Will you be hiking in the summer months, or do a Camino-style hike? Changes are, with climate change happening and our summers getting warmer and warmer, you’ll be hiking in extreme heat. Maybe your first thought would be to cancel your hike. And I don’t blame you. But I have figured out a way to still hike, even in 30+ degrees temperatures, and still have fun.
I’m not claiming to have invented revolutionary heat-hiking advice; you already know most tips for hiking in extreme heat. Here are 12 practical ways to actually apply them on the trail and stay cool. I share the regular obvious advice (as it is good advice) but turn it into practical habits you’ll actually use on your hike.
This post focuses mainly on hiking in mainland Europe. If you’re doing any extreme wilderness or desert-style hike, please follow local advice. My tips are based on my personal experiences and what works for me. Please try them out at your own risk. If you need any medical advice, consult a doctor or physician.
Note about the blog: I paid for everything in full myself. I was not paid or sponsored. All my opinions and experiences are my own.
Probe around the Globe does use affiliate links. If you decide to follow one of my links and make a purchase, I’ll earn a small commission. This is at no extra cost to you.
Walking in high temperatures: no way!
Although I’ve been ramping up my mileage for years, June has always been a month that I hiked very few kilometers. Too hot, too uncomfortable, too clammy, too sweaty. Ugh, no thanks. But then June 2026 came around, and I set out for my 800-kilometer walk along the coastline of Portugal and into Santiago de Compostela.
Initially, I figured I’d do this hike in April or May, but my work schedule only allowed for June. Days before I left, I received a hot weather warning from the Portuguese weather institute, and things didn’t look good with 36-degree weather on my first days.
As you might know, I don’t deal well with heat, as you can read in my story about ways to travel in a heatwave. But hiking in high temperatures is a whole different thing. I prefer to walk with temperatures between 18 degrees and 24 degrees, so anything above that, I call hot. That is because your perceived temperature rises by 6 degrees (depending on wind and sun intensity). So 24 degrees can already feel like 30 degrees. And anything above 30 feels like 40.
But you don’t need to cancel your day hike or hiking trips. Check out these tips (that you probably already know), but with my advice you can actually implement them.
12 Proven tips for hiking in extreme heat (and how to apply them)
1. Start early
Ok, probably the most obvious one. But this really changed the whole game for me. On my Camino hike, I’d get up before 5 am and start hiking by 5.30. Usually it was still dark out, but with enough light to find my path. The temperatures are much cooler at night and in the morning.
This way, you can walk at your regular pace. Get most of the miles in before it gets too hot. Most days, I’d hit the 20 km marker by 11 am when temperatures were high, but doable.
If you’re like me and didn’t even acknowledge there is a 5 in the morning, here’s the answer: go to bed early! On most nights, I went to bed at 8 pm, giving me at least 8 hours of sleep before my 5 am alarm. I usually aim for half an hour to an hour before sunrise to start my walk.
Yeah, but what about my morning coffee? Well, A. you can do without. And B. if you can’t, get some caffeine sweets, chocolate-covered coffee beans, or a protein bar with caffeine. Ok, it is not your hot brew, but it does the trick if you need it.
2. Finish early
Don’t walk in the suffocating afternoon heat. Temperatures after noon rise to over 30 degrees, and by 3 pm it can be 38 degrees or hotter. The air is trembling above the ground; birds are hiding away, and these are no times (and temperatures) to walk in.
If you start early, you can finish early. I usually finish my walking day between 1 pm and 2 pm, already struggling with the last hours in the heat, but managed to get the bigger portion of my hike done in the morning.
Yeah, but I can’t check in that early. Yeah, that can be a hassle. In Portugal, most check-in times weren’t until 3 pm; in Spain, sometimes 4 pm. I picked my accommodations on the earliest check-in times, and let them know in advance I’d be coming early. Most of the time, I could check in early. If I still wasn’t able to check in, I’d have a big lunch (sort of dinner-style meal), relax in the shade, and before you know it: check-in time!
3. Adapt your pace and take shaded breaks
Normally, I walk around 5 km to 5.5 km per hour pace. Obviously, with route finding and taking pictures, it slows down even more. But when I was hiking in the heat, after midday, my pace would slow down even more.
First, because my body just couldn’t keep up with the rhythm of moving so quickly, but secondly, because I’d stop at every shaded spot. Just stand in a little bit cooler air for a minute. And I took a lot more breaks in the afternoon. Any shaded spot I’d find, I’d sit down for a bit. Sometimes just 5 minutes, if needed, a lot more.
