How to Embrace Your Inner Explorer

Choose a place to explore. This could be anything from a secret door in your home to the great outdoors, whether it's a hidden trail or simply your own neighborhood. Exploration can be found in even the most familiar surroundings.

• Feeling daring? What does the Earth have in store for you? Do you live near mountains, jungles, or forests? If you can, set out to explore these untrodden areas—just be sure to prepare for the unique challenges each landscape offers!
• Reader Poll: We surveyed 338 Mytour readers who seek adventure, and only 7% of them admitted they don’t enjoy outdoor escapades. [Take Poll] Imagine the vast opportunities that are out there waiting for you to discover!

Pack your essentials into a backpack. You’ll need a water bottle, snacks, a notebook and pen, a flashlight, a compass, and anything else that’s necessary for your specific adventure. More detailed suggestions can be found in the "Things You'll Need" section!

• Every trip has different requirements. If you’re camping for a whole weekend, you'll need camping gear, a tent, and plenty of food and water. For a shorter trip, pack lighter.
• Make sure you're wearing your backpack properly to avoid back strain during your adventure! Keep the weight manageable, too. You’ll likely regret overpacking as you carry it around, realizing it’s just holding you back.

Bring a friend along. Having a companion can increase safety and help you out when you need a second set of eyes. It’s also useful to have someone else around for tasks like climbing trees, staying alert, or keeping track of your notes and directions.

• Choose a friend who shares your sense of adventure. If they’re afraid of heights, bugs, or getting dirty, they could end up slowing you down!
• Three or four explorers is fine, but anything beyond that could make things more complicated. If your group grows too large, it can be hard to keep everyone on the same page.

Dress for the environment you’ll be exploring. Heading into the woods behind your house? Opt for pants and sturdy shoes to handle the dirt and protect your legs from the brush. Planning a trip to the beach? Bring boots for the sand and don’t forget sunscreen!

• Make sure your friend is dressed appropriately too! If they’re uncomfortable due to the wrong clothes, they might blame you for it.

Bring a map of the area, if needed. You don’t want to end up lost and turn your adventure into a crisis. A map also helps you track where you’ve been, so you can describe exactly what you saw and retrace your steps when you want to revisit your favorite spots.

• If a map isn’t available, create your own! It’s fun and will make you feel like a real explorer. You can enhance an existing map by adding personal details or correcting outdated information.

Learn about your surroundings beforehand. It’s wise to know what’s normal and what’s not, and understand the signals nature is giving you. Study things like star constellations, local plants, weather patterns, and always have a mental compass in place. Think of it as preparing for your first trip to a new country—you’ll be much better off if you’ve done your research in advance!

• This is especially crucial when it comes to things like poison ivy or animal tracks. You’ll need to know when to say “Let’s turn back!” Exploring can be risky, and the more informed you are, the safer you’ll be.

Establish your base camp. Exploration is more fulfilling when you have the time to immerse yourself in it. If possible, choose a spot to serve as your "exploration headquarters." If you're able to stay overnight, fantastic! Pitch your tent in a flat, solid spot away from any visible animal nests. Once settled, here are a few activities you can dive into:

• Tracking wildlife
• Identifying local plants, animals, and insects
• Studying rocks and terrain
• Digging for fossils or historical artifacts

Read, study, and engage with others. Simply wanting to be an explorer isn’t enough. You need to know what’s waiting to be discovered. To grasp the vast opportunities that await on our planet, dive into books about unexplored territories. Study geography and learn about different cultures. Connect with people to hear about their adventures and the places that intrigued them. The more you know, the clearer your path will become, and the better equipped you'll be to follow it.

• Professional exploration isn’t just about the journey – it’s about contributing new knowledge to the world. You’ll need an idea to work on. Are you aiming to present research? Write a book? Doing your homework will help shape that idea.

Choose your project. All that research and reading hasn’t been in vain – now that you have a better understanding of what’s out there, it's time to decide where you want to focus your exploration. Maybe it's the frozen rivers of Siberia or the remote villages of the Nagas in Africa. Also, what’s your goal for this project? Will it lead to new irrigation methods for African tribes, or result in a book about life in the Arctic?

• The more unique and intriguing your project, the easier it will be to get started. Once the exploration is done, you'll still have this project to complete, and you’ll get to relive your travels while working on it.

Pitch your project to sponsors. Let’s face it, exploration isn’t cheap. It can take a lot of funding, especially for long-term projects or if you need specialized equipment for your research. To get your project off the ground, you’ll need to secure sponsors, media partners, and generous donors to help fund your efforts and give your work the credibility it needs. When your project wraps up, you’ll want to share it with the world, not just let it end!

• Kickstarter is a fantastic platform for this. It’s full of projects like yours, and people donate to causes they believe in. When your project is complete, give them a shout-out in your book or invite them to the premiere of your documentary.
• You’ll need to pitch your project with passion. Show others why it matters, why it’s groundbreaking, and why it’s worth supporting. The more you believe in your project, the more others will, too.

