Best hikes, treks, tramps in the world.
Waqrapukara or Waqra Pukara (possibly from Quechua waqra horn, pukara fortress, “horn fortress”) is an archaeological site in Peru located in the Cusco Region …
It was declared a National Cultural Heritage Site by the Ministry of Culture in July 2017. The building is said to be an Inca sanctuary.
At 4,140 m (13,580 ft) you seriously need to be acclimatized to make the 10k trek roundtrip.
BBC posted a trip report.
Check Puyca Expeditions to see how you could be guided to the remote site.
Update for 2024.
I’ve hiked to and from Choquequirao independently. Excellent.
I’ve hiked Salcantay (or Salkantay) to Aguas Calientes independently. Then made the day hike early morning up to Machu Picchu.
BUT always wished I’d done the BIG adventure:
Trek Choquequirao to Machu Picchu, via Salcantay.
By 2024 organizing that is getting more complicated. And to do it independently, you should bring a tent.
Do your research and book Machu Picchu tickets long in advance.
Start with Meg’s trip report. 80 miles. 9 days.
On my trips I suffered biting ants in my tent on the way to Choquequirao. And terrible biting flies on Salcantay. Be warned.
I met a young German hiker who had just completed the (approximately) 116 km adventure on the eastern border of Germany near Dresden.
He really enjoyed it.
It’s not well known outside Germany. Within Deutschland, some consider it the most beautiful hike in the nation.
Highlights include:
The official guide spits the trail to 8 stages / days. This is a very easy-going pace which allows for lots of options for side trips or drinking delicious German beer (or both for the ones who dare). I found 4-5 days just enough for a fully-loaded hiker who wants to enjoy hiking, not rush too much but also not sit in pubs for too long either.
Get in
It’s fairly easy to get to the trail or to any of its sections. There are many train connections from Dresden or Prague and public buses or trams operate within the area itself in some sections.
Eating & drinking
Resupplying food is not easy. The trail goes through very touristic places with many pubs and cafes but there aren’t any groceries. … The only food stores we found were a tiny bio bakery in Schmilka (very pricey – but great – pastries and bread) and a small grocery shop in Kroppen …. It’s not hard to make a bus trip to a nearby town to visit a supermarket ….
Navigation
Navigation is easy. Even though the trail is well marked with painted Ms, there were still some crossroads where we weren’t sure which way to go. Not having GPS or printed maps, we used only the mobile app Mapy.cz – it’s free and it has a tourist offline map of Germany with great resolution and precise, visible trails. …
Hiking is Good
Click PLAY or watch Lennart Schoors‘ hike on YouTube.
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.
Trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles
Click PLAY or get a glimpse on YouTube.
I traveled by train to Dresden and cycled to Saxon Switzerland National Park mainly inspired by the chance to hike Bastei Bridge.
And it’s awesome. 😀
First ➙ let’s clear up the confusion.
Saxon Switzerland National Park is in eastern Germany.
Saxon, Switzerland is a village of about 7000 in Switzerland.
Yeesh. 😀
The Bastei is a rock formation rising 194 metres (636 ft) above the Elbe River …
… situated near Rathen …
The Bastei (“bastion”) has been a tourist attraction for over 200 years. In 1824, a wooden bridge was constructed to link several rocks for the visitors. This bridge was replaced in 1851 by the present Bastei Bridge made of sandstone. …
I took the train one way to Rathen. Cycled the other.
Camped at the very convenient hostel.
My tent is my home away from home. Protection from the elements.
You take a short ferry across the river to reach the Bastei trailheads.
I do love the German country homes. Many are spectacularly colourful and well maintained.
There’s a scenic walk along waterways …
… then several steep ascent trails to get to the bridge.
A medieval catapult and many of the boulders are on display.
Of course the archeology of the eroded sandstone is varied and interesting.
Once up high it’s all good. Most of the trails are free. But to walk across the bridge itself there is a small fee.
The views are just as good from the free trails, in my opinion.
It is high. If you have a fear of heights, this might not be the hike for you.
It is busy. If you don’t like crowds on high walkways, come earlier or later in the day.
If you have the time, consider doing more hiking in the area. One popular hike runs from Stadt Wehlen via Bastei to Kurort Rathen (or the other way round).
On this hiking tour, also called the “Golden Triangle”, sights such as the ruins of Wehlen Fort, Bastei Bridge and the Schwedenlöcher (Swede Hole) Trail can be discovered.
saechsische-schweiz
Trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles
In 2010, I hiked the famed Sentiero Azzurro aka Verde Azzurro path, or “Blue trail”.
It connected the 5 main villages of the the Cinque Terre National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Riomaggiore to Monterosso al Mare.
Sadly, since 2011 sections of the classic have been closed.
Returning in 2023, I decided to do part of the most popular alternative, the Sentiero Rosso aka Cinque Terre High Path.
