Best hikes, treks, tramps in the world.
Another gear site to check out. Sadly I have far too much gear in my basement already.
… hand-picked and tediously browsed for by real people who enjoy being active and outdoors. …
Hugo
Outdoor Gear, Equipment, & Apparel Deals | TheCheapOutdoors.com
Good luck, Larry!
New Zealand
There’s no debate.
The Land of the Long White Cloud Aotearoa is by far the single best hiking destination on Earth.
North Island? South Island? Both are great. And both much different.
The most compelling evidence that New Zealand has EVERYTHING a hiker could want is with photos:
New Zealand is insanely great for hikers. It’s safe. It’s clean. Trails are not crowded. It’s terrific for kids.
There’s no risk of altitude sickness as the glaciated peaks are at low elevation.
Best months are mid-November through mid-April for most treks.
More information on our New Zealand information page.
Our favourite tramp in New Zealand is the volcanic Tongariro Circuit. You’ll feel like you’ve entered Mordor in Lord of the Rings.
See our Tongariro Circuit Information page.
Start planning your New Zealand hiking vacation right now.
South West USA
Capitol Reef, Zion, Bryce, the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Glen Canyon, White Sands National Monument, Canyonlands and Arches National Parks. This part of the world is awesome.
We hike the SW USA every year and have yet to be disappointed.
Fascinating, diverse and mind-boggling. The best WOW geological zone we’ve seen anywhere.
More correct would be to call this region the Four Corners.
The high desert plateau intersection of the four U.S. states of Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona.
The Grand Canyon of the Colorado Plateau is not the deepest nor largest, but it’s by far the most stunningly beautiful on Earth.
Most of the best slot canyons and natural stone arches in the world are here. A desert, your views are unobstructed. The light is perfect for photography.
The best weather is Oct-Nov, Mar-May. Summers are too hot for most hikers.
Most of the hikes in the Four Corners are short due to lack of water and the real risk of getting lost. People die in this wilderness every year.
Our favourite hike in the Four Corners region is Paria Canyon on the border of Arizona and Utah. You enjoy many days beneath huge walls in a slot canyon.
more from our Paria photo set
if you hike Paria you’ll certainly add on a nearby day hike called The Wave.
more Wave photos
More information on on dozens more great adventures on our new SW USA information page.
The Curious Cat posted an excellent Photo Travelogue of his holiday. I love this succinct format for a trip report. One page with photo sets linked to thumbnails.
We’re always raving about the best multi-day hikes in Glacier. But most people prefer to hit the best day hikes, covering more territory by starting at a new trailhead each day.
I planned my hikes largely using Best Easy Day Hikes: Glacier National Park (which I recommend) and by talking to the rangers.
The first night I slept in the main lodge. I spent my first day in the Two Medicine Lake area and settled into the Swift Motor Lodge for 3 nights. I enjoyed ranger talks each evening in the Many Glaciers lodge. The second day I hiked in the Saint Mary Lake area (Piegen Pass). Day three I hiked Apikuni Falls. Day four I walked the Swiftcurrent Lake Trail and then a ranger lead hike to Redrock Falls.
Day five was a magical day. I started with a great ranger led hike to Iceberg Lake (I kept waiting for good weather which we finally got). Then I drove up to Waterton International Peace Park in Canada. The scenery at several overlooks on that drive were amazing. I then hiked the Bear’s Hump trail and stayed at the Prince of Wales Hotel which was quite nice.
Day six was great also. I drove back and hiked the Hidden Lake trail. Several days earlier I had driven to Logan Pass (where the trailhead is) and literally you could not see 15 feet in any direction. I ended up at the Lake McDonald Lodge (which is “just” a motel but with a view that is amazing. I read American Gods sitting on the balcony looking at at this view – incredible. A great way to end my stay.
Best Easy Day Hikes Glacier and Waterton Lakes National Parks, 2nd (Best Easy Day Hikes Series)
Rockies
Spectacular vistas, frequent wildlife encounters, the best wild flowers we’ve ever seen. Hot springs, quaint mountain towns, perhaps the best long distance hikes on the planet.
There are options to scramble ridges and peaks virtually everywhere.
“You can’t lose in the Rockies.”
… so says frequent contributor Rob Glaser who has hiked here all his life.
Trails are safe and well managed. The infrastructure excellent. (In fact, it’s hard to imagine there are two regions in the world we rate better.)
