10 of The World’s Best Hiking Trails

Whether you are a talented hiker or a beginner searching for a challenge and adventure in the great outdoors, there are hiking trails that will offer you the experience of a lifetime. There are a great many people and growing that build their entire vacation experience around adventure travel, with many of those destinations hiking trails. Please note, many of the hiking trails documented are not mere casual jaunts, they’re treks. If you’re one of those individuals that want to experience nature and abandon your regular anxieties, here are 10 of the world’s best hiking trails.

Kungsleden, Sweden

Otherwise called “The King’s Trail,” Kungsleden is a 275-mile trek that will give you a voyage through some of Sweden’s most delightful scenes, winding through four national parks and a nature preserve. Unless you have the time to spend a month hiking, stick toward the northernmost trail, which is about 65 miles.

The Snowman Trek, The Kingdom of Bhutan

A 216-mile trail created by yak herders, the Snowman Trek starts at Laya and ends in Trongsa. In between, the Snowman Trek will take you through Bhutanese Himalayas with elevations reaching as high as 16,400 feet. This is a challenging hike that will take you underneath six mountains and crosses nine passes. Highlights include Buddhist religious communities and little towns like Laya and wildlife like the Himalayan blue sheep.

A word of caution – most hikers do not finish the trek due to the weather and altitude. Also, snow leopards have been reported along the trail as well.

The Colorado Trail, Colorado, United States

Traversing 486 miles, the Colorado Trail runs from the mouth of Waterton Canyon southwest of Denver to Durango. To put that in perspective, Denver is in the northern part of Colorado and Durango in in the southwestern corner. Along the trail, you’ll encounter noteworthy mining towns and old Indian trails. Be prepared to reach elevations above 13,000 feet.

If you’re a thru-hiker, give yourself plenty of time for this hike. Most thru-hikers will start at Waterton Canyon and go west to Durango. For the short form hiker, concentrate on the 68 miles between San Luis Pass and Molas Pass.

Buckskin Gulch, Utah, United States

Colorado’s neighbor, Utah also has some world-class hiking, with perhaps the best being Buckskin Gulch. The rock formations within Buckskin Gulch are some of the most amazing you’ll ever see. It is a 13-mile hike located between Kanab, Utah and Page, Arizona. Although, it is only 13 miles, it is the longest and deepest slot canyon in the southwest United States.

The hike is possible to do in one day. However, there are many hikers that like to spend a few days hiking Buckskin Gulch to enjoy its beauty. Don’t be fooled by the fact this trail can be done in one day, there are portions of the hike that are extremely challenging like the Wire Pass section, which does have pour-offs and drop-offs. That combined with the lack of sunlight can make for an incredibly challenging hike. Check ahead for conditions and be prepared.

Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

Mount Kilimanjaro features the highest peak in Africa at 19,340 feet. It is also home to some of the most breathtaking hiking trails in the world. Officially, there are seven hiking trails you can choose from at Mount Kilimanjaro: Lemosho, Lemosho Western-Breach, Machame, Marangu, Mweka, Rongai, Shira, and Umbwe. Each comes with its own challenges and will take about seven days or more. Out of the trails above, Marangu is the easiest and the one most frequently taken by hikers.

As for Mount Kilimanjaro, Hiker magazine depicts it as a “volcanic mass [that’s] so gigantic that it bolsters five unmistakable eco-zones, from the banana trees developing at its base to the ice sheets hanging its upper slants. … After 27 miles of climbing, you’ll watch Kili’s pyramidal shadow vanish as sunrise spreads over a reddish-brown ocean of savanna that is home to lions, elephants and the sky is the limit from there.”

Greater Patagonian Trail, Argentina

The Greater Patagonian Trail is one that enlivens the imagination. With a distance of 1,900 miles, it encompasses a wide swath of the Andes and essentially the entire length of Chile. Conceptualized by a German engineer, Jan Dudeck and his intrepid Chilean wife, Meylin Ubilla; the Greater Patagonian Trail isn’t as streamlined structured as most hikes or expeditions. It features countless expanses that one must individually navigate, terrain that is unmarked, with no signage to offer aids in course correction. It includes access to some of the least developed parts of the planet, a uniform signal to adventure.

Route K, Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia

Croatia’s oldest national park, Plitvice Lakes constitutes a labyrinth of serpentine streams, lush greenery, and unsurpassed natural beauty. Offering convenient access from the Adriatic Sea, the longest route housed within the park is Route K, which whirls its way around Jezero Kozjak, a constellation of lakes; proceeds along a series of boardwalks that offer astounding views, finally descending into a myriad of greenery and forests.  Wildlife roams across the landscape, a rarity in Europe, including wolves, black bears and wildcats. While there is an entrance fee to the park, you’re free to roam to your heart’s desire once it is paid.

Sinai Trail, Egypt

In 2015, a group of three Bedouin tribes located along Egypt’s storied Sinai Peninsula congregated to introduced a unique and seminal 140 mile route from the biblical and historical Red Seas to the country highest summit, the Gabal Katrine. Bolstered by the revenue from eager adventurists, two additional tribes eventually joined, expanding the range of the hiking trail by nearly 200 miles. As a consequence of local custom, Bedouin hiking guides are available to assist adventurers across the landscape, providing access and knowledge of abandoned mines, chapels, outcroppings, and the local shrubbery.

Olomana Trail, Oahu, Hawaii

Located east of Honolulu, the Olamana Ridge Trailhead can be regarded as a treacherous endeavor. At the trailhead, a rather severe warning was posted: “Six people have fallend to their death after hiking past the first peak.” The trail, parts of the island’s free recreational network, is accessible despite the signs warning impending danger. For those seeking an adrenaline rush, it harbors sweeping coastline views of Oahu.

Inca Trail, Peru

The Inca Trail is world-famous, descending into Machu Pichu, one of the great wonders of our world. Winding its way through picturesque snow-capped mountains, hikers along the trail will view picturesque views of far rivers, verdant green fields, and even subtropical jungles. The Inca Trail is a 42 mile long endeavor, reaching its zenith at roughly 13,000 feet. It is certainly one of the world’s best hiking trails.

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