← TripMemo2026 · Hiking Edition

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10 Best Hiking Trails in the World

A ranked shortlist of the world's best named multi-day hiking trails and trekking routes for 2026. This page compares routes, not general summer destinations, using distance, difficulty, permits, seasonality and the feeling you carry home in your legs.

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Granite peaks and glacial lake scenery in Torres del Paine, Patagonia — W Trek, Patagonia
50 mi · 4 to 5 days · Chile

Trail count

10 named routes

Planning details

Distance, permits, season

Search intent

Treks, not destinations

Turquoise Coast

Lycian Way

Türkiye

A Mediterranean long-distance trail of cliff paths, ruins and blue-water coves.

The Lycian Way follows Türkiye's southwestern coast past ancient cities, pine forest, limestone cliffs and beaches that look too bright to be real. It is long, hot and wonderfully flexible: walk a week or commit to the whole thing.

Distance: 335 mi / 540 km
Duration: 25 to 30 days
Best season: March to May, September to November
Difficulty: Hard

RouteÖlüdeniz to Geyikbayırı

PermitsNo permit; self-guided sections possible

Trail highlights

Ölüdeniz
Patara Beach
Olympos
Saklıkent Canyon

“Ancient ruins, sea cliffs and a swim at the end.”

Turquoise coastline along the Lycian Way Trail near Ölüdeniz, Türkiye — Ancient ruins, sea cliffs and a swim at the end.

Tasmania

Overland Track

Australia

Tasmania's alpine spine: button grass, dolerite peaks and wild weather.

The Overland Track crosses Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park through moorland, rainforest and alpine plateaus. Side trips to Cradle Mountain, Barn Bluff and waterfalls turn a good trek into a great one.

Distance: 40 mi / 65 km
Duration: 5 to 6 days
Best season: December to April
Difficulty: Hard

RouteCradle Mountain to Lake St Clair

PermitsOverland Track Pass required in peak season

Trail highlights

Cradle Mountain
Barn Bluff
Pelion Plains
Lake St Clair

“Australia, but colder, wilder and much stranger.”

Mountain range and grassland on the Overland Track in Tasmania — Australia, but colder, wilder and much stranger.

Eastern United States

Appalachian Trail

USA

America's great green tunnel, from Springer Mountain to Katahdin.

The Appalachian Trail is the longest commitment on this list. Most hikers only walk sections, but the full thru-hike crosses 14 states, hundreds of shelters and a culture that has become a world of its own.

Distance: 2,198 mi / 3,537 km
Duration: 5 to 7 months
Best season: March to October
Difficulty: Expert

RouteGeorgia to Maine

PermitsNo single permit; park rules vary

Trail highlights

Great Smoky Mountains
McAfee Knob
White Mountains
Mount Katahdin

“A continent-length habit, one white blaze at a time.”

Forest path on the Appalachian Trail in Great Smoky Mountains National Park — A continent-length habit, one white blaze at a time.

Camino de Santiago

Camino Francés

Spain

The world's great social walk: Basque hills, wine country, meseta and cathedral bells.

The Camino Francés is not wilderness in the usual sense. It is a month-long walk through villages, vineyards, hostels and shared dinners, where the transformation comes from repetition and company as much as scenery.

Distance: 490 mi / 790 km
Duration: 30 to 35 days
Best season: May to June, September to October
Difficulty: Moderate

RouteSaint-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Santiago

PermitsNo permit; carry a pilgrim credential

Trail highlights

Pyrenees crossing
Pamplona
Burgos Cathedral
Santiago de Compostela

“A pilgrimage disguised as a very long conversation.”

Pilgrims walking down a dirt road on the Camino de Santiago in Spain — A pilgrimage disguised as a very long conversation.

Fiordland

Milford Track

New Zealand

Rainforest, alpine pass and waterfalls in one of the wettest beautiful places on Earth.

New Zealand's Milford Track has been called the finest walk in the world for more than a century. It crosses beech forest, Mackinnon Pass and glacial valleys before ending near Milford Sound.

Distance: 33 mi / 53.5 km
Duration: 4 days
Best season: October to April
Difficulty: Moderate

RouteGlade Wharf to Sandfly Point

PermitsGreat Walk booking required

Trail highlights

Clinton Valley
Mackinnon Pass
Sutherland Falls
Arthur Valley

“Rain is not the problem here. It is the whole point.”

Hiker walking through lush rainforest on the Milford Track, New Zealand — Rain is not the problem here. It is the whole point.

Southern Highlands

Laugavegur Trail

Iceland

Rhyolite mountains, black lava fields, hot springs and sudden snowfields.

Laugavegur feels like a different planet every few miles. The trail moves from painted rhyolite hills to obsidian lava, steaming vents, desert flats and green valleys below Eyjafjallajökull.

Distance: 34 mi / 55 km
Duration: 3 to 4 days
Best season: July to September
Difficulty: Moderate

RouteLandmannalaugar to Þórsmörk

PermitsHuts/campsites book out; trail opens seasonally

Trail highlights

Landmannalaugar
Hrafntinnusker
Álftavatn
Þórsmörk

“Iceland changes costume every hour.”

Hikers walking through Landmannalaugar on Iceland's Laugavegur Trail — Iceland changes costume every hour.

