"To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries"
Aldous Huxley

Trekking in the Kingdom
Trekking Terminologies
Travel Terminologies
Travelogues
How to Prepare?
Checklist for Trekking
Weather in Saudi Arabia

Hiking

By the word definition, hike is a long walk in the country especially for pleasure or exercise.

It is a form of walking, undertaken with the specific purpose of exploring and enjoying the scenery. It usually takes place on unpaved, narrow pathway, usually through a wild area or areas of relatively unspoiled wilderness.

Though the word 'hiking' is understood in all English-speaking countries, terms like Bushwalking, tramping, Backpacking and trekking are used regionally.

Hiking is one of the fundamental outdoor activities in the sense that it is the only way to reach many beautiful places overland. Enthusiasts regard hiking as the best way to see nature. It is seen as better than a tour in a vehicle of any kind because the hiker's senses are not intruded upon by distractions such as engine noise, airborne dust and fellow passengers. As travelers move on foot through often-rural areas, it gives travelers an up-close view of incredible scenery. Many hikers travel through isolated areas, giving them an experience much different than those who travel in organized groups to more popular destinations. It often allows them to interact with nature, doing anything from climbing a rock wall to navigating across a mountain or entire mountain range.

Trekking

Trekking is the complete combination of hiking and camping. It often refers to multi-day hiking trips through rural, often rugged territory. Many people who are trekkers engage in longer trips through entire regions of the world, using trekking as a way of getting from place to place. It can be incorporated with a number of other outdoor sports, such as rock climbing or backpacking.

Trekking can be done anywhere in the world. Several areas are particularly popular with travelers, including the mountainous regions such as the Himalayas in Asia.

"Leave No Trace" is a beautiful philosophy that most trekkers are in love with. Trekking in a way such that future trekkers cannot detect the presence of previous trekkers. Practitioners of this philosophy obey its restrictions, even in the absence of area regulations.

Trekking is best attempted initially with someone who has experience or in a professionally-led group. This can help a novice in trekking to get special skills required to make a successful overland journey of significant length.

Backpacking

The term Backpacking is used for trekking because the trekker normally carries a backpack (a backpack, also called a rucksack or knapsack, is in its simplest form, a cloth sack carried on one's back and secured with two straps that go over the shoulders and below the armpits.) A backpacker hikes into an area with the intention of returning at a later date, so he or she carries supplies and equipments to satisfy sleeping and eating needs. The main disadvantages are the weight of the supplies and gear (carried in the backpack) substantially reduces the hiking speed, so that less ground can be covered in a day, and that the backpack is something of a nuisance and a distraction to enjoying the scenery.

Backpacking is best suited for those who are in good physical condition as it may require walking several kilometers. Moreover it is sometimes necessary to climb steep paths on mountainsides, cross small streams, sandy deserts and spend long days on the trail to reach a secluded, quiet, and solitary campsite. The reward for this effort can be anything memorable.

"Traveling in the company of those we love is home in motion."