Geocaching: Everything You Need To Know About This New Fun Game
If you enjoyed popular childhood games likes “hide-and-seek” and “treasure hunt” when you were a kid, then you are not too far off from knowing what geocaching is all about. This new game is fast becoming popular in the UK, US, Australia, and other parts of the world.
What is Geocaching Anyway?
Simply put, geocaching is the world’s largest treasure hunt. But this time around, you will be making use of Global Positioning System (GPS) to find the treasures. It is a high-tech game that brings back the sweet memory of games we played as kids by combining GPS-tracking with outdoor adventure. What makes geocaching unique is that it is fun for all ages.
What Does Geocaching Work?
Like I mentioned above, you should think of this game as high-tech hide-and-seek game. It involves participants all over the world hiding what is known as “caches” in public locations and then leave clues for other participants to find them.
In some cases, participants leave a trinket inside the cache or a logbook so other participants can record their presence on the site. Once you found the cache, you can trade the goodies inside with one of your own.
How To Play Geocaching
Are you looking forward to joining in this high-tech adventure? Playing geocaching is extremely easy and fun. What makes this good unique is that it is perfect for adults as well as teenagers who want to join you in the hunt.
You can play geocaching in the following steps:
- Get a Dedicated GPS Receiver or Download Geocaching App
In the early days of Geocaching, most players made use of dedicated GPS receiver to acquire coordinates. Some players still prefer this method. However, since nowadays mobile phones and devices have GPS feature, the better way will be to download Geocaching app on your smartphone or tablet from PlayStore or App Store.
- Create Your Geocaching Account
To join the game, you will need to create an account on a geocaching website. Creating your account will give you access to all the features on the site along with the caching data. Note that not all geocaching sites are free. In most sites, you will need to get a premium member status before you could get access to some of the best features on the site.
I would recommend that you don’t limit yourself to just one Geocaching site. You can explore as many of them as possible.
- Start Finding Caches From your Location
The great thing about this game is that geocaches are hidden everywhere. It is a good idea to always begin your search where you are. You are likely to find some of these caches close to your location.
- Choose Difficulty Level
On Geocaching website, you can be able to choose the difficulty level that suits your need. If you are just getting started, you may opt for easy caches and then progress to difficult levels as you get more experience.
- Get a Gift Item to Trade
Before you proceed on your search, you might want to find a valuable gift to trade. Some geocaching websites follow a theme. If the geocaching website you are following has a theme, ensure you get something that follows the theme. You will trade this gift for the one existing in the cache once you locate it. Some of the items you can trade include trinkets, bug trackers, and Geocoins.
- Locate the Cache
With your GPS, you can start locating caches. They come in various sizes, shapes, and colors. When you find one, take the gift inside and replace it with your own. You can go ahead and register your presence if there is a logbook available. When you are done, place it back exactly the way you found it. Note that geocaches must never be hidden underground to avoid interference.
Benefits of Playing Geocaching
Geocaching is indeed one game for adults that is gaining a lot of popularity in recent years. Due to the numerous benefits that are associated with this game, a lot of people all over the world are developing an interest in geocaching. Some of these benefits include:
- It is very fun to play
- It boosts mental health
- it’s a fun way to get some physical activities for adults
- it relieves stress
- Improves memory
- It helps you tap into your creativity
- It promotes eustress
- It helps to reduce symptoms of depression
Conclusion
There is no doubt that Geocaching is a very fun game with a lot of benefits. Young and old adults can participate in this game. It is a great way to keep your memory and body activate. Besides, the trekking, biking, and hiking that may be involved in your effort to find caches are good enough exercises. But that’s not all, the joy of discovering the box as well as the surprise of the trinkets inside all combine to make this game a must-do for every adult.