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walking Trips

Walking trips are great for both the body and soul! It’s the ultimate slow mode of transport – and it’s the way our ancestors traveled. No other activity allows you more flexibility to stop and smell the roses (or wild rosemary), meet the locals and drink in the scenery. It’s also a great way to spend time with family and friends.

BEST WALKING HOLIDAYS

So many great walking holidays to choose. But if we were asked to choose our top 10. Here they are.

Chile: Atacama desert

The spectacular Awasi Patagonia is tucked away within a private reserve neighboring the renowned Torres Del Paine National Park. Here, sheltered by a luxuriant native forest of beech trees called lengas and ñirres, are just 12 villas (one of which features two suites) that are inspired by old Patagonian shelters and ranching outposts. Each villa offers incredible views of views of the forest, Lake Sarmiento, the pampas and Torres del Paine peaks. Guests are allocated a dedicated guide and private vehicle to ensure an exclusive Patagonia experience. The expert guides offer interpretive wilderness journeys to some of the region’s most famed attractions. You will also have the opportunity to explore the surrounds of the lodge on gentle nature walks. Read more >

Chile & argentina: patagonia

The spectacular Awasi Patagonia is tucked away within a private reserve neighboring the renowned Torres Del Paine National Park. Here, sheltered by a luxuriant native forest of beech trees called lengas and ñirres, are just 12 villas (one of which features two suites) that are inspired by old Patagonian shelters and ranching outposts. Each villa offers incredible views of views of the forest, Lake Sarmiento, the pampas and Torres del Paine peaks. Guests are allocated a dedicated guide and private vehicle to ensure an exclusive Patagonia experience. The expert guides offer interpretive wilderness journeys to some of the region’s most famed attractions. You will also have the opportunity to explore the surrounds of the lodge on gentle nature walks. Read more >

australia: arkaba

Arkaba Station in the remote Flinders Ranges of South Australia offers guests the opportunity to discover rugged beauty and incredible bird and wildlife on the 4-day/3-night Arkaba Walk. Traversing an ancient landscape and private wildlife conservancy, you’ll be immersed in the story of the land. Framed by the rugged wall of Wilpena Pound and the red-hued ridges of the Elder Range, the Arkaba Walk (max 10 guests) is inclusive of two night’s camping in deluxe swags on one of the signature star beds, and one night in the 1850’s Arkaba Homestead.  Every dinner is a three-course, chef-prepared feast, served at tables spread with white linen and bottles of South Australian wines, under lanterns hung in the trees. Sleeping under the stars wrapped up in a cosy swag surrounded by raw, open landscape… well there could hardly be a more Australian experience. The final night is spent in the comfort of historic Arkaba homestead where another Australian life and story is revealed.

australia: tasmania

Tasmania has always been one of the world’s best kept secrets. It has unique natural beauty, abundant wildlife, unspoiled wilderness and sophisticated food and wine. The Great Walks of Tasmania is a collection of independent guided walk companies offering unforgettable experiences in Tasmania’s most inspiring and extraordinary locations. They combine the best of Tasmanian wilderness walking with excellent guiding, unique accommodation and offer delicious Tasmanian food and wine along the way. Together their walks cover over 300km of Tasmania’s prime walking tracks. Variety abounds and there is a walk for every fitness level and time frame; choose for example a 23km walk over 4 days or an 80 km walk over 9 days. Relax in elegant standing camps or tents or stay in an award winning walkers lodge or huts. There is a walk to suit everyone. Join walkers from all over the world as they enjoy, recharge and revitalize themselves in the island paradise that is Tasmania.

Peru: inca trail

Peru is an incredible destination which offers many adventure treks and expeditions, including the world-famous Inca Trail to Machu Picchu as well as equally stunning yet less visited routes like Salkantay, Ausangate and Lares. Please call us for detailed information on the treks we recommend most, including group (shared), private and luxury services. Please contact us directly for tailor-made routes.

Sacha Lodge, Amazon. Ecuador, South America

ecuador & Galapagos: explore the land of darwin

The best way to see Galapagos wildlife in these islands is on the walks and hikes that are scheduled each day on the different Islands. Every visit to each island involves an easy or an intermediate walk or hike, which last between 1 to 3 hours and are usually not strenuous at all. On these walks you will be led by expert naturalists who will guide you along the clearly marked trails in each of the Islands and show you all the wonders of these enchanting islands.

