Hiking, backpacking, trekking … My head is spinning! And yours? So many different terminologies but is there really a difference? If you can find different words it means they refer to different things. So, what is the difference between hiking, backpacking and trekking?
When I started hiking a few years back, the French that I was accustomed to saying “trekking” all the time. But, as I heard an ever-increasing number of people referring to this activity by using the word “hiking” I looked up their translation online and both came up with the same word in French. No really useful! So, I assumed they were both the same thing. How foolish of me!
So what exactly is the difference?
Let’s dive into not only their differences but also their similarities to clear it all up once and for all.
Hiking
Definition
The Oxford Languages website gives the following definition: “the activity of going for long walks, especially across country.”
If we analyse the above, it means hiking differs from a walk in the park because it implies it is LONG and takes place in the countryside, as opposed to Hyde Park or Green Park which are located in the centre of London.
So hiking is a long walk in the countryside. Now, this is clear, let’s look at the different types of hiking activities.
Different Types of Hiking
If you have been hiking for a while or researching a lot about hiking you might have come across the following words:
- Thru-Hiking
- Section Hiking
- Day hiking
So what exactly is the difference between the three?
Thru-Hiking: We refer to thru-hiking when it comes to complete a long trail over a couple of months. This could be the famous American Pacific Crest Trail for example. If you complete it from one end to another, you are a thru-hiker! It requires a lot of preparation both mentally and physically and a good level of hiking.
Section Hiking: Easier than its cousin thru-hiking, section hiking is when you complete part of a long trail one section at a time over a couple of days. This means you go back to your life after completing the section as opposed to thru-hiking where you complete the whole trail all at once. It is easier and you can find travel agencies taking you with a group to hike a particular section of a trail. The good thing with section hiking is that you only get to see the best parts of the trail.
Day Hiking: As its name suggests, it consists of completing a hike within the same day and go back home after. It can be as short as 2 hours to a long 9 hours walk depending on what you like to do.
Distance
It varies depending on the type of activity you are doing.
Thru-hiking: Very long distance, for instance, 2,650 miles (4264 km) for the Pacific Crest Trail.
Section Hiking: More moderate as done over a shorter period of time. For example, the average length of a Pacific Crest Trail section is 91 miles (146 km).
Day Hiking: Well, it depends on how much you can achieve in a day really. I like long-distance hikes and the longest I did was 27 miles (46 km), but it could be as short as 3 miles (4 km).
Terrain
Is there a difference of terrain between the three?
Thru-Hiking and Section Hiking: I put the two together because one consist of doing a small part of the other, therefore going through the same terrain. With thru-hiking, you can go across every type of terrain during your journey. It does make sense. The longer the trail, the more likely you will come across a variety of landscapes, climates and terrain. Take the Pacific Crest Trail for example. You start near the Mexican border where you cross 700 miles of desert, you then head to Central and Northern California where the landscape is mountainous. After, you arrive in Oregon which is mainly flat and crossing through forested areas to end the trail in Washington where you are back in the mountain. With thru-hiking, you need to be prepared for everything and every type of terrain.
Day Hiking: Day hikes are classed in four categories:
- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Challenging
- Tough
These are the terms that you would mostly see when looking for a hike in the UK. The harder the hike, the more challenging the terrain will be. This means steep incline, rocks, river crossing and scrambling. Depending on your level and aptitude, chose what seems best for you. If unsure, my tip is to start with a beginner hike to assess the difficulty and if you find it too easy, you can move up to intermediate straight away.
Gear
Of course a 5 months thru-hike does not require the same gear as a 10 miles day hike. So what are the main things you should be carrying?
Thru-Hiking: Because of the long distance to be completed, a thru-hiker cannot carry 5 months worth of food and water with them. They need to make stops in towns on the way for supplies to be able to carry on. Thru-hikers are well known to be carrying the least possible to be able to hike without being slow down by the weight of their gear. However, they still need to carry a tent, a sleeping bag, clothes and a few pairs of hiking shoes as you will be ruining them each in turn. They are fond of lightweight gear from backpacks to footwear to keep the weight to a minimum.
Section-Hiking: Same goes for section hiking where you need to be prepared in terms of clothing, tent, sleeping bag, footwear, food and water and cooking gear. You can resupply when passing through towns on your way.
Day Hiking: Much easier and lighter than the above two, depending on the walk you are doing you may very well have to simply carry some water, snacks and your phone. For most advanced day hikers, a good 20L to 30L backpack is recommended. You would need to carry water based on the length of the hike (the rule is 0.5L/hour), snacks, lunch, appropriate clothing and footwear, sun or rain protection and a headcover.
To know more about what to wear and what to pack for a day hike, check my two articles:
So, now we clarified what hiking is, let’s take a closer look at trekking.
Trekking
Definition
According to the Oxford Languages website, the definition of Trekking is: “go on a long arduous journey, typically on foot.”
Ok, so now it involves a bit of risk and challenge as opposed to hiking.
Generally, the main difference between hiking and trekking is that trekking is done over a COUPLE OF DAYS while hiking can be done in one day (ref: day hiking).
“But thru-hiking and section-hiking are not done in one day“, you’ll tell me. So what is the difference between them?
