Top 14 Best Places To Go Hiking

The best places to go hiking offer more than just trails—they provide transformative experiences that reshape how you see the world. From Nepal's Annapurna Circuit to Peru's ancient Inca Trail, these destinations combine breathtaking landscapes with profound personal discovery. Whether you seek the challenge of Everest Base Camp or the European elegance of Tour du Mont Blanc, each trail tells its own story.

Have you ever felt that restless urge to leave everything behind and just walk? I understand that feeling when everyday life seems too small, too predictable. We've all experienced that moment when we crave something bigger than ourselves.

1. Annapurna Circuit: Nepal's Crown Jewel

The Annapurna Circuit isn't just a trek; it's a 230-kilometer journey through every climate zone on Earth. You'll start in subtropical rice paddies at 800 meters and climb through alpine desert to Thorong La Pass at 5,416 meters.

The magic happens at sunrise from Poon Hill. At 5:30 a.m., when most trekkers are still sleeping, position yourself on the eastern edge. You'll witness Annapurna South catching the first golden light while prayer flags flutter in the thin air like colorful promises.

Local tip: Skip the expensive lodges in Pokhara. Instead, stay in Sarangkot village the night before starting your trek. The owner of Maya Devi Guest House serves traditional dal bhat that will fuel you better than any protein bar, and costs just 400 rupees.

2. Inca Trail (Peru): Walking Through Time

Four days on the Inca Trail compress 500 years of history into every stone step. This isn't just hiking—it's archaeological time travel with a cardiovascular workout attached.

The moment that changed everything for me happened at Dead Woman's Pass. After three hours of brutal climbing, gasping in the 4,215-meter altitude, I turned the corner and saw the entire Sacred Valley spread below like an ancient map. That's when I understood why the Incas considered this path sacred.

Book exactly four months in advance—permits sell out in hours. Carry coca leaves for altitude; local porters have used this natural remedy for centuries.

3. Everest Base Camp (Nepal): The Ultimate Pilgrimage

Everest Base Camp draws dreamers and masochists in equal measure. This 130-kilometer round trip takes you through Sherpa villages where prayer wheels spin constantly and yaks carry solar panels to impossible altitudes.

The Khumbu Icefall dominates your horizon for days, a frozen waterfall that moves three feet daily. But the real revelation comes at Tengboche Monastery during evening prayers. Surrounded by peaks that pierce the stratosphere, you'll hear monks chanting while butter lamps flicker in the thin air.

Acclimatization isn't optional—spend extra nights in Namche Bazaar and Dingboche. Your body will thank you at 5,364 meters when others are turning back.

4. Tour du Mont Blanc (Europe): European Elegance

The Tour du Mont Blanc circles Western Europe's highest peak through France, Italy, and Switzerland. This 170-kilometer trail proves that civilization and wilderness can coexist beautifully.

Each morning brings a different language, currency, and cheese. You'll sleep in stone refuges where mountaineers have sheltered for centuries, eating hearty meals that fuel legends. The Aiguille du Midi cable car tempts with easy summit access, but resist—earn your views with sweat equity.

Stay in Chamonix's Gîte le Chamoniard Volant. The owner, Pierre, makes coffee strong enough to wake avalanche victims and knows every shortcut through the valley.

5. Appalachian Trail (USA): America's Backbone

The Appalachian Trail stretches 3,500 kilometers from Georgia to Maine, but you don't need to thru-hike to experience its magic. Section hiking reveals America's eastern wilderness in digestible portions.

Shenandoah National Park offers the perfect introduction. Here, the trail follows ancient ridgelines where Cherokee hunters once walked. Spring brings wildflowers that carpet the forest floor like nature's confetti, while fall transforms the canopy into a stained-glass cathedral.

Trail angels still leave coolers of cold drinks at road crossings—American hospitality at its finest.

6. Kungsleden (Sweden): Sweden's Royal Trail

Kungsleden means “The King's Trail,” and it rules over 440 kilometers of Arctic wilderness in Swedish Lapland. This trail taught me that midnight sun changes everything about hiking rhythm and sleep patterns.

Above the Arctic Circle in July, darkness never comes. I once hiked until 2 a.m. simply because the light was too beautiful to waste on sleep. Reindeer cross the trail like living ghosts, and the silence is so complete you can hear your heartbeat echoing off distant peaks.

Mountain huts provide shelter and surprisingly good meals. Book the Kebnekaise summit extension—Sweden's highest peak offers views across three countries.

7. GR 20 (Corsica, France): Corsica's Granite Challenge

The GR 20 traverses Corsica's mountainous spine over 180 relentless kilometers. This trail doesn't coddle hikers—it forges them. Granite slabs, knife-edge ridges, and chains replace gentle switchbacks.

