What is the difference between hiking and trekking? Many hikers, especially newcomers, ask this question from us while backpacking. For outdoor adventures, two popular choices often stand out: hiking and trekking. Looks similar at first glance? Actually, these are not.
Both activities need different levels of physical endurance and provide different levels of outdoor experience. Most people need to find out if it’s hiking or trekking they are doing.
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Generally, they use the term “hiking” even if they are “trekking”. Why so? Due to the lack of knowledge and difficulty segregating hiking and trekking completely. Because mostly one involves the other.
Why not explain in detail? So we decided to write more in detail to familiarize you with both of them.
Definitions: Hiking Vs Trekking
So as per the Oxford Dictionary;
Hiking is when you go for long walks in the backcountry.
Hiking is simply walking. You cannot say that you are hiking when you are climbing mountains, going through extremely difficult roads, and putting your life in danger.
Hiking, instead, would be leisurely taking a walk through the greens of the mountain and then returning to your hotel for dinner.
Trekking is when you go on a long journey on foot, but it has to be strenuous, with difficult terrains.
Trekking is more than simple walking. It takes adventure up a notch. It’s all about exploring the off-roads, rugged terrains, and challenging altitudes.
The difficult journey may be a camping trip, trekking to a mountain base, and more. You cannot say that you are trekking when you are simply walking (or hiking) through different tracks for a workout or to enjoy nature.
However, this doesn’t mean that hiking is not usable when passing through mountains or forests. Of course, you can hike in the mountains and the jungles, but hiking is easier, just like a normal walk.
Differences Between Hiking and Trekking
Now that we have learned the basic definitions of hiking and trekking, let us look at the differences that separate the two terms.
Duration & Distance
Duration is one of the key factors that separate the terms under discussion. A hiking trip is usually a short walking trip. If you hit the treadmill every day, you go for a hike. People who hike normally spend a few hours hiking. That could mean a long walk in the jungle or maybe a roadside walk experience.
Some hiking trips may even last for as long as one day, especially on well-established hiking trails. The distances are also shorter for hiking because the travel duration is short. Some hiking trails take even a few hours to days.
Trekking is done for more than two days with some destination in mind as a target. People who go trekking have a destination in their mind that is extremely hard or, in some cases, impossible to reach via any vehicle.
In that case, trekking is the only option. Trekking trips last for days, usually camping at night and travelling at dawn.
This doesn’t necessarily mean that trekking cannot be done for less than days. If you are trekking towards a mountain top and the track takes you 5 hours to reach the top, your trekking lasts 5 hours.
Terrain and Difficulty Levels
This point makes the debate crystal clear. The terrain used in hiking is usually simple and well-maintained. A hiking trail is a track created for people who hike through any area.
There are no difficulties on the track. You won’t have to climb mountains or jump over rocks when hiking on a hiking trail. Some hikes may include steep slopes, but that is as difficult as hiking can get.
Trekking has no clear path. Trekking is arduous, and you may have to go through totally abandoned areas without a trace of a trail or a path. Sometimes you may have to climb tough rocks and cross suspension bridges over rivers to reach your destination.
Cost Comparison
Hiking is often more affordable than trekking as you don’t have to buy most of the gear used in trekking. You can even hike in your regular clothes and shoes most of the time.
But for long hikes, we advise proper hiking gear such as hiking boots, shirts, shorts, and moisture-wicking underwear for better comfort. But the point is that it’s less costly compared to trekking despite buying basic gear.
Trekking requires additional gear, like trekking poles, sturdy hiking boots, hiking socks, backpacks, sleeping bags, tents, and backpacking food.
Additionally, considering physical endurance, we suggest proper training and exercise before trekking tours, as it’s tiring. Your knees might hurt while climbing up or down, so some trekkers also use a knee brace for knee pain.
In short, trekking is expensive. The preparation costs, gear costs, and unexpected costs that keep hovering over your head make it a costly hobby.
On the other hand, hiking is relatively inexpensive as you have to do little or no additional expense to be comfortable during the hike. At the most, a pair of trousers and a decent set of shoes is more than enough for you to hike.
Gear and Equipment
Mostly we covered this point in the previous cost comparison section. But for the sake of clarity and explanation, we want to highlight it further. As we highlighted in the previous section, there is a significant difference between trekking and hiking gear.
You need more quality trek gear, like boots, poles, socks, and backpacks for trekking. Trekkers also need proper food for the trip duration. Trekking is relatively arduous and requires special gear and equipment.
Hiking requires little to no gear. You can hike even in your everyday casual T-shirt and shorts. You can also hike if you use sleepers as your shoes (in some cases). Therefore, at the most, you will require a new set of shoes and shorts to go on a hike.
Sums up: What is the difference between hiking and trekking?
In short, hiking and trekking are two different activities(often used interchangeably) requiring different fitness levels, outdoor gear and providing different backcountry experiences. Hiking is more of walking that suits almost all aged people, requiring less physical fitness.
On the other hand, trekking is a challenging hike on rugged terrain on unknown paths that sometimes demand a high level of physical fitness, proper gear and training. Therefore, it’s not suitable for every person. The terrain, cost and duration also set them apart.
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