Category: alpine

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#9 best hiking region in the world is …

The Alps

Many North American hikers pooh-pooh hiking in Europe as “too civilized and too expensive”. The ones who have never hiked there.

With advanced planning you can get to some of the best wild scenery in the world and not go bankrupt in Europe.


Iconic peaks reflected in tranquil mountain lakes, sweeping hillsides blanketed in wild flowers and dramatic, sprawling glaciers characterize the Alps. Discover why this mighty range, the birthplace of modern mountain walking, has enthralled walkers for centuries. – LP

The culture and history of Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Slovenian and Switzerland are an added bonus.

Travel is easy in Europe, of course, but the hiking window is short. You want to be there Jun-Sept, the same high season as North America.

More information on our new Alps information page.

Our favourite trip in the Alps was the Tour of Mont Blanc. But after besthike editor found the TMB crowded with hordes of tour groups the summer of 2009, we changed our “favourite hike in Europe” to the more challenging Walker’s Haute Route, Chamonix to Zermatt.

Both long hikes are in the same region, sharing sections of trail near Chamonix. Both are great, truth be told.

Consider both these adventure:

• Tour of Mont Blanc Information page

• Haute Route information page

Check out, too, the 2009 Haute Route trip report (Mt Blanc to Matterhorn) by besthike editor Rick McCharles.

Leave a comment if you have your own favourite hike in the Alps.

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BestHike #2 – John Muir Trail, California

John Muir Trail is one of our top 10 hikes in the world.

Click PLAY or watch a 1-minute preview on YouTube.

John Muir Trail

If there’s a hiker’s paradise on earth, it’s the JMT in the Sierra Nevadas.

213 miles without a road. Fantastic weather. 11 high passes. Unbelievable nonstop vistas. And Mt Whitney.

AT A GLANCE

Yosemite map
  • Yosemite, Ansel Adams and John Muir wilderness, Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks
  • start in stunning Yosemite, Muir’s “Range of Light”
  • 223mi (360km) to Whitney Portal adding sidetrips to Half Dome, Vermillion Resort and Mt. Whitney 14,505ft (4,421m)
  • 15-21 days recommended
  • carry your own food and tent
  • JMT about 10% the length of the Pacific Crest Trail

Read more on our John Muir Trail information page.

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#8 best hiking region in the world is …


The Italian Dolomites.

by site editor Rick McCharles

I write from Europe. This is the first adjustment to our Top 10 hiking regions since we first published them. Northern Italy has been added.

High altitude adventure and colourful sunsets. Wow! The Dolomites are far better than I expected. This was my first trip.

At besthike we rank all mountain vistas in the world against Paine in Chile, and Fitz Roy in Argentina.

The scenery in the Dolomites may be just as good. And there are far, far more stunning jagged peaks in Italy than in all of South America.

click for larger version
click for larger version

Many, many Europeans get out hiking during the Summer. Trails are crowded everywhere throughout the Dolomites and the Alps. There’s a great shared sense of community here.

Instant gratification. You can ride chair lifts up to the very tops of some of these peaks. How convenient is that? Almost anyone can find a best hike for themselves in this range.

WW I history in the Dolomites is sobering. German, Austrian and Italian soldiers were stuck digging tunnels through these mountains through several winters. This was the “Front”. Needless to say, far more young men died from the elements and falls than by fire fights. There are reminders of the Great War everywhere.

Here is the home of via ferrata (Italian for “iron road”). (In fact, our next trip to the Dolomites will be dedicated to doing some of the best of those assisted climbing routes.)

click for larger version
click for larger version

Not everything is perfect in the Dolomites. I prefer the Sierra Nevada mountains in California, overall.

In the Sierras I can put up a tent anywhere I want. Fantastic.

Unfortunately, in the Dolomites you are required to sleep in alpine buildings called Refuges. (Refugios – Italian). Their locations are stunning. Many people love them. But – personally – I prefer my tent over sleeping on the floor. Or in bunk beds.

Happily you can reach almost any place in the Dolomites by day hike. Public transportation in the valleys below is good!

The two regions – the Sierras and the Dolomites – are similar in that everywhere is a best hike.

