Category: guided hikes

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K2 Basecamp, Concordia, (possibly) Gondogoro La 

The most expensive guided trip I’ve found for 2025 is World Expeditions.

Ultimate K2 Trek: Basecamp, Concordia, Gondogoro La Exploratory

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

At less than 1/3 that cost, you can go with a discount company.

Vertical Pakistan, for example.

One Vertical Pakistan group in 2024 did make it over Gondogoro La — but not all their clients were happy.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

I’m (again) considering signing up with one of these companies for summer 2026 or 2027.

Leave a comment if you have first hand advice.

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RAIN on the Milford Track, New Zealand

Michael Lanza, family, and friends hiked the “Finest Walk In The World” in 2025.

They went hut-to-hut, the guided option. The easiest way to get a permit on that famous walk.

Lanza posted a terrific trip report and put together an up-to-date eBook on how to organize this adventure for yourself.

LEARNING TO—LOVE?—THE RAIN ON NEW ZEALAND’S MILFORD TRACK

Check our Milford Information page for more.

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Heights of Alay Mountains, Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan is a fantastic hiking destination — BUT we wouldn’t recommend you trek there independently.

The Pamir Trail is a proposed 1000km+ route. A work in progress.

Jan Baaker, author of Cicerone Trekking in Tajikistan, hopes to connect the entire route soon.

Shorter and logistically easier to organize, is the Heights of Alay Mountains trail.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

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Trek Paine, Patagonia, via the Brush Variant

If you’ve already hiked Torres del Paine in Chilean Patagonia on the Circuit or W routes, you might be interested in a new adventure called the Brush Variant.

A 7-day trek from Bernardo O’Higgins national park to Chile’s most legendary park — Paine.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube. (Guided)

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W Trek In Patagonia

One of the best hikes in South America is the W Trek in Patagonian Chile.

Unforgettable.

The better alternative — in our opinion — is the longer Paine Circuit. It includes the W Trek.

If you can’t do the Circuit, do the W !

Zac and Ine had good weather — but typical high speed winds near the glacier.

They booked everything in advance.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

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Ausangate Trek, Peru – Guided

This site features the best independent hikes.

And we did hike our #1 trek in South America independently in 2005.

It wasn’t easy.

Adam and Kathryn signed on for a guided trek with AB Expeditions — and were VERY happy with the experience.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

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Hiking Wonderwall & Wonderland, UAE

If you get to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, consider heading out to the Western Hajar Mountains, which run alongside the border with Oman.

Perhaps the BEST hike / scramble is Wonderwall & Wonderland.

Others include:

  • White Wadi
  • Jabal Jais southside
  • Leopard Canyon

Add on abseiling, if you sign on with Adventurati guides.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

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Top 10 Coastal Hikes ➙ South Coast Track, Tasmania

South Coast Track in Australia is one of our top 10 coastal hikes in the world.

BUT — it’s a challenging walk in a region of Tasmania exposed to harsh weather conditions. There are no huts along the track. Track conditions are often difficult. Walkers must be fully self-sufficient, well-equipped and experienced.

Hire a guide if this worries you.

Why?

  • surreal, unique Tasmanian seascapes
  • entirely within Southwest National Park
  • flying in, walking out, the standard route is 82km (51mi)
  • 6-8 days Melaleuca to Cockle Creek
  • best months December to March
  • wild, inspiring, rugged
  • World Heritage wilderness
  • “alpine peaks, pristine beaches, alpine meadows, dense rainforest, wet sclerophyll forest, dune communities, dry coastal forest and more”
  • no booking required
  • no quotas on numbers of bushwalkers
  • chance to see some of the weird and wonderful — sometimes dangerous — Aussie wildlife

Click PLAY or watch a Tasmanian Expeditions promo video on YouTube.

For details, click over to our South Coast Track information page.

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Salcantay Trek, Peru

My friend Krista just finished the Salcantay trek guided by Salkantay Trekking.

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.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.