50 Best Walks in the World

Walking through Dogon country in Mali is a unique experience and a chance to learn about the local culture through visiting the traditional villages with unique encounters. The Dogon people live near the Malian city of Bandiagara and the Bandiagara Escarpment which runs for 150 km. This is an ari… read more

In North Africa Morocco has a number of interesting walks and one of the best is a walk around the old medina in Fez where visitors are bound to get lost, and that is all part of the experience. Taking a walk into the narrow winding alleys is like walking back in time and each turn leads to a part … read more

The highest peak in Africa, Kilimanjaro is located just 320 km from the equator in Tanzania. There are several routes up to the Roof of Africa taking an average of six days. Preparation is essential as there is a high failure rate of reaching the summit due to altitude sickness. Walkers begin in tro… read more

Mount Sinai is Egypt’s second highest mountain and is believed to be the site where Moses received the Ten Commandments from God. Local Bedouins call the mountain Jebel Musa and it is one that many people walk up at night to be on the summit for dawn as the sun rises over the sandstone rocks of th… read more

The rugged scenery of Ethiopia’s Simien Mountains provides some of the best walking in Africa. With spectacular peaks and Ras Dejen being the highest at 4543m there are unforgettable views, sweeping gorges and high plateaux. There are also some notable historic sites in the Simien Mountains such a… read more

Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa is one of the most iconic sights in the world, particularly to people arriving by sea. There are several trails to the top winding through fynbos vegetation and is home to some of the most exotic tropical plants in South Africa. The easy route up is by cable… read more

The Annapurna Sanctuary is one of the most spectacular mountain amphitheatres in the world and had been used by shepherds for centuries before being discovered by the British military and Jimmy Roberts in 1952. Today it is a goal and spectacular climax for a trek through the Himalayas taking in some… read more

Myanmar or Burma has been off limits for tourists for a number of years mainly due to the political situation. Now that Aung San Suu Kyi has been freed there is a renewed interest in tourism to Myanmar. One of the most fascinating places to walk is Bagan, which is best known for over 3000 religio… read more

The Banaue rice paddies are intricately terraced structures dug out from the steep sided mountains of the Cordillera in northern Luzon. This is a World Heritage Site and the terraces are spread across several valleys. It is thought the terraces date back at least 2000 years and are an excellent irri… read more

The Everest Base Camp Trek is a classic walk taking 12 days through the Sherpa homelands and the one taken by expeditions. It is highly recommended to use a guide as the walk itself is strenuous but rewarding for the spectacular views of Everest and the other Himalayan peaks. Starting in Lukla th… read more

The Great Wall is probably one of the most well known sights in the world, and it stretches for several thousand kilometres across China. While most people know it simply as 'The Great Wall,' it is in fact made up of four separate walls from several different periods in China's history. There wer… read more

Walking in the Hunza Valley is an excellent way to appreciate the surrounding natural beauty and the local people. This is a valley in the Karakorum Mountain range with years of romantic but bloody history. High above the Hunza Valley there are apricot orchards, hamlets and terraces and there are e… read more

The Jomolhari Trek in the northern part of Bhutan is considered the best walk in the country. This takes the form of an eight day horseshoe walk which follows some ancient tracks between the mountain ranges of Tibet and Bhutan. The trek then turns towards the east above the country’s capital Th… read more

The Kokoda Trail is a classic walk that runs 96km through the Owen Stanley Mountain Range in Papua New Guinea. This is the most famous walk in Papua New Guinea and is considered a place of pilgrimage for many as it was the site of ferocious fighting between Australian and Japanese Forces in World Wa… read more

Mount Fuji is the symbol of Japan and a holy mountain to the Japanese. Most people walk up it at night to arrive at dawn for the sunrise as it is frequently covered in mist at other times of the day. Visitors can get to Fuji by taking the train from Okazaki to Fujinomiya where a bus transfers peo… read more

Rising 4095 metres out of the Sabah jungle Mount Kinabalu is a classic hike and one of the finest in the world. Rising through cloud forest and climbing onto the rocky upper slopes this is a tough challenge but one worth considering. The summit is a wide platform surrounded by jagged peaks, and … read more

Australia’s Great Ocean Walk stretches 104 kms and is a classic way of appreciating the stunning coastline. It can be done as one long trek or as smaller pieces and also as a circular walk in areas. The Great Ocean Walk begins in Victoria’s Apollo Bay and winds along the coast to within sight o… read more

