Camping can be of many types, and not all of them are about occupying a campsite. The main idea is getting closer to nature, even if you’re not going to stay in one place and just walk alone with your backpack, exploring the world outside. This type of camping is called backpacking. You don’t need to tie yourself to any place to stay, nor must you even make any plans for your trip – everything depends solely on your moods and intentions, which can be unplanned.
Indeed, the trip on your legs with a heavy bag on your back is not about comfort, but it can gift you true freedom. You are really free to go wherever and whenever you want without any serious restrictions. Thus, it can be said that it’s the dream of a traveler. Still, due to the lack of habitual comfort, it cannot fit everyone, and you can belong to those for whom it cannot be recommended. However, whether you opt or not for backpacking is up to you, and with the help of this article, you will get the opportunity to weigh all its benefits and downsides and make an informed decision.
Benefits of backpacking:
This camping type is adorable due to several reasons that definitely can motivate you to go backpacking:
Leaving the stress behind:
During backpacking, you have to distract yourself from all your grieves and stresses, as well as from the news on the world’s misfortunes and social media at large. Why? – Simply because, aside from exploring new sites, your primary task is to stay alive and as healthy as possible. This change of focus imprints on your mood, and it becomes free from negative thoughts. If you consider living in a tent when backpacking in cold weather, try tents for winter camping with a wood stove.
Get to know other benefits of traveling for your health in this article from the World Health Organization.
Your confidence grows:
If you are not confident and your social skills are rather weak, backpacking is a good way to improve them. When you go backpacking on your own, you are the only person whom you can rely on. Thus, when you achieve your new and new goals during your trip, you feel more and more confident. And there’s nothing surprising about it, as to get to your desired destinations you have to communicate with people.
If you’re alone while traveling, try tents with fireplace that will give you more warmth than the standard ones.
No serious limitations:
When you go backpacking, aside from the restriction on the number of things you can pack in your bag, there are no serious confinements. For example, you can live in your tent or rent one with further living in it for as long as you wish. You can opt for living at a hotel or hostel as well, or if you make some friends on a trip, you can spend a night or two in their flats. As you see, you are free to live as you wish when backpacking.
Cheapness:
Backpacking also allows for saving a lot of money and is less expensive than a traditional weekly trip to a foreign country. Why? – Because you can avoid a lot of expenses. For example, you won’t have to book a hotel simply because you will have many alternative options such as your own or rented tent, a hostel or new friends’ flats. Also, you won’t buy many souvenirs, as you have too little space in your backpack for storing those.
Really great traveling experience:
When you’re on a standard trip with planned excursions to certain tourist spots, your trip will be limited to the timeframes and schedules of those excursion buses. You will mostly be able to visit and explore only what’s allowed and when it’s allowed. When you’re traveling with your backpack, you have essentially more freedom and almost no limitations. You are free to go wherever and whenever and for as long as you wish. Logically, such a traveling experience will be many times greater.
Downsides of traveling with a backpack:
Though this type of camping is of many huge benefits, there are certain negatives about it that can scare you off, so consider them too:
The unpredictability of your adventure:
Backpacking is completely different from standard planned trips where you know what you will do, where exactly, and at what time. While backpacking, you most often get limited on your plans and predictability in general. You can’t always be aware of where you will sleep the next night and which circumstances you will face before.
You can get homesick:
Because of the unpredictability, and often lack of comfort and hygiene, you can start missing your home greatly and even get depressed. Still, it is more likely to happen if you travel on your own and with the company of friends nearby such a mood, at least, won’t last long.
Extremely little room for packing:
When you’re traveling with your backpack, it will obviously be a big one. On the other hand, it must be not too heavy and possible to carry you. Thus, you will need to pack as few additional things as possible and this inevitably means that you won’t be able to buy many souvenirs if any. Because if your bag gets too heavy, your trip will automatically become an unbearable challenge for you.
Hygiene scarcity:
You will also have to put up with a lack of hygiene while you’re backpacking. As you understand, there will be no opportunity to take a shower regularly or when you want. Thus, if you are accustomed to being always clean and taking showers every day, you most likely won’t find the backpacking experience worthy of your attention.
Summary:
Backpacking is another kind of camping that offers maximum freedom and, without any doubt, the greatest traveling experience. Traveling by just walking with your legs and having a backpack behind you, you can go anywhere and anytime you want.
Still, many may find this type of camping unsuitable, mainly because of such factors as the lack of comfort, hygiene, and place in your backpack.
