HIKING THE EPIC AMATOLA TRAIL – South Africa’s Most Challenging Trail
One of the most remarkable aspects of our journey was the ever-changing landscapes. From dense forests to open vistas, from cascading waterfalls to towering peaks, each day brought new wonders to behold. The transition from the lush Enchanted Forest to the expansive Tyume River basin felt like stepping into a different world altogether, a testament to the incredible diversity of the Eastern Cape's natural beauty.
Backpacking Food Hacks to Keep You Eating Well Anywhere
Reward yourself on your first day out with a delicious milkshake. Just grab a pint of ice cream right before you start hiking, seal it in a bag, wrap it with an insulating layer, and in a few hours, open it up and enjoy.
How to Choose a Water Filter or Purifier
Water purifiers also combat viruses, which are too tiny for most filters to effectively catch. If you’re traveling in less-developed areas of the world, consider products that also provide protection from viruses (such as hepatitis A, rotavirus, and norovirus).
Eating Right while Hiking and Camping
After a few days in the backcountry, it seemed as if food became less about sustenance and more an obsession. Upon reaching a fellow hiker, a common question became: “What are you eating?” In town, many of us headed straight to the junk food aisle to pick up sugary pastries, pizza, and ice cream.
Meal Planning for Ultralight Backpacking
To lighten your food load and still get the calories and nutrition you need to maintain your stamina on the trail, aim for nutritious foods that are high in calories relative to weight and volume. Choose foods that provide at least 100 calories per ounce—125 calories or more per ounce is even better.
How to Treat Water while Hiking or Camping
After heavy rain, wait before gathering water for treatment. When streams are on the rise, rain has washed surface material into them, as well as lakes and other water sources. This increases bacterial loads and muddies up gathered water.
Backpacking Food Ideas & Meal Planning
You can take most foods backpacking, but it’s best to stick with foods that are portable, lightweight, and not too bulky. Fortunately, there are ways to take backpacking versions of your favorite meal—from burrito bowls to tuna noodle casserole—whether you dehydrate the meal at home, buy ready-to-eat dehydrated meals that only require adding hot water, or assemble your meal from a mixture of fresh and dry ingredients.
How to Build a Campfire
Build fires only in designated fire rings, grills, or fireplaces. Most developed campgrounds have some version of these. Using a fire ring will lessen your impact and keep your fire contained.
How to Use a Compass
Why not rely exclusively on a phone or GPS receiver? Because batteries can die and gadgets can malfunction. A compass relies only on Earth's magnetic fields. If you don’t have one yet, read How to Choose a Compass.
South Africa’s 16 most beautiful hiking trails
South Africa is known to be a land of diverse landscapes and breathtaking vistas; an expansive playground capable of satisfying even the most die-hard traveler’s wanderlust. And what better way to explore this raw, unadulterated terrain than by foot? Hmm, but where to start? Well, here are South Africa’s 16 most beautiful hiking trails; let the Instagramming begin.
Meet The first all-Black climbing team to summit Everest
The Full Circle Everest team has become the first all-Black climbing group to summit Mount Everest. The history-making climb occurred on May 12, 2022, when seven members of Full Circle (six Americans and one Kenyan) officially stood on the highest peak in the world in the Himalayas on the China-Nepal border.
The Ten Essentials for Hiking & Camping
Back then, the list included a map, compass, sunglasses and sunscreen, extra clothing, headlamp/flashlight, first-aid supplies, fire starter, matches, knife, and extra food. Over the years, the list has evolved to a “systems” approach rather than including individual items. Here’s what it looks like today:
How to Stay Hydrated on the Trail
A good general recommendation is about one half-liter of water per hour of moderate activity in moderate temperatures. You may need to increase how much you drink as the temperature and intensity of the activity rise.
Tips for Solo Backpacking & Camping
On a backpacking trip, you’ll be responsible for carrying all the gear, making all the decisions, and figuring out what’s making that creepy noise in the middle of the night. While a solo trip can certainly be challenging, it will also give you a chance to get outside your comfort zone and find out what you’re capable of.
Virtually ‘hike’ all of South Africa’s National Parks
Over the course of 12 months, some 170 new trails and 232 points of interest were recorded, and 560 miles were hiked. Viewers may also virtually hike the five-day Otter Trail, walk with elephants, and track cheetahs on foot.
How Much Stove Fuel Do I Need for a Backpacking Trip?
For a solo weekend backpacking trip, a small 100g canister of stove fuel is often enough. As a general guide, you should bring enough fuel to boil one liter of water per person, per meal and factor in your stove's boil time and total burn time. Read on to learn how to calculate your fuel needs.
The man who walked 12,000 kilometers across the African continent
I wanted to do something that would be more challenging, I wanted to figure out how to overcome things that people think are impossible. That type of thing is attractive to me.
How to spend more time outdoors on the trails through Fall & Winter
For most, the hiking season ends when the last leaves drop. But if you’re used to hanging up your boots in the fall, you’re missing out on some serious magic. In winter, the crowds vanish, leaving quiet trails. Regions with snow-dusted branches and sunlit frost cast the world in a new light. Pesky insects vanish in the cool, crisp air, and leafless branches reveal hidden
Wildfire Safety Tips for Outdoor Recreation
It’s not wise to dismiss smoke as simply a temporary irritant. Smoke is a complex brew of gases (some are toxic when a fire is close) and microscopic particles that scatter far and wide, and can penetrate deep into your lungs. Associated health problems range from temporary discomforts like burning eyes, runny nose, and wheezing to more serious long-term damage to your pulmonary system.
How to Improve Your Hiking Techniques on South African Hiking Trails
Check your hiking boots and see if they’ve gone through much wear and tear that might make them unable to work as best as they could. Wearing hiking boots that aren’t durable will make it harder for you to go hiking.
How to Store and Handle Food for Campers and Backpackers
Keeping human food (and other aromatic items such as toiletries) away from animals requires similar practices in both a campground and backcountry campsite. Here are some general tips:
Leave No Trace Seven Principles
While most of us don’t intend to harm our natural surroundings, we may lack the knowledge to preserve them, or we’re simply overlooking a few important behaviors.
How to Read a Topo Map
A magnetized compass and a paper map are part of the Ten Essentials.
