Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Planning your trip
• Part 2 of 3: Pack before you go
• Part 3 of 3: Preparing to stay safe
• Tips
• Warnings

With some work and preparation, backpacking can be a lot of fun. If you prepare your trip well, you can camp in the most beautiful spots without the hustle and bustle of normal campsites and overnight stays. If you want to experience the thrill of getting out into the wilderness and finding your way back, learn how to plan your trip safely and properly here. Learn what to bring, how to properly plan a trip and how to keep your group as safe as possible.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Planning your trip

1. First go for a walk during the day, then do a few walks with overnight stay. Before you start a multi-day trip, it is smart to first go for a walk a few times during the day. Pick out different types of terrain to walk through and go hiking in different weather conditions. Before you embark on a 20-kilometer walk in the wilderness, it is good to know if it is right for you.
   • Go for a walk a few times without too much stuff. Be sure to bring enough water, small snacks, a map of the area and good walking shoes. Go for a walk with some friends and enjoy.
   • If you like that, try a longer hike through more difficult terrain. If you like that too, take your backpack once and see how you like it. Build up your walks evenly.
2. Select a destination for your backpacking trip. Do you like the mountains? Grassland? Lakes? It depends a bit on where you live or there are suitable locations near you. Always find out where you can legally camp wild and whether there is strict attention to it. Sometimes you have to travel for a day before reaching a suitable location, but there is always something to be found.
   • Find out which time of year is most suitable for your location. Sometimes it can be very busy when there is a holiday, for example. Also takes the weather into account. For example, don't go in winter if it's your first time. Also, do not go your first time in the summer if you go somewhere where it gets very hot.
   • Also keep in mind the wildlife that lives there. Always find out first if dangerous animals live and how to deal with them if you encounter them.
3. Choose the nature reserve or piece of wilderness where you want to go. In Europe there are a number of countries where you can camp well in the wild. For example, in Scandinavia and Scotland you can legally camp wild. In France also if you are far enough from the road. These countries also have beautiful forests and natural areas to travel through. If you want to go outside of Europe, for example to the United States, here is a list of the most beautiful nature reserves:
   • Yosemite National Park, California
   • Joshua Tree, California
   • Denali National Park, Alaska
   • White Mountain National Forest, New Hampshire
   • Olympic National Park, Washington
   • Zion National Park, Utah
   • Glacier National Park, Montana
   • Big Bend National Park, Texas
4. Plan the route you are going to walk. Most nature reserves have a lot of different routes and paths for hikers. So look at maps of the area or search the internet to find a nice backpacking hike. There are three different categories that most long walks fall under. Based on the difficulty, the type of terrain and the sights you would like to see, you can choose one of these three. The three types of walks are:
   • Circle walks, these walks make a long circle and when you have finished it you are back where you started.
   • Back-and-back walks, with these types of walks you walk to a specific location, after which you have to walk back via the same route.
   • Straight-line walks, these types of walks go from one location to another and you usually have to leave your car at the starting point and then arrange transport at the end. This is usually done on very long walks that go through different areas.
5. For your first backpacking experience, don't rush when choosing your route. It may be tempting to start a long hike right away, but you still have to take into account the terrain, the weather, your fitness and that of your group and how experienced everyone who goes along is when determining how many kilometers you want per day start walking. Most backpacking and hiking routes indicate how difficult they are, so find a relatively easy route the first time you go.
   • Beginners should not run more than 10 to 20 kilometers per day. That is more than enough in moderately challenging terrain.
   • Experienced hikers in good shape can sometimes walk 15 to 40 kilometers a day in some areas. But it is best not to do too much in one day.
6. Check carefully whether you need permits and whether you can legally camp where you are. In the Netherlands you are not legally allowed to camp in the wild, but in other European countries this is allowed, for example. In the United States, you sometimes have to pay in national parks to access or camp. This is usually not that large and usually will not exceed $ 15 per night. This differs per season.
   • You can look up the local rules on the internet and the information you need is usually available at the park or nature reserve itself. For example, sometimes you have to put a permit on your car, backpack or tent while you are in a park.
   • There are usually also specific rules that differ per park and area where you are. For example, you may not be allowed to make a fire in the summer or that you have to take special account of the wild animals that live there.
7. Find out the rules about fire carefully. A campfire is great fun, as long as it is legal. For example, in many nature reserves you are not allowed to make a fire when it is very dry. Sometimes there are specific locations where you can make a fire and sometimes you need a permit to start a fire.
   • Always have someone by the fire. Don't light a fire if you don't have enough water on hand to put it out again. As a precaution, completely empty the soil in a circle of about 5 meters around the fire. This way the wind cannot let the fire jump.