Rifugio Locatelli - click for larger version
Rifugio Locatelli – click for larger version

I do like the food and drink at Refugios. Prices are regulated.

The main reason I had not hiked in Europe in 30yrs is cost. Italy can be expensive.

It’s possible to hike on the cheap. Putting up my tent in a campground in Cortina only cost 9€ (US$12.80) / night in 2009.  Ryan tells us it’s up to 44€ / night summer 2023!

Bread, chocolate, soft cheese and wine are inexpensive. What more do you need?

Dan & Janine Patitucci relocated from California to the Dolomites. A good site in English for inspiration. A partner offers Dolomite hiking and biking tours.

For specific information on how to hike these limestone mountains, check our Dolomites Information page.

Leave a comment if you have your own favourite hike in the Dolomites.

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Climbing FANJINGSHAN, China

This would be an experience. 8000 steps.

The Fanjingshan (Chinese: 梵净山; pinyin: Fànjìngshān) or Mount Fanjing, located in Tongren, Guizhou province, is the highest peak of the Wuling Mountains in southeastern China, at an elevation of 2,570 m (8,430 ft).  …

Fanjingshan is considered a sacred mountain of Chinese Buddhism,  ranking just below the Four Sacred Mountains of Buddhism. …

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

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Circumambulating Eibsee (Yew Lake), Bavaria

Trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles

I really wanted to use the word circumambulating. 😀

Eibsee (“yew lake”) is a lake in Bavaria, Germany, 9 km southwest of Garmisch-Partenkirchen and roughly 100 km southwest of Munich. …

It is at the northerly base of the Zugspitze (2,950 metres (9,680 ft) above sea level and 3.5 km to the south), Germany’s highest mountain. …

I like this video from Eduardo Rojas. Interesting use of drone and Insta360.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Cycling and hiking around lakes is super popular in Bavaria.

This was already my 4th or 5th in a couple of weeks out of Munich.

Like many others, I liked the look of the lake from atop Zugspitze.

And like many others, I went directly to Eibsee on getting back to the base of the big mountain.

Gorgeous colours from certain angles.

AllTrails – 7.2-km Eibsee Loop. About 2 hours.

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Hiking Alpspitze, Bavaria

Trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles

The Alpspitze is a mountain, 2628 m, in Bavaria, Germany.

Its pyramidal peak is the symbol of Garmisch-Partenkirchen and is one of the best known and most attractive mountains of the Northern Limestone Alps. 

photo by Octagon

Click PLAY or get a glimpse on YouTube.

I cycled from my campground early morning.

There are a number of ways up and down.

I chose to take the Alpspitze cable car up. Hike down.

Arriving at the top, I was surprised to see that most of the morning crowd was made up of climbers. Many were taking the Alpspitz Ferrata (or Alpspitze Klettersteig)  to the top.

Many tourists chug up to the top of Zugspitze, next door. The highest mountain in Germany. And don’t bother with Alpspitze.

Both are good. But there’s much more and easier hiking on Alpspitze.

I quite enjoyed the long walk down.

It’s fun to watch the many paragliders. Most exit from lower on the mountain.

Best hike Alpspitze?

Depends on the weather. What you are looking for.

I’d say best is to either hike up, ride down. Or the opposite, as I did.

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Zugspitze – Germany’s Highest Mountain

Trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles

Weather-wise, this was one of the best of the year. ☀️

I’d waited for a good weather window before heading to Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

The Zugspitze, at 2,962 m (9,718 ft) above sea level, is the highest peak of the Wetterstein Mountains and the highest mountain in Germany.

It lies south of the town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Bavaria, and the Austria–Germany border is on its western summit. …

On the flanks of the Zugspitze are two glaciers, the largest in Germany: the Northern Schneeferner with an area of 30.7 hectares and Höllentalferner with an area of 24.7 hectares.

Shrinking of the Southern Schneeferner led to the loss of glacier status in 2022.

Zugspitze from the Austrian village Ehrwald

Wanting to beat the rush — as much as possible — I caught the first cable car up in the morning from the Germany side. And immediately headed up to the former “glacier“.

Once 1.5km thick, it may be gone entirely by 2035.

This is the Zugspitze plateau. You can do a self-guided glacier walk. Or sign-up for a guided tour.

