Summer is upon us. The weather is warming, the days are longer and if you are itching to get outdoors after another stressful year, Bermanzi is the place to be. We have set up our Machadodorp Accommodation deep in the heart of nature, well away from the busy cities. At our rustic retreat, we have a variety of hiking trails and as summer draws near, so do mosquito season.
While summer has a lot to look forward to, it does have the downside of being the season in which we have to deal with bugs of all kinds. And it is the mosquito that really gets to us all! There is nothing worse than having to deal with these annoying little creatures, especially when they bite and leave you with an awfully itchy sting.
When out on a hiking trail in Mpumalanga, it is just about impossible to avoid mosquitoes all the time. They are everywhere, especially if you are walking close to water sources. Luckily, as South Africans, we have spent a lot of time learning how best to live with the mosquito, even when out on a hiking trail.
Keeping safe from mosquitoes is actually a lot simpler than you’d think. By following these few tips, you can mostly avoid that bite.
- Wear long sleeves and long pants
In summer, even in spring for that matter, wearing long sleeves and pants in the heat is just a hugely unpleasant experience. Our part of the world tends to get quite humid as well as hot, and most will agree that when you are hiking, you are going to want let your skin breath as you are going to be really sweaty. But covering up is one of the most effective way to prevent mosquitoes from getting too close.
- Peaceful sleep
There are all sorts of lotions and potions out there that can effectively be used to keep this insect away, but the household brand that South Africans know best is peaceful sleep. This incredible stuff can be applied as a spray or a roll on and it has a rather pleasant fragrance so you won’t mind having it too close.
- Wear light clothing
A little known technique for keeping the mosquitoes at bay is to wear light coloured clothing. Light colours tend to prevent the mosquitoes from coming close while darker colours are known to attract the mosquitoes. Wearing lighter clothing has another benefit as well, which is that it is quite useful for keeping your body temperature lower when hiking in hot weather.
- Pick your location
Although it is impossible to completely avoid mosquitoes, you can try to minimise exposure to them by choosing your location carefully. To start with, don’t hike in damp or low lying areas where mosquitoes are known to breed and don’t sit in the shade for too long, as these little critters tend to like cooler spots.
If you are really worried about getting bitten, because you fear falling ill with malaria, you can always opt for anti-malaria medication, which you can get from your doctor.
