Distance: 22 miles (35 kilometers) round trip.

Total Elevation Gain: 6,500 feet.

Difficulty: Strenuous.

When: Year round, but more unpredictable weather in the winter months.

Duration: 7-9 hours one way. Total hike requires an overnight spent camping on Kalalau Beach.

Dangers: There are many narrow sections along cliffs, so hikers with a fear of heights might struggle. Some sections of the trail have also been washed away. The risk of flash floods is very real. Many people have died on this trail by trying to cross streams after rainstorms.

There are two designated camping areas along the Kalalau Trail: Hanakoa Campsite, located approximately 6 miles from the trailhead, and Kalalau Beach, located at the end of the trail. Prearranged permits are required for all camping.

The camping permits can be reserved 90 days beforehand, but can be quite competitive so make your reservation very early. The cost was $35 for nonresidents. Make sure to have a screenshot and/or print out of this permit and have it on your person during the hike.

Distance: 10.3 miles out-and-back

Elevation Gain: 1,600 feet.

Difficulty: Moderate – Strenuous.

Duration: 5-7 hours.

Where: The trailhead is located at a parking lot right off Many Glacier Road between Many Glacier Lodge and Many Glacier Campground. The parking lot is small and this is a very popular trail, so you’ll need to arrive here well before 8 AM if you want to find parking.

Glacier National Park is divided into three distinct areas. The trailhead to Grinnell Glacier is located along Many Glacier Road, in the northeastern quadrant of the park.

The closest and most convenient accommodation would be Many Glacier Hotel, nestled along the shores of Swiftcurrent Lake. Many Glacier Campsite is also located at the end of Many Glacier Road, providing quick and easy access to the trail.

The best area to stay outside of the park is St. Mary, but lodging is limited, so make reservations early. Browning is about a 35 minute drive east of St. Mary and the entry to Many Glacier Road. You’ll find a lot more lodging options here, as well as several restaurants and even a grocery store.

Distance: 4.3 miles.

Elevation Gain: 1,827 feet.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Duration: 4 hours.

Where: The trailhead is found at the Grotto in Zion National Park.

Danger: Most of the trail is a steep ascent and completely exposed to the sun. It also follows a narrow ridge that drops 1,000 feet straight down on both sides. Along the ridgeline you’ll need to use chains and do some rock scrambling. The trail should not be attempted for those with a severe fear of heights or young children.

Zion National Park is in close proximity to a few rather large cities, including Hurricane and St George. You’ll find several reasonably priced accommodations in these areas.

The small town of Springdale is the gateway to Zion National Park and has many hotels, rental properties, and restaurants, making it a convenient location to stay when touring the park.

You can stay in the Zion National Park itself, by booking a room at Zion Lodge, the only hotel within the park. There are also three different campsites located in the park if you prefer to keep things simple.

Distance: 16.1 miles.

Elevation Gain: 2,076 feet.

Duration: 10-12 hours.

Difficulty: Strenuous as most of the trail you’ll be hiking and wading through at least ankle deep water. There are also some sections that require wading through chest-deep water, swimming, and boulder scrambling. The hike will be even more challenging if flow rates and water depths are elevated.

Where: Zion National Park. The official trail begins at Chamberlain’s Ranch in the north and follows the Virgin River to the Temple of Sinawava in the south.

Zion National Park is in close proximity to a few rather large cities, including Hurricane and St George. You’ll find several reasonably priced accommodations in these areas.

The small town of Springdale is the gateway to Zion National Park and has many hotels, rental properties, and restaurants, making it a convenient location to stay when touring the park.

You can stay in the Zion National Park itself, by booking a room at Zion Lodge, the only hotel within the park. There are also three different campsites located in the park if you prefer to keep things simple.

Distance: 13.1 miles (21.1 km) point to point.

Elevation Gain: 3,274 feet (998 meters)

Duration: 7-8 hours.

Difficulty: Moderate – strenuous.

Where: The trailhead we used began at Rio Electrico, about 14 km north of El Chaltén. It can be reached by shuttle bus, taxi, or your own car. The trail ultimately returns to El Chaltén.

When: The southern hemisphere’s summer and shoulder months, from late October to early April.

Virtually everyone hiking to Laguna de los Tres, commonly referred to as the Fitz Roy Hike, will be based in El Chaltén, a quaint village at the base of the Argentine Andes in Patagonia. El Chaltén can be reached from nearby El Calafate by a 3 hour drive.  

El Chaltén has several lodging options, including a variety of hotels, hostels, B&Bs, and campsites. Food can be found at a number of small markets, quaint cafes, and delicious restaurants lining the city’s main street. There’s also a surprising amount of shopping, supply stores.

