Where Trail Travel Is Headed: 7 Iconic Hikes Every Serious Traveler Should Know
Seven bucket list hikes worth planning a trip around, from Peru to New Zealand
Hiking season is heating up, and the bucket-list treks that dominate travel wish lists this year are drawing more searches than ever. Here is what to know about the seven most iconic hikes on the planet, why hiking is so good for you and how to pick the right one for your fitness level.
What are the 7 best bucket-list hikes in the world?
The seven bucket-list hikes worth planning your travel around are the Inca Trail in Peru, the Tour du Mont Blanc across France, Italy and Switzerland, Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, the Grand Canyon in the United States, the Walk of the Gods on Italy’s Amalfi Coast, New Zealand’s Milford Track and Spain’s Camino de Santiago.
Each one offers something distinct. The Inca Trail winds past Incan ruins and cloud forest before ending at Machu Picchu. Tour du Mont Blanc circles the Alps’ highest peak through three countries with well-marked paths, wild flora and fauna, and comfortable lodgings after each day. Kilimanjaro is Africa’s tallest mountain and the highest free-standing mountain on Earth. The Grand Canyon, formed more than 6 million years ago, is one of the seven natural wonders of the world. The Walk of the Gods traces limestone cliffs above the Amalfi Coast. The Milford Track has been called “the finest walk in the world.” The Camino de Santiago blends spirituality, history and scenery on the way to Santiago de Compostela.
Why is hiking good for your physical and mental health?
Hiking builds endurance, strength and coordination while delivering measurable mental health benefits that go well beyond a standard walk.
According to Dr. Edward Phillips, assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School, hiking works the body much like walking but adds the challenge of varied terrain. Humans also thrive in natural settings, and simply being among trees improves indicators of health. The Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku, or “forest bathing,” involves slow, deliberate time in nature and produces measurable physical changes. A 2019 study published in the International Journal of Biometeorology found that forest bathing reduced cortisol, the stress hormone, in the blood. Combining that mental reset with a physical workout is part of why bucket-list hikes feel so transformative.
How long does it take to hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu?
The classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu takes five days, and that is the version most guides recommend for the full bucket-list experience.
The route passes Incan ruins, wide sweeping valleys and vibrant cloud forest, cresting at Dead Woman’s Pass before descending toward Machu Picchu. Peru caps the number of hikers allowed on the trail each day, which keeps the experience quieter and more peaceful than most world-famous treks. As Ian Taylor Trekking notes in a hiking blog post, “The 5-day classic Inca Trail gives you time to breathe, discover, and feel the Andes beneath your feet.”
What makes Mount Kilimanjaro a top bucket-list climb?
Mount Kilimanjaro is Africa’s highest mountain and the highest free-standing mountain in the world, which puts it near the top of nearly every serious hiker’s bucket list.
For the best odds of reaching the summit, the Lemosho Trek and the Rongai Trek are the routes most often recommended because they allow more time to acclimatise to the altitude. Highlights along the way include camping under star-lit skies, spotting colobus monkeys in the forest zones and watching sunrise break over the plains from the summit itself. It is a genuinely once-in-a-lifetime climb, and the combination of wildlife, scenery and physical achievement is hard to match anywhere else.
Can you hike the Grand Canyon in a single day?
You can hike parts of the Grand Canyon as a day trip, but staying overnight is what most experienced hikers suggest to get the most out of the trek.
Dating back more than 6 million years, the canyon holds its place among the seven natural wonders on Earth. The Bright Angel Trail is the best route, with a halfway point at Indian Garden Campground and a spur to Plateau Point that delivers some of the finest views of the Inner Canyon. Two campsites along the route make an overnight trip straightforward, and hikers who stay tend to praise the atmosphere and the chance to meet other adventurers along the trail.
Which bucket-list hike is best for beginners?
The Walk of the Gods along Italy’s Amalfi Coast is widely considered the most beginner-friendly bucket-list hike, offering huge scenic payoff without demanding serious backcountry experience.
The route runs from Bomerano down to Positano along an ancient path on the western coastline, tucked beneath dramatic limestone cliffs and past old stone farmhouses. Because the trail is well-trodden and clearly marked, less-seasoned hikers can complete it without specialized gear or guided support. The finish in Positano, one of the Amalfi Coast’s most photographed towns, gives the hike a memorable payoff and makes it a strong first entry on a longer bucket list.
How long is New Zealand’s Milford Track hike?
New Zealand’s Milford Track covers 53.5 kilometres (33.2 miles) and typically takes four days and three nights to complete.
Located in Fiordland National Park, the trail begins at Lake Te Anau and ends at Milford Sound. It has earned a reputation as one of the most celebrated multi-day walks on the planet, and hikers can choose between guided trips and independent walks depending on how much support they want along the route. As travel writer Dave Dean of What’s Dave Doing wrote in his Milford Track guide, “To be honest, it’s one of the most spectacular multi-day hikes I’ve done anywhere in the world, and richly deserves its bucket-list status.”
How many people walk the Camino de Santiago each year?
Roughly 250,000 people walk the Camino de Santiago each year, according to Condé Nast Traveler, and nearly 500,000 pilgrims completed the journey in 2024.
The Camino leads to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, the resting place of the apostle Saint James, and combines history, spirituality and scenery in a way few other bucket-list hikes match. There are more than 200 routes in total, and these seven stand out as the most popular.
- Camino Francés (French Way), chosen by nearly half of 2024’s walkers
- Camino Portugués (Portuguese Way)
- Camino del Norte (Northern Way)
- Camino Primitivo (Primitive Way)
- Camino Inglés (English Way)
- Camino Invierno (Winter Way)
- Camino Finisterre
The routes begin in several different countries but all eventually converge on Santiago.
Conversation
All comments are subject to our Community Guidelines. Woman's World does not endorse the opinions and views shared by our readers in our comment sections. Our comments section is a place where readers can engage in healthy, productive, lively, and respectful discussions. Offensive language, hate speech, personal attacks, and/or defamatory statements are not permitted. Advertising or spam is also prohibited.
