Planning a wilderness trip: what does it take to have an incredible time?

A lot of travelers dream of taking a wilderness trip at some point in their lives. Even travelers who aren’t big nature lovers, like the idea of getting out there and seeing some of the world’s most incredible sights. It’s one of my favorite things to do, to explore and live. Yellowstone National Park, the Inca Trail in Peru, Everest Base Camp in Nepal – to name a few popular places. The world has some incredible sights that unless you’re willing to be a little adventurous, aren’t accessible.

Taking a wilderness trip could just be one of the best things that you ever do, and the chances are it will be. However, to ensure that your once-in-a-lifetime trip is everything that you hoped for and more, it pays to plan. By setting aside time to plan properly, you can ensure that your trip will be just as incredible as you’ve always hoped it would be.

This post is all about the best ways to plan and prepare for an upcoming wilderness trip, to ensure that it goes to plan and you have the most incredible time.

Choose the location wisely

One of the most important things is to be choosy about the location. If you’ve always dreamed of trekking to Everest base camp, then obviously, that’s where you’ll want to go. However, if you haven’t got anywhere set in stone, take the time to compare different locations. For instance, the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is steep, but it’s nowhere near as treacherous as the trail to Everest base camp. Take the time to think about which type of wilderness trip would be best for you. Are you someone who loves to climb, or do you prefer the idea of hiking over flat terrain? Take your personal preferences into account when choosing a location.

Pick a suitable travel buddy

If you’re going to head off on a wilderness trip, you’ll need at least one travel buddy to team up with. When it comes to choosing the perfect person, it’s important to think carefully. Ideally, you want to select someone who you are close to and get on well with, and who you don’t tend to clash with. The last thing you want is to spend the entire trip bickering with your travel buddy – where’s the fun in that? It’s also a good idea to select someone who is of a similar fitness level to yourself, to ensure that you are a good match. If one of you is a lot fitter than the other, this can lead to tension when one person slows the other down.

Decide if you need a guide

Once you’ve picked your travel buddy (or buddies), the next step is to decide if you need a guide. If you’re fairly experienced hikers, and the route that you’re taking is pretty basic, then the chances are you’ll be okay without one. However, if you’re planning on going on a trip that could be potentially dangerous, it’s a good idea to consider getting a guide. As that way, you know that no matter what happens, there is professional help on hand. Plus, there’s no chance of you getting lost if you have a guide traveling with you.

Get in shape

The chances are if you’re thinking about taking a wilderness trip, you’re already in pretty good shape. However, just in case you’re not as physically fit as you could be, take the time to get in better shape. This is important, as it means that you will be able to enjoy your trip more. To get in shape, exercise regularly and make an effort to eat healthily. If you’re stuck for what areas of your body to work, consult a personal trainer for advice. I have met myself more than once on an extreme hiking trip. Because after a few months of traveling, your health is often not as good as at home, when you regularly work out. So learn from my mistakes, stay super fit while traveling or even better, plan your adventure in your first traveling month! 

Think about your health

In preparation for any wilderness trip, it’s a good idea to take some time to think about your health. For instance, do you have any medical conditions? If you do, it’s important that you have access to medication to control your medical condition at all times. If you have a serious medical condition, like epilepsy, it’s important to consult your doctor before going on a wilderness trip. This is important, as if your doctor doesn’t think you’re fit to go, you shouldn’t go. If you’re planning on traveling at a time when you would have your period, it’s worth talking to your doctor about your options. You see, you can delay your period with Norethisterone, to prevent it impacting your trip. Periods and the great outdoors don’t exactly mix, so this is a good idea, as it will make your trip more enjoyable.

Undertake a survival course

The chances are that everything will be fine and nothing will go wrong. However, as the scouts would say it’s best to always be prepared. Just in case anything goes wrong while you’re on your wilderness trip, it’s a good idea to take a survival course beforehand. This will ensure that you know how to deal with a range of situations and are able to confidently, look after yourself. Most survival courses include things like shelter building, identifying food, and finding water. As well as the best methods of keeping warm, and signaling for help, should you need it.

Share your itinerary with friends

Whether you’re traveling with a friend or as part of a larger group, it’s a good idea to share your itinerary with friends and relatives at home. As that way, should anything happen, there are people that know where you should be, which can make finding you in an emergency much easier. Once you’ve put together the schedule for your trip, photocopy it and give it to three different people. The chances are that this is completely unnecessary, but even so, it’s always best to be safe rather than sorry.

There you have it, everything that you need to know about planning a wilderness trip and having the most incredible time. Take note of the tips above, and you can ensure that your trip is as amazing as you dreamed it would be.

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