Hiking is a rigorous walking activity that includes moderate climbs and descents. Though hiking is quite different from trekking in terms of the methods and the risk factors involved, there are certain rules that are to be followed while hiking. Hiking is also way different than just a road trip and have its own precaution measures to be followed.

Here is a list of things that one must avoid while hiking:

Never Go Off the Trail:

No matter how familiar you are with the plains, one should avoid going off the trail while hiking. You never know what the trail is like ahead or how safe it is in terms of wild animals and where does it ends. Going off the trail can prove fatal in case of extreme conditions.

Never Play Loud Music:

One must respect nature while hiking in the woods or in the mountains. The loud noise from your speaker might entertain you for a while but causes lot of disturbance to the wild animals and birds who are intolerant towards the loud noise and the frequency emitted from phones and speakers.

Never Wear Headphones While Walking:

Music have become an integral part of our life and we tend to plug in out earphones now and then, specially while walking alone but try to avoid wearing headphones during hiking because you need to be fully attentive of your surroundings. You need to intercept any strange voices that can be of a rock fall or land slide or an approaching animal. While travelling in group, if you are wearing headphones you might not be able to hear the call of your friend who might be in need or warning you of something.

Never drink Alcohol While Hiking:

Alcohol affects our brain and spinal cord coordination that results in the jittery walk of the person. Your brain would not be able to make wise decisions if needed, under the influence of Alcohol and while hiking you need to be fully active, both physically as well as mentally. One should avoid smoking as well because while hiking you tend to breath much heavier and smoking affects your lungs capacity

Never Eat Wild Fruits before Confirming

No matter how tempting those wild red berries look like or the how juicy the ripe fruits are looking, don’t eat anything that you are not sure about. Often the berries and specially mushrooms found on trails are poisonous and one should have complete knowledge about it before consuming it.

 Never Litter:

The damage we do by littering the mountains or the trails is irreversible which cause adverse effect on the whole ecology and our climate. Thus, we should travel like a responsible hiker and should bring back the waste down to the base where we can dump it in proper dustbins.

Never Attend Nature’s Call near the Stream:

You may find that no one is using the stream water in your vicinity but lot of villages in the plains use the same water for drinking and other house hold purpose so never attend nature’s call near the stream or wash utensils in it. Take water in your bottle and do your chores away from the stream.

Never Ignore any Medical Condition:

While on hike, one’s body may react in a different way due to certain gain in elevation. You should never hide your medical condition from your travel partners or even if you are hiking alone, tell it to people you meet on the way. Make ‘safety first’ as the thumb rule of your hiking plan.

Never Hike in the Dark:

Make sure to reach to the destined place before sunset. Hiking in the dark can prove really dangerous. The chances of falling prey to wild animals increases in the dark and also, you may get astray from the right path.

Never Click Photos While Walking:

Lot of people click photos on their phone while walking just to save some time or to meet the pace of the fellow travelers but this may result in some serious injuries if you happen to fall down. Always stop and then click photos and also, don’t stop at the risky areas such as which are prone to landslides or narrow trail.

Hiking is a fun activity and it would be more fun if you take care of these points. Just ensure the safe return of yourself and your fellow partners by keeping few small things in mind. One mistake and it could cause some serious outcomes. Adventure feeds your soul but one should be wise enough to know how to get the things done in a proper way.