How to prepare for a stream and waterfall trek is the question of many trekking fans who love the stream, jungle and waterfall. For the best experience, here is a detailed guide to prepare for a stream and waterfall trek from Bi’s experience.
Application routes: Chư Bluk
Subject Index:
- Principles and Checklist of items needed
- Guiding trekking principles
- Guiding the stream and waterfall trekking tours.
- Some training exercises before the journey
1. Principles and Checklist of items needed
The most important thing before each journey is to be well-prepared. However, “well-prepared” does not mean carrying “everything” on your back. You only need to focus on the following 3 points:
- Enough: Bringing enough personal items according to the checklist below
- Lightweight: Minimizing the weight of the items in your backpack. You can choose lightweight materials, or objects that take up less space.
- Suitable: Each activity has requirements for compatible equipment, clothing, and accessories. You should equip yourself with the most suitable things which help you have a good journey.
1.1 Must-have items
Checklist Item
- Trekking clothes: good sweat absorbing clothes, clothes with elastic fabric which are flexible.
- Swimsuit to swim in the stream and waterfall and nice clothes to check in.
- Shoes: you better get specialized shoes for trekking, otherwise choose sport sneakers with deep grooves (spikes) to avoid slippery. Going through stream terrain, you should use Quick-drying water shoes.
- Slippers: moving at the camping area comfortably
- A hat, a jacket, sun protection gloves, sunscreen
- An insect spray, a mosquito spray, soffell mosquito repellent
- Personal water bottle (minimum 1 liter)
- Raincoat: lightweight, convenient
- Other personal items: toothbrush, toothpaste, dry shower gel
1.2 Items can bring in
- Money
- Cell phone and handheld camera
- Chocolate
- Vitamin C effervescent tablet
- Trekking poles
1.3 Items should not bring in
- Laptop
- Items are bulky, fragile
- High value jewelry
- Cold foods, sour fruits
- Important documents: passport, Household Book…
1.4 Note
- In waterfall and stream terrain, your shoes should be good grip and drainage
- You should bring a flashlight and many socks
- The tour schedule has a waterfall-bathing activity, you should prepare a swimsuit and comply with safety rules like wearing a life jacket even when you can swim.
2. Guiding trekking principles
Trekking is a form of experience tourism with an element of adventure. Over 8 years, accompanied by thousands of friends, Bitour has constantly raised standards and perfected safety procedures and principles.
“However, the essence of the journey to the wild is still an adventure tour, each participant needs to be aware of taking responsibility for protecting themselves, always being careful throughout the journey and following the direction of the leader.”
What matters is that after each trip, Bi’s crew members always discuss and learn together, we are always trained in new skills to give the best guide and support for our customers. If you are a trekker, you should grasp these rules in order to help yourself be proactive in all situations because tour guides can’t follow you every step along the way.
- Following the instruction of the tour leader
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- The tour guide has a lot of experience on the road and has detailed plans for the trip, so he will make appropriate decisions for the journey experience and the safety of the whole group. Backing to nature, accommodations and convenience will not be like the city, if you have suddenly changed due to weather and physical strength, you must immediately tell the leader or the Bi team for assistance in time.
- Don’t go alone
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- Guaranteed not to go alone, you should go in a group of two or more people and remember keeping contacts. This is very important because in the jungle, there is no phone signal, and your friends will support you in all situations (even when you get lost, two people are better than one)
- Don’t be ahead of the navigator and behind the tour guide.
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- Every trip, Bi always has one person who stays behind to make sure that no one gets lost or is left behind. When this tour guide goes to the rendezvous point, all members are fully present, so no matter how small or crowded the group is, it is easy to check and manage just thanks to this simple rule.
- Don’t voluntarily detach from the group
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- The most important thing is having a safe journey, so you are not allowed to detach from the group (Unless there are special circumstances with consent from the organizers).
- Handling at crossroads
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- When you reach the turning and do not know which direction to go, stop and wait for the person who stays behind. Do not follow other people in other groups because there are many different routes.
- Do not run, Do not be in a hurry
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- Trekking requires good endurance and a strong will because of the long walks. Therefore, do not be in a hurry because it will make you quickly lose your energy.
- Environmental protection rules
- Nature is man’s home. Getting back to nature with Bi is to bring only beautiful memories and leave nothing but footprints. With Bitour Cares, each tourist will preserve his or her own personal trash throughout the journey.
- Besides, disposable plastic is convenient but causes heavy damage to the environment. You can limit the use of wet tissues. Or you can use water bottles, raincoats that are reusable and eco-friendly shower gel.
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Walking uphill
- Go slowly (small steps) and limit the rest onto the ramps.
- Having your heel and the ball of your foot touching the ground first and then, land gently with your whole foot (mid-foot technique)
- Using both legs to avoid overload, muscle tension, cramps.
