Karakoram · Himalaya · Hindu Kush · Best May–Sep
Three great ranges meet in the north: the Karakoram, Himalaya and Hindu Kush. Five of the world's fourteen 8,000 m peaks, K2 among them, rise within its borders.
- Hunza Valley · 2,438 m · Easy
- Fairy Meadows · 3,300 m · Moderate
- Skardu & Shangrila · 2,228 m · Easy
- Lake Saiful Muluk · 3,224 m · Easy
- Deosai National Park · 4,114 m · Moderate
- Khunjerab Pass · 4,693 m · Easy
- Naltar Valley · 2,800 m · Easy
- Shigar Valley · 2,300 m · Easy
- Khaplu Valley · 2,600 m · Easy
- Kalash Valleys · 2,000 m · Easy
- Swat Valley and Kalam · 2,000 m · Easy
- Neelum Valley · 2,100 m · Easy
- K2 and Concordia · 8,611 m · Challenging
- Babusar Pass · 4,173 m · Moderate
- Attabad Lake · 2,500 m · Easy
- Passu · 2,500 m · Easy
- Altit · 2,100 m · Easy
- Eagle's Nest, Duikar · 2,850 m · Easy
- Rakaposhi Base Camp · 3,500 m · Moderate
- Hopar Valley · 2,800 m · Easy
- Gulmit and Ghulkin · 2,500 m · Easy
- Borith Lake · 2,600 m · Easy
- Baltit Fort and Karimabad · 2,500 m · Easy
- Rush Lake · 4,694 m · Challenging
- Sost · 2,800 m · Easy
- Shimshal Valley · 3,100 m · Moderate
- Gilgit · 1,500 m · Easy
- Bagrot Valley · 2,300 m · Easy
- Phander Valley · 2,900 m · Easy
- Shandur Pass · 3,738 m · Moderate
- Astore Valley · 2,400 m · Easy
- Chilas · 1,250 m · Easy
- Rupal Valley · 3,000 m · Moderate
- Kachura Lakes · 2,300 m · Easy
- Satpara Lake · 2,636 m · Easy
- Katpana Desert · 2,300 m · Easy
- Hushe Valley · 3,050 m · Moderate
- Sheosar Lake · 4,142 m · Moderate
- Snow Lake and Hispar La · 5,151 m · Challenging
- Kaghan Valley · 2,409 m · Easy
- Naran · 2,409 m · Easy
- Shogran and Siri Paye · 2,362 m · Easy
- Lalazar Plateau · 3,120 m · Easy
- Dudipatsar Lake · 3,800 m · Moderate
- Lulusar Lake · 3,410 m · Easy
- Malika Parbat · 5,290 m · Challenging
- Nathia Gali · 2,500 m · Easy
- Ayubia National Park · 2,400 m · Easy
- Chitral · 1,500 m · Easy
- Tirich Mir · 7,708 m · Challenging
- Karambar Lake · 4,272 m · Challenging
- Kumrat Valley · 2,000 m · Easy
- Mahodand Lake · 2,865 m · Easy
- Matiltan and Ushu Forest · 2,300 m · Easy
- Malam Jabba · 2,800 m · Easy
- Madyan and Bahrain · 1,350 m · Easy
- Swat Buddhist Heritage · 1,000 m · Easy
- Muzaffarabad · 700 m · Easy
- Sharda · 1,981 m · Easy
- Arang Kel · 2,554 m · Moderate
- Ratti Gali Lake · 3,683 m · Moderate
- Pir Chinasi · 2,