Trekking is an adventurous activity, and it can be memorable if the right trekking partner or partners accompany you. The right trekking partner can be an essential part of your trekking experience. You need a reliable, competent, and trustworthy trekking partner in a risky situation in the mountain environment. Here are some ways to find the right trekking partner and have an excellent trekking partnership. Ideally, if you have someone with whom you have been on extended hiking trips before and have gotten along well in the past, fantastic! However, you could still meet a new person with matching thoughts and ideas and end up having a partner in adventure for life.
1. Knowing Yourself
The first step is to understand yourself. You need to know what you intend to achieve, your expectations, and your trekking partner’s compatibility. Check if your personalities, expectations, preferred routes, and budget match. Get a feel for your trekking partner’s personality and ask yourself if you are comfortable with it. While doing so, put yourself in their shoes and see if you are an excellent trekking partner for them as well. This should help you understand what you want in a partnership while trekking in a serene mountain environment.
2. What You Seek in Your Trekking Partner
It is critical to know your partner(s) before going on the trek with them. One suitable way is to look at their social media pages to learn more about their activities, personalities, likes, etcetera, before embarking on a trekking vacation.
Age should not be a critical criterion in deciding the compatibility of your trekking partnership. However, it is essential to consider their physical fitness, hiking experience, and expectations of the trekking pace. The partner’s speed and physical fitness can determine the trekking route and the number of trekking days you choose. Trekking at your own comfortable pace can be a self-discovering experience, allowing you to contemplate in silence while admiring the beauty of nature. You could even do a meditative walk on your hiking vacation.
Having the opposite sex as a trekking partner should not be too inconvenient, as long as you have mutual respect, personal space, and privacy to change clothes in the room or tent. If you snore, inform your partner so they can invest in a pair of earplugs.
If your trekking partner is experienced, it can be advantageous for guiding trek preparation. Talk about each other’s experiences, strengths, and weaknesses.
What do you like doing in your free time? For example, do you want to have a quiet read or listen to music while taking in the beautiful scenery of the surrounding mountains? What if your partner is a party animal and loves hanging out late every night during the trek? Everyone is different, and that should not be too much of a problem as long as they do not disturb you when they return to the room. Invest in earplugs, as some people tend to snore after a few drinks, and the walls of the lodges can be paper-thin.
Ask and understand what they expect from you and check if it is compatible with your plans and expectations. If the expectations match, this could be the beginning of a great partnership in adventure.
3. Communication
Excellent communication is an essential factor in all good alliances. Communicate your plans and expectations with your trekking partner before and during the trek. Get an understanding of what they expect from you and see if it matches yours. Inform your partner in advance if you have an existing medical condition or ask if they have one, if they have life-threatening allergies, and if they are on medication. It is good to meet your partner and go on hikes in your home country a few times before going for an extended trekking vacation overseas. Making some adjustments is expected, so be flexible and prepared for compromises.
4. Set Up an Understanding
It is always good to have clear, predetermined agreements with your partner about various critical issues that can take place during the trek. Discuss things like how you will split your trek costs and have a plan of action in an emergency. Inform your partner where your insurance papers are, whom to call in case of an emergency, etcetera.
Share the responsibilities and appoint roles precisely so you do not need to decide everything by yourself.
In Conclusion
Once you have used the tips above and found your ideal trekking partner, planning your extended trekking holiday becomes much more manageable. All the best for a great trek and many more future adventures to follow with your newfound trekking partner or partners