Part 2 of 3: Pack before you go

1. Find a backpack that fits your body well. Trekking backpacks should be sturdy enough to support a lot of weight, but not so heavy that it hurts you after a long walk. Pick one with a frame in the backpack and straps across your chest and waist that you can pull tight to secure the backpack.
   • Trekking backpacks are sold at most sports stores and can be custom made for your size and height. Having a backpack specially tailored is a good idea. Then you can be sure that it will not bother you on the way.
   • Your backpack should be large enough to hold some food and water, a first-aid kit, rain gear, sun gear, a flashlight, batteries, a tent, and a sleeping bag even though you may not need all of these if you go with a group.
2. Put on good walking shoes. Walking is no fun at all if you don't have good shoes. If you're going for a mile-long hike, make sure you have sturdy shoes that can handle it. It is best to buy sturdy, waterproof walking shoes that offer enough support.
   • Never go on a multi-day hike with just a pair of sandals or sneakers. Sneakers can sometimes be very nice and light and sometimes even perfect for walking in pieces, but if you go longer you should have shoes that can handle all the terrain you will encounter.
3. Dress in layers. If you put on a lot of layers, it can still be comfortable in different temperatures. It may be hot the day you leave, but that doesn't mean it will stay that way.
   • The weather in the mountains is known for being able to change at lightning speed. Even if it is 30 degrees when you leave, you still need to bring some rain gear or at least a jacket. You should also bring a hat, gloves, socks and sock liners, underwear, light pants or shorts, and good walking shoes.
   • Do not bring cotton fabrics, but wool, synthetic fabrics, or fabrics with down in them. These dry faster and keep you warm.
   • Bring enough socks. You are going to walk a lot and it is very important that you keep your feet clean and dry.
4. Bring enough light, high-calorie food for everyone. When you go backpacking you usually do not bring marshmallows and meat. To travel light, it is best to bring freeze-dried food or special soups to which you need to add water. You can also learn how to dry your own food. Pasta is also easy to take with you.
   • It can be useful to arrange that everyone brings their own snacks, but that dinner is eaten together. Bring food that is high in calories and high in protein. Consider, for example, nuts and dried fruit. They give a lot of energy.
5. Rather than taking each one individually, pack as a group. Everyone must of course bring their own sleeping bag and there must be enough space in the tents for everyone who comes along. But you also don't want to find out on the way that you have taken too much of a tent or that you have four gas burners and only one gas bottle. Pack smart. Compare what you are taking with you and divide the items that everyone will be using fairly among all back issues.
   • Take at least one of these with you:
     • A water filter
     • A gas burner
     • A pan for cooking
   • Take several of these with you:
     • First aid boxes
     • Compasses
     • Copies of the card
     • Lighters or matches
     • Flashlights
6. Check everything you bring with you. It is important that you make sure that everything you take with you works. Before you go, test all the items you take with you and replace or repair anything that is broken. Remember, if something breaks, you have to bring it back with you.
   • Clean your tent if you haven't done so since the last time you used it. It is important that all junk, especially any food scraps, is out of your tent before you take it with you. If you haven't used it in a while, it's best to put it on and let it air out before packing.
   • Always take new lighters and new gas bottles with you and always check the batteries of your flashlights or other electrical devices you are taking with you. It is of course very annoying when you are in the wilderness and something no longer works.
7. Bring a whistle and a mirror. Anyone who goes hiking in the wilderness should have a whistle and a mirror with them in case of an emergency. If one of the walkers loses the group, you can use the whistle to find him or her. If you get into deeper trouble, you can use the mirror to signal rescuers by reflecting the sunlight with it. Little things that could potentially save your life.
8. Bring maps of the area. Having a detailed map of the area with you is very important to ensure you have a safe walk. You can usually get maps of nature reserves and national parks at the visitor center or you can buy one at a sports shop or tourist information office.
   • The maps you get at visitor centers or tourist information are usually not very detailed. This can be fine for short day hikes, but better maps with more detail and contour lines are more accurate and easier to use in an emergency. You must know how to read these types of cards. You can get these types of cards in sports shops in the area where you are going to walk.
   • Bring a compass and learn how to use it along with your map as well.
   • If you can't find a card, you can also look up one on the internet and print it on waterproof paper or you can laminate it. A GPS device can show your location, but you must also bring a map and compass.
9. Balance your backpack well. It may feel like your pack is in the right place before you go but once you are on the road you will soon notice if it is not properly balanced. This can cause one of your shoulders to hurt quite a bit. It is important that you distribute heavy items well and that your backpack is well balanced horizontally and vertically.
   • Place the heaviest items as close to your back as possible and as deep as possible in the backpack. This ensures that you can keep your balance well. It is best to pack the heaviest and largest items first and then fill the remaining space with smaller items such as clothes.
   • Here is an English article on how best to pack your backpack.

