Endorphins, ‘nature’s happy chemicals’ are released in our bodies each time we step out of our homes and stride off on a walk. This pleasure of walking is further enhanced by the sheer beauty of nature in landscapes, diverse flora and fauna, new experiences and of course the company we find ourselves in.
Booking a walking holiday is pleasurable in its own right but just imagine the endorphin levels you will reach with eight or more days to spend traversing a new destination on foot?
Everyone has a different tick list for a good walking holiday and of course your destination will be dictated by the time of year you wish to travel. Have a look at our top suggestions for 2021 walking escapes and talk to us to find out more. Places will be limited so don’t wait to book your chosen walking holiday.
Self-Guided Walking Holidays
Europe caters for walkers of all levels from easy strides along the olive-lined coastal paths of Puglia in Southern Italy to the mountain gorges and coastal scenes of Corsica and of course the glorious Austrian Alps.
Rest assured on one of our self-guided trips that your route will have been meticulously planned and marked with easy to follow guidance, allowing you to take as much time as you like and with the knowledge that your luggage will be waiting for you at your next hotel or guesthouse.
If sun, sand and glistening turquoise oceans are on your wish list there are plenty of options to choose from. The Corfu Trail sits regularly at the top of our bestsellers, offering the option of an 8, 10 or 15-day hike which traverses the lesser-known interior of this popular island, taking you along goats’ trails and past pretty hidden hamlets to beckoning beaches.
Northern Spain’s pretty fishing coves and year-round quality of light attracted painters such Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso to establish studios, from which to pursue their art. Start at the historic city of Girona on Walking the Catalan Coast, before skirting from mountains to Mediterranean as you walk north in this proud region.
More mountains you say? How about taking the Classic GR10 route through France’s beloved Pyrenees? This is a real hikers’ route and will suit those of you looking for something more challenging as you ascend and descend along this varied and rocky terrain.
Guided Group Walking Holidays
Opting for a guided group trip will allow your world of walking to open up beyond European borders or take you to places which would be more challenging to attempt if you were self-guiding. You will also have the benefit of letting someone else take control of guiding you from location to location, while you reap the benefits of all their local knowledge. Meeting new friends is fun too!
Staying in Europe, our Hiking Croatia itinerary offers the benefit of being transferred across the country to the top national parks, where you take leisurely walks in a mix of mountain, forest and ultimately coastal landscapes.
For the chance to combine challenging trekking with high mountain passes to summits and visits to historical sites take a look at The Accursed Mountains in Albania or Land of Dracula: Walking in Transylvania. Both itineraries take you to the remote wilderness areas of these spectacular countries where there is nothing to distract you from nature.
Chile’s ‘leggy’ geography gives the country an incredible range of varying landscapes, many of which you can see on our Walking in Chile’s Lake District & Desert. This unusual and easy-walking cultural itinerary offers the chance to get under the skin of this fascinating destination from the lakes of Pucon to the starry skies of the arid Atacama Desert.
Of course, no ‘best of’ hiking list is complete without the epic grandeur of the Himalayas. Annapurna Sanctuary Lodge Trek is a challenging hike which leads you up to the ‘Throne Room of Mountain Gods’ where you will be accompanied by peacefulness and awe-inspiring vistas throughout.
View all our self-guided and guided group walking holidays, or for more information, contact our friendly team.
