If you practice hiking regularly, then you will discover that it offers many benefits to your health, both mentally and physically.

Hiking stimulates the formation of bone tissue, which makes it particularly interesting for growing young people. When osteoarthritis has been established for some time, it reduces pain while maintaining muscle strength.

Like most sports activities, hiking protects the vessels and prevents cardiovascular disease. It decreases the risk of type 2 diabetes, lowers triglyceride levels (bad cholesterol), increases good blood pressure, and improves blood pressure in a modest but sensitive way. There is also a 25 to 35% decrease in mortality in cases of coronary heart disease.

Associated with a diet, hiking enhances the effects. It replaces fat with muscle. The energy consumption of walking is estimated at about 300Kcal per hour while walking at 4km / h, on the flat. 3h of walking therefore consume between 1000 and 1700Kcal, which is recommended as minimum weekly energy consumption.

It improves the treatment of chronic bronchitis and asthma.

Like all endurance sports, it helps maintain a good muscular condition.

While intensive sports practice decreases immune defenses, a moderate practice such as hiking will strengthen them. 

Physical activity, by oxygenating the body more, contributes to the proper functioning of the brain. This can be particularly useful in the case of recovery after injury or in the fight against degenerative diseases.

Hiking reduces the risk of early death by 30% if the activity is practiced at least 3 hours per week (if possible in several times) at moderate pace or 3 times 20 minutes per week at a more sustained pace.

Walking is the first sport advised by doctors in case of depression or low morale, and this is nothing to chance. The hike relaxes and reduces nervous tension as well as anxiety.

More and more hiking guides are developing "sensory" walks, where groups are invited to use their five senses to observe the fauna and flora that surround them. Hiking in the desert, in the heart of immense plains or mountainous environment is an ideal time to enter into communion with nature and awaken its senses.