Thru-hiking and section hiking involves setting up a camp for the night, while trekking does not. When you are trekking you spend the night in accommodations such as hostels. Moreover, you don’t need to carry all your supplies for the entire journey as you will be stopping in villages along the way. In most organised trek, you will also have someone to carry your belongings, meaning you simply need your day pack with you. Does not sound bad, does it?
Finally, it is worth mentioning that trekking is a word more commonly used in Asia than in Europe or America. Over there, you can find travel agencies organising “treks” like the Annapurna Tour over 14 days or the month-long Snowman Trek in Bhutan for example.
Distance
It depends, really.
As in Asia, they call it a trek and not a hike, you can find 4 to 5 hours trek like the Tiger’s Nest Monastery tour in Bhutan.
But, as in the Western world we refer to a trek when it involves more than one day of walking, the distance depends on how long the trek is and how much you can cover per day.
Terrain
Challenging!
As the definition states when trekking you are going on an “arduous journey“. Moreover, as trekking is mainly popular in Asia, you will find mountainous landscapes, with rocky paths but also muddy and humid forests. You might as well be passing through villages and get some parts of the path paved. So be prepared for an adventure!
Gear
Everything from sunny to rainy to snow depending on the season you are going. Make sure you check before booking and avoid winter and monsoon seasons. In terms of shoes, as you are going through various terrain you might prefer to carry more than one pair. Remember that you are not carrying your belongings anyway. It will also depend on the season: for summer opt for breathable hiking shoes, for winter to protect your feet from the snow and the cold you would need a good pair of hiking boots.
Backpacking
Definition
Finally, the Oxford Languages website gives the following definition for backpacking: “travel or hike carrying one’s belongings in a rucksack.”
So backpacking is a hike?
Well, both trekking and backpacking fall under the hiking umbrella as they are long walks in the backcountry.
Backpacking refers to two different activities: the first one is travel. This is when you are travelling with your friends on a student budget, squeezing all that you can in a backpack, travel by trains because it is cheaper than planes and sleep in hostels to save enough money to buy drinks at the club.
In our case, we are looking at the second part of the definition: “[a] hike carrying one’s belongings in a rucksack”.
You would tell me that you are carrying a backpack when day hiking. True.
The difference?
Like trekking, backpacking is done over a COUPLE OF DAYS, CARRYING YOUR BELONGINGS plus it involves SLEEPING IN THE WILDERNESS, as opposed to trekking where you stay in accommodations for the night. Finally, the main difference is that backpacking is NOT GUIDED and you are on your own (or with your friends).
Distance
Depend how long you are going for.
We refer to backpacking if the trip lasts at least for 2 days but it can be for as long as a month or more. When doing a long-distance backpacking trip, you might need to resupply when passing through villages or towns on your way.
Terrain
Off the beaten tracks!
The main difference with backpacking is that you go and explore the wilderness away from the main and popular trails. You can sleep in camping sites or look for a suitable spot for the night.
Gear
When packing your backpack for backpacking (that’s a tongue twister!) you need to take into consideration that you will be going through rough paths.
So what exactly do you need?
Sturdy boots: As you will be carrying some weight on your back, you need shoes with a thick sole to absorb the weight and offer support to your ankle.
Backpack: Consider at 50L for a backpacking trip as you would need to carry clothes, an emergency kit, a sleeping bag, a tent, cooking gear and all sorts of items such as a headlamp and a multi-function knife. That’s a lot to pack!
Sleeping solution: That includes a tent, a sleeping bag and a sleeping mat.
Emergency kit: As part of the 10 Hiking Essentials, when going for a long journey like this one don’t forget your first aid kit. To know more about what to put in your first aid kit and download the checklist, click here. Consider as well taking a water purification solution with you to never run out of water. This can be a water filter such as LifeStraw or water purification tablets. Finally, add other items to the kit such as firestarters and a beacon to call for help.
Navigation: The number 1 of the 10 Essentials. As you are on your own and off the beaten tracks it is important that you take with you a map (and even a couple of copies of it) and a compass to ensure that you are on the right track.
Now we are clear on what hiking, backpacking and trekking is, so what is “roaming“?
So What is Roaming in all of this?
One last time, let’s look at the definition on the Oxford Languages website for the word roaming: “moving about aimlessly or unsystematically, especially over a wide area.”
Hmm … so it sounds that, unlike hiking, trekking and backpacking where you are going somewhere, roaming is in fact wandering in the outdoor.
This term is especially popular among Instagram hiker’s accounts names: Roam_with_XXX, Roam_in_XXX and so on…
But now we know the actual definition of the word roaming, it might be wiser to unfollow those accounts if we don’t want to get lost 😉
Final Thoughts on the difference between hiking and backpacking
So in summary, the differences between hiking, backpacking and trekking are:
Hiking: Completing a walk in the countryside over the course of a day or more
Trekking: Completing a trail over the course of a few days or even weeks with the help of a tour guide and porters and sleeping in accommodations along the way. It is a very popular activity in Asia.
Backpacking: Hiking over at least 2 days in the wilderness carrying a backpack with all the items needed for the trip. Backpacking involves sleeping in the wilderness or a campsite.
Have you been trekking or backpacking, or thru-hiking or even section-hiking? Let me know in the comments. I’d love to know about your experience.
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