The bustling term “hiking holiday” is used to refer to two very different styles of trips. One refers to a leisurely walk done over a number of days, with a cozy bed and yummy dinner waiting at the end of each day. The other refers to serious treks that are intense and are held before you even land. One term should not encompass so many different styles of trips, and mixing them up is how people get very miserable very quickly on day two.
How fit are you, really?
Not “what’s the dream fitness level for me” — but really, how fit are you, right now? Vacationing as a hiker is not the time to try a fitness level you thought you’d be at by the time you got on the plane. If the most you walk is an hour, a trip with six-hour walk days, where the days are filled with a lot of walking on broken and bumpy ground, will be dreadfully painful for you, no matter how determined you are.
This should not deter you from going on a hiking holiday — rather, it should encourage you to get the right one for you. Whenever you go on the right hiking trip for your level, you have a much higher chance to enjoy it to its full potential.
Gentle multi-day walking
This option is for people whom exercise doesn’t need to take over the holiday. Walks are kept at a moderate length, and the challenge of the daily walk is balanced by the daily scenery. Accommodations for this option are kept at good quality hotels instead of camping. If you’re considering your first walking holiday and are unsure if this is the activity for you, this is a good way to test it.
Serious trekking
The multi-day treks at the higher end of this spectrum consider all aspects of preparation and challenge the holiday maker more. These treks consider self-sufficiency in place of challenging terrain as a (potential) requirement, and offer the best rewards to those of you who have built up to it with shorter walks (especially) first, and who have the most rugged/alpine of self-sufficient treks.
What to pack, regardless of level
Having properly broken in trekking boots is the biggest packing consideration for everyone (and the most frequently made errors of preparation). Consideration should also be made for the varying terrain and weather when determining which layers/camping gear to bring, and people vastly underestimate the importance a properly fitted daypack brings to over six hours.
Guided versus self-guided
A guided trip takes away a lot of the planning and adds a real safety net for more complex trips, but you must hike at the group’s pace. Self-guided trips, popular on kinder multi-day treks with established paths and planned accommodation, are preferred by those who want the flexibility to hike slower on easier days or faster on tougher days. First-timers on extreme trips are recommended to go guided, at least until they’ve got a trip or two of experience behind them.
Checking before you book
Don’t just read the summary of the trip, but look at the daily distances and elevation change. A trip listed as “moderate” varies in meaning from operator to operator, and the numbers for the daily hikes tell you more than the marketing related to them.
The bottom line
The hiking holiday you want to go on is the one that matches your true fitness level today. Be real with your selection, and improve your hikes over the years. You will have more enjoyable hikes with less suffering.