Dilman waterfall: the gentlest possible start to your first trek

Everyone has a first trek, and for many it is also their last — because they start with the wrong route. After 15 kilometres with 1000 metres of ascent it is easy to conclude that "the mountains are not for me".

Dilman is the opposite of that.

The numbers

• Distance: 4 km
• Difficulty: easy
• Meeting: 06:40, arrival at the village: 09:30
• Reaching the waterfall: around 14:00 (breaks included)

→ Aghsu, Dilman waterfall

Who it is for

• People who have never hiked
• Families with children over 7
• Anyone starting again after a long break
• Anyone who wants to take their older parents out into nature

The three most common first-trek mistakes

1. New shoes. Boots straight from the shop give you blisters within the first 4 kilometres. Wear them around town for a week before the tour.

2. Jeans. They absorb moisture, do NOT dry and restrict movement. Sports trousers or trekking trousers are better in any price bracket.

3. Too little water. "It's only 4 km, what could happen" — in summer, 4 km still takes 1.5 litres.

The next steps

If Dilman felt comfortable, raise the difficulty gradually:

1. Lerik, Tokiakhil waterfall — 6 km, easy
2. Shabran, Ambil lake — forest hike, moderate
3. Khizi, Beybeyim mountain — 10 km, the first taste of a summit

For your pack: A packing list for your first trek.

The goal of a trek is not the waterfall. The goal is to get home and ask, "where are we going next weekend?"