Guided tours are fun, but going on one unprepared can be dangerous. A trip to Zion Park might sound like a lot of fun, but if you don’t know what to do in case of emergencies, you might find yourself in trouble with nobody to help you.
Before your next trip, it’s best to keep these things in mind. These tips will help you prepare for your travel and teach you how to react in case your tour runs into emergencies.
Pack the Essentials
Before a trip, don’t forget to pack the essentials. Things like suntan lotion and mosquito repellent will help you when you are outdoors. Bring extra food and water if possible and account for medicine that you will need during the trip. It is better to be prepared than to be caught with your pants down.
Know the Lay of the Land
Learn about the surrounding area and the potential route that your tour will take. This will give you an idea of where to run to during emergencies. Having a map will also help, not only in guiding you during the tour but also in figuring out your current location.
Plan for Emergencies
Make sure to have a way to contact people outside of the tour. Some tours assign GPS devices to borrowed vehicles or give radios to guides. Having access to this means that you are never truly cut off from help. This should be one of the first things that you look for during an accident.
During the tour, your cellphone might also have signal, so be sure to keep it charged or have a spare battery for it. You never know when you will need to use it.
Know Your Limits
It is of importance to not push yourself during the tour. Should anything bad happen, help might not arrive promptly. It will affect your enjoyment of the trip, and collapsing in the wildness will do no one good. With that in mind, it is best to pace yourself during the journey. Take things slowly and avoid potential accidents.
Also, take a moment to learn about the park rules. In all cases, do your best to follow them. They are as much for your sake as for the park’s continued health.
Make a Schedule
Be sure not to forget to have an itinerary. If the tour has a schedule, print it out. If it does not have a planned schedule, then make your own. Be sure to give yourself leeway when planning things out. Delays are universal after all, so it is best to provide yourself with more than enough time to accomplish anything you want to do.
Have Fun
Once you’re done with preparations and you’ve packed everything you needed to bring, then you’re all set for your trip. It’s not every day that you get to have something like this, so don’t forget to do the most important thing of all: enjoy yourself. Take pictures of the trip and make lots of fond memories of your tour.