Napoleon called Corsica “a mountain in the sea,” and the GR 20 proves him right. From high passes, the Mediterranean sparkles like scattered diamonds while the granite peaks of Bavella pierce the sky like ancient cathedrals.

The refuges serve hearty Corsican cuisine—wild boar stew and chestnut cake that taste miraculous after ten hours of scrambling. Carry extra water; springs are rare and precious.

8. Laugavegur Trail (Iceland): Iceland's Rainbow Path

Laugavegur translates to “hot spring route,” but this 55-kilometer trail through Iceland's highlands offers far more than thermal pools. You'll walk through landscapes that seem borrowed from alien worlds.

Landmannalaugar's rhyolite mountains create a color palette that defies belief—pink, green, yellow, and orange peaks that look like painted canvas. The geothermal pools at trail's end provide the perfect reward after four days of volcanic terrain and unpredictable weather.

Pack for four seasons in one day. I've experienced snow, rain, and sunshine within single hours on this trail.

9. Grand Canyon National Park (USA): Descent into Geological Time

Hiking the Grand Canyon means traveling through two billion years of Earth's history with every step downward. The Bright Angel Trail descends 1,400 meters into one of nature's greatest masterpieces.

The canyon creates its own weather system. Temperatures can vary 20 degrees between rim and river. I learned this lesson the hard way when snow fell at the South Rim while I hiked in shorts at Indian Garden.

Start before sunrise to avoid afternoon heat. The mule trains have right of way—they've been navigating these paths longer than most hiking boots have existed.

10. Yosemite National Park (USA): Granite Cathedral

Yosemite's granite monoliths have inspired climbers and hikers for generations. The Half Dome cables draw the crowds, but the real magic happens on quieter trails like the Mist Trail to Vernal Falls.

Standing behind the waterfall in late spring, when snowmelt turns the Merced River into liquid thunder, you'll understand why Ansel Adams devoted his life to capturing Yosemite's essence. The granite here tells stories spanning millions of years.

Permits are required for Half Dome. Enter the lottery exactly four months in advance, or try for day-of permits at 4 a.m.

11. Kilimanjaro (Tanzania): Africa's Roof

Kilimanjaro rises from African savanna to arctic conditions in just five days of hiking. This dormant volcano proves that location matters less than elevation when it comes to climate zones.

The Machame Route offers the most diverse scenery—rainforest, heath, alpine desert, and glacial summit. At Uhuru Peak, you'll stand on the highest point in Africa while glaciers that have existed for millennia slowly retreat around you.

Pole pole (slowly, slowly) isn't just advice—it's survival strategy. The porters who carry impossible loads while singing Swahili songs know mountain rhythms better than any guidebook.

12. Torres del Paine (Chile): Patagonian Spires

Chile's Torres del Paine National Park showcases Patagonia at its most dramatic. The famous towers—three granite spires that pierce the sky like stone needles—dominate every view and photograph.

The W Circuit takes five days to complete, crossing glacial valleys, ancient forests, and windswept pampa. Patagonian weather changes faster than mountain gossip—prepare for everything from blizzards to sunburn, often within the same afternoon.

The refugios provide excellent pisco sours after long hiking days. Local guides recommend the Base Torres sunrise hike—worth every step of the 4 a.m. start.

13. Drakensberg Mountains (South Africa): South Africa's Dragon Peaks

The Drakensberg, meaning “Dragon Mountains” in Afrikaans, forms a barrier of basalt cliffs and sandstone peaks along South Africa's eastern border. The Amphitheatre hiking trail leads to the world's second-highest waterfall.

Ancient San rock art decorates caves throughout the range—some paintings date back 8,000 years. These mountains witnessed the birth of human creativity and continue inspiring modern adventures.

The chain ladders require head for heights but reward with views across two countries. Summer thunderstorms arrive punctually each afternoon—start early.

14. Valley of Flowers (India): Himalayan Eden

India's Valley of Flowers blooms for just four months annually, transforming an alpine meadow into a botanical wonderland. This UNESCO World Heritage site proves that some hiking destinations exist only for those willing to time their visits perfectly.

From July to September, over 600 flower species carpet the valley floor. Blue poppies, brahma kamals, and cobra lilies create natural arrangements that shame the world's best gardens. The surrounding peaks of Nanda Devi provide a snow-capped backdrop to this floral symphony.

The trek requires permits and advance planning. The valley closes to protect its ecosystem—timing isn't just important, it's everything.

These best places to go hiking represent more than destinations—they're doorways to transformation. Each trail offers something different: physical challenge, cultural immersion, natural beauty, or spiritual renewal.

Some will test your limits on technical terrain. Others will surprise you with unexpected kindness from strangers who become trail family. A few might change how you see your place in the natural world.

The mountains are calling, and your boots are ready. Choose your adventure, pack your curiosity, and remember—the best trails are the ones that bring you home with stories no photograph can fully capture. Your next great hiking adventure starts with a single step forward.