Tips for trekking in Monsoon Season

The key to a great monsoon trekking experience is being prepared. Being prepared means taking all the necessary measures to avoid any discomfort on the trek. Here are a few trekking tips for monsoon which you should take care of before you begin your adventure.

1. Raincoat

It goes without saying that you need to carry a raincoat to shield from the rain showers. Hence, invest in a good quality raincoat. You can either have a two-piece rain suit or a poncho. A poncho will also protect your bag from getting wet. Also, keep a thick jacket with you to provide warmth in the evening

2. Wear non-cotton pants

Do not wear cotton pants while going for treks in monsoon. Cotton absorbs moisture. Therefore, it is wiser to choose trekking pants made with GORE-TEX. Since these are pretty costly, you can choose nylon/spandex fabric with properties of quick-drying and air permeability.

You can opt for short or 3-quarter pants to avoid mud stains on your pants from the puddles. Convertible pants and Roll-up pants make an excellent choice for monsoon and all other weather conditions.

3. For trekkers wearing specs

Rain can be very irritating for people wearing specs. What they can do is either wear contact lenses on the trek or use anti-fogging coating on their spectacles which will minimize the retention of water droplets on the lens for a longer time. There are even water-resistant lenses available in the market. You can check with your optician and get your glasses customized.

4. Take good care of your feet

Trekking in monsoons takes a great toll on your feet falling succumb to allergy and fungal infection on the trek. Don’t go for waterproof boots rather wear water-resistant boots. Waterproof boots block the sweat inside the shoes and don’t let your feet breathe causing odour and irritability.

It is important that you change socks every day on the trek. Dry feet are more prone to maceration and absorb more water. Keep your feet moistened by applying vaseline or aloe vera gel and then cover your feet with dry socks at the end of the day.

5. Extra cover for your electronic gear items

Even if your bags are waterproof, the moisture can still get inside your bags in the rainy season. The moisture can ruin your electronic gears and other important things. Protect your valuable items like camera, phone, IDs, etc with an extra plastic cover and then put them in your bag. This trekking tip for monsoon comes in handy and ensure safeguard to your stuff from the rain.

6. Pack frequently used items outside the backpack

Opening your backpack each time you need something will get rain inside your backpack. This will make all your things wet. It is better you pack frequently used items outside your backpack to avoid opening bags time and again. Make a good use of the outside pockets of your bag. Keep all your frequently required stuff like energy bars and other tidbits in the outside pockets.

7. Keep a Mosquito Repellent

Monsoons mean an invitation to mosquitoes. In monsoons, the stagnant water plays a breeding ground for mosquitoes causing diseases like malaria. To avoid getting sick, wear enough insect repellent and clothes to keep yourself covered. This is one of the most important trekking tips for monsoon you absolutely cannot ignore.

In case you are not up for using chemical mosquito repellent, you can go for organic options like oil of lemon eucalyptus, cinnamon oil, or lavender oil.

Also, be prepared to combat with leeches on the trek in the monsoon. Hint: Salt packs are useful.

8. Make sure your tent is waterproof

Tents are generally made with waterproof material. Even then make sure your tent is sturdy enough to face rain showers and wind. The base of the tent should be able to stand hundreds of liters of flowing currents of water. You don’t water to get inside the tent ruining your experience on the trek.

9. Carry a portable water filter

Staying hydrated on the trek is important and drinking clean water even more. Due to rains, there is a chance that the water streams get muddled with dirt and sludge which trickle down with the rain. So a clean, potable water source may get difficult to find.

Therefore, you must carry a small portable water filter with you in monsoons. This will avoid situations like water scarcity on the trek and prevent you from consuming water from foul sources.

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