The weather and conditions are variable to say the least, but in many parts of the Rockies Aug-Sept are the best months. A very short window! On the other hand, if you ski or board, you’ll never lack for adventure in the Rocky Mountains.
More information on our new Rockies information page.
Our favourite trip in the Canadian Rockies is Sunshine to Assiniboine, our #5 hike in the world.
Our Assiniboine Information page.
Just a short drive away is our favourite trail in the USA Rockies, Glacier North Circle, our #6 hike in the world. One of the best places in the world to see wildlife.
Our North Circle Information page.
Leave a comment if you have your own favourite hike in the Rockies.
Just learned that contributor Dave Hayley (who organized our Tombstone, Yukon hike last summer) is proposing to honeymoon on the JMT.
The ideal wedding present:
Jeff Alt convinced his wife (Beth), a woman raised with the belief that vacations include hot showers, beaches, and warm beds, to chuck her domesticated amenities and “Take a Hike†to help her overcome the loss of her brother.
Jeff had to spend quite a bit of time convincing Beth that the hike would be romantic, skillfully leaving out some minor details about the journey.
They walked the 218-mile John Muir Trail across California’s Sierra Nevada mountain range as a depression awareness campaign, carrying all their supplies on their backs and sleeping on the ground for weeks on end.
Jeff Alt – Motivational Speaker and Two Time Award Winning Author
A Hike For Mike: An Uplifting Adventure Across the Sierra Nevada for Depression Awareness
Sierra Nevada
The longest, highest, most diverse mountain range in the continental United States is not the Rockies. It’s the Sierra Nevada range in California.
Sequoia, Kings Canyon, Yosemite … everyone loves these mountains.
In the summer of 2007 we met a hiker there who enjoyed 41 days in a row of perfect weather. Where else in the mountains can you get that? (Starting day 42 he had pounding hail and was at risk of death by lightning.)
The range is about the same size as the Alps, 430mi long, 40-80mi wide. It’s all great.
Many come here specifically to climb Mt. Whitney, the highest peak in the contiguous States. Others come to see astonishing Yosemite Valley. And to scramble Half Dome.
Lower elevation hikes are accessible year-round. The Parks are within easy driving distance of major urban areas and, unusual for the USA, have good public transportation. Kids love this region.
In fact, everyone leaves John Muir’s “Range of Light” elated.
More information on our new Sierra Nevada information page.
Our favourite hike in the Sierra Nevada is the John Muir Trail, our #2 hike in the world. (Every photo of the JMT is a postcard.)
See our JMT Information page.
A good starting point is the somewhat dated Lonely Planet Hiking in the Sierra Nevada – Mock & O’Neil, 2002. There are many other good guidebooks for this region, however.
Istvan Hernadi has travelled over 30,000 kilometers in Northern BC, Yukon, NWT and Alaska during the last 3 years to the most remote and desolate places of the Far North in search of the Masters, in order to meet them and to learn their teachings.
He sought out mountains, trails, rivers and lakes for hiking, biking, and paddling his small Alpacka packraft. He met strange characters during his wild adventures, people who live amazing lives in these remote places.
photos – flickr
the author’s blog
Istvan’s even published a book of photos:
Central Andes
Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia
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 past few years. 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.
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.
More information on our new Central Andes information page.
Our favourite hike in the Central Andes is the little known 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.
See our Ausangate Circuit Information page.
The best guidebook for the Central Andes, by far, is Lonely Planet:
Note that Bolivia is not nearly as popular as it should be due to lack of infrastructure for tourism, security concerns and political instability. Honestly, unless you know the language and culture well, it’s better to hike Peru. Or much neglected Ecuador.
Looking for a reputable guide for Paine in Chile?
Jim Pierce had a great experience. By email:
We had two experienced, English-speaking guides, good food, and pre-arranged lodging in refugios (7 nights) and 2-man expedition tents (3 nights). The cost was $2,195 per person. Porters were hired by some at a cost of $60 per day, shared between two persons. Chile Nativo has an American administrator in their office in Puerto Natales who promptly answered all our questions. I highly recommend Chile Nativo.
Here’s their site:
Trekking
We invite you to experience, by way of daily walks, the principal attractions of Torres Del Paine, located in the heart of Patagonia; visiting glaciers, native forests, turquoise lakes and impressive views of the granite towers, sleeping in comfortable campsites, cozy mountain lodges, or modern hotels. …
besthike.com 