The 5 Stages of Growth for Hikers


Hiking is one of the most rewarding ways to connect with nature, but the journey can often feel overwhelming for beginners in India.

The sheer volume of gear options, the knowledge required, and the different skills needed can make it difficult to know where to begin.

This is why I’ve developed the 5 Stages of DIY Hiking Model — a structured, progressive approach to help you move from short day hikes to challenging long-distance treks.

The model is designed to help you build confidence and ensure your safety as you progress, one step at a time.

Note: It is important to practice each stage thoroughly before moving on to the next.


STAGE 01: DAY HIKES

A "day hike" is the foundation of your hiking journey.

A day hike is a short hike that can be completed in a single day, without the need for overnight camping. Day hikes are an ideal starting point as they allow you to build a lot of essential outdoor skills while getting comfortable in nature.

The focus is on:

  • Developing a sense of direction while hiking.

  • Understanding your hiking pace, including the relationship between distance & elevation gain.

  • Mastering hiking techniques, such as crossing streams, handling steep slopes, etc.

  • Determining the clothing & footwear that works best for you.

  • Becoming accustomed to how different weather conditions feel, such as drizzle.

The key here is to remove the added pressure of overnight camping when you're starting. It’s also a low-cost & low-commitment way to get started.

This stage will develop essential skills like understanding topography, navigation, seasons, clothing, gear, etc.

Example: The Kanyal trail in Manali is an excellent option for a first day hike.

This easy, flat walk through the woods takes about 4-5 hours, making it suitable for beginners, families, or anyone looking to hike at a slow pace.

Try to find spots near your city that allow you to get used to walking on well-maintained trails. Take a small day pack with essentials like water, snacks, and a power bank, and use a mapping app to practice navigation.

Once you’ve completed enough day hikes, you can confidently move on to the next stage.


STAGE 02: MULTI-DAY HIKES WITH HOMESTAYS

The next step is to challenge yourself with multi-day hikes where you stay in homestays, lodges, or teahouses each night.

The goal is to progress through different landscapes and build your endurance as you hike through the day — but without the need for camping gear to spend the night.

This stage is about maintaining a steady hiking pace each day while gradually transitioning to longer distances. By staying in homestays, you can focus on other important skills like nutrition, pacing, and managing your energy over several days.

Examples:

  • Nepal – Treks like Annapurna Base Camp, Everest Base Camp, or the Annapurna Circuit are excellent places to practice this stage. Since they are popular, you will not be alone on the trail even if you go solo, so trail safety will be taken care of.

  • Maharashtra – Trails such as Bhaskargad, Phani Dongar, and Trimbak offer scenic landscapes for multi-day hikes with homestay options.

During this stage, carry a small 20-25 litre backpack, which makes you less reliant on heavy gear and forces you to be mindful of things that you put inside your backpack. Yes, it is possible to do EBC, ABC, etc in a 25L backpack.


STAGE 03: JUST CAMPING (NO HIKING)

So far you've learnt how to spend the day outdoors. Now you'll learn how to spend the night.

But you’ll continue to follow the principle of gradually confronting your fears to avoid feeling overwhelmed. So you’ll practice camping in areas near civilization.

Find a local spot where you can pitch a tent — near a homestay, a farm, or even in your backyard. The aim is to practice the essential skills required for camping without the added challenge of hiking.

Key skills you’ll learn during this stage:

  • Setting up and breaking down a tent.

  • Managing camp gear.

  • Understanding how it feels when it rains on the tent or a stone punctures your sleeping pad.

  • Getting comfortable sleeping inside a tent,

Knowing that you have the option to retreat to a homestay, your car or home if necessary allows you to safely make mistakes in a controlled environment — so that you can avoid repeating them when you’re truly in the wilderness.


STAGE 04: FIRST OVERNIGHT HIKE (NO COOKING)

The next step to gaining experience with camping & progressing forward is executing your first overnight hike.

An overnight hike is essentially hiking for a day, camping at night and returning the next day.

However, you won’t cook. You’ll rely on pre-packed meals that last for 24 hours, such as home-cooked rotis, vegetables, or aloo parathas.

This is the first time you are mixing hiking and camping. This stage introduces you to the complexity of the logistics of the overnight hikes without the added complexity of cooking.

The goal here is to learn how to handle the weight of a bigger backpack (because you're now also carrying a tent, sleeping bag, sleeping mat, etc) — while managing your energy and navigating through the hike.

Tip: Go on a familiar day hike you've already done in Stage 01 and extend it into a two-day trek, carrying your gear and camping overnight.

Examples: Beas Kund Trek or Bhrigu Lake Trek (Gulaba side)


STAGE 05: MULTI-DAY TREKS (HIKE + CAMP + COOK)

You’ve now reached the final stage — your first multi-day trek, where you’ll hike, camp, and also cook on your own.

Cooking requires planning for ration, carrying additional cookware and learning how to cook in the outdoors with minimal ecological footprint.

This stage is where everything you’ve learned comes together. The goal is to refine your skills and develop a personalized system for navigating, cooking, and managing your gear.

Remember, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Your system will be unique to your needs and preferences, and it’s important to fine-tune your approach as you gain more experience. Whether you’re planning a trek of 50 km, 500 km or even 5000 km, the principles will remain the same.

Once you’ve completed a few multi-day treks, the skills you’ve learned will easily translate to longer, more challenging hikes. As you gain more experience & improve your fitness, an expedition will become a trek, a trek will become a hike and outdoors will become your everyday backyard instead of an adventure destination you go to once or twice a year.


WHY THIS MODEL IS ESSENTIAL FOR INDIA

In India, hiking as a skilled activity is still emerging, and there’s a noticeable lack of structured guidance for beginners.

Many newcomers jump into challenging treks without the necessary skills & knowledge, often leading to frustration or safety risks. Moreover, hiking is often perceived as an expensive & exclusive activity, which can deter potential hikers.

The 5 Stages of DIY Hiking Growth Model addresses this gap by providing a clear, step-by-step approach that helps you build the essential skills required for hiking.

It allows you to progress at your own pace, gradually increasing your confidence and comfort in the outdoors.


LEVELLING UP

Once you’ve understood the 5 Stages of Growth in Hiking Model, you should now educate yourself about the essential skills that you should learn in each stage.

I've created a complete growth blueprint for hikers that covers the 16 essential outdoor skills that you'll need and acquire as you progress through the 5 stages. Check out my 100-minute-long online workshop that covers the blueprint in detail.

If you’re ready to start on your hiking journey or refine your existing skills, get access to the workshop today and take the first step towards exploring the great outdoors!