It is ok to move slower in the afternoon heat. If you started early, the biggest miles are already done in the cooler morning. Pace yourself. Long hikes are not a sprint to the finish line. With the break, you lower your core temperature a bit by not moving, cooling your body off.
4. Wear a wide-brim sunhat
Usually, I wear a cap. Mostly to keep my hair from flying all around, but also to give my eyes a bit of shade. But for my June Camino hike in Portugal and Spain, I bought a wide-brim sunhat.
Super light, super wide, and it worked. I did feel I looked a bit stupid with the wide hat, but it kept me safe. Covering your head reduces sunstroke, and a wide-brim sunhat reduces the risk of burning your nose and cheeks.
The advantage of the sunhat versus the cap was that I didn’t need to put sunscreen on my ears (often forgotten and very painful when burned). And even with the sun directly in front of me, my face was covered in shade. With the sun directly above me, my chest was also covered in shade, which reduced the risk of sunburn in that area too.
The downside was that it caught a lot of wind (especially from passing trucks on the road and wind at the beach), but if your hat has a strap on it, it won’t blow away. I also experienced that it felt warmer on my head, but the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. Because of this, I usually started the day without the hat, but by 10 or 11 am, I would put it up to protect me from the sun.
I bought my hat at Decathlon as I didn’t want to spend too much money, as I bought it specifically for this hike.
5. Wear sunscreen or a sun-hoodie
Also a no-brainer, but wear sunscreen. Either apply it early morning and then reapply after 9 or 10 am (depending on the sun intensity) and continue throughout the day. And use a high-factor sunscreen. At least 30, but 50 is better.
I tried on several face creams and finally settled on one that doesn’t melt from my face (given I apply it early). But even if you sweat and wipe most of it off during the day, it is always better than not wearing some at all.
Don’t forget those often forgotten areas: backside of your legs (when hiking with the sun on your back), hands, ears, nose, chest, and neck.
If you can’t be bothered with sticky sunscreen, carrying a flacon of lotion, or re-applying throughout the day, then a sunhoodie might be a good idea. Clothing with a UV filter is a good idea anyway, as I got a sunburn on my shoulders – through my t-shirt. A sunhoodie is a lightweight sweater with a hood that isn’t too warm. It protects your arms, neck, chest and head from the sun, without the need to put on cream.
I’m a bit too vain for that, and I like to have a tan after hiking (I grew up in the 80’s and 90’s – IYKYK), but I 100% support the benefits of a sunhoodie. Nevertheless, I’ll stick to suncream and after-sun lotion.
6. Adjust the walking direction to the wind (if any)
When I hiked the Fishermen’s Trail in April/May, I deliberately walked from north to south. I’d have the cold wind in my back, and this really was a game changer. However, if you hike the same trail in June/July/August, I’d suggest walking south to north, to have the cooling wind in your face.
If there is a light breeze, it is great to have it in your face when you’re hiking in hot weather. Be cautious though; with cooling winds, you might not realize the sun is burning you to a crisp, so put on sunscreen and drink extra water.
I understand you can’t always choose your walking direction, but on day hikes or loop hikes, you can choose which direction to walk in, and it can make a big difference if there is any wind to cool you down.
7. Adjust your route if possible
Obviously, I know this isn’t always possible. But for example, with the Camino, there are sometimes detours or re-routes. With the Camino Portuguese, you can choose to walk inland or by the coast. Depending on where the wind is coming from and the weather, one can feel cooler than the other.
If you can choose a route with a lot of shade vs an exposed section, pick the shaded section. If you’re doing a loop hike, adjust the direction to hike towards the sun in the cooler hours of the day, and the sun on your back on the hottest part of the day.
Or it can be as simple as walking on the other side of the road if there is more shade there. If you follow a specific sign-posted route (like the Camino), I’m often tempted to stay on the indicated side, where the signs are. But maybe the opposite side of the street is in the shade; switch sides. It may be only for 500 meters, but it can make a difference!
Are you planning on doing a super exposed, no shaded day hike with 38 degrees weather? Maybe do another hike today and save that one for a cooler day.
8. Cool your clothes – wear cooling cloths
So simple and effective, but someone had to tell me to do it. Drench your hat, cap, or bandana in water. It doesn’t even have to be ice-cold water, but that is nicer.
Then wring it out to get rid of the excess water and put your hat back on. If only 1 or 2 degrees, it feels cooler. The sun will dry it in half an hour or so, but it does give some relief.
