Hiking community: myth or reality?

Have you ever thought about starting an activity while being a member of a group? Or do you prefer to travel on your own? Even though both options have their pros and cons, in this post I will tell you about the advantages of joining a hiking community .

“Hiking community is a group of hikers that stick together and become very close as a result of their shared experiences along the trail” – on the internet you can find this kind of desriptions. But in reality, it is more than just a group of people. It is a hiking family, a team of friends who share the best hiking tips and pictures, look for hiking partners, and are ready to support each other in any activity.

I have already told you about my first hiking experience in Switzerland in previous post, but I need to be honest… this would probably not happen if only my friend didn’t invite me to join her. So, travelling with a partner or group of friends is always a good idea?.

Joining a hiking community will help you expand your horizons and get outdoors. Those communities are usually run by volunteers and driven by the enthusiasm of their members. Participation in such groups is a wonderful way to learn more about local trails, meet new friends, get some fresh air and exercise together in the great outdoors.

But how to find these communities?

You can start with a simple search in Google entering “hiking communities/clubs in Switzerland”. Just not to get lost from the beginning I suggest you stop at Meetup.com, where you can find plenty of options and look at some hiking communities based on the location.

But for me, an amazing discovery was the Facebook group “Outdoors in Switzerland” with almost 30 thousand members. This group is full of energy and dynamics which is needed in this type of community. People get answers to their questions quickly, and you can always find like-minded persons for the next planned hike. So, a bit of history.

Founded in 2018, the group embarked on a mission to create an outdoor-loving community that encourages self-expression and offers its members a positive, informative, and friendly experience. It started out small, mostly with friends and friends of friends whose passion was hiking and related outdoor activities Through events organizing and word of mouth, people started joining the group at a faster and faster pace. It also helped that they made several partnerships with other Facebook communities such as “Social Salsa” and “Socializing in Zurich”. Now, the group has 6 Administrators who represent different nationalities and each of them keeps an eye on the activities that are happening within the community.

“With more than 150 official events and many other spontaneous meetups, we have many beautiful memories and funny stories to share. Join our community and be a part of the hiking world” – says Community Manager & Founder at Outdoors in Switzerland, Cristina Lendvai.

So, if you are still figuring out with whom to go for a hike – join this Facebook community right now and surround yourself by a group of amazing like-minded people who will be ready to explore the beauty of Switzerland with you.

The language of the group is English or any Swiss national language, so you will feel comfortable while talking to people there (which is important if you are new to the country).

⇒ Want to know what to take for a day hike? Stay tuned for the next post and read my recommendations.