Machame Route (Whiskey Route) for me should be relatively easy. BUT many have to turn back due to altitude sickness symptoms.
My plan is to spend some weeks in Ecuador above 3000m and — hopefully — have some acclimatization ➙ then fly directly to Kilimanjaro airport. Altitude sickness is near impossible to predict. (I’ve never had any despite hiking higher than 6000m many times.)
I’ll stay on in East Africa following Kili. My first visit.
This is the 2nd time I’d signed up for Kilimanjaro. The first was in 2020 — cancelled by Covid.
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.
Seceda – Odle mountains.
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.)
photo by Away On The Road
Not everything is perfect in the Dolomites. We 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.
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?
Many North American hikers pooh-pooh hiking in Europe as “too civilized and too expensive“. The ones who have never hiked there.
Harder Ridge, Switzerland
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.
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.
Salcantay, Salkantay, or Sallqantay (in Quechua) are all commonly used.
Salcantay’s proximity to Machu Picchu makes this trek to the town of Machupicchu (Aguas Calientes) a better alternative to the oversubscribed Inca Trail.
Krista loved the adventure. But definitely found it challenging.
The longer you have in advance to acclimatize to altitude, the better.
If planning on Salcantay, research the hike in advance.
Not mentioned in this video are the biting insects. They are not always a nuisance — but for me they were the biggest consideration. I had them on the trail. And at Machu Picchu.
… surface is about 40 m (130 ft) above the level of the sea.
It is surrounded by a higher cliff which prevents it from emptying fully into the ocean, the waterfall Bøsdalafossur being the outlet.
The greater height of the cliffs on either side of Bøsdalafossur can give the illusion from certain perspectives that the lake is higher above sea level than it is.
The waterfall vista is great. But personally I liked even better walking the Trælanípan cliff — aka the ‘Slave Cliff’. Supposedly where slaves were pushed to their deaths.
There are many, many birds nesting on those vertical sides.
besthike.com 