A Spanish Vocabulary Guide To Hiking
The translation of “hiking” in Spanish is senderismo, which is also the name of the sport. To use it as a verb, add the verb hacer (do): hacer senderismo
Hiking is an amazing low-impact sport with several benefits!
It can:
- Help you control your weight. – Ayudarte a controlar tu peso.
- Improve your blood pressure and blood sugar levels. – Mejorar tus niveles de azúcar en la sangre y presión sanguínea.
- Lower your risk of heart disease. – Disminuir el riesgo de una enfermedad cardíaca.
In this post, we are going to explore all of the fun and adventurous Spanish vocabulary associated with hiking.
Ready to go hiking in Spanish? Join me!
Hiking Conjugation in Spanish
As I mentioned above, to say “I hike” in Spanish, we need to use the verb hacer and put the word senderismo after it. Keep in mind that the verb hacer is irregular, so it does not follow the rules to regular verbs in Spanish Here is the conjugation of hacer.
Practice Sentences Part I
Hago senderismo por lo menos una vez cada dos meses.
I hike at least once every two months.
Mi hermano y yo hacemos senderismo juntos siempre que podemos.
My brother and I hike every time we can.
¿Alguna vez hizo senderismo cuando era joven?
Did you ever hike when you were young?
¡Haremos senderismo en la Laguna de los Tres, en Argentina!
We are going to hike in the Lagoon of the Three, in Argentina!
Practice Sentences Part II
Mi cuñado hacía senderismo antes de conocer a mi hermana.
My brother-in-law used to hike before meeting my sister.
Nunca hemos hecho senderismo en América del Sur.
We have never hiked in South America.
Yo sé que tú hacías senderismo cuando eras niña.
I know that you used to hike when you were a little girl.
Mis padres no han hecho senderismo todavía, pero lo quieren intentar.
My parents have never hiked before, but they want to try it out!
Hiking-Related Verbs in Spanish
Hiking is an activity that involves caminar (walking), but some other activities involve walking as well. In this little section, we are going to see the different activities that can be confused with hiking, and their translations into Spanish!
Practice sentences
Mi padre prefiere que haga senderismo en vez de excursionismo porque es un deporte menos intense.
My father prefers me to go hiking instead of trekking because it is a less intense sport.
No he probado hacer senderismo, pero me gusta pasear y caminar.
I have not tried hiking, but I like to stroll and walk.
He recorrido media Europa mochileando.
I have been in half of Europe backpacking.
Me encanta hacer expediciones porque suelen ser cómodas.
I love to go on expeditions because they tend to be comfortable.
How You Feel in Spanish When You’re Hiking
When you are hiking you need to know how to express yourself so the other members in your crew can act upon it. In this section we are going to learn some basic adjectives in Spanish to describe oneself.
| English | Spanish |
| cold | frío(a) |
| confused | confundido(a) |
| dazed | mareado(a) |
| hot | caliente |
| hungry | hambriento(a) |
| injured | herido(a) |
| lost | perdido(a) |
| out of breath | sin aliento |
| thirsty | sediento(a) |
| tired | cansado(a) |
PRO TIP: With the exceptions of frío and caliente you can combine all of these adjectives with estar (to be). For frío and caliente it is better to use the verb tener (to have).
Practice Sentences
¡Necesito ayuda, estoy perdido y herido!
I need help, I am lost and injured.
Subir esa montaña me dejó sin aliento.
Climbing up that mountain left me out of breath.
Estoy mareado, confundido y sediento.
I am dazed, confused and thirsty.
Tengo mucho calor.
I feel very hot.
The “Must Take” Items to Hiking in Spanish
Every senderista (hiker) must take some elemental things with them before hiking. Especially if they are thinking on camping as well.
| English | Spanish |
| cap | la gorra |
| compass | la brújula |
| drinking water | el agua potable |
| first aid kit | el kit de primeros auxilios |
| food | la comida |
| hiking backpack | la mochila de senderismo |
| hiking footwear | el calzado para senderismo |
| ID | los documentos de identidad |
| jacket | la chaqueta |
| map | el mapa |
| matches | los fósforos, las cerillas |
| mosquito repellent | el repelente contra mosquitos |
| spare clothes | la ropa de repuesto |
| sunblock | el bloqueador solar |
| sunglasses | los lentes de sol |
Practice Sentences
¿Metiste el repelente contra mosquitos en la mochila?
Did you put the mosquito repellent in the backpack?
No olvides llevar ropa de repuesto antes de irte a tu viaje de senderismo.
Do not forget to take spare clothes with you before leaving for your hiking trip.
Si no traes una brújula, al menos asegúrate de que el GPS de tu teléfono sirva.
If you’re not bringing a compass, at least make sure that the GPS on your phone works.
El kit de primeros auxilios no está completo, faltan las vendas.
The first aid kit is not complete, the bandages are missing.
Additional Equipment To Take When Hiking in Spanish
We just checked the “musts,” but you know what they say es mejor que sobre a que falte (it is better to have too much than too little.) Especially if you are planning to take a multiple-day hiking trip, these next items will come in handy.
| English | Spanish |
| burner | la hornilla |
| carabiner | el mosquetón |
| harness | el arnés |
| emergency blanket | la manta de emergencia |
| mat | la esterilla |
| pans | los sartenes |
| pots | las ollas |
| rain cover | la cubierta para lluvia |
| rope | la cuerda |
| silverware | los cubiertos |
| sleeping bag | la bolsa de dormir |
| Swiss army knife | la navaja |
| tent | la carpa |
| towel | la toalla |
| walking sticks | los bastones para caminar |
Practice Sentences
¿Trajiste la navaja que te pedí? La necesito para cortar la cuerda.
