When it comes to hiking or trekking in Asia, you will never run out of the best spots in the region that guarantee a spectacular hiking experience. Although almost every hike poses a few challenges that can easily be overthrown with your intelligence and right decisions, there’s something about the hikes in Asia that makes them a lot more dangerous and challenging. These additional challenges could easily ruin your experience, hence why, it would work better if you keep yourself away from all the possible threats and keep your hike as hassle-free as possible.
A small chain of events that didn’t end well can often result in bad situations, and that can trigger the survival scenarios, which is the last thing you want to experience. Asia boasts of an array of hiking destinations, with each one promising to offer an adrenaline-pumping and exhilarating experience. While there are countless numbers of forests and jungles in Southeast Asia, on the other hand, North India and Nepal have the Himalayas (highly elevated) that can leave your heart pumping quite literally. The key to ensuring a wonderful hiking experience in Asia is learning about all the risks and threats involved with it. Once you have learned about them and prepared yourself accordingly, this outdoor adventure can turn out to be one of the best experiences of your life.
Failing to get rescued
Not being able to get rescued can be one of the worst feelings ever. Hiking involves a lot of risk factors, and you never know when one of those factors would end up putting you in a difficult and unexpected situation, and there’s a need for rescue. Aside from acting responsibly, you should also think practically and think of all the worst things that could happen to you while you are hiking, therefore, you should always let others know in your group or any person you’re in contact with, where you will be heading and approximate time of your return. This way, if you fail to return, that person would know you’re probably in danger and need to be rescued. Instead of informing your loved ones, try passing this information to a relevant person as in a local.
Mosquitoes-borne illness
When it comes to hiking in the wild, it’s not just the wild animals that possibly could be a threat to you, but also the tiny creatures that can actually be a lot more dangerous than you imagine them to be. The creature in question here are the mosquitoes that carry poisonous viruses in them, and one mosquito bite can turn your entire trip to be a disaster. Dengue fever is epidemic in Southeast Asia, and it is caused by a mosquito bite who is the carrier of this deadly virus. Therefore, you should always keep your body covered, no matter how hot it is, and try avoiding mosquitoes as much as you can. Also, keep applying the mosquito repellant to keep these nasty creatures at bay.
Dehydration
Dehydration can be one of the biggest threats to you. You should know that the jungles and forests of Asia can be very humid, and the lack of hydration can cause you to make some bad decisions, and this doesn’t end up really well. Therefore, carry ample water with you and try staying in the shade to avoid loss of water from your body. To make up for the loss of energy, you can also carry a nutrition-packed energy bar to munch on the way.
Severe sunburn
Another thing that can pose a huge threat to you is the unforgiving sun. Walking under the scorching sun of Asia for an extended duration can cause some severe sunburn, and that not only ruins your entire trip but also makes your body feel injured externally. The sun can most particularly be more unforgiving in Southeast Asia. Therefore, aside from applying the repellent, keep applying sunscreen as well, and do it every 3 to 4 hours to keep your body well protected from harmful sun rays. Make sure your sunscreen has high SPF value, and don’t forget to carry a UV protected hat and sunglass.