A magical, albeit tough, pilgrimage route that crisscross the Kii Hanto, south of Osaka and Kyoto. It passes through cypress forests, towns untouched by modernity and charming onsen. Need To Know Description: Village-to-VillageTime: 5 DaysGrade: 4 out of 5 – Strenuous with lots of big climbs and some long days. The Kumano Kodo, is an … Read more
Be led by a Bedouin shepherd through this 60km valley cut into the sandstone and granite rock in southern Jordan. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the world’s most spectacular sites. Need To Know Description: Multi-day guided desert hikeTime: 5 daysGrade: 3 out of 5 – Flat, but hot and long days … Read more
Follow in the footsteps of the children’s book character Heidi along one of the many spectacular hikes that spiderweb out from the quaint Swiss Alps hiking hub village of Sils Maria. Need To Know Description: Half-day HikeTime: 3 hours (one-way)Grade: 3 out of 5 – Some steep bits and tricky navigation One of the many … Read more
A hiking, biking and rafting extreme adventure over the Julian Alps and down the Soca River, staying in traditional huts each night with some luxury thrown in. Need To Know Description: Hut-to-Hut Alpine AdventureTime: 8 days of hiking, biking and a day of rafting!Grade: 4.5 out of 5 – Requires navigation and some via Ferrata … Read more
The hot and hard, up-and-back climb to the summit of Mount Gigilos is a great way to experience the “high desert” moon landscape of the White Mountains. Need To Know Description: All Day Return TripTime: 3-4 hoursGrade: 4 out of 5 – Perilous parts with rock climbing at the top The climb to the summit … Read more
A 16km downhill excursion through the rugged White Mountains of Crete and through the longest gorge in Europe, winding you up on the shores of the Mediterranean. Need To Know Description: One-way Day AdventureTime: 5 hours hiking & 12-hour day tripGrade: 4 out of 5 – A long and exhausting day This is an epic … Read more
The Agnew Meadow to Thousand Island Lake to Ediza loop is a multi-day adventure and is a great way to experience parts of the stand-out bits of the infamous John Muir and PCT trails. Need To Know Description: Multi-Day Loop HikeTime: 3-4 daysGrade: 3 out of 5 – A fair amount of climbing The Sierra … Read more
The Eagle Rock hike is one of Topanga State Park’s highlights and is only an hour from Venice Beach. It features Sycamore-scattered SoCal topography, with meadows, boulders and some of the best views. Need To Know Description: Loop TrackTime: 3 hoursGrade: 2-3 out of 5 Topanga is considered the world’s largest wildland within the boundaries … Read more
The best way to experience the surreal landscape of the Joshua Tree National Park is to hike it. It’s not a massive park, and the hikes aren’t long, which surprised me when I got there. Need To Know Description: Half-day Hub and Spoke HikesTime: From 1 to 5 hours eachGrade: 3 out of 5 – … Read more
A steep, brooding climb up toward Kirkstone Pass, the highest point in the Lake District from the quaint town of Ambleside. It’s not the most populated walk in the District which is much of the appeal. Need To Know Description: Half-day Loop TrackTime: 4-6 hoursGrade: 4 out of 5 – Steep and some parts are … Read more