Don’t wait to book lodging until the last minute, as the ordinarily quiet town transforms into a popular and lively backpacking community in the summer. Lodging in December and January might be especially hard to come by.

Distance: 10.9 miles (17.4 km) out and back trail. The optional extension to Mirador Maestri adds about 500 feet of elevation gain and 2.4 miles.

Elevation Gain: 1,640 feet (500 meters).

Duration: 6-8 hours.

Difficulty: Moderate. There are a few areas of ascent but most of the trail is very flat. 

Where: The two trailheads (which soon merge) are located on the western side of El Chaltén. The official trailhead is located at the end of Los Charitos Street.

When: Late October to early April. 

Almost everyone hiking to Laguna Torre will be based in El Chaltén, the trekking capital of Argentina’s Patagonia. There are only about 1,700 residents of the town, but it transforms into a haven for hiking enthusiasts during the summer months.

The trailhead is located at the western side of El Chaltén, so anyone based in the town can reach it on foot in less than 20 minutes.

Most visitors to El Chaltén will be coming from El Calafate. From there, buses and rental cars arranged in order to complete the 215 km drive to El Chaltén, which takes a little less than 3 hours.

El Chaltén has a variety of lodging options, ranging from relatively high end hotels to primitive campsites. There are also several hostels and B&Bs located throughout the town. 

Distance: 45.5 miles (73 km) point to point hike.

Elevation: 9,900 feet (3,000 meters).

Duration: Variable, but usually 4-5 days.

Difficulty: Moderate to strenuous. Hiking slowly and spacing the trek out over several days can ease the daily elevation and distance requirements considerably. 

Where: Torres del Paine National Park, in Chilean Patagonia.

When: October – April, but peak trekking months are December-February. It’s possible to complete the trek in the winter months but a guide would be mandatory.

Most travelers planning to hike the W Trek will fly into Punta Arenas, in southern Chile, and take a bus to Puerto Natales, the closes town to Torres del Paine National Park.

From Puerto Natales, a separate bus will transport trekkers to the park. There are a few nice hotels and campsites throughout Torres del Paine that can be booked prior to starting the W Trek.

The W Trek itself has several dorm style refugios and campsites along its route. The refugios offer half or full board, and although not luxurious, they are all respectable and provide the essentials.

The campsites often operate on a tiered system, where you can pay up for pre pitched tents, mats, and sleeping bags. 

Distance: 10.5 km (6.5 miles).

Ascent: 600 meters (2,000 feet).

Descent: 550 meters (1,800 feet).

Difficulty: Moderate-Strenuous. Careful footing was needed while crossing over the stones at Steinerness Meer and the ascent up to Gehrengrat Ridge was steep in parts. The descent down the ridge to Spullersee can be dangerous as the trail was washed away in certain parts.

Duration: 5-6 hours.

The best location to stay for this hike is Lech am Arlberg. This is a bustling mountain town that is extremely popular with skiers in the winter and rabid hikers in the summer.

From budget hotels to luxurious resorts, there is lodging for every kind of traveler. There are also numerous restaurants for dining out.

The hike is located in the remote Lechquellen mountains. However, with robust transporation system in Lech, getting there is easy. There are several buses a day that leave the city center of Lech and drop hikers off at Formarinsee. Another bus meets those hikers at Spullersee and returns them to Lech.

The Lech card is a great option as well, providing free use of the regional buses and cable cars.

Distance: 3.5 miles (5.5 km) point to point between Bomerano and Nocelle. If hiking from Bomerano to Positano the trail will be 5.8 miles (9.3 km).

Elevation Gain/Loss: 700 feet (200 meters) elevation gain and 1,300 feet (400 meters) elevation loss.

Duration: 3-4 hours.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Where: On the Amali Coast. The hike is generally done from Bomerano to Nocelle, although other versions are common.

When: Ideally shoulder season, March-May or September-November. Summer will be very hot and high season.

If hiking Path of the Gods, there are a wide variety of locations to stay, ranging from the small villages dotting the Amalfi coastline to the larger metro areas nearby. The largest cities with reasonable access to the region are Naples and Sorento to the north and Salerno to the east.

However, most hikers will likely be staying in the one of the numerous towns within the Amalfi Coast, including Positano, Ravelo, Amalfi, and Maiori.

There are many other less famous towns along the coast, with their own charm and unique features. There are many hotels and rental properties available in all of these areas, from lavish five-star hotels to simple bed and breakfasts.

Distance: 10 km (6.2 miles) loop trail.

Elevation Gain: 540 meters (1,770 feet).

