This is how Travelita readers really hike: the survey results at a glance

Hiking is a passion for many. And over the last few years, the hiking articles here on travelita.ch have achieved a steadily increasing readership. On the one hand, this is great – but on the other hand, it also comes with challenges. For some the hikes are too easy, for others they are too demanding. Some prefer family-friendly circular hikes and others are looking for sporty multi-day hikes. Many people are aware that reading a blog post does not free them from personal hiking preparations. But there are also a few people who – it seems – just skim the title of the post before they start hiking.

For this reason, we felt like taking stock. We wanted to know how and why you hike.

From August 28th to September 16th, 2023 we conducted a survey here on the blog. Everyone who “surfed around” our hiking category during this time was given the opportunity to take part in the form of a pop-up. Within the three-week period, over 1,000 people completed the questionnaire completely. A most pleasing number! We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your dedicated participation and also the constructive and positive feedback.

Thanks to your numerous and detailed answers, we have gained exciting insights that will help us to better tailor future articles and hiking descriptions to your wishes.

Of course we don’t want to withhold the feedback from you. You can view the survey results in detail below.

How often do you go hiking?
More than 50% of you go to the mountains an impressive 10 or more times per year. And around a quarter, 24.9% to be precise, hike between 6 and 10 times a year.

Which hiking times appeal to you?
The vast majority of you (over 90%) prefer hiking times in the range of two to six hours.

For almost half (48%), 2 to 4 hours of hiking time is ideal. At 43%, the proportion of you who like to go on hikes lasting 4 to 6 hours is not negligible.

What is the level of difficulty of your preferred routes?
The clear majority (75%) prefer moderately difficult hikes in the form of white-red-white marked mountain hiking trails. 10% are attracted to easy hiking trails. The proportion of people who feel addressed by challenging tour suggestions and who can sometimes be found on a white-blue-white marked path is slightly over 10%. Almost 4% did not indicate a preference and are probably, like me, of the opinion that every hiking trail has its own charm.

Planning is the first step of every hike
Multiple answers were possible for this question.

Your answers make an interesting mix! More than half (52%) use apps or maps to prepare for a hike. A good third (33%) rely on recommendations. Among those surveyed, 42% plan their tours meticulously, while 31% pursue their wanderlust more spontaneously. Accordingly, there are more people in this group who rely purely on recommendations and use fewer additional sources or aids to prepare for hiking.

What brings you to the hiking trails?
In this question, multiple answers were not possible. So you had to choose one of the four reasons mentioned. I find it interesting that for less than 10%, the physical challenge – i.e. the sporting part – is the main motivation. Rather, the peace and seclusion as well as the beauty of nature are a decisive reason for a hike.

Do you like to be accompanied or do you prefer to go solo?
At 65%, the majority prefer to hike in the company of family or friends. But some of you don’t have a particular preference and, depending on your mood, like to be out alone or with friends/family. Hiking in a group receives the least popularity. But, whether alone or together: the joy of hiking is the main priority anyway!

At the end there was the opportunity to place further feedback in a text block. 185 of the 1,030 people who took part in the survey took advantage of the opportunity. Thank you so much for the numerous motivating and nice comments! I never expected this fantastic response. The following word cloud visualizes your keywords.

I would like to quote a few more examples of feedback here:
«Thank you for your great content! Been reading your posts for years and they help with planning»
«I always like the combination of hiking, enjoyment & Bergsee»
«Hikes with dogs would also be interesting for overnight stays»
«Thanks for the cool ideas ;-) I would be interested in a stage hike .»
«I think traveling by public transport is important and good restaurant tips»
«Please give me several hiking suggestions for Tyrol, South Tyrol and Bavaria.»
«I would like more easier hiking routes with moderate differences in altitude»

Your feedback is invaluable to us. And we are very grateful for your detailed comments. This helps us plan future excursions and mountain tours as well as improve hiking descriptions. For example, the topic of dogs has been mentioned several times and I will try to pay more attention to it in the future. When it came to choosing accommodation, the feedback was mixed – some appreciated simple, budget-friendly accommodation (SAC huts, cozy mountain pubs). The others are explicitly looking for the more exclusive tips. Here too, we will endeavor to continue to offer a mix of both. This survey not only gave me valuable insights into your hiking preferences, but also gave me fresh motivation to continue blogging.

Stay tuned – there are more varied articles and hiking ideas waiting for you!