The World’s Top 10 Hiking Spots
It goes without saying that the best way to see the world is to do it on foot. Candidates for the World’s Top 10 hiking spots are all are considered to be reasonable treks for fit hikers.
Our picks are:
1. John Muir Trail, California, USA
Not only is the scenery magnificent, but the John Muir Trail can boast of having the sunniest and most mild climate of any mountain trek in the world. The trail starts in the Yosemite Valley and stretches for 211 miles to Mt. Whitney, the highest peak in the US. Along the way, it takes you past countless lakes and waterfalls, ancient giant sequoias and looming granite towers as it follows the spine of the Sierra Nevada range. The area is so remarkable for its breathtaking vistas that naturalist John Muir once wrote it was “as if into this one mountain mansion Nature had gathered her choicest treasures.” Despite complaints that it is the crowded Interstate of Sierra trails, the JMT was named as Outside magazine’s 2004 North America Trip of the Year, and places high on Adventure magazine’s list of top 11 classic hikes.
2. Kalalau Trail, Kaua’i, Hawaii
On the Garden Island of Kaua’i is the enchanting Kalalau Trail, rated by the Sierra Club as one of the most difficult trails in the USA. The lush tropical trail, situated along the Na Pali coast, begins at Ke’e Beach and follows an unrelenting up and down course as it rises 1000 feet, then drops to sea level and rises again. The switchbacks dive into jungle terrain and secluded green valleys, but then things get hairy when the trail runs out onto some slippery footpaths that are cut like strips in the side of sheer cliffs overlooking the ocean. If that doesn’t make you turn back, you’ll be rewarded at the end of the 11-mile hike when you reach beautiful Kalalau Beach. You can camp overnight and take time the next day to explore the island’s remote valley where you’ll see waterfalls, bamboo forest, hidden Hawaiian heaius (sacred temples), and open grassland. The Kalalau trail can be hiked any time of year and the best part is it isn’t necessary to pack warm clothes for Hawaii.
3. Everest Base Camp, Nepal
Of all the hikes on the list, reaching the Everest Base Camp will win any world trekker bragging rights. Despite the altitude, it’s a feasible goal for most fit adventure hikers and remains as the Shangri-La of hiking destinations. The 2-week trek takes you through green valleys and along the banks of the Dudh Kosi, a majestic river that will be criss-crossed many times on suspension bridges laden with Buddhist prayer flags. It begins at the mountain town of Lukla (9,350’) in Tibet and ends at the foot of the world’s tallest peak, Mt. Everest (29,028’). The trip is done at a relaxed pace, walking only about 4 to 5 hours a day, with rest days for proper acclimatization. The hike to the Everest/Lhotse Base Camp (18,370’) is not only an extreme adventure it’s expensive; you’ll need permits, guides, sherpas, porters, food, gear, and so on.
4. Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, Africa
Like Everest Base Camp, the experience of stepping onto the snows of Kilimanjaro is definitely on everyone’s “must see, must do” list. There are several routes up Kilimanjaro, but the majority of trekkers go by way of the Marangu Route (also known as the “Coca-cola” or tourist route) which covers 40 miles. This is the shortest and most gradual climb, yet well more than half of the 26,000 hikers who attempt it every year fail to make it to the top. Since Kili is a non-technical mountain, you can reach the 19,340’ crater summit in just 3 ½ days. However, such extreme speed is not recommended and the guides will advise you “pole, pole”, which is Swahili for “slowly, slowly”. A 6-day hike will help you to better acclimate and lessen the effects of altitude sickness. Nevertheless, any hike above 8000’ will cause most people to experience some degree of this mountain sickness including the requisite severe headaches and nausea. All hikers spend each night bunking in sleeping huts and eat in dining halls at the designated camps along the route. And yes, they do serve Coke. If crowds and litter on popular trails isn’t your thing, consider taking one of the longer (and more expensive) routes up to the summit.
5. Tour of Mont Blanc, Chamonix, France
The Tour of Mont Blanc offers spectacular views of peaks and glaciers and it is considered one of the world’s most famous long distance walks. The alpine tour passes through the Alps of France, Switzerland and Italy along its 106 mile route which circles Mont Blanc (15,781’), the highest mountain in Western Europe. You may be surprised to find that many sections are not well-traveled and you’ll feel like you have the Alps to yourself. On average, it will take you from 9 to 14 days to complete the circuit if you cover 8 to 11 miles daily. Most people walk the TMB from village to village and stay overnight in comfortable chalet-style hostels, leaving the tent at home and traveling with just a light pack. At dusk you can relax with a glass of wine and enjoy the breathtaking reddish-pink hues that reflects off snow-capped peaks; an optical phenomenon so striking the Germans came up with a special word for it: alpenglühen, or “glowing Alps”.
