Top 9 Hikes Around the World

As most people know, I’m a big hike fan. I grew up in Southern Utah where hiking was the big Saturday morning activity. Well, hiking or the lake. We’d hike the big hill near our house and look out over the valley to see all of the city and part of the neighboring suburbs. I call it a hill, but it was really a mountain. My hometown, St. George, is surrounded by mountains on all sides, they’re just smaller ones and we called those hills. The big mountains were a bit further away and we’d hike those every so often, too, which made my childhood full of outdoor hiking adventures with my family.

As I’ve gotten older and traveled, I’ve come across some really great hikes and got to wondering what other great hikes are out there. So, I asked some travel blogger buddies what hikes they’ve truly loved and this is what they said.

Jonathan Fuhrmann of Beating the Humdrum said Trotternish Ridge on the Isle of Skye in Scotland is the best hike he’s done

Find Jonathan on his website, Beating the Humdrum, as well as on Twitter.

The Trotternish Ridge on the Isle of Skye is one of the most iconic views of Scotland, although not many people make it out here. Located in the far northwest of Scotland, Skye is a rugged paradise, although the weather – as you can imagine – rarely plays along.

Created by a series of huge landslides, the Trotternish Ridge is essentially a 23-mile-long cliff tearing an enormous scar down the length of one of Skye’s peninsula. It can be done in just over a day, although most people take 2 or 3 days to really take in its beauty and the many landmarks along the way. Being on a cliff edge at all times, the views are never anything short of spectacular – and it’s nearly impossible to get lost!

This is not a walk to go into unprepared – finding good spots to camp can be tricky as the ridge is extremely exposed and there is no shelter. I left Skye with some stunning photographs and memories of beautiful solitude – and firm plans to return. I would recommend this hike to anyone who’s not afraid of map and compass and is looking for a real adventure away from the masses!

Kiki Karpus of Wanderlust Explorers really enjoyed Mount St. Helen’s in Washington State, USA

Find Jen & Kiki on their website, Wanderlust Explorers, as well as on Facebook.

Our friend Renae was diagnosed with sarcoma, which is a pretty deadly cancer, in January of 2013. To raise money for research she was going to hike the volcano that is Mount St. Helen’s in Washington. The first thing we thought was,”Can we go?!” Month of planning and training later we finally hiked Mt. St. Helen’s in August of 2013. We had to get permits beforehand. It’s a 9.6 mile hike with 4665 feet elevation gain. After 2 miles to get above the treeline – I’d say 2-3 miles of it is a rock scramble over lava rocks with the last 1000 ft of elevation gain is just pure ash so you are sliding all over. 1 step forward 2 steps back. The view into the crater (the last eruption was 2008) is amazing and you can see Mt. Rainer in the distance. Lots of emotions and hard work went into the hike. It was very rewarding to support Renae and raise money for a great cause. The best part is that Renae is cancer free and doing great.

For Mel Elderfield of If You Wanna Go Just Go, her favorite hike was Wineglass Bay in Tasmania.

Find Mel on her website, If You Wanna Go Just Go, as well as on Facebook.

In beautiful Wineglass Bay, Tasmania, adventurous hikers should avoid the languorous crowds clogging up the standard ‘lookout’ hike; and instead tackle the nooks, crannies and rock faces of towering Mount Amos.

This is a wonderfully varied and challenging hike; a steep climb involving sheer drops and slippery cliff faces, necessitating much scrambling on hands and knees and contorting of the frame to squeeze through gaps. The entire time you are in suspense for what is next; your whole body put through its paces as you pull yourself upwards and try to maintain a footing. This is not for those of a nervous, vertigo-inspired, disposition… which affords some wonderful solitude up there, on the roof of Tasmania, as you gawp endlessly at the seductive views.

Indeed, what I love most about this hike are the breath-taking panoramic vistas throughout the entire climb; endless blue ocean licking at pine forests and vibrant red rock, all sprawled majestically beneath you. It’s enough to have you stopping every few hundred metres and staring in wonderment, so take your time and enjoy. Tasmania will have that effect on you at the best of times; but at these heights, and with these glimmering seascapes, it is truly beguiling.

Irina Banica of Are You Happy? Travel had to say Mount Batur on Bali, Indonesia, was her favorite hike.

Find Irina on her website, Are You Happy? Travel, as well as on Facebook.