Click PLAY or get a glimpse on YouTube.
A LOT of ascent and descent. But gorgeous vistas from high up.
Took the train to La Spezia. Then the local bus to Porto Venere.
A pretty town.
Starting the hike north, immediately you find the impressive Doria Castle.
The trail takes you high above the ocean with terrific views in each direction. There are some very narrow pathways, but no real exposure.
I found a quiet spot, just before dark, to put up my tent.
Early next morning I arrived at the impressive Santuario di Montenero. The priest came out, interested in my drone. I showed him how it worked and later sent him this video.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Flowers bloom in profusion in June. You can see why everyone loves these trails.
I climbed WAY DOWN to Riomaggiore. A charming seaside town.
At tourist information, I confirmed that the original Blue trail was still closed. Got a map and directions for the best high route.
The tunnel by the railway station was a highlight for me.
Up, up, up.
More amazing vistas from up high.
Finally, I caught the train in Corniglia, a little further on from Manarola. It was nice to have the freedom to finish the day whenever I wanted.
YES, the Cinque Terre is touristy. But taking the high trails mostly gets you away from the mobs.
I highly recommend this hiking destination.
Trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles
Riomaggiore is 1st of the famous 5 villages of Cinque Terre.
Hiking in from Porto Venere, the highlight for me was the Santuario di Montenero, a Catholic church & monastery perched overlooking Riomaggiore.
I met the priest who was keen to see how my drone worked. I put this short video together for him.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Mathew conducts service in all 5 villages. I told him he had the best congregations in Italy.
He didn’t disagree.
Trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles
The Walls of Lucca (4.3km loop) is the most popular hike in one of the terrific Tuscan tourist towns.
This is an asphalted path. Easy for everyone.
There are plenty of opportunities to sit on benches or picnic under large trees for breaks.
There are also many exits to go sightseeing if you want to leave the walls for a while and explore the historic centre.
Click PLAY or watch my hike on YouTube. Spaghetti Western theme. 😀
Lucca, near Pisa, has a population of about 90,000. No matter how many tourists arrive, it doesn’t feel crowded.
There’s much to see. But the highlight for most are the walls encircling the old town.
Initially built as a defensive rampart, it’s become a pedestrian promenade.
Click PLAY or watch Rick Steve’s highlights on YouTube.
Alice Pizza is a super popular chain. Light, airy dough made with little yeast.
Of 60 varieties, my server in Lucca recommended something unique. Like a pizza ham sandwich. Served cold, not hot. Delicious.
The gateway to the wonderful Lofoten archipelago is the town of Bodø, the end of the train line north.
It’s usually cheaper and easier to fly as the train is a 17 hour overnight journey from Oslo. The town is so compact that you can easily walk from the airport to the train station.
On my two trips to the awesome Lofoten hikes, I’ve spent quite a few days in Bodø — supposedly in transit.
It’s worth wandering the streets of Bodø.
ALSO — there is some hiking available walking from the centre of town.
I went first to Bestefarvarden. An interesting scramble among rocky cliffs overlooking the sea.
The “hike” starts close to this beach, well above the Arctic Circle.
I left a Summit Stone there.
Click PLAY or get a glimpse on YouTube.
From there, I walked through an industrial zone to reach the city fortress (redoubt). Small, but interesting. With good views over to Bodø centre.
In addition, many tourists visit Saltstraumen, a small strait with one of the strongest tidal currents in the world.
There’s more to Bodø than only a transit point.
I’ve many times been asked IF I’d done the Camino. Surprisingly, the answer was NO. Until now. 😀
The Camino de Santiago … known in English as the Way of St James … is a network of pilgrims’ ways or pilgrimages leading to the shrine of the apostle Saint James the Great in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia in northwestern Spain, where tradition holds that the remains of the apostle are buried.
As with most hikes that can be cycled, I prefer to cycle. At least 10% of pilgrims cycle rather than walk or arrive on horseback. They are known as ‘bicigrinos’ or ‘bicigrinas’, bike pilgrims.
My PLAN is to ride León to the famous cathedral. About 325km. Perhaps a week. No rush.
The total length starting in France is 825km.
You need to cycle at least 200km in order to receive a Compostela certificate in Santiago (as opposed to minimum 100km walking).
Nearly 350,000 Compostela pilgrim certificates were issued in 2019. I won’t be lonely. 😀
The Camino Francés, or French Way, is by far the most popular of many routes. Roughly 60% of pilgrims choose this camino over other options.
Though no guidebook is needed, I picked up a paper copy of Mike Wells’ Cycling the Camino de Santiago (2019). I’d listened to a good interview with the author.
Wish me luck.
Many folks only know the famous pilgrimage from the 2010 Martin Sheen movie. It’s very good, by the way.
Click PLAY or watch the trailer on YouTube.
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