Hiking is a wonderful way to see and experience the many wonders of our world. The differences between walking and hiking are sometimes negligible.

Walking

Walking is relaxed, leisurely paced, usually in the city or an urban setting and typically takes less than 5 in one go.

Hiking

Hiking usually occurs in a bigger park, outside the city or in the countryside. Hikes involve longer distances and take more time. Hikes are meant to exert physical pressure in a person by going through various trails.

Backpacking

Backpacking is hiking for the ‘big boys’. These backpacks are quite different from the common school bags. Backpackers use gigantic bags that must fit all the necessary essentials to help a person survive for days outdoors without re-stocking.

Trekking

Trekking is walking out in the somewhere in country side. It goes on for longer distances and takes longer periods of time. If you are trekking or doing extreme hiking, you may also be interested in taking a look at an article about different kinds of camping tents for different types of hikes.

Before going on a hike, these are the things you should prepare: hiking food, hiking clothes, know the weather forecast for the period, have the right hiking boots or shoes and the right clothing, have an area map and possibly have a GPS unit to make sure you are not lost, photo camera to take pictures.

There are many benefits of hiking in the forest, and of late, there is even a term coined for it “forest bathing”, for which the main purpose is to obtain therapeutic benefits from the activities in the forest. The term seems to have come from the Japanese, who regard forests as “natural therapy centres”. And it’s not a far-fetched concept.

According to research conducted on forest walkers, hiking or walking in a forest increases the numbers of anticancer cells in cancer patients. This makes ‘forest bathing’ particularly beneficial for them. In other words, hiking in a forest improves your immune system.

The atmosphere of the forest presents a therapeutic effect to forest hikers. This is brought about by the aroma produced by flowers and the sweet melodies of chirping birds. Hiking serves as very good exercise, is relatively safe and a very calming relaxation activity.

The electromagnetic energy released by forest life is quite beneficial for our spiritual, mental and physical health.