Difficulty: Moderate. There are no technical aspects to the trail, but its length and elevation gain will make it challenging toward the end. 

Duration: 5-7 hours, at a leisurely pace with several photo stops and time for lunch at one of the amazing mountain huts.

When: Late May to early November.

Seceda is located in the western Dolomites. We stayed in Ortisei when visiting the area. This is a larger town and provides great access to other popular areas such as Alpe di Siusi, Val di Funes, and the scenic mountain highways, including the Sella Pass and Passo Gardena.  

If looking for a slightly smaller town in the western Dolomites, consider Selva di Val Gardena. This is one of the more charming towns in the area but still offers ample hotels and restaurants. In our opinion, either Ortisei or Selva di Val Gardena would be great options in this region.

Distance: 10.1 km (6.3 mile) loop with a few short detour options.

Elevation gain: 470 meters (1,530 feet).

Difficulty: Moderate

Duration: 5-6 hours, but quite variable and depending on the time taken for photos and eating at the rifugios.

When: After the snow melts and the road opens, usually late May through mid/late October.

The nearest major town to Tre Cime di Lavaredo is Cortina d’Ampezzo. This is a fairly large town and popular with hikers when visiting the Dolomites. It has numerous lodging and restaurant options. It’s where we stayed while in the region, and is a fantastic location. 

Cortina d’Ampezzo is about 150 km or a 2 hour drive from Venice and 400 km or a 4.5 hour drive from Milan. From Cortina d’Ampezzo, the Tre Cime di Lavaredo trailhead is 22 km or a 35 minute drive.

The two main options for getting to the Tre Cime di Lavaredo are driving yourself or taking a bus. There are a few large parking lots at the trailhead however there is a toll road leading there and relatively new parking restrictions, so plan to arrive early. 

Distance: Point to point, 14 km (9 mile) hike.

Elevation: 1,100 meters (3500 ft) ascent and descent.

Duration: 6-8 hours.

Difficulty: Strenuous, due to both length and elevation gain. Some rock scrambling and the use of chains is also required.

When: Early June through early October.

The Besseggen Ridge hike is fairly far from the popular tourist bases in Norway. It is 200 km or a 4 hour drive from Oslo and 220 km or nearly 6 hours from Bergen.

As a result, the hike can’t realistically be done as a day trip from these popular Norway locations. Fortunately there are some lodging and camping options near the the ferry port at Gjendesheim.

The night before our hike we stayed at Bessheim Fjellstue og Hytter. This was a very convenient location and only about 5-10 minutes from the port of Gjendesheim. The hotel provides half board – both delicious and filling.  

Distance: Point to point 10 km (6 miles) hike.

Ascent: 1,000 meters (3,300 feet).

Descent: 1,200 meters (3,900 feet).

Duration: 8-10 hours.

Difficulty: Strenuous, mostly due to elevation gain and less so due to distance. There is a steep ascent through a boulder field that requires rock scrambling until you reach the ridge. There are also a few areas along the ridge that call for the use of chains.

The best place to stay for this hike is definitely Åndalsnes. This is a decent sized city at the far end of Romsdalsfjorden. It has many accommodations and a good number of restaurants.

Transportation needs to be arranged for this hike, which is another reason to base in Åndalsnes. You will need to book a bus that will transport you from the Åndalsnes city center to the trailhead at Venjedalssetra.

The hike will climb and then follow the ridge to Romsdalen cable car station. From here, it is a brutal descent down the mountain on foot, or a casual cable car ridge (for a steep price).

The hiking statistics are dependent on where you begin the hike. There are 3 areas to park, Tyssedal (P1), Skjeggedal (P2), and Mågelitopp (P3). Most hikers will begin from either P2 or P3. 

Distance: 20 km (12 miles) from P3 or 27 km (16 miles) km from P2.

Elevation: 300 meters (1,000 feet) from P3 or 800 meters (2,600 feet) from P2.

Duration: 7-10 hours from P3 or 10-12 hours from P2.

Difficulty: Moderate. The trail is fairly long, but it’s not technical and there’s not much elevation gain. However, starting from P2 adds 450 meters of elevation, 7 km of distance, and 2-3 hours of hiking time.

We stayed at an Airbnb in nearby Odda, which is about a 20 minute drive to the two main Trolltunga parking lots. Odda is fairly large, with many lodging accommodations and restaurants. For hikers opting for an overnight stay closer to Trolltunga, there are several campsites, cabins, and eco huts that can be reserved ahead of time.

Trolltunga is about 200 km and a 3.5 hour drive from Bergen so it can’t really be done as a day hike from there. It’s even further from Oslo and Stavanger.