The Milford Track has been described as one of New Zealand’s and indeed the world’s most popular and beautiful walks. The trail is walked from Glade Wharf at Lake Te Anu to Sandfly Point at Milford Sound and was originally a track used by Maori to collect greenstone. John Mackay and Donald Su… read more

One of the best known sights in the world, Sydney Harbour, can be experienced by one of the most famous walks. Visitors to the Australian city can take part in a guided walk of Sydney Harbour Bridge, a unique experience that takes between 2 and 3 hours and rewards climbers with spectacular views f… read more

Two of the iconic mountains on the Caribbean island of St Lucia are also the elements of one of the best walks in the world. Gros and Petit Piton overshadow St Lucia with their twin peaks and are two cones of volcanic rock. Although they feature in almost every tourist brochure of St Lucia few pe… read more

A walk through Chichen Itza, an ancient Mayan ruin in Mexico is one of the best walks in the world and a wonderful opportunity to experience history for real. The buildings and colonnaded streets offer a surprising and revealing insight into the ancient Maya life. This is the third most visited site… read more

The Camino de Santiago is actually a series of trails from across Europe which converge on the Spanish pilgrimage town of Santiago de Compostela. St James was notable for driving the Moors from Spain and hence this has become a Christian pilgrimage site. Each trail spans hundreds of miles and pass… read more

One of the most beautiful glacier walks in the Alps, the Haute Route from Chamonix to Zermatt is simply stunning. It was first completed in 1861 by members of the Alpine Club of Great Britain and remains popular today. Although the route is known as Chamonix to Zermatt the trek starts in the village… read more

The Cinque Terre are a series of five small towns on the Ligurian Riviera that have only been accessible by road for the last 40 years. Clusters of houses cling to the cliff tops and for centuries the area was raided by Turkish pirates. The Cinque Terre was a road less community which led to a se… read more

The Dingle Peninsula is a famous walking area in Ireland popular with visitors and a wonderful way to appreciate the coastline and rural areas of the Emerald Isle. Tralee is the start and end point for the Dingle Way which is a 153km circular walk which includes most towns and villages on the penins… read more

All over the world a Dublin pub is known to be the place to perfect the art of good conversation. For a walk with a difference and to appreciate the literary culture in Ireland one of the most interesting city walks is a Dublin Literary Pub Crawl. Many of the world’s most famous writers grew up… read more

Dubrovnik is one of the most beautiful cities in the Adriatic and is steeped in history. There are old narrow streets and interesting cafes in the old town and the view from the sea of this fortified city is one of the best in the world. Dubrovnik is also famous for its ramparts which surround the O… read more

The Eiger is the stuff of legend and one of the world’s classic mountains for climbers with its dramatic north face dominating the view over the Bernese Oberland in Switzerland. The Eiger Trail is a six kilometre walk between the Eigerglestcher and Alpiglen with stunning panoramas of the Monch and… read more

Around 60 million years ago a series of volcanic eruptions formed basalt pillars that interlock in a path leading out to sea on the Antrim coast in Northern Ireland. Legend has it that the local giant Finn McCool formed the Causeway as he went to battle with the Scottish giant Bennandonner. Today… read more

Hadrian’s Wall was built by the Romans to keep out invading Scots. Today remains of this legacy stretch 84v miles across the North of England from Bowness on Solway to Wallsend near Newcastle Upon Tyne. It is the only national trail to offer a coast to coast route of England. During Roman time… read more

Striding Edge is a famous walk located on the north east site of Helvellyn in the Lake District, England. Best approached from Patterdale or by using the longer route from Glendinning it is one of the best known walks in England taking in stunning scenery across Cumbria. From either route walkers ai… read more

The Jotunheimen Mountains are located in Central Norway and are one of the oldest and most traditional walking areas in the country. With 24 peaks to choose from there are a number of routes to bear in mind when planning a walk. Besseggen is the most famous hike in Scandinavia. Most people take the … read more

Kungsleden is one of the best known wilderness walks in Sweden and takes in part of Lapland inside the Arctic Circle. The walk passes mountains, lakes, rivers, arctic tundra, and reindeer and is in a spectacular region of Europe. Kungsleden is 440 km long and can be done in stages. The trail runs… read more