From here, I had to take another cable car up to the summit.

Three cable cars run to the top of the Zugspitze. …

The rack railway and the Eibsee Cable Car, the third cableway, transport an average of 500,000 people to the summit each year. …

… Did I miss the race? 😀

I didn’t bother getting in the long line to scramble up to the summit Cross.

Too. Many. Tourists.

BUT … all-in-all, I’m glad I joined the mob atop Zugspitze. The vistas are fantastic on a clear day.

I had been considering hiking down — until I heard it was 7-10 hours!

Instead, I descended by cable car and hiked Eibsee. 😀

Circuiting the lake was much easier.

Click PLAY or watch Rick Steves on YouTube.

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Women – 140 days Great Himalaya Trail

Wow. What an undertaking.

The Great Himalaya Trail (GHT) Women Leaders on the Trail Campaign (GHT Women Leaders campaign) is a once in a lifetime opportunity to elevate the roles and status of female Nepali guides and porters in Nepal.

The campaign involves organizing a group of female Nepali guide(s) and porters to trek on the Great Himalaya Trail for 140 days beginning February until July of 2024.

This campaign is in support of the mission of the non-profit human rights organization, The Porter Voice Collective, which aims to advocate for the human rights of porters in Peru, Nepal & Tanzania via all forms of media and storytelling. …

Details

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Anu Shrestha, Campaign Manager (Nepal)

Gauri Malakar, Campaign Advisor

Sara Frenning, PVC Researcher & Campaign Coordinator, Videographer

Pema T. Sherpa, GHT Logistics Coordinator

Marinel de Jesus, Campaign Manager (Global)

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Wendelstein Peak near Munich

Trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles

A popular destination out of Munich, Germany is Wendelstein, an 1,838-metre-high (6,030 ft) mountain / tourist attraction.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

There’s much to see.

On the summit of the mountain is the Wendelstein Chapel, an observatory, a weather station, a geopark and a transmission mast for the Bayerischer Rundfunk.

About a hundred metres below the summit, on the ridge between the Wendelstein and the Schwaigerwand, lie the mountain inn, the termini of the rack railway and cable car, the service building for the mast, the former mountain hotel (above the station), a hut for the mountain rescue service and the Wendelstein Church. …

The most intriguing sight for me was this … trojan horse? 😀

I checked. It’s something like a trojan chamois.

Kids were climbing up inside.

There are several trails up and down. And is accessible via both the Wendelstein Cable Car and the Wendelstein Rack Railway. 

This was a rest / detour for me on a cycling day to nearby Lake Schliersee.

Carsten Steger – photo

Tempted to take the cable car up, hike down — I ended up taking the car both ways. And made it home before dark.

The trails do look good. And popular.

Image by Elsemargriet from Pixabay

I do recommend a visit to Wendelstein.

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#7 best hiking region in the world is …

NEPAL

UPDATE.  BAD NEWS.  As of April 1, 2023 the Nepal government required that major treks can no longer be done independently.  Hiring a guide is mandatory.  The obvious alternative is the Indian Himalaya.    

A trip to The Kingdom of Nepal may well be the best hiking holiday of your life.  IF you want to hire a guide.

It’s the abode of the Gods.

The exotic Buddhist and Hiindu culture is as fascinating as are the world’s highest peaks.

Most trekkers are set on Everest or Annapurna, but there are many other great choices, especially if you sign on with a trekking company that can get you into restricted areas like Mustang.

Tourism is important to the Nepalis. Foreign hikers feel welcome as soon as they arrive. And hiking in the world’s highest mountains can be “easy” on “tea house” treks where you stroll with just a day pack.

Or, if you want the full mountaineering experience, sidetrip up, up, up towards the clouds.

The weather and conditions are much milder than you might expect. Best months to trek are Oct-Nov (post-monsoon) and April-May (pre-monsoon).

More information on our Nepal information page.

Our favourite hike in Nepal is Everest Base Camp / 3 Passes.

Some feel Annapurna is in decline as roads and motor vehicles are degrading the Circuit. That won’t happen to the Mt. Everest region. Check out the Nov. 2009 16-day Everest trip report by besthike editor Rick McCharles.