Other potential places to base would be Kinsarvik or Eidfjord, but these towns are 1-2 hours from the Trolltunga parking lots. For us, Odda was perfect as it was close to the trail and was a big enough town that it had a good amount of lodging, restaurants, and shops.

Distance: 10.6 miles.

Elevation Gain: 2,240 feet.

Duration: 5-7 hours.

Difficulty: Moderate.

Conditions: Excellent. The trail is well maintained and sign posted. However, the majority of the trail is composed of volcanic sand, which can be challenging terrain in which to hike.

Where: On the island of La Palma, in the Canary Islands archipelago. The northern trailhead is found at Refugio El Pilar while the southern trailhead is located at Los Canarios. The trail can be hiked in either direction but is generally done from north to south.

La Palma is a relatively small island, measuring “only” 274 square miles. Regardless of where you stay on the island, you’ll be able to access the northern trailhead in an hour or less.

Santa Cruz de La Palma is the island’s capital and largest city. You’ll find an abundance of lodging accommodations, restaurants, and popular attractions there.

Just north of Santa Cruz de La Palma is San Andrés y Sauces, a picturesque mountain town near Charco Azul. On the western coastline of La Palma is the charming coastal village of Puerto de Tazacorte, renowned for its black sand beach.

Southern La Palma has fewer towns and more barren terrain, but there are a few towns in the Fuencaliente municipality that would be suitable, including Los Canarios.

Distance: 3.9 mile point-to-point trail.

Elevation Gain: 620 feet.

Duration: 2-3 hours depending on the number of stops made.

Difficulty: Easy. There are no technical sections, and the majority of the trail is paved and relatively flat. The trail is accessible to hikers of every age and fitness level.

Where: The trail runs along the Pacific Ocean coastline about 10 miles (and a 20-minute drive) east of Sydney’s CBD. The trail connects Bondi Beach and Coogee Beach and can be hiked in either direction.

When: The trail is accessible year-round. If planning to hike in the summer heat, make sure to bring protection from the sun.

Most people planning to hike the Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk will be staying in Sydney. Within Sydney there are counless places to stay including the Central Business District (CBD), Darling Harbour, and North Sydney.

From Sydney’s main transportation interchange, Circular Quay, the drive is about 20 minutes. You can take a personal car, Uber, taxi, or city bus.

The coastal towns of Bondi and Coogee would provide immediate access to the walk, contain their own business districts, and would also have no shortage of accomodations.

Distance: 3.7-mile loop trail.

Elevation Gain: 948 feet.

Duration: 3-4 hours, largely dependent on the trail conditions.

Difficulty: Moderate. The trail is well maintained, not too long, and doesn’t feature an overwhelming amount of elevation gain. The difficulty is all about the weather, river crossings, and trail conditions at the steep sections in and out of the canyon. We hiked the trail after about two days of steady rainfall, making the river crossings very challenging.

The closest town to the Grand Canyon Track is Blackheath. The charming town has a number of hotels, motels, and campsites that can serve as a base to explore the Blue Mountains.

Katoomba, the slightly larger town 13 kilometers south of the Grand Canyon Track is considered the gateway to the Blue Mountains and offers more attractions, restaurants, and accommodation options.

We stayed in the Fairmont Resort & Spa in Leura, the sister town to Katoomba. The resort has four onsite restaurants, a library, movie theater, indoor and outdoor pools, a garden maze, an arcade and playground for the kids, and spacious rooms. It provided convenient access to many of the attractions in the Blue Mountains and we really enjoyed our time there.

Distance: 4.6-mile loop trail.

Elevation Gain: 872 feet.

Difficulty: Moderate. There is one major incline and a few areas that require simple boulder scrambling, but the majority of the trail is fairly flat and not overtly technical.

Duration: 4 hours. The trail can be shortened by excluding the Kings Creek Trail and two other optional extensions, but these are some of the most impressive sections of the hike.

Permit: No permit is necessary, but you will need a compulsory park pass, which can be purchased online through the

Kings Canyon is located near the locality of Petermann, a remote and sparsely populated area with limited accommodations. 

The most popular and convenient place to stay is at Kings Canyon Resort. They offer standard lodge rooms with private facilities, powered and unpowered sites for tents and caravans, budget-friendly outback hotel rooms with shared bathroom facilities, and stylish glamping tents. They provide a complimentary breakfast buffet and Kings Canyon Bar and Grill is found just across the street and is a great place for dinner. 

Kings Creek Station is another option for lodging, and is found 36 kilometers south of Kings Canyon. They offer safari cabins, camping, and glamping options in a rustic outback setting.