In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.– John Muir
Long distance hiking is one of the best ways of truly getting away from it all and experiencing remote, wild and unspoiled landscapes. Long treks also offer the chance for meaningful, transformative travel – with the time and quiet for introspective contemplation, and the physical and mental challenges of long hard days subjected to the elements. Inspired to get those hiking boots on? Here are some of the world’s best treks to help you plan for your next hiking holiday.
We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us
1. Everest Base Camp, Nepal
Not many people attempt to summit Everest, the world’s highest mountain, but if you’re drawn to the breathtaking scenery of the Himlayas, there’s an easier trek to the base of the peak. You’ll hike for three weeks up to a height of over 5500 metres and tackle high passes to get there, while being rewarded with some of the world’s most beautiful mountain landscapes.
2. Torres del Paine W Circuit, Patagonia, Chile
Patagonia’s raw, wild and dramatic wilderness is best experienced on a long-distance trek. The W Circuit, in Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park, is one of the best hikes in the region, covering 60 kilometres in the heart of the Cordillera del Paine, with its stunning volcanic peaks, glaciers and turquoise lakes.
3. Routeburn Track, New Zealand
New Zealand’s spectacular subalpine scenery is revealed in all its splendour on the Routeburn Track, a 32-km route at the base of the Southern Alps, which leads you through two national parks – Fiordland and Mt Aspiring.
4. GR20, Corsica, France
One of Europe’s best known long hikes, the 15-day, 168-kilometres GR20 leads you through the island of Corsica’s diverse scenery: forests, craters, glacial lakes, peat bogs and snow-capped peaks, on a demanding route that will have you scaling rock faces. It’s not for the faint hearted, but if you’re up for a challenge, the GR20 is greatly rewarding.
5. Rim of Africa, South Africa
Traversing the Cape Mountains, the full Rim of Africa hike is 650 kilometres, starting in the Cederberg Wilderness Area and ending in the foothills of the Outeniqua in the Garden Route, along old paths, trails and ridge lines through some remote and inaccessible regions. The mountain scenery is fantastic, and it’s a chance to escape into true South African wilderness. You can join the annual thru-hike from September to November each year, or do sections of the hike – there are nine traverses, each between 60km and 100km, which take a week to complete.
6. Appalachian Trail, USA
One of the longest continuously marked footpaths in the world stretches 3500km long through 14 states in the eastern US, from Georgia to Maine, and would take five to seven months to complete in its entirety, but there are many shorter sections to hike if you have less time (and stamina) that take in the best of the mountains, forests and valleys.
7. West Highland Way, Scotland
This 154-kilometre hike starts in Milngavie and ends in the town of Fort William, traversing some of Scotland’s most rugged and breathtaking landscapes, which include rocky peaks, dramatic ridges, grassy valleys, bogs, moors and tranquil lochs. Along the way, stop off in charming little villages to sleep in cosy guesthouses and tuck into hearty Scottish food and single malts.
8. The Haute Route, France and Switzerland
Starting in Chamonix in France and leading you through the highest accessible paths of the Alps to Zermatt in Switzerland, this hike is one of Europe’s most scenic, with views of the peaks of Mont Blanc and Matterhorn, as well as lush Alpine valleys and charming villages. The route, which takes two weeks to complete in summer, is not for the unfit – there are 11 steep mountain passes in 180 kilometres and more than 12 000 metres in elevation gain.
9. Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
Africa’s highest mountain is also the world’s tallest walkable mountain (and the world’s highest free standing mountain), because you don’t need any technical climbing equipment or mountaineering experience to reach the peak. There are several routes to reach the top, each taking about five days to reach the 5986-metre high summit.
10. Snowman Trek, Bhutan
This 320-kilometre trek is lauded as the most difficult long walk in the world. It’s easy to understand why: there are 11 mountain passes at over 4800 metres high and your highest point is 5200 metres which brings with it altitude sickness and notoriously unpredictable weather. Most people who start the 25-day route don’t end up finishing. Nevertheless, even if you don’t finish, whatever you do complete of the hike will be magnificent – the scenery is beyond belief, and you hardly encounter any other hikers.
11. Continental Divide Trail, Mexico, USA, Canada
The Continental Divide Trail stretches nearly 5000 kilometres all the way from Mexico to Canada along the spine of the mighty Rocky Mountains. On the epic hike, which cuts through Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks you can still experience some untamed wilderness, wildllife and jaw-dropping diverse landscapes of peaks, plains and deserts.
12. The Annapurna Circuit, Nepal
Deservedly ranked as one of the best treks in the world, the Annapurna Circuit, which leads you up into the highest mountains in the world, the Himalayas, takes a full three weeks to complete. The route takes you through the majestic Himalayan mountains, lush subtropical valleys, terraced farmlands, remote hilltop villages and holy Buddhist and Hindu sites. Stay in comfortable lodges, meet Tibetan people, soak in hot springs and recharge in cosy teahouses along the way.