6. The Fitzroy Trek, Patagonia, Argentina
Park of what makes this trek so memorable is the chance to see the famed Fitzroy Massif, one of the most difficult and seldom climbed peaks in the world. It is situated in the Patagonian Andes at the northern reach of Los Glaciares (The Glaciers) national park, where it is known locally as Cerro Chaltén. In Tehuelche the name Chaltén means “smoking mountain”, a term that alludes to the doggedness of clouds hanging over the summit. Despite the possibility of an obstructed view of the Fitz, this mad adventure is still worthy of a top 10 hike nomination because of its ruggedness. From the El Chalten village, the trip begins with a 6-mile hike through Lenga Forest to Poincenot where you will camp. The next day, hike up the steep trail that leads to the lookout point at Laguna de Los Tres where you can catch the sunrise alpenglow of the fin-shaped peak as it stabs the sky some 6000’ above the glaciers at its base. Since the isolation of Patagonia is a challenge for adventure seekers — lacking hotels, stores, paved roads, and not to mention the winds which are fierce — it represents a raw and unique wilderness trek.
7. Routeburn Track, South Island, New Zealand
The Routeburn is one of those places that defy imagination. It’s a good hard slog, or tramp as the Kiwis would say, and tough enough that Sir Edmund Hillary found it perfect for training for Everest. The trail is 38 km long and offers classic hut hiking (camping is not allowed), and trampers find it appealing because it is far less crowded than the other world famous NZ route, the Milford Track. The Routeburn crosses swinging bridges over rushing fiords, and treks through moss-covered forests, misty waterfalls, emerald lakes and lush valleys framed by snow-covered mountains. It’s a short hike of just 2 or 3 days but you’ll want to stay longer and take a few side trips to explore nearby saddles, passes and peaks. Where ever you go, you’ll find the panorama of the region is gorgeous beyond belief.
8. Buckskin Gulch, Utah, USA
Just north of Kanab, Utah, is a hidden gem for hikers. Buckskin Gulch is the most beautiful tributary of Paria River Canyon offering what is believed to be the narrowest slot canyon corridor in the world. The narrows of Buckskin start immediately and are steep enough that you can’t see the sky at times, and so tight in sections that you must remove your backpack to squeeze through. The first 13 miles runs from the Wire Pass Trailhead to a camping spot at Middle Trail near the confluence of the Paria Canyon. From there it is another 7 miles to the White House Trailhead. Check the weather reports at the ranger station before you set out since the potential for flashfloods is high, and if it has rained recently you’ll likely encounter waist-deep pools of water so dress accordingly. This easy hike not only offers the thrill of canyoning, but it’s also has aesthetic value; take the time along the way to enjoy walls which are adorned with petroglyphs as well as colorfully fluted rock formations. A permit is inexpensive but you need to make reservations months in advance since the number of hikers allowed in is limited.
9. Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, Peru
Sitting atop a saddle ridge at 8200 ft in the Andes Mountains is the ancient city of Machu Picchu, the Lost City that was mysteriously abandoned by the Incas in the 17th century. Over 140 tour companies (at present) are licensed to guide you on the Inca trail going up to the ruins. The most scenic way is a mountainous 4-day jungle hike of 43 miles, starting from Chilca and traveling through the Sacred Valley which is dotted with Inca ruins below a green forest canopy. A shorter and more popular is the 2-day hike that begins at marker km 104 along the railway from Cusco to Aguas Calientes, the nearest town to Machu Picchu. There is no need to be acclimatized to do the short hike. It takes 4 to 5 hours to reach the Winawayana camp at 9100’ where you can spend the night. The final step path clings to the side of the mountain as it leads to Intipunku, the Sun Gate, and then you enter the majestic ruins of Machu Picchu. The tour company includes the cost of the return train ticket from Aguas Calientes to Cuzco in their fees.
10. Great Wall of China
The Chinese have a phrase that translates something like: “You are not Plucky Hero if you never climbed Great Wall.” One of the Seven Wonders of the World is China’s 4,000-mile long Great Wall, the longest man-made structure in the world. You can visit the most popular sections of the wall with a combination of leapfrogging day hikes by booking a tour that will drop you off in the morning, transfer your luggage to the next hotel, and pick you up at the end of each day’s 8 to 10-mile walk. But for a real adventure, take a trip to visit the most beautiful section, the Simatai wall, which is about 80 miles north of Beijing. You’ll find the “real” wall here as it has stood for centuries with no intrusive restoration, and few tourists. Hike the 6-mile trek from Janshanlang to Simatai while you marvel at how the wall clings perilously to mountain ridges. It ends at the final 100m “Stairway to Heaven”, an incline so steep you’ll crawl on hands and knees to get to the 16th and highest tower. But it’s worth it, Plucky Hero: the spectacular views of rural China and the Great Wall snaking off to the distant mountains is something you’ll never forget.
Tags: hiking, top 10 hiking destinations, world class hiking