The Ultimate Guide to Hiking; Zero Experience? You Can Still Do It
Self-driving tours always have places they can’t reach—hidden in the depths of towering mountains, vast deserts, or icy wilderness, breathtaking landscapes await those who make the journey on foot.
Hiking, valued for its health benefits and eco-friendliness, is increasingly becoming the travel choice for young adventurers, and more “zero-experience” travelers are getting eager to give it a try.
In fact, hiking isn’t as out of reach as we might think. With moderate physical fitness and proper preparation, you too can hit the trail with a backpack and discover the beauty that wheels can’t take you to.
A Basic Requirements for Hikers
1. A healthy body and good physical stamina are prerequisites for hiking.
Depending on the area traversed, hiking can be categorized into suburban, rural, forest, mountainous, riverine, and other types. Since it’s mostly a walking journey and may involve complex terrains, those lacking basic physical fitness aren’t suited for it. No one can become an expert overnight—first-time hikers can generally manage short distances on flat terrain. Remember to progress step by step, and don’t join activities beyond your physical limits.
2. Those lacking team spirit and preferring to go solo are not suited for outdoor hiking.
Short hikes can be done alone, but for long-distance treks involving complex terrains, teamwork becomes crucial. Clear division of labor and collaboration are essential to successfully tackling challenging hikes.
3. Hiking requires some knowledge of wilderness survival.
When traveling outdoors, unexpected situations are inevitable. You should be able to anticipate and handle natural occurrences such as rainstorms, thunderstorms, flash floods, etc. It’s also vital to correctly manage common hiking issues like sprains, blisters, heatstroke, dehydration, and bleeding.
B Five Key Items to Prepare
When planning a hike, travelers need to do two things: gather information and plan the route, and prepare ample supplies.
Planning a hiking itinerary requires more thought than a regular trip. First, consider whether the route and daily mileage are reasonable, safe, and within the hiker’s physical capacity. Next, understand the local weather and terrain, and make sure to prepare emergency plans. If it’s a group hike, knowing the leader’s capabilities and the team composition is very important.
For zero-experience hikers, the most important supplies fall into five categories: gear, water, food, medicine, and outdoor tools.
Backpacks and shoes are considered the two most essential pieces of hiking gear. Some hikes, like mountaineering, require more specialized equipment, but here we only provide general hiking gear references.
First, purchase a suitable backpack. Capacity, durability, and waterproofing are the three key factors when choosing one. It’s best to try on the backpack multiple times and ask the salesperson for the correct way to wear it; otherwise, it won’t help reduce the load during the hike.
The durability, waterproofing, and breathability of your shoes directly impact your safety and comfort on long hikes, so invest time and money into selecting the right pair. Long treks can easily injure your ankles, so high-top hiking boots offer better protection. If your journey involves water crossings, prepare water shoes. Sport sandals can serve as both slippers and summer hiking footwear.
For clothing, waterproof and breathable hiking jackets and pants are essential. Avoid jeans, as they hinder movement when sweaty or wet. In summer, bring quick-dry clothes, preferably with detachable pant legs and sleeves. Other small items like sunglasses, hats, and moisture-wicking underwear can be chosen as needed.
Sleeping bags, tents, and other large outdoor gear are must-haves, along with smaller items like sunscreen, knives, windproof lighters, lighting equipment, water bottles, moisture-proof bags, and garbage bags—equipment suitable for all types of hikes.
Generally, short hikes don’t require much food—you can bring energy-boosting, space-saving items like compressed biscuits, chocolate, and beef jerky. Carry about 3 liters of water per day, and avoid drinking untreated natural water. Bring basic medications like cold remedies, anti-diarrheal pills, band-aids, and Yunnan Baiyao spray.
C Hiking Techniques: Maintain Rhythm and Rest Wisely
First-time hikers often treat it like a casual trip—chatting, laughing, stopping and starting, walking at varying speeds. Before long, you’ll be surprised how quickly your stamina fades.
The first hiking technique every beginner should know is to maintain a steady pace. The first 5–10 minutes can be used as a warm-up—walk slowly. Gradually adjust your steps and find a consistent, moderate rhythm. Stay focused while hiking, especially on long treks—playing around only wastes energy.
Hiking is a full-body workout. Swing your arms to balance your body and stabilize your center of gravity, taking small steps. Apply even pressure with your entire foot—don’t tiptoe; make sure your whole foot touches the ground firmly.
First-time hikers tend to get tired more easily due to inexperience. Resting during the hike also has its techniques—combine short and long breaks, with more short ones. Use short breaks (no more than 5 minutes) mainly to stand and catch your breath. After every hour to an hour and a half of hiking, take a 15-minute break with your backpack off, but don’t collapse as soon as you stop—regulate your breathing before sitting. Sitting doesn’t mean doing nothing; use the time to massage your muscles and help them relax.
D Handling Emergencies
1. Sprains: If you sprain a finger, stop activity immediately, apply cold compress for about 15 minutes, then wrap with a cold, damp cloth and secure with tape. For an ankle sprain, avoid forcing movement, apply cold compress for 24 hours before using heat, massage, and ointment. If you experience severe pain while moving, cannot stand or walk, hear a popping sound during the sprain, or see rapid swelling afterward, it could be a fracture—seek medical attention immediately.
2. Heatstroke: Long hikes under scorching heat are the most likely to cause heatstroke. If you feel dizzy, have a headache, nausea, or weakness in your limbs while walking, quickly find a cool, ventilated place to rest. Loosen your collar, roll up your sleeves, drink water or electrolyte beverages frequently, and take anti-heatstroke medication.
3. Dehydration: Hikers should replenish fluids in small amounts at frequent intervals, with about 100 milliliters each time. Drinking a large amount of water all at once due to thirst can actually increase the burden on the heart and worsen fatigue. For every 1000 milliliters of drinking water, you can add 4 grams of salt, 100 grams of glucose, and 150 milliliters of orange juice to replenish lost nutrients.
4. Blisters on the feet: Many hikers develop blisters midway through their journey and end up limping to complete the hike. In fact, this painful situation can be completely avoided with proper precautions. For long-distance hiking, first keep your feet dry—bring several pairs of moisture-wicking socks and change them when your feet get wet. Since new shoes can cause discomfort and encourage blister formation, it’s best to wear old ones. If you feel a stabbing pain under your foot during the hike, stop and check. Whether or not a blister has formed, cover it with a band-aid.
5. Thunderstorms: A few days ago, tourists on Shenzhen's Wutong Mountain were struck by lightning, resulting in one death and one serious injury. Although lightning strikes causing death are rare, hikers must still take precautions. When thunderstorms are forecasted, avoid narrow valleys or high, open areas. If you’re caught in lightning, remove metal objects, put on a raincoat to stay dry, avoid using your phone, and quickly seek shelter in a cave or low-lying area.
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