Wanderlust. It’s a beautiful thing, and when the itch hits, you’ve just got to scratch it. Or, is it just that skin condition we’ve been meaning to get checked out?
Anyway, whether you’re looking to travel near or far, to feel the gravel under your feet in the Andes or the snow in your grasp in the Alps, that sense of unbridled freedom and escapism sounds so good to us right now. So with itchy feet needing some lotion, here are 7 must-see trekking destinations worldwide, ranging from the easily-tackled to the genuinely epic.
The Grand Canyon
The mile-deep and 10-mile-wide Grand Canyon is not for the faint of heart. Oh no. You’ve got to be properly prepared to make the most of your Grand Canyon trekking experience; the terrain here can be, at times, inhospitable and the heat unbearable, particularly between May and September when temperatures on the canyon floor regularly tip past 40°C.
Although it may not be the best choice for novice hikers, you don’t have to be a skilled pro on your feet (is trekking even a job?) to take on this natural wonder carved by the Colorado River.
The Bright Angel Trail is the classic way in, with rest houses and water stations along its 9.5 mile descent to the river, while the South Kaibab offers a steeper, more exposed route for those after a stiffer test. Whichever you choose, just be sure to respect the terrain and honour your limitations so that you can have an enjoyable and safe trek. The golden rule, repeated by rangers everywhere: going down is optional, coming back up is mandatory.
Machu Picchu
This UNESCO World Heritage Site will not disappoint avid hikers. Hidden in the Andean Mountains of northwestern Peru near the town of Cusco, you’ll find Machu Picchu. The ruins include over 150 buildings and more than 3,000 stone steps of pure wonder.
A hike along the Inca Trail from Cuzco, which follows the Urubamba River, can take two to seven days depending on your route and pace. It’s a high-altitude course full of tropical scenery and fascinating wildlife, with cloud forest giving way to alpine tundra as you climb towards Dead Woman’s Pass at 4,215 metres.
And the views; oh, the views. As such, the country wants to preserve this ancient site as best it can, so booking ahead of time is a must. Permits sell out months in advance for the classic four-day route, and hikers are limited to 500 each day, accordingly. If the Inca Trail is fully booked, the Salkantay and Lares treks are gorgeous alternatives that approach the citadel from less-trodden directions.
Kilimanjaro
No visit to Tanzania is complete without a trip to Mount Kilimanjaro. Well, actually it is, but you get what we’re saying. It’s Africa’s tallest mountain, and the world’s tallest free-standing one, too, topping out at 5,895 metres at Uhuru Peak.
Sounds too daunting to tackle? Surprisingly, it’s doable. The best thing about climbing Kilimanjaro is that you don’t have to be a seasoned hiker with specialised gear and technical skills to manage the climb. In fact, Kilimanjaro is known as a ‘walk up’ mountain. As in, you don’t need to be scrambling up on hands and knees. Depending on your prowess and which of the seven established routes you choose, this ascent should take between five and nine days, with the longer Lemosho and Northern Circuit options offering the best acclimatisation and therefore the highest summit success rates.
That said, less than half of climbers actually make it. But if you view such an excursion as torture rather than challenge, then don’t worry, the Kilimanjaro National Park has plenty to offer even at ground level. Elephant, buffalo and antelope roam in the Forest Reserve area of the park, meaning you’ll see action even if the ascent isn’t for you.
The Lake District
Trekking needn’t involve unnecessary air miles and leaving a guilty carbon footprint. In fact, some of the best walks around are found on terra firma, though the famously changeable Cumbrian weather means a pair of well-fitted men’s hiking boots will earn their keep on the bog-soft fells more than they might in the dry heat of the Grand Canyon.
Scafell Pike, in the beautiful Lake District, is a complex mountain to hike, with landscape and views to take your breath away. The simplest route to the summit is via Brown Tongue from Wasdale, but if you’re feeling more ambitious and want to see the best the mountain has to offer, try the Corridor Route.
Or, you could go for Helvellyn, a beautiful mountain surrounded by the Lake District’s signature bright blue lakes. The peak sits at 950 metres and should take three to four hours to ascend, with the legendary Striding Edge offering a thrilling scramble for those with a head for heights and the Swirral Edge giving a slightly gentler return. All the routes to the summit are fairly challenging and require a high level of fitness. Better get on that heavily inclined treadmill, pronto, in preparation.
If you’re looking for something lighter, then Allen Crags is part of a nine-mile scenic walk that takes in the glorious Great Gable mountain. The walk starts from Seathwaite and then winds up to the summit of Allen Crags. You’ll be rewarded by some glorious countryside if you take this one on.
The Quilotoa Loop
If off-the-beaten-path is everything you want from your next destination, then the Quilotoa Loop in Ecuador is just what the trekker in you ordered. Lots of tourists overlook this cracking three to five day hike in search of a more orthodox Amazon or Galapagos adventure, but the nonconformists are rewarded with a path less beaten and crowded.
This hike through the vast Andean countryside will not only give you the chance to see a volcano and crater lake, the latter glowing an unreal shade of turquoise courtesy of the dissolved minerals in its waters, but you’ll also get to experience the unique and fascinating Quechua culture of the region. Nights are spent in basic but characterful family-run hostels in villages like Chugchilán and Isinliví, where dinner usually means whatever the host is cooking for their own family that evening.
Torres Del Paine, Patagonia
Down at the wind-lashed bottom of South America, Torres del Paine National Park is the kind of place that ruins other hikes for you. Granite spires erupt out of the steppe, glaciers calve into electric-blue lakes, and the wind, well, the wind has its own personality. Bring a windproof. Bring two.
The park’s signature trek is the W, named for the shape it traces across the southern face of the Paine massif. Most hikers do it over four to five days, with refugios and camping spots strung out along the route, taking in the French Valley, the foot of the Grey Glacier, and the base of the towers themselves. Those with more time and stronger calves can tackle the full O Circuit, an eight to ten day loop that adds the wilder, less-trafficked back side of the massif. Either way, the moment you crest the final morainal scramble at dawn and see the towers go pink in the sunrise is one you’ll be telling people about for years.
The Tour Du Mont Blanc
Closer to home, the Tour du Mont Blanc remains one of the great long-distance walks. The 170-kilometre circuit loops through France, Italy and Switzerland, circling Western Europe’s highest mountain and passing through some of the most photogenic alpine country on the continent.
Most walkers complete the full circuit in ten to twelve days, staying in mountain refuges and village guesthouses along the way, though you can shorten it considerably by using the network of local buses to skip the less interesting valley sections.
The route is well-waymarked and doesn’t require any technical skills, just decent fitness and a willingness to get up early; daily ascents of 800 to 1,200 metres are routine. Highlights include the descent into the Val Ferret on the Italian side, the wildflower-strewn balcony paths above Champex, and the moment Mont Blanc itself reveals its full bulk above the Aiguilles Rouges. Late June through early September is the sweet spot, after the snow has cleared from the higher passes but before the autumn weather rolls in.
The Bottom Line
Of course, the beauty of hiking is carving out your own path. But should you be stuck for inspiration or looking for someone to take those first couple of steps with you, these seven trekking destinations should be right up your street. Or should that be route? Who knows. Anyway, bon voyage!
