Lace up your boots for these hot global hikes, from tough tramps to easy strolls
Explore’s Walk the Great Wall trip gets you off the beaten track – not an easy feat when you’re visiting one of the most iconic man-made structures in the world! The trip concentrates on some of the most interesting and spectacular sections of this mighty barricade, including the Dragon’s Head, where the Great Wall meets the Yellow Sea. There’s also plenty of time to enjoy the fantastic sprawl of Beijing, too.
Who: Explore
When: various dates from Apr 2013
How long: 11 days
How much: from £1,499 (incl flights)
Explore's Walk the Great Wall trip features on Wanderlust's Trip Finder. Find out more about the trip here.
Base yourself at Kasbah Angour – an extraordinary Berber-castle-style luxury hotel, built from scratch by Englishman Paul Foulsham – to explore the best of the Atlas Mountains. The Kasbah’s Walking in the Atlas Mountains break combines a series of Berber-guided day walks, which can range from leisurely to energetic, depending on your fitness.
Who: Kasbah Angour
When: year round; summer very hot
How long: 7 nights
How much: from £440pp (excl flights), based on a group of four
The volcanic islands of the Azores, scattered in the Atlantic, are all spectacular. And, with their mild climate and dramatic scenery, they’re perfect for walking. For a great introduction, head to the largest island, São Miguel. Sunvil’s tailormade trips to São Miguel can include a range of guided walk bolt-ons, taking in everything from azure lakes and forest waterfalls to spotting native flora and fauna, including some of Europe’s most-endangered bird species.
Who: Sunvil
When: tailormade; best Apr-Oct
How long: 7 nights
How much: from £897 (incl flights)
Join Wild Frontiers on an exciting recce for its new Wild Walk In Palestine. The trip will follow the Path of Abraham through some of the Middle East’s most historically significant landscapes. Sleep at homestays and local guesthouses, explore from Nablus to the springs of Al Auja, and visit the biblical cities of Jericho, Bethlehem and Jerusalem.
Who: Wild Frontiers
When: 13 Apr 2013
How long: 9 days
How much: from £1,685 (excl flights)
You don’t have to be a trek-nut to see the Himalaya. Mountain Kingdoms’ Village Trails of Nepal trip combines seven days of gentle walks (all below 1,700m) around Pokhara and the Kathmandu Valley with temple and village visits. A great mix.
Who: Mountain Kingdoms
When: 10 Nov; 23 Mar, 13 Apr 2013
How long: 14 days
How much: from £2,725 (incl flights)
Less than an hour by train from Rome, the Sabine Hills are little known to Italians,
let alone foreigners. On Foot Holidays’ self-guided Sabine Hills walk puts this right, linking hilltowns and meadows with stops at foodie B&Bs en route.
Who: On Foot Holidays
When: Apr-Oct
How long: 7 nights
How much: from £695 (excl flights)
Walks Worldwide’s Turkey: Best of the Lycian Way trip lets you guide yourself along the classic Turquoise Coast, while based at a beautiful boutique hotel. Make forays to
the ancient cities of Phaselis and Olympos, watch turtles lay their eggs at Cirali, and
see the eternal flames of Chimaera.
Who: Walks Worldwide
When: Mar-May, Oct-Nov
How long: 8 days
How much: from £560pp (excl flights)
Walks Worldwide features on Wanderlust's Trip Finder. Discover more walking tours hosted by them here.
Follow a section of the new Wales Coast Path: Celtic Trails makes completing the 150km Llyn Coastal Path – a journey once taken by pilgrims heading from Bangor to Bardsey Island – easy, arranging maps and a selection of guesthouses, farmhouses and inns en route. The trail can be walked in a week, or made more leisurely in 11 nights.
Who: Celtic Trails
When: flexible departures
How long: 8-plus nights
How much: from £610pp
See the best of one of the world’s longest hikes on Grand American Adventures’ Appalachian Trail Walk. Trace the spine of the north Appalachians, via peaks and lakes. Book now (in the trail’s 75th anniversary year) for next fall’s foliage.
Who: Grand American Adventures
When: 27 Jul, 21 Sept, 28 Sept 2013
How long: 10 days
How much: from £1,689 (incl flights)
Grand American Adventures' Appalachian Trail Walk features on Wanderlust's Trip Finder. Find out more about the trip here.