European Alps

Tour du Mont Blanc

France / Italy / Switzerland

The great Alpine circuit: three countries, glacier views and hut-to-hut comfort.

The Tour du Mont Blanc circles western Europe's highest mountain through France, Italy and Switzerland. It is physically demanding, but the reward is civilized: mountain refuges, cheese, wine, espresso and a new valley every day.

Distance: 103 mi / 170 km
Duration: 9 to 12 days
Best season: June to September
Difficulty: Hard

RouteChamonix loop around Mont Blanc

PermitsNo permit, huts should be booked early

Trail highlights

Chamonix
Col de la Seigne
Courmayeur
Grand Col Ferret

“A hard walk with a hot meal waiting over the pass.”

Mountain trail winding toward snowy peaks on the Tour du Mont Blanc in France — A hard walk with a hot meal waiting over the pass.

Patagonia

W Trek

Chile

Granite towers, blue glaciers and weather that changes its mind every hour.

The W Trek threads together the greatest hits of Torres del Paine: the Base of the Towers, French Valley and Grey Glacier. It is wild without being expedition-only, which is why Patagonia's most famous route still deserves the hype.

Distance: 50 mi / 80 km
Duration: 4 to 5 days
Best season: November to March
Difficulty: Hard

RouteTorres del Paine National Park

PermitsPark entry and refugio/campsite bookings

Trail highlights

Base of the Towers
French Valley
Grey Glacier
Lake Nordenskjöld

“Patagonia distilled into five hard, perfect days.”

Khumbu Himalaya

Everest Base Camp Trek

Nepal

A high-altitude walk through Sherpa villages to the foot of the world's tallest mountain.

Everest Base Camp is less about technical climbing and more about altitude, patience and scale. Suspension bridges, monasteries, prayer flags and enormous Himalayan walls build slowly until you are standing beneath the Khumbu Icefall.

Distance: 80 mi / 130 km
Duration: 12 to 14 days
Best season: March to May, October to November
Difficulty: Hard

RouteLukla to Everest Base Camp

PermitsSagarmatha National Park and local permits

Trail highlights

Namche Bazaar
Tengboche Monastery
Kala Patthar viewpoint
Khumbu Icefall

“The mountain gets closer every day, until it is all sky.”

Mule crossing a suspension bridge on the Everest Base Camp trail in Nepal — The mountain gets closer every day, until it is all sky.

Cusco Andes

Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

Peru

The classic pilgrimage: cloud forest, Inca stonework and sunrise at the Sun Gate.

The Inca Trail is the rare hike where the route is as important as the destination. You cross high Andean passes, sleep near archaeological sites, and arrive at Machu Picchu on foot, the way the drama was designed to unfold.

Distance: 26 mi / 42 km
Duration: 4 days
Best season: May to September
Difficulty: Hard

RouteKm 82 to Machu Picchu

PermitsPermit and licensed guide required

Trail highlights

Dead Woman's Pass
Wiñay Wayna ruins
Intipata terraces
Sun Gate sunrise

“Four days of stone steps, then the lost city appears.”

Hikers crossing a stone bridge on the Inca Trail near Cusco, Peru — Four days of stone steps, then the lost city appears.

Ranking methodology

Last reviewed on 11 May 2026. This page is intentionally scoped to named multi-day hiking trails and trekking routes, so it does not compete with TripMemo destination guides such as Europe summer holidays, bucket list places or road trips. Trails were ranked for scenery, route identity, cultural significance, logistics, permit complexity, seasonality and how strongly the route works as a dedicated hiking trip. Distance, duration and permit notes should be checked with local park or route authorities before booking.

Related TripMemo guides

Different trip ideas, separate search intent.

Europe summer destinations

Seasonal places to visit in Europe, not route-by-route trekking advice.

World road trips

Driving routes with distance, duration and seasonal planning.

Bucket list destinations

Iconic places and wonders, broader than individual trail routes.

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Hiking Trail FAQ

Is this a list of hiking destinations or specific hiking trails?

This guide ranks specific multi-day hiking trails and trekking routes, not general outdoor destinations. It is built for travellers comparing named routes such as the Inca Trail, Everest Base Camp, the W Trek, Tour du Mont Blanc and the Milford Track.

What is the best hiking trail in the world?

For a once-in-a-lifetime hiking trip, the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is the strongest overall pick because it combines mountain scenery, cultural history, a controlled permit system and a genuinely iconic finish. Everest Base Camp and Patagonia's W Trek are close behind for scale and mountain drama.

Which famous hiking trail is best for beginners?

The Camino Frances is the most beginner-friendly trail on this list because it has villages, hostels, food and transport support throughout. Milford Track and Laugavegur are shorter, but weather and booking logistics make them less forgiving.

Which top hiking trail needs the most planning?

The Inca Trail, Milford Track, Overland Track and W Trek need the earliest booking because permits, huts or campsites are limited. Everest Base Camp also needs careful acclimatisation planning, even though the route itself is not technical.

What is the hardest hike on this list?

The Appalachian Trail is the hardest overall because of its length: a full thru-hike usually takes five to seven months. For a two-week trip, Everest Base Camp is the hardest because altitude is the main challenge.

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