The sport of geocaching has been taking the world by storm in recent years. Invented in the early 2000s as a novel way to get people exploring, this outdoor activity is fun for everyone, young and old, and is the perfect adventure activity for any holiday. Players use GPS software on their phones to track down hidden treasure in caches all over the world, exchanging tokens and gifts with other players.
If you haven’t tried this outdoor phenomenon yet, get your map out, your boots on, and get ready for a treasure hunt.
What is Geocaching?
Geocaching is the sport in which treasure hunters go in search of ‘geocaches’ placed in specific locations all over the world. These caches are marked by coordinates so everyone with a working GPS and good map skills can find them. Most caches are waterproof containers which players can log once they have found them. Sometimes players leave treasures for the next player to find, making the discovering of a cache even more exciting.
Keep your eyes peeled because not all geocaches look the same; some are boxes, some are bags or even small film cannisters. In rare cases, the treasure hunters must decipher a clue to work out of the coordinates of a geocache. There is really nothing like exploring foreign wildernesses while indulging in some brain-engaging exercise.
How Did It Start?
Geocaching began when GPS technology became available to the public in the early 2000s. Previously just a tool of the military, this technology opened a world of opportunities for people all over the world. One of the most creative applications of GPS tech was geocaching, which took only a few months to develop with the eventual creation of the website www.geocachers.com. People just love hunting treasure and now there are loads of sites and companies which offer geocaching experiences to budding explorers.
How Do I Begin?
All you need to go geocaching is a GPS receiver or smartphone, a map and a compass. These are the essential treasure hunting components – everything else from hunting dogs to drones is a bonus! If you want to leave a gift behind in a geocache once you find one, pick something small, durable and interesting enough to make somebody’s day. Make sure you take loads of pictures on your search and wrap up warm – the weather can turn on you very quickly.
It is always a good idea to keep yourself covered with a comprehensive travel insurance policy while on holiday. This is particularly important if you plan on going geocaching which often involves lots of scrambling and trekking through foreign forests. Give yourself piece of mind by picking a travel insurance policy that keeps the whole party protected and doesn’t break the bank in the process.
Ethan Bailey is an experienced adventure traveller and insurance expert with the team at Let's Go Insure. Ethan’s passion is to inspire his clients to go just that little bit further, deeper and higher on their travels and his expertise in providing the ideal insurance cover allows them to do just that. If you're looking for the best travel insurance policy Let's Go works with the most experienced underwriters, intermediaries and insurers to offer a range of competitive insurance without compromising on cover.
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