warm. Pack those extra clothes in a backpack so that they are out of the way.

Caption: A photo of the back view of a woman hiking up a tree-lined trail in Tokyo.(Getty Images)

3. Bring snacks and water

It’s nice to have something to eat while walking. Perhaps even a proper sandwich or packed lunch if you are out there for the entire day. Don’t forget water! When walking, you will eventually become thirsty and lack of water can give you a really bad head ache that can ruin the rest of the trip.

4. Check the weather forecast

Weather will affect the pictures you are going to get, as well as the gear you should wear. So check the weather forecast and prepare accordingly. Also note that weather can change during the day and wind can make temperatures feel colder. Be prepared and remember that you also need to care of your camera or phone if it rains.

Caption: A photo of the back view of a man taking a photograph of Mount Sibayak in Indonesia.(Getty Images)

5. Make sure your phone has full battery, tell someone where you are going and when you are coming back

It’s very unlikely that something bad will happen - but better safe than sorry. It’s always a good idea to have a full battery when leaving home and tell someone where you are going - especially if the area doesn’t have a lot of people. That way your friends and family will know where to start looking for you. Remember that if you get lost, you can use Google Maps to check for your location (given there is a GPS signal).

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@hautakan nice tips dear thank you

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Hi @hautakan ,

Thanks for sharing these useful tips with the community. I’m sure that a lot of Local Guides will appreciate them.

Please bear in mind, that I’ll relabel your post to Travel because it fits better than How-tos.