River trekking is a very progressive form of trekking and can be very demanding both physically and mentally. It involves things like rock climbing, swimming, and lots of planning. This is why you should be absolutely confident of accomplishing each skill in the best possible manner.
River trekking is especially exciting and arduous because of the preparation it takes to succeed. You must be physically and mentally able rock climb, climbing wet surfaces, knotting, dealing with poor weather conditions, understanding geographical features of specific rivers, and also you must also pinpoint the closest escape to the river in case of an emergency.
When river trekking, you should be ready to make constant decisions about your overall plan and which foot to put where. You will often face dangerous scenarios that can result in falling from cliffs, slipping on rocks, drowning, etc. If not handled correctly.
Most of these risks are hard to prevent if you don't expect them, but there are things that you can prepare for a little easier. These include changes in weather that can raise the water levels and create stronger currents. You should always know your exit points in order to avoid this scenario.
You may come across low-visibility conditions; this may occur at night or if there is a lot of fog around. This can be safely prevented by carrying a lightweight, waterproof torch with you at all times. If you can get one that can be mounted on your head you may find this highly useful for river trekking.
When you come across steep inclines or cliffs you should be aware of your rock climbing skills. If have some prior rock climbing skills these could actually save your life if you run in to a sticky situation. You should also be aware that the humidity that the sun can generate around a river can be quite high and leave a lot of surfaces more slippery than you may think. These are all things you should be thinking about as a rock climber.
There are many other risks like this that you should be fully prepared for. You can often gauge how tough a river trek is by checking out the star rating given to the track by authorities. You will find that a 1 star trek is usually easily accomplished by a normal person, and a five star rating will take lots of swimming, climbing, and trekking experience.
You must keep these risks in mind before heading out on your next river trekking holiday, never go for a river trek that you may find it too difficult to accomplish. You may want to push yourself to the limit but river trekking can be a whole new ball game. It can be extremely dangerous and death is not uncommon.
In order to stay safe, choose a river trek that is suited to your abilities. Analyse each component of the trail and whether you are completely capable to do it. Also, I always recommend that you never go river trekking alone. You should either go in a group or go with another person as skilled as you.
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