Did you bring the Swiss army knife I asked you? I need it to cut the rope.
El cielo está nublado, es mejor que saquemos la cubierta para lluvia.
The sky is cloudy, so it would be a good idea to take out the rain cover.
Los bastones para caminar son muy útiles, no lo sabía.
I did not know it, but walking sticks are very useful.
Esta noche vamos a cocinar frijoles, espero que hayas traído las ollas.
Tonight we are cooking beans, I hope you’ve brought the pots.
Places to Hike in Spanish
In this section, I am not going to tell you where to go hiking, but instead, I am going to teach you about the basic places that a hiker might go through in their hiking adventure, so check them out:
| English | Spanish |
| base camp | el campamento base |
| camp | el campamento |
| cave | la cueva |
| hill | la colina |
| island | la isla |
| islet | el islote |
| lagoon | la laguna |
| lake | el lago |
| mount | el monte |
| mountain | la montaña |
| mountain range | la sierra |
| path | el camino |
| peak | el pico |
| river | el río |
| trail | el sendero |
Practice Sentences
El sendero que nos queda se va a poner difícil.
The trail ahead is going to get difficult.
El camino que hemos recorrido hasta ahora, no ha sido difícil.
The path we have walked up until now, has not been difficult.
Para terminar la travesía, tenemos que subir esa montaña.
To finish our adventure, we have to climb up that mountain.
Tenemos que cruzar el río para poder llegar al campamento base.
We need to cross the river to be able to get to the base camp.
Slang for Hiking in Spanish
If you are, or you are aiming to become an expert hiker, you will want to know the slang that hikers use, and how to use it in Spanish. Check this hiking in Spanish slang so you can incorporate it into your vocabulary!
| English | Spanish |
| base weight | el peso base |
| bluebird day | el día sin nubes |
| cat hole | el hoyo, hueco de gato |
| cowboy camping | el acampar como vaqueros |
| false peak | la cima falsa |
| hump | la joroba |
| redline | el conocer cada centímetro del área |
| slackpacking | el viajar ligero |
| stealth camp | el campamento sigiloso |
| switchbacks | los retrocesos |
| the big three | los grandes tres |
| trail angel | el ángel del camino, el ángel del sendero |
| trail name | el apodo del camino |
| trailhead | el punto de partida o fin de la caminata |
| zero day | el día cero |
Practice Sentences
¿Cuánto pesan tus grandes tres?
How much do your big three weigh?
Durante ese pedazo del sendero, encontramos a un ángel del camino.
During that part of the trail, we found a trail angel.
El apodo del camino de Otto es “avellanas”.
Otto’s trail name is “hazelnuts.”
Vamos a tomarnos un día cero.
We are going to take a zero (day).
Slang for Hiking in Spanish: Acronyms
Expert hikers also use acronyms that do not really work in Spanish, since we tend to say everything completely, however, if you use these acronyms or want to learn them in Spanish, this next part will be helpful.
| English | Spanish |
| Appalachian Trail (AT) | el sendero de los Apalaches |
| Continental Divide Trail (CDT) | el sendero de la división continental |
| Emergency Medical Services (EMS) | los servicios médicos de emergencia |
| Fastest Known Time (FKT) | el tiempo más rápido conocido |
| Good Old Raisins and Peanuts (GORP) | las pasas y manías |
| Hike Your Own Hike (HYOH) | camina tu propio sendero |
| Leave No Trace (LNT) | no dejar rastro |
| Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC) | la cooperación de equipamiento de montaña |
| North Bound (NOBO) | hacia el norte |
| Pointless Ups and Downs (PUD) | las subidas y bajadas sin sentido |
| Search and Rescue (SAR) | buscar y rescatar |
| South Bound (SOBO) | hacia el sur |
| Ultra Light (UL) | ultra ligero |
| Wilderness First Aid (WFA) | los primeros auxilios de lo salvaje |
| Wilderness First Responder (WFR) | el primer respondedor de lo salvaje |
Practice Sentences
¡Necesitamos una unidad de búsqueda y rescate tan pronto como sea posible!
We need a SAR unit ASAP!
Esos senderistas fueron hacia el sur.
Those hikers went SOBO.
Ese sendero está lleno de subidas y bajadas sin sentido.
That trail is full of PUDs.
¿Trajiste las pasas y manías para poder comer?
Did you bring the GORP to eat?
Hike Your Way Into Spanish
Hiking is a great exercise, full of fun, and it can lead you to many great adventures. Latin America hosts a whole lot of places to hike in, from the Salkantay Trek in Machu Picchu, passing through the Cotopaxi volcano in Ecuador all the way to the Perito Moreno Glacier in Argentina.
But before visiting these amazing places, it would be wise to learn some Spanish to visit them! Not only will you be able to visit Peru, Ecuador and Argentina, but 19 more countries!
And that’s not all, even if you do not leave the United States, you are going to find more than 53,000,000 people who already speak Spanish there. Spanish can also increase your monthly paycheck so you can go hiking in more places, and explore more countries in Latin America!
Sign up for a free Spanish class today and experience why over 24,000 people are actively enrolled in Homeschool Spanish Academy! Homeschool Spanish Academy offers flexible scheduling, earned high school credit, and different payment options! Learn Spanish today!
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