If you have a bandana, a handkerchief, or a towel, wet it and use it to dap your face, cool your arms, or put it on your neck. I have a bandana, and I usually use it on my neck against chilly winds. But having the wet bandana in my hot, swollen hand during a hot walk made such a difference. I wrapped it around my wrist to cool my body temperature, and it worked.
Now, there are specific cooling scarves on the market. They have a specific gel inside them, and they probably work. But (in my opinion) they only come in one style (which isn’t my style), and they are heavy. Any piece of cloth or fabric that you have on hand will do the trick as well.
9. Electrolytes
Another game changer for me. Drink electrolytes on long hot hikes. Whenever you’re sweating excessively, you’re losing not just water, but also important minerals and salts. Drinking water isn’t enough; you need to add some electrolytes to your drink.
On my 35-day Camino walk in 30+ degree weather, I started the day with a 300 ml bottle of water with 1 tab of electrolytes. Depending on the hotness of the day, the duration of my walk, and how I felt, I’d replenish that bottle with another 300ml electrolyte drink.
Once I’ve finished for the day, I’d have another 300ml drink with electrolytes. You don’t need to rely on fancy, expensive, and sugary sports drinks from the supermarket, but you can just buy electrolyte tabs and add them to water. Make sure to use a separate bottle for your electrolytes, as otherwise you’ll have that taste on all your drinks.
Buy your lemon-flavored electrolyte tabs here.
10. Drink plenty of water
Another obvious one, but drink water. All day, the whole day. Mix your water with some electrolytes as mentioned above, but mainly drink water.
Keep it easy on the coffee, or sugar-dense drinks like (regular) Coke or lemonade. Just stick to plain old water. It doesn’t matter if it gets warm; that is inevitable. Just drink it.
An average adult needs 35 milliliters of water per kg of body weight. So if you weigh between 57 and 66 kg, that comes down to the recommended 2l per day. But if you’re weighing anything above that, your average daily need is already well over those 2 liters. Add in the physical exercise of hiking 7+ hours and the sweating, you can easily double or triple that amount.
I used to hike with a water bladder but switched to a regular water bottle with a sipping straw. That way, I can take a sip of water every couple of minutes. If you need to stop to grab your water bottle, chances are you won’t drink enough. Or you drink too much all at once.
Drinking plenty of water doesn’t mean downing half a liter of water in one gulp and then not drinking for another 2 hours. Moderation is key. Small sips throughout the day, the whole day, are better for your body.
Avoid a whole stack of ice cubes in your drink or frozen drinks from the freezer. Your body needs to work too hard to get that fluid up to your core temperature, actually making you feel hotter. It is better to have slightly chilled or even warm/tapid drinks. People in Morocco drink lukewarm tea when it is hot for a reason!
11. Stay outside and avoid Aircon
Our bodies can adapt to the heat. I never wanted to be outside with 30+ degrees weather. After 35 days of walking in Portugal and Spain in high temperatures, I can tolerate the heat much better.
If you can, stay outside during your walk. If you have a break, find shade or a place indoors that is of equal temperature. If you go sit inside in an air-conditioned room, your body doesn’t get a chance to adapt to the heat. And actually, you might shock it with such severe changes in temperature.
If you have AC in your room at night, don’t put it on freezer mode, as the difference will be too big if you go outside again. Moderation is the key word here.
12. Know your body and your limits
Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are no jokes. If you feel dizzy, woozy, have a headache, have trouble focusing or talking, you might suffer from it. Immediately stop walking, rest, cool, hydrate, and if things do not improve within 30 minutes, call for help.
I understand you don’t just do that straight away. But know your body and make sure to be aware of the signs. I always thought that a headache was just part of the package when hiking a full day in the sun. Turns out, it is not and can lead to sunstroke. I started to monitor my liquid intake and increase it.
I always thought that twitchy legs and muscle spasms just meant I had a good workout. Turns out, it is not, and it is your body telling you it needs something. I added electrolytes to my water and never had it again. Things like bananas, almonds, and more spinach (and kale) in your diet can help too.
Be honest with yourself, notice the symptoms, and look out for each other!
Safe hiking in heatwaves
As you can see, the 12 tips I give you are not revolutionary. You probably knew most (if not all) of them. I hope I was able to show you how I apply them, and how you can apply them too. As you can see, most of the tips are around adapting your usual hiking routine and adjusting to the weather.
Also nothing new, but we often tend to do the things we do in the same way we always do them. But if the weather is extreme and temperatures rise to uncommon highs, it doesn’t mean you need to stop walking. You just need to adapt the plan and adjust your regular hiking routine. This way, the hike will fit the heat, instead of you fighting the heat on your hike.
