With the majority of backpackers in favour of taking to the trails during the night,
online travel insurance is an option to cover those items lost in the dark.
In a recent survey conducted by magazine Backpacker, more than 76 per cent of respondents said they would hike in the dark.
But almost a quarter commented that they were afraid to do so.
Brave backpackers thinking of donning their hiking boots after the sun has gone down might want to follow a number of tips given by Backpacker's south-west editor Annette McGivney.
These include timing hikes to coincide with full and near-full moons, limiting use of flashlights to protect night vision, allowing 15 minutes to adjust to the dark before setting off and practising peripheral vision, which is better able to focus on dim light.
The Daily Mail recently reported that a higher number of Britons taking gap years is fuelling the travel insurance industry.
Downunder - the market leaders in online
backpacker travel insurance.