Mount Batur is a 1717 meters high active volcano located in Bali, Indonesia. The night trek was an impressive trek which started at around 4 in the morning with a walk in the lanterns’ light on a wide path with black volcanic sand. As we walked further and further in the night the path got narrower and tilted so that everyone was walking in a row.  We stopped almost on top of Mount Batur at the guides’ refuge where most of us remained to watch the sunrise while the most courageous set up to conquer the highest peak walking on a small path made only of volcanic sand. It was a little after 6 in the morning and the sun was getting ready to show its face while one of the guides was slowly singing “Everybody loves somebody”. There, on the stone bench of the refugee on top of Mount Batur, warmed up by the shy shades of the sun rising and gazing at the lake that was starting to take a shape at the bottom of the mountains while the clouds lifted up and disappeared amongst the peaks we were living one of the best sunrises of a lifetime.

One of my favorite hikes was in the Blue Mountains of Australia

The Blue Mountains of Australia is a mountain range that spans 37 square miles of the Great Dividing Mountain Range and is part of the Greater Blue Mountains Area World Heritage Site. According to Wikipedia, the area is named as it is because of the blue ” tinge [that] is believed to be caused by mie scattering which occurs when incoming ultraviolet radiation is scattered by particles within the atmosphere creating a blue-greyish colour to any distant objects, including mountains and clouds.”

When we visited Australia we knew we wanted to see these famous mountains and drove there from Sydney early in the morning and didn’t leave until well after sunset. Blue Mountains has several hiking trails that lead to glens, waterfalls, valleys, abandoned mining towns, aboriginal settlements and grand plateaus, so there are plenty of places to lose yourself in. We had meant to head back to Sydney before sunset, but found ourselves climbing higher as the sun went down to see the shadows play over the valley below. There’s a certain magic that can be felt as you watch the mountains change colors as the light fades.

Jon Algie of Jon Is Travelling said Tongariro Crossing in New Zealand was his hands down favorite hike

Find Jon on his website, Jon Is Travelling, as well as on Facebook.

Long considered one of the best day hikes in the world, the Tongariro Crossing doesn’t disappoint those looking for truly breathtaking scenery. The star of the show is Mount Ngauruhoe, the angry red-faced volcano better known as Mount Doom from the Lord of the Rings movies. The volcanic scenery along the Tongariro Crossing is just amazing and the area is still very much active – the last eruption was only a few years ago. The hike also takes you past the beautiful Emerald Lakes, along a ridge where you’ll see awesome views over the surrounding countryside (including Lake Taupo if you’re lucky) and then down through some native New Zealand forest. The Tongariro Crossing is a full day’s hike and is manageable for most fitness levels. When we did it we were running a bit late and had to run the last 5 kilometres to make our pick up in time; I guess we stopped to admire the scenery too many times!

For Jennifer Melroy of Made all the Difference Travel Blog, Angel’s Landing in Utah was her top pick.

Find Jennifer on her website, Made all the Difference Travel Blog, as well as on Facebook.

I stood on Angel’s Landing and my only though was “This view was doesn’t disappoint.”  Standing on Angel’s Landing in Zion National Park, Utah was the entire point of this summer road trip.  I woke up before sunrise to catch the first bus to the Angel’s Landing trailhead.  From the trailhead, its 2.5 mile uphill to the Landing from the canyon floor. The trail is deceptive.  The first mile is a steady uphill climb.  The second mile is called Walter’s Wiggle.  It’s a collection of twenty-one steep zigzags that lead to Scout Lookout.  The first two miles is preparation for the last half-mile.  This half-mile has a reputation of being one of the most terrifying hikes in the world.

I loved that the adrenaline starts flowing from the first step past Scout Lookout.  On either side is a 800 ft plus vertical drop.  The view increases with each upward step and it’s sometimes hard to take my eyes off the view.  I make it to the top and all I can do is stand there with a silly grin on my face. The early Zion explore was right “Only an angle could land it.”

Andrew Delmenhorst of Passport Chronicles has been on some great hikes and said that Camino de Santiago in Spain is his favorite.

Find Andrew on his website, Passport Chronicles, as well as on Facebook.

The Camino de Santiago in northern Spain is a 500 mile, 30 day hike to the tomb of St. James. The walk is visually stunning, especially the undulating terrain in Galicia (don’t miss O Ceberio!), and rich in culture and history (every day you encounter another legend about the Camino).In addition to the beauty and culture, this hike was special to me for a couple of reasons. First, the sense of accomplishment one gets from completing the hike is profound. Knowing you have the stamina and grit to walk 500 miles is quite powerful; not everyone is able to go the distance. Furthermore, during all those miles you gain a deeper appreciation for the small things in life. You realize you don’t need much to be happy – everything you need to live is literally carried on your back. Finally, you are able to create surprisingly deep relationships with people. You walk together, eat together and many times, sleep in the same room. Intimacy develops very quickly. So much so, that many people refer to those that they meet and travel with on a daily basis as their “Camino Family”.