Part 3 of 3: Preparing to stay safe

1. Find out what possible dangers are in the area. Before you go, find out if there are any specific hazards to hikers in the area where you will be hiking. Are there any poisonous plants to watch out for? Poisonous Spiders or Snakes? Dangerous big game like bears or wild boars? Is it wasp season? What should you do if you get stung?
   • To stay safe, you need to know what to do in the event of a thunderstorm. Learn where to hide when lightning strikes.
   • If you go higher than 1.5 kilometers, you need to know what altitude sickness is and what to do about it.
   • Know what to do about cuts, scrapes, and fractures.
2. Always go with a group of people. When going out into the wilderness you should always do it with a group of people unless you are a very experienced hiker. Go for the first time with a small group of friends who all enjoy hiking. Bring about 2 to 5 people. It is best if you have an experienced hiker who knows the area in which you are going to walk well.
   • If you are an experienced hiker, you have the option to let beginners experience a trek. If you've never been on a backpacking trip, it might be helpful to join an experienced hiker for the first time.
   • It is best if all the people in the group agree on how fast you run, how many miles per day you do and how you go camping. Some people like to walk long distances lightly, others find it enough to get out of sight of the road.
   • If you go alone, make sure that someone knows your entire schedule and that you bring enough things to take care of yourself.
3. Bring enough water to get you from one water source to the next. Water is heavy but very important when you go for a walk. Take enough clean water with you that everyone can drink 2 liters per day. Especially if you work hard and sweat a lot.
   • If you're using a water filter, bring replacement parts with you. Also new filters. They can get clogged or simply break down.
   • Boiling water for one minute is also a way to clean water so that you can drink it.
4. Let someone know what you are going to do before you go. Before you leave, give your entire schedule to someone who is not going. That is your route, the things you take with you and the places where you want to go camping. It is important that someone knows when you plan to return so that they can take action if you are late. Just let them know you're back.
   • Leave a note with your car. This can be very useful if you don't get back to your car in time.
   • Please report it to the visitor center or ranger station before you leave. This is an easy way to let people know how long you plan to stay in the area.
5. Do not go too fast. The average walker walks between 3 and 5 kilometers per hour. Don't be too ambitious. Go slower rather than too fast. Then you can also enjoy your surroundings more. Determine in advance where you want to go camping. Try to plan it so that you are close to a water source every night.
6. Don't keep your food in your tent. If you are in an area where bears are found, you should store all your food properly. Even if there are no bears where you are, you should still store your food in such a way that curious animals cannot reach it.
   • If you are in an area with bears, bring a bag and rope to hang your food from a tree. Sometimes there are also special rules in a certain area and you have to bring a special food container that is bear-resistant.
   • Do the same with other scented products such as shampoo, body lotion, toothpaste and gum.
   • Always use the same bag to hang your food and scented products.

Tips

• Always check that there are no special rules for the area where you want to stay.
• Check the magnetic declination in the area where you are going to backpack on the internet. Also learn how to read your compass and map properly.
• Online you can find a lot about which things you should take with you, which routes you can walk and where you can go.
• When you go abroad, you need to know what you can take with you when you fly. While you may need a gas burner, you are not allowed to bring a gas bottle on an airplane. So you have to buy it when you arrive.
• Bring a multi-tool pocket knife.
• Learn primitive ways to make fires as you camp deep in the wilderness.
• Pack the heaviest things in the middle of your pack, instead of all the way down.

Warnings

• Check for signs of wildlife such as footprints or feces. If you find fresh excrement in the place where you want to go camping, you might want to find another place.
• Backpacking is a lot of work but once you get started it is fantastic.
• Choose the place where you are going to camp. Look up and make sure there are no dead branches in the trees that could fall on your tent. Check the ground for signs of flooding in the area and avoid high elevation open areas when thunderstorms are forecast.
• It is best to wear clothes made of fabrics that will keep you warm even when they get wet. Think, for example, of wool and fleece. Definitely wear this when you go backpacking in cold regions. Preferably do not wear cotton. Getting stuck in cold and wet weather can save your life.