Madeira has a network of special trails that run alongside the levadas which is adapted form the Portuguese word, “levar”, meaning to carry. These are unique canals dug into the hills that are used in irrigation to distribute rainfall from the luscious and fertile regions of the north to the mor… read more

The spectacular Lycian Way spreads itself 510 miles along the coastline of Turkey taking in towns, villages, ancient ruins and peaceful beaches. The walk trails through the Tekke Peninsula and avoids the coastal tourist traps, instead bringing encounters with the hospitable local people. The Lyci… read more

The Matterhorn is one of the best known mountains in the world and there are a number of classic trails in the area surrounding it. One of the best known and challenging is the trek from Zermatt to the Hornli Hut. The Hornligrat is the craggy north east ridge leading to the summit and whilst the upp… read more

Mount Olympus is the highest peak in Greece and is the home of the ancient Greek gods. The heart of the summit looks like a huge cauldron with jagged peaks. It is usually climbed in two days and can also be part walked to the mountain hut and back again in a day. The area is a UNESCO Biosphere reser… read more

During the 8^th century King Offa ordered a spectacular dyke to be constructed on the borders of what is now Wales to protect his Kingdom of Mercia. The earthen bank can be as much as 25 metres high in some places with a ditch to the western side. Stretching 177 miles from Sedbury Cliff… read more

The Samaria Gorge is one of the highlights of a holiday in Crete and is an area full of wildlife and flowers. This, according to Greek legend, is where Apollo came after murdering Python and it is the longest canyon in Europe. Most people begin the descent at dawn with the starting point at Xiloskal… read more

Stretching 628 miles around the South West of England is one of the finest footpaths in the world. Starting in Minehead, Somerset and finishing in Poole in Dorset the path takes walkers through some of the finest coastal scenery in Britain. It can be done in one go which takes a few weeks or small s… read more

In the Austrian Tyrol one of the most famous walks in the world takes in a horseshoe route of mountain huts. Walkers are treated to snow capped mountains, glacial lakes and alpine meadows carpeted in flowers to trail through as the circuit of nine huts in the Stubai Alps is completed. The walk is d… read more

The West Highland Way is Scotland’s first official long distance walking route taking in some of the best of the country and is full of folklore and legend. It starts in Milngavie on the outskirts of Glasgow and stretches 154km to Fort William which is at the foot of Scotland’s highest mountain,… read more

Ypres in Belgium is a historic fortress town and dates from a medieval trade town to the site of some of the worst fighting in World War One. During the middle ages the city developed ramparts, moats, and bastions which surround Ypres. Today the ramparts of Ypres are beautiful and peaceful places to… read more

Deep in the heart of the Jordanian Desert Wadi Rum is the stuff of legends and is famous for its connections with Lawrence of Arabia. The area has some magnificent rock formations and desert mountain scenery and there are many walks in the desert that allow people to appreciate the beauty of Jordan.… read more

Bryce Canyon is located in South West Utah and is one of many canyons forming a horseshoe shaped amphitheatre in the desert. The erosion of the elements has carved intricate shapes into the limestone with pillars, mazes, arches and others which are collectively known as hoodoos. Bryce Canyon has… read more

Yellowstone National Park is one of the world’s most famous parkland areas and is home to over 60 per cent of the world’s geysers. The most famous of these is the iconic Old Faithful. For visitors this is one of the most fascinating places on earth to walk around as some areas are just under… read more

The Teton Crest Trail is one of the most iconic hiking routes and takes in some of the most stunning mountain scenery in the world. Starting at Grand Teton National Park at the Trailhead the walk ends 32.5 miles later at Jenny Lake. The scenic upward trek into Granite Canyon heralds the start of… read more

Rio de Janeiro is a city famed for glamour and for poverty and a walk from the imposing Statue of the Redeemer through the Favelas is a wonderful way to experience the heart and soul of the city. Guides are available in Rio itself and very useful to ensure visitors get to see parts of Rio they may o… read more

The famous Inca Trail to Machu Picchu and its less popular but equally scenic Inca Path to Choquequirao take in a trek along ancient routes to the Lost City. The famous Inca city of Machu Picchu is the reward for trekking through scenic and mesmerising trails in the Andes. Time is taken to acclimati… read more

The Torres Del Paine in Chile is a spectacular region of granite towers and peaks set amongst glaciers, lakes and forests, and one of the best walking areas in the world. Located 4000 km from Santiago the Torres Del Paine is probably the most famous national park in South America and located in Pata… read more