Hiking holidays in Peru are hot right now. More popular than ever. Political stability since the leader of the Shining Path terrorist group was captured in 1992 resulted in a booming tourist industry.
The second highest mountain range on Earth is fantastic. Broad valleys and endless vistas. You are always above the tree line. Arid desert to the west, Amazon jungle to the east.
Our contributors have hiked most of the major treks in Peru. The peaks, glaciers and canyons are outrageous. Everyone is thrilled with the Andes.
Unfortunately, management of treks is atrocious, the Peruvian government seemingly bent on ruining their fantastic tourist draw. Do your homework before booking a flight to Lima. Or sign on with a trekking company with which you have had a strong, recent recommendation.
Ruminahui in Cotopaxi National Park, Ecuador
The weather in the Andes can be deadly, of course, but sometimes you get weeks of sunny blue skies, especially in the Cordillera Blanca out of Huaraz, Peru. The best weather for the high peaks out of Huaraz (the best jumping off point for hikers in the Central Andes) is the drier “Andean summer”: May-Sept.
In fact, there are good hikes somewhere in this region year round.
Our favourite hike in the Central Andes is the Ausangate Circuit in Peru, our #4 best hike in the world. Quite a few trekkers have decided on Ausangate (instead of the over-hyped Inca Trail) based on our recommendation. And all have been happy with that decision.
Adjacent to the volcano is a 6-by-8.5-kilometre (3.7 by 5.3 mi) caldera, which is filled partially by the crater lake known as Segara Anak or Anak Laut (Child of the Sea), due to the color of its water.
I’m very keen to climb it myself, perhaps with India Hikes.
The Adventure Capital of the World, a gorgeous location on Lake Wakatipu opposite the saw-toothed Remarkable range.
If you’ve never been to New Zealand, start planning. Now. It’s our #1 hiking destination on Earth.
Queenstown is an international resort town in Otago in the south-west of New Zealand’s South Island. …
According to the 2006 census, the usually resident population of the Queenstown urban area … is 10,416 …
… a centre for adventure tourism. Skiing, jet boating, whitewater rafting, bungy jumping, mountain biking, tramping and fly fishing are all strong promotional themes. …
Queenstown is the departure point for a large number of day trips to the similarly famous Milford Sound …
If you find it too much of a tourist trap, move away up the lake to Te Anau (pop. about 2000). It’s got everything you need to stage for an epic Kiwi hike.
Our favourite hike hikes out of Queenstown and Te Anau are:
These are the three on the list of Great Walks. (Kiwis avoid them because they’re crowded with international tourists. Locals can take you on hikes just as good, but unknown to foreigners.)
besthike.com 