What to pack for a walking holiday

With all of the miles you'll be covering, we recommend bringing a pair of walking/hiking boots on all of our walking tours. Ideally, the boots should provide ankle support and be made from a sturdy, good-quality leather or fabric with a waterproof membrane such as Gore-Tex. It is important to get the correct size and fit, normally a little larger than your regular footwear, considering the thickness of socks you will be wearing or that your feet may swell a little in hotter climates. An outdoor store will be able to provide expert advice and fitting. Be sure to break your boots in before your trip to avoid blisters and discomfort. 

Staying hydrated while hiking is essential, but avoid wasting your holiday money on expensive bottled water and help us to eliminate single-use plastic on our trips by bringing a large reusable water bottle or a hydration reservoir such as a CamelBak. For trips with long-distance walks, we also recommend carrying more than one bottle, especially on challenging-graded treks. One of our favourites is the Water-to-go bottle which has a built-in filtration system that eliminates over 99.9% of contaminants from the water - get a 15% discount as an Explore customer. If you don't have a filtered bottle, we recommend bringing a personal supply of water purification tablets, especially in more remote areas where clean drinking water may be hard to source. Where the local tap or spring water is fine to drink, we'll advise you. 

We hope that you won't need this, but big days of walking can sometimes wreak havoc with your feet. Your walking tour leader will, of course, carry a comprehensive first aid kit for the group, but we also suggest that you take a personal small first aid kit in your daypack so you can tend to any minor cuts, scrapes or blisters that you may entail along the way. For more remote treks, you may require a more advanced first aid kit, as well as some insect repellent and antibacterial hand wash.

Whether you're setting off at dawn to see the sunrise over the mountains or moving around your campsite at night, a decent  torch will come in handy. Also, bring a spare bulb and plenty of batteries as charging facilities may be hard to find on some trips. For remote treks that involve camping, a head torch could be useful. 

On some of our more challenging routes such as the Inca Trail and Kilimanjaro treks, you'll need to take a sleeping bag with you. Make sure the sleeping bag is suitable for the climate that you'll be experiencing and bring a silk or fleece liner for extra warmth. A few walking trips may also require you to bring a sleeping mat and a lightweight self-inflating pillow. It is often possible to hire equipment - check individual trip notes for details.