It’s hard to imagine all the beauty and awe in the world when you get caught in the monotony of everyday life. Across the seven continents and 195 countries, there are endless possibilities of locations to trek and adventures to discover.
Earth’s unique geography allows us to explore lands as high as the clouds and ocean depths where the sun doesn’t touch. If you are a mountain climber or a shore hiker, the world offers an endless bucket list of destinations and sites to explore.
You can attempt to visit every hiking trail in the world, but this list narrows it down to the treks every solo adventurer needs to add to their bucket list.
North America
Banff National Park
Tucked away in the Canadian Rocky Mountains is Banff National Park, Canada’s first national park. From July to September, trek through a thousand miles of trails to find stunning glacier lakes and soaring mountain peaks.
Ice Age National Scenic Trail
Take the Mammoth Walk in Wisconsin through the Ice Age National Scenic Trail. Mammoths and prehistoric giants carved out a natural trail some 15,000 years ago when North America was thawing.
Runyon Canyon Hike
Arguably the best and most famous hiking trail in Los Angeles is Runyon Canyon Park. Thousands of people and celebrities visit the Runyon Canyon trail because of the panoramic views of the city and surrounding mountains. With its green lifestyle, climate-friendly policies, abundant public transportation, and easy access to farmers markets, Los Angeles is one of the most sustainable cities in America, so it is no wonder it has one of the most famous, naturally beautiful hiking trails in the country.
Acatenango Trek
The 8.5-mile loop up Acatenango volcano in Guatemala is a must-do for the solo hiker. While the journey up and down the stratovolcano is amazing, the real sight is the view of Acatenango’s neighbor, Volcán de Fuego. The “fire volcano” is active and erupts every 20 minutes or so, making this site a bucket-list hike.
South America
Torres del Paine W Trek
Patagonia in the southern hemisphere offers some of the most breathtaking views in the world. Stretching from Chile to Argentina, this section of the Andes Mountains towers over small villages with snow-capped peaks. The W Trek at Torres del Paine is great for backpackers who love to immerse themselves in the wild. Plan to spend about five days completing this nearly 50-mile hike.
Classic Salkantay Trek
Every year more than 1.5 million people visit Machu Picchu in Peru. There are multiple routes to get to the ancient Incan site, but the Salkantay trek is a classic course to get to the Peruvian brush. This hike is less visited than the more popular Incan trail.
Camino de Costa Rica
A tropic lover’s dream hike is the Camino de Costa Rica. This 170-mile trek gets you from the Caribbean coast to the Pacific coast of Costa Rica in about three weeks. On this trail, go from sea level to the peak at 7,154 feet before descending into the town of Quepos where a huge octopus art piece greets travelers.
Europe
7-Seenblick-Wanderung
Find switchbacks, rocky trails, and encompassing views in Austria on the 7-Seenblick-Wanderung, or Seven Lakes Way. While a roundtrip to all three peaks is only about 2.5 hours, the hikes here are demanding and at some points, you will need to attach yourself to a cable as you hike the sides of giant mountains.
Tour du Mont Blanc
Trek through Italy, Switzerland, and France on the Tour du Mont Blanc. On this 105-mile hike, you’ll reach altitudes of 32,000 feet and see the wild wonders these three countries offer from green landscapes to snow-capped mountains. Hut-to-hut hiking is a unique experience when you go on this difficult trek to personalize the hike to fit your needs.
El Camino de Santiago
One of the most famous pilgrimages is El Camino de Santiago. While travelers can join the way at any point, the farthest starting point is in the Galician town of Sarria, 62 miles away from Santiago de Compostela. The Santiago de Compostela Cathedral is in the center of a small Spanish villa and is alleged to be the final resting place of St. James the Apostle. For this reason, El Camino de Santiago is visited by 400,000 people a year.
Asia
Dragon’s Back Trail
Hidden in Hong Kong is a curving mountain ridge trail dubbed the Dragon’s Back Trail. Along the trail, you’ll see beautiful, coastal views of the South China Sea and the city skyline behind you. The trek is five miles long, but how long it takes you to finish will depend on your fitness level. Most people can finish it in two to five hours.
Mount Everest
Mount Everest and the Nepalese Himalayas are some of the most coveted treks in the world. Each year 100,000 people visit Sagarmāthā National Park but only about 800 attempt to summit Mount Everest. Due to the brutal weather conditions, not everyone is successful, and unfortunately, some people lose their lives on this hike. Summiting Mount Everest requires a lot of training and skill, so only attempt this trek once you are ready and cleared to attempt the climb.
Africa
Mount Kilimanjaro
Climbing Kilimanjaro in Tanzania is not for the weak, but those who summit say it is a remarkable experience they are lucky to have. At 19,340 feet, Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest peak on the African continent. This is a hike you don’t want to rush. Experts say spending more days hiking and camping to reach the summit will help your body get more acclimated to the conditions the higher you get.
Etosha Safari Trail
Namibia’s landscape looks like something out of an art museum. But the views at Etosha National Park are real life. Those hills in the distance? Those are enormous dunes. Immerse yourself in Africa’s wild landscape by traveling the animal-made treks. On this safari trek, you can observe safari creatures in their native habitats.
Akchour & God’s Bridge
The God’s Bridge is a hidden gem and a must-see when you are in Morocco. While steep, the trek to the Akchour waterfall takes about 4 hours and is moderately easy to complete. On the way to the bridge, you’ll find waterfalls where you can cool off in one of the swimming holes. The fascinating 82-foot high bridge stands over the river Oued Farda and was carved out naturally by water thousands of years ago.
Oceania
Tongariro Alpine Crossing
New Zealand is home to a World Heritage site filled with volcanic and mesmerizing landscapes known as the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. The flora and fauna here you won’t find in other parts of the world, thanks to the specific conditions created by the North Island volcanoes. Due to the difficult terrain and sub-freezing temperatures during the winter, expert hikers are welcomed from May through October.
Kosciuszko National Park
Down under in New South Wales, head to Kosciuszko National Park for the Australian Alps Walking Track trail. Avid adventurers can travel from the south to the north on this 437-mile-long trek. Travel in comfort when adventuring the Australian outback. To get to some remote destinations consider renting a vehicle or hiring a driver.
Antarctica
The ice-covered continent known as Antarctica is no longer just the home of penguins and researchers. You can join guided expeditions to the South Pole where you can snowshoe through trails to find towering icy mountains that not many people on Earth can say they’ve seen.
On every hiking adventure, pack plenty of water and snacks. You will need a liter of water for every two hours you are trekking. Grapes are a great fruit to pack, as they are mostly made up of water. Don’t forget a good pair of hiking boots, sunscreen, a hat, and a walking stick.
By Gina Thompson