Condition your body for the journey. Expeditions are both mentally and physically demanding. Many explorers begin rigorous training routines years before embarking on their journey. This often includes strength training, cardio, and adjusting your diet. By the time you’re done, you'll be glad you put in the work!

• Make sure your training matches the demands of your project. Are you planning to climb trees or mountains? Focus on building upper body strength. Walking across vast, empty tundra daily? Start with regular walking, jogging, and running. The better prepared you are, the more confident you’ll feel when the time comes.

Connect with explorer groups and societies. Consider joining organizations like the Royal Geographical Society, the Explorers Club, Explorers Connect, Travelers Club, and the Long Riders Guild (especially if you’re a cyclist) to build your reputation as an explorer. These groups can not only serve as potential supporters for your future endeavors but also offer valuable contacts and resources along the way.

• You’ll need to pitch your project to these groups, just like you did with your sponsors. But by this point, you’ll be a seasoned pro. If they see your professionalism and commitment, they’ll gladly welcome you.

Prepare for people to think you're insane. When you tell people, “I’m going to spend a year living by the Congo River with the pygmy tribes!” expect disbelief and criticism. Many will consider you out of your mind, and that’s perfectly fine – most explorers are a bit wild in their thinking. But rest assured, they’re never dull!

• The saying “they didn’t say it would be easy; they said it would be worth it” is spot on. You’re taking the road less traveled, and many will doubt your choice. Don’t let them discourage you – this is possible.

Stay confident in yourself, no matter the obstacles. This is a challenging path to follow – you’ll be forging your own way. To overcome the critics, the paperwork, and the freezing nights spent in a tent, you must trust in your abilities and your mission. Believing in yourself will be the driving force that keeps you going when everything else seems difficult.

• Surround yourself with positive people to make it easier. Stay close to family and friends during the build-up to keep your spirits high and doubts low. It’s normal to question yourself with thoughts like, “What am I getting into?!” but rest assured, the doubt will fade as soon as you dive into your work.

Become a true survivor. There's no denying it: wherever you go, you'll find yourself in unfamiliar, untamed territory. You may be navigating a situation you’ve never encountered before, and you might be alone. How will you handle it? With essential survival skills, naturally.

• Learn how to camouflage yourself. In many circumstances, blending in is vital – not just to avoid scaring off wildlife, but also to protect yourself.
• Become a fire-building expert. A fire is crucial for warmth and cooking food (important for morale). It can also help keep animals at a distance when necessary.
• Master the art of water collection. If you run out of your water supply, you'll be in serious trouble unless you know how to gather water naturally. Having this skill will bring peace of mind.
• Learn how to construct a shelter. A good shelter will protect you from animals, bugs, and the elements. Plus, it gives you a place to call home during your adventure.
• Be well-versed in first aid. Whether it's a minor scrape or a serious injury like a broken ankle, you are your own medic. Learn how to treat injuries, use medications properly, and apply splints or sterilize wounds when needed.

Keep your eyes wide open. Whether you're exploring your backyard or navigating the islands of Papua New Guinea, a great explorer is always alert and looking for something new. If you're not paying attention, you'll return from your trip empty-handed. This journey is about being observant.

• If you're traveling with others, make sure everyone is actively covering their own areas. That way, you won’t miss anything important.

Change your direction on a whim. While it’s important to have a plan in mind, don’t be afraid to deviate from it. If something catches your attention that leads you off course, embrace it. The smallest detours can often lead to the most thrilling discoveries.

• This is where your skills in mapping and navigation will be invaluable. When you stray from the plan, you’ll need to find your way back. Be sure to leave markers or update your map so you can retrace your steps later if necessary.

Document everything you discover. What’s the point of exploring if you can’t recall all the sights, sounds, and experiences you had? Keep your memories alive by writing them down! These notes will be crucial for your project later on.

• Consider using charts as well. They’re quick, visually striking, and easier to create than detailed descriptions. Plus, you can refer back to them later to spot any unusual patterns or trends.
• Set aside specific times to jot down your observations. Don’t let yourself get too absorbed in writing, though – you don’t want to miss out on what you came to discover in the first place.

Analyze origins, patterns, and connections. Take a seemingly insignificant object like a broken branch. At first glance, it might seem unimportant. But if you consider where it came from and how it ended up there, it could reveal a host of clues. Was there a wild animal nearby? Did a storm just pass through? Is the tree dying? Take small details, combine them, and you might uncover answers.

• Ultimately, your journey will be about piecing together a puzzle. You'll need to collect all the observations you make and stitch them into a coherent story. By doing so, you'll identify key points that warrant further exploration.

Take a moment to just observe. Alongside charging forward and conquering new frontiers, there will be times when you should simply pause and let the world unfold around you. Be still. Watch. As time passes, what new details do you start to notice that you didn’t before?

• Engage all of your senses. Think about each one individually. What sensations do you feel beneath your feet, on your hands, and everywhere in between? What can you see, from the ground to the heavens? What sounds do you hear from the distance? What smells fill the air? Is there anything you can taste?