Best Treks & Hikes in the World

Trekking is travel stripped to its essentials: your own two feet, a pack on your back, and a landscape that reveals itself slowly, valley by valley and pass by pass. Long-distance walking connects you to places in a way no vehicle can, whether you are circling a Himalayan giant, crossing an Andean pass on an ancient stone road, or wandering hut to hut through the Alps. The best treks are as much about the villages, cultures and people met along the way as the summits and viewpoints.

The world’s great treks range from gentle, hut-supported wanders to committing high-altitude expeditions requiring acclimatisation and self-sufficiency. Some follow ancient trading and pilgrimage routes; others thread through pristine wilderness far from any road. A few can be done independently with a map and a hut pass, while others need permits, guides or porters, and understanding the difference is key to planning well.

Timing is everything, since the same trail can be a paradise in one month and impassable the next. Himalayan treks cluster around the pre- and post-monsoon windows, the southern hemisphere’s classics peak from November to March, and Europe’s high routes open only for the short alpine summer. The treks below span the planet’s greatest mountain ranges and wildernesses, chosen for the reward they offer against the effort they demand.

For long-distance walks and pilgrimages, from the Camino de Santiago to the Pacific Crest Trail, see The World’s Great Walks, with a route map for every walk.