Trekking is a way to cleanse the mind and escape the noise of everyday life. To walk in nature is to witness a thousand miracles.

From quiet moments of self-reflection, invigorating sights and challenging yourself in nature, trekking provides a number of benefits; both physical and mental. Here are our top five benefits of trekking and active holidays.

Overall improved fitness:

One of the major benefits of trekking is that it improves your physical health immensely. Spending multiple hours on the trail, climbing around boulders, rock hopping and ascending hills gives your whole body a workout, improving your strength, agility and cardio fitness. It’s also a fantastic way to lose weight, in that if you carry a full pack, you can burn around 600 calories per hour while trekking.

Reduces Stress:

Spending time outdoors on a trek or active holiday in nature is a perfect way to cleanse your mind from the stress and worries from home. Trekking often requires a person to be focussed on their activity, where the only distractions are majestic vistas and dramatic scenery.

Improves cardiovascular strength:

Regular trekking can increase cardiovascular strength as the heart has to pump harder to keep up with the oxygen demand while trekking. This increases blood flow to the muscles and the brain, improving the circulatory and respiratory system’s health.

Social benefits:

Trekking with other people can create lifelong friendships. While trekking, you are able to spend time bonding with members of the group, motivating and encouraging each other to keep going and persevere when times get tough. Sharing the good memories and experiences that come with trekking can also help overcome differences, encourage an acceptance of different kinds of people and increase your ability to adjust and get along with others.

Softer skill development:

The benefits of trekking don’t just apply to your physical, mental or social health – it can also benefit your management skills, believe it or not! When planning your trek, you may find yourself setting training targets, planning for the trek, organising your schedule, setting goals, learning how to adapt to change and developing your mental strength.