Best Hiking Trails in the World

Text and drawings by Frits Ahlefeldt, Founder of Hiking.org

Amazing hiking trails are all over the planet, just looking at Wikipedia’s list of long distance hiking trails gives an impression of how many places walking is more than just walking.

Three hikers on the Snowman trail - watercolor by Frits Ahlefeldt

Snowman Trek

Tough 200 miles / 320 km. high altitude trail, that takes around 25 days, through the Himalaya mountains in Bhutan between India and China

Watercolor painting of the Kalalau Coast Trail, tribal look, illustration by Frits Ahlefeldt

Kalalau Trail – Hawaii

11 miles / 18km. short, (2-3) days. Slippery, dangerous and breath-taking coastal hike on Hawaii.

Watercolor of hiker walking along the St. Olav Way in Norway, a stone showing the trail mark beside him

Nidaros Pilgrim’s route Trail (Norway)

3-4 weeks, 643km. / 400 miles long marked pilgrimage trail running South to North in Norway between Oslo and Tronheim. Now additional trails has been added all leading to Nidaros ( Tronheim)

Mount Everest Basecamp Watercolor illustration by Frits Ahlefeldt

Mount Everest Base camp Trail

15-20 days hike to one of the Basecamps of Mount Everest, ( Nepal or Tibet, to the highest mountain on Earth.

Mount Kilimanjaro with two elephants watercolor by Frits Ahlefeldt

Kilimanjaro Trail

7-10 Days hike to the top of the highest mountain of Africa: Kilimanjaro ( Tanzania – summit: 5895m. / 19.341ft)

Drawing of the Macchu Picchu Inca citadel with the text Inca Trail written in red - Watercolor by Frits Ahlefeldt

Inca Trail

A legendary 4-5 days mountain hiking trail in Peru along ancient paths, to the 15 th century Inca ruins Macchu Picho at an altitude of 2430m./ 7970ft.

Gr. 20 Corsica hiking trail watercolor of trail with hikers, by Frits Ahlefeldt

Corsica Gr 20 Trail

Corsica’s 180km. / 112 miles ( 2 weeks ) long hiking trail across the high mountains of this Mediterranean island (France) – a hike with official huts/camp-areas along the trail

illustration of Kungsleden Sweden with two hikers crossing a wet area on wooden plank

Kungsleden

440km. / 270 miles, 1-4 weeks. A mostly flat mountain trail with many streams and lakes. situated in Northern Sweden, Most hikers only walk the first most Northern (110 km. / 70 miles / 1 week) Mountain huts along the way.

Watercolor illustration of hikers in the Rwenzori mountains with the text Mountains of the Moon written in front. Painting by Frits Ahlefeldt

Mountains of the Moon trail

Rwenzori Mountains – 8-10 days trekking in Uganda, Africa – a trek from dense tropical rain forest and up through five vegetation zones to +5000 m. / 16,000ft. high snow covered peaks in one of the most biodiversity rich areas on Earth.

Watercolor of two hikers at Torres del paine, with the text Torres del Paine Circuit. Painting by Frits Ahlefeldt

Torres Del Paine

8-9 days approx. 130km. long hike in Patagonia, Chile. Round one of the world’s most legendary National parks. Voted fifth most beautiful places on Earth by National Geographic

Watercolor of the Camino De Santiago pilgrimage trail, painting by Frits Ahlefeldt

Camino de Santiago

30 days, 780 km. / 585 miles. Spain. Spiritual and cultural trail, ( some walk more or less ) Ends at the holy city of Santiago de Compostela. More than 250.000 yearly hikers and pilgrims

Hikers around a shelter in a forest with the text Appalachian trail in front, Watercolor illustration by Frits Ahlefeldt

Appalachian Trail

A 6 months hike on the legendary, social and marked 3500km. /2200 miles long mostly forest trail on the east side of the USA

Watercolor of tour de Mont Blanc, painting by Frits Ahlefeldt

Tour de Mont Blanc Trail

Around 10 days ( 105 miles / 170km.) – Hiking by the highest mountain of Europe (4808 m. / 15574 Feet ). A hike through both France, Italy and Switzerland

Watercolor of the Bay of Fires hike with two hikers, painting by Frits Ahlefeldt

Bay Of Fires Trail – Tasmania

Tasmanian 20 miles / 33km. long Coastal trail along the beaches of North Eastern Tasmania ( Australia )

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