- Stabilize breathing rate.
- Psychology: Don’t keep looking at a wild slope if it discourages you. Focus on your every step and think of the magnificent scenery you will see.
Walking downhill
- The trekking speed and the slope’s inclination will increase inertia and easily cause you to fall forward. Go slowly and pay attention to all your steps.
- When trekking, the very first part of your foot you should land on is the outside edge of the foot. Instead of moving forward, you should move horizontally, it will reduce pressure on your toes and limit slipperiness.
- Be sure in every step: Usually, wet grass and gravel soil will easily cause you to slip. Therefore, be careful.
- Stopping for a rest
Because each member’s physical strength is different, so there will be rest stops. Or there will be breaks, depending on each person’s physical strength. However, you should note the following points:
- When stopping for a rest, don’t immediately sit down. First, you should stand and breathe. Then, you can sit down, stretch and relax your legs. You can also lie down, close your eyes, and calm your mind for a bit to recharge your body.
- When needing rest on demand: If you are really tired and need a short time to rest, you must notify the tour guide.
- You should not stop for a rest too much because you will feel more tired. Try to limit the number of break times!
- Drinking water rules
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- Do not drink water too much on one sip. You should drink water in many small sips (the best way is using a water bag)
- Do not drink water many times, only drink when you feel thirsty.
- Drinking water too much to eliminate thirst is very dangerous. Firstly, you have to carry more water than usual, causing heavy backpacks. Secondly, it makes you excrete too much. Thirdly, the belly is bigger, causing fatigue and exhaustion.
- Usually, for a distance of 10-15km, 1L of water (rainy season) or 1.5L of water (dry season) is enough for an average person.
- Do not drink raw or untreated springwater.
- Guiding the stream and waterfall trekking tours.
The beauty of the streams and waterfalls is magically attractive, but do not go “in a hurry” when not equipped with necessary skills. Bi will guide you some tips for a stream and waterfall trek, there are always sudden changes on this terrain, so remember to always follow the instructions of the tour guide.
- For shallow streams:
- Follow the guidance of the leader.
- Use one leg as a pillar, then, hind leg step forward. Check the ground firmly and continue moving.
- Not moving in a hurry, make every step.
- Not running and jumping around, not walking on rocks to avoid slipping.
- For knee-high streams:
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- Following the guide of the tour guide to decide whether to come across the stream or another route.
- Following all instructions of the tour leader to ensure safety.
- How to use topical gel of anti-leeches
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- Apply topical gel of anti-leeches inside: from feet to knees (in dry weather), from thighs to hips (when it rains), ears, neck and shoulders, arms, armpits.
- Apply topical gel of anti-leeches outside: fastener slots, shoe collar, socks, pants leg, shirt shoulder, hat. You can use mosquito spray for easy handling.
- Put pants leg in socks
- Notice:
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- Always be careful, check the ground firmly because there are always slippery rocks and soft ground underneath, if you do not pay attention, you can slip and get wet.
- The typical feature of the waterfall’s terrain is humid and easy to see the little friends of the jungle, who are “leeches”, you can use anti-leeches medicine and wear clothes that minimize exposed skin before starting the journey. If ‘luckily’ that little friends come to visit, please contact Bi for assistance in time.
- In an “unwholesome environment” anything can happen, you should not break trees, taste the fruits whether familiar or unfamiliar; The first is for the protection of the ecosystem, and the second is for your own health.
4. Some training exercises before the journey
To ensure the best experience for trekking / hiking for consecutive days, your muscles need to be prepared and used to the high-intensity movements.
You don’t have to be a professional athlete, with the best physical background. You only need a basic physical strength and some daily training exercises.
And to have enough time to develop a good habit and adapt your body to exercise, you can start practicing the following exercises at least 3 times a week, 30 minutes each session, during 21 days before the trip.
- Jogging: Prepare trekking shoes, warm up for 5 minutes before jogging. You don’t have to force yourself to run fast from the beginning. It is important for your body to slowly get used to being active and maintain regular exercises.
- Squat: Squat is a standing up, sitting down exercise with dumbbells or barehanded. Squat affects many muscle groups, especially the hips, buttocks, thighs and supports the whole body. The exercise consists of 5 steps:
- Straighten up. Putting your feet hip-width apart.
- The feet pointed about 15 degrees outwards to form a V-shape.
- Hands straightened in front of chest or bent elbows.
- Breathe deeply into your stomach, break at your hip and push your butt back.
- Squat down until your hip joint is lower than your knees. Keep 2s and repeat.
- Stair climbing: This can be practice near your home or your office. Instead of taking the elevator, you can try stair climbing every day. This will help you get used to climbing steep hills.
See you on your upcoming journey! We will have a great trip together!
