I remember where I was when I first learned about geocaching. The year was 2011, and I had just recently broken up with my girlfriend at the time. I was at my parents’ place, feeling crappy and watching some random travel shows, when one in particular caught my attention.

In the show, a guy used a GPS to navigate to a set of coordinates and find a hidden container tucked away in the wilderness. It had a notebook in it, which he signed before replacing it in the container and putting the container back.

…what the hell?

And so my interest in Geocaching was sparked.

What is Geocaching?

In a nutshell, it’s worldwide, GPS-enabled treasure hunt. The object of the game is to select a hidden container, called a “cache,” on the Geocaching app or website, enter the coordinates into your phone or GPS, and navigate to the location it points you to in order to find the container.

When you find it, you log your user ID and date to prove that you found it, then put the container back where you found it so the next person can do the same. This is key – you don’t keep the containers. People worked hard to create and hide those caches, and it’s not fair to other geocachers to take them.

Yes, geocaches are hidden by people like you and I. Anybody can hide one and register its coordinates online on the Geocaching website. Believe it or not, there are over 3 million geocaches hidden in over 190 countries around the world. Think of the adventure!!

Last week, I wrote a post about an amazing book I read called Level Up Your Life. It was all about living a life of excitement and adventure, whatever that happens to mean to you personally. For me, geocaching fits perfectly into that lifestyle.

So why go Geocaching?

Well, for starters… why not? How many hours a week do you spend wasting away in front of the TV? Why not use some of that time to get out and go on a real adventure? You could find a cache in your own backyard (not literally, they’re not allowed to be hidden on private property), or you could go find one halfway around the world.

Here’s what I love about Geocaching: it could be the whole purpose of why you get out and explore the world, or it could be a way to make an outdoor activity you’re planning even more enjoyable. Imagine you’re going camping in the summertime. That’s awesome, and it’s fun in its own right. But imagine that while you’re out camping, you take a hike or two to go find a Geocache hidden somewhere in the forest?

One of the things I appreciate most about the folks who hide caches is that they often choose hiding spots that have some significance to them. Some hide them in parks, in places that have particularly spectacular views. Others hide them in places of historical significance to their country or city. Still others hide them in places that have meaning to them personally.

In all of these cases, you get an opportunity to learn a little bit more about the people and the world around you, and I think that’s worth it in its own right. Sure, there are people who find caches to see how many they can rack up, but for me it’s more about the journey and less about the destination.

Wrapping it Up

So, are you intrigued? Have I piqued your interest and made you want to get out that find your first cache? It’s free, by the way. You just need to register on the Geocaching website, and then you can use the site or the app to find your first cache. And let me tell you, that first find is pretty damn exciting. Make sure you take a moment to stop and savour it before moving on.

So what are you waiting for? I bet there’s a Geocache right near you. Go find it!