Italy: amalfi coast, in the foosteps of the gods

“A dream place” – that’s how Steinbeck described Amalfi. And when you take in the Path of the Gods, the hotels, the food and the limoncello, you”ll understand why. To see Amalfi in travel-mag spreads is to glimpse at its beauty: those ruin-topped cliffs on chic Capri, the rugged mountain trails lined with chestnut groves and rosemary around Ravello; and the famed Path of the Gods above Positano are more than any page could cover. During your customized Amalfi Coast walking tour, with private boats and insider knowledge, you’ll explore these majestic hills with a local naturalist, take lunch in a mountain hut with our pal Salvatore, and sip a drink poolside in Italian luxury.

Italy: dolomites

The Dolomites, a scenic part of the Alps located in Italy, are an absolute mecca for outdoor enthusiasts. With plenty of activities to choose from, one of the most popular things to do here is hiking. From short, flat walks to challenging hikes with significant elevation changes, day hikes to multi-day excursions, the Dolomites offer a wide variety of options for hikers of all skill levels. The mountainous trails boast a charming contrast between scenic valleys, wild alpine meadows, and dramatic vertical peaks, each presenting its own array of natural beauty. And, the different valleys, rifugios, and towns you’ll encounter en-route offer a variety of cultures (Italian, Austrian, and Ladin), languages, and cuisine to explore! 

India: up in the himalayas

Up in the Himalayas, you can retrace the footsteps of many an explorer, Buddhist follower and writer seeking adventure, enlightenment and solitude. The Shakti Village Walks tagline “Inner journeys…outdoors” resonates deeply with us and is to date one of our best travel experiences. The hiking can be as gentle or strenuous as you like, encouraging you to slow down and appreciate the simplicity of life in the mountains and connect with your surroundings. Each location provides a different authentic experience; you can trek the Himalayas with experienced guides and stay in luxury tents (a.k.a. ‘glamping’), take guided walks throughout remote villages and stay in traditional village housing, or travel between villages via river rafting the Indus and Zanskar rivers. Being on top of the world certainly gives you a clearer perspective on life and the air was so pure we wanted to bottle it up and take it home.

Bhutan: walking journey

Bhutan will both humble and amaze. About the size of Switzerland, it combines the green alpine meadows, chalet-style homes and snowy peaks of a wintry playground with the truly exotic: the ancient mystical culture of Himalayan Buddhism practiced daily by monks, nuns and the populace in beautifully preserved ancient temples and monasteries. Incense, butter lamps, chanting and drums heighten the experience as the myth, magic and legend of the great teachers and saints of yore are repeated in song, text and vivid iconography on the walls of temples and homes. This spirit manifests itself in the people – one can sense their quiet confidence and pride inherent in their wonderful sense of humour and innocence, disarming and endearing in equal measure. The myth of Shangri-La is easy to believe as you explore this unforgettable land.

Featured destination

 fogo island, Newfoundland, Canada

 

fogo island, newfoundland ~ Canada

The only way to truly know Fogo Island is to explore it by foot. Walk along ancient footpaths steeped in history, hike jagged cliffs to one of the four corners of the earth, and follow animal tracks in untamed wilderness. With over 200 km of paths, routs, and trails, Fogo Island is a rewarding destination for hikers and walkers alike. There are 14 easily accessible trails and for those who want to venture further, a naturalist, geologist-in residence, and community host can guide you.

Every trail tells a story—those long winters spent walking to distant lumber woods or lookout points where loved ones eagerly awaited a ship to return from the sea. There is a soulfulness to our landscape because this is a place where nature and culture are bound together. Abandoned communities where people once lived, such as Eastern Tickle and Lion’s Den, have gone back to the exclusive domain of nature… but the ghosts still linger.

Between the Labrador Current’s cold waters and our unsheltered coasts, the arctic comes to us. At a 49 degree latitude, Fogo Island’s sub-arctic landscape breeds bogs, barrens, and boreal forests. Bounded by the craggy shores of the North Atlantic, it is not uncommon to spot caribou, foxes, whales, icebergs, and colonies of seabirds. And our 420-million-year-old geologic history is in evidence everywhere: spot stunning and fascinating contortions of rock formed by ice, fire, and sea. Being on this farthest of shores offers the possibility of getting to know our welcoming wilderness on a deep level. Naturalist John Muir said it best: “I only went out for a walk, and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in.”