en 
Digital Wanderlust – or the best hiking apps for smartphones
24. March 2022 Published by Jana GreylingWanderlust is a very German word. It describes the desire to conquer the world on foot – that is, with the strength of one’s own legs. And the word seems so appropriate that several languages have adopted it in their own vocabulary. Nowadays, when you go hiking, you always have your smartphone with you. So what could be more obvious than to make hiking even more pleasant and interesting with the right hiking app? So: lace up your hiking boots, pack your backpack – and off you go.
Hiking app for planning and navigation
In the past, you needed an extra hiking map for each hiking area to find your way around. And you also had to know where you were. Today, practical apps – such as Komoot (Android|iOS) – take care of that.
Here you will find thousands of tours, detailed maps including information about the trail conditions and exciting tips for highlights along the way. The hiking app works like a social network: you can follow other members and be inspired by their tours. This makes it easier to plan your own route. You can also track your own hike.
This means that afterwards you are well informed about the distance covered, the altitude and your own speed.
Similar functions are offered by Outdooractive (Android|iOS) and the German Alpine Club’s app based on it (Android|iOS).
Hiking App for Weather
The most beautiful hike becomes a torment if it gets rained on. That’s why good weather information before setting off is a guarantee for the hiking fun to come. The hiking app Bergfex Wetter (Android|iOS) provides particularly detailed information on the weather, especially if you are walking in the alpine region.
For all lowland Tyroleans, we recommend the RegenRadar app (Android|iOS) from Wetter Online for rain forecasts. Thus prepared, nothing stands in the way of a dry hiking experience.
Hiking app for nature lovers
Hiking always means experiencing nature. To know what wonders Mother Nature has in store for you on a hike, you don’t need to have studied geography or biology. You just need the right hiking app on your smartphone – for example PeakFinder (Android|iOS). This is a real augmented reality app that displays the names of all the mountains live for the mountain panorama currently in front of you.
It is also very interesting to see what blooms and blossoms by the path. You can find out exactly what grows there with the app Flora Incognita (Android|iOS). A few photos of an unknown plant are enough to find out its name. There are also links to further information on the distribution, biology and use of the plants identified.
Anyone interested in birds, on the other hand, needs the app Nabu Vogelwelt (Android|iOS) from Naturschutzbund Deutschland e. V. With it, our feathered friends can be identified using bird calls, 3D bird models and egg photos. It also offers videos showing the typical behaviour of the birds.
Plenty of material for photo memories
If someone goes on a trip, they can tell a story – and show photos. Because, as we said, the smartphone is always with you these days. And ideally, it comes with a great camera, like the Gigaset GS5. The performance of this top camera can even be improved with camera lenses for smartphones, especially for landscape shots. In this way, and perhaps with a printed photo book, you can enjoy a hike over and over again. Have fun and enjoy!
Comments
