trekking

American  

[trek-ing] / ˈtrɛk ɪŋ /

noun

1. the act of traveling or migrating slowly or with difficulty, as through rough or unsettled territory.

   Arduous trekking through the Alleghenies caused their Conestoga wagons to break down again and again.

2. the act of hiking long distances as a recreational activity, especially over rough terrain.

   The three hours of hard trekking over the tough trail is worth it for the splendid view of the valley.

3. the act of making a relatively short but difficult or burdensome trip.

   I moved back into a city apartment because I got tired of all the trekking back and forth and the aggravation of having a house and car.

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adjective

1. traveling, migrating, or hiking over rough terrain, or making any other difficult or burdensome trip.

   The overuse of resources by trekking tourists is contributing to environmental harm in Nepal and elsewhere.

Etymology

Origin of trekking

First recorded in 1845–50; trek ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. ) for the noun senses; trek ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. ) for the adjective sense

Example Sentences

Sagar Pandey, president of Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal, said more than a thousand trekkers and tourists had to be rescued since heavy snowfall began Tuesday.

From Barron's • Nov. 3, 2025

Trekking through dramatic elevation shifts means equally dramatic shifts in scenery.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 11, 2023

Trekking exchanges, however, run into the reality of geographic and political impediments.

From New York Times • Dec. 19, 2022

Trekking companies offer routes of different lengths and prices depending on the season, size of your group, weather conditions and other factors.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 25, 2022

Trekking through his space, the boys craned their necks, taking in any details they could.

From "The Last Last-Day-of-Summer" by Lamar Giles

Related Words

• driving
• excursion
• flying
• movement
• navigation
• ride
• sailing
• sightseeing
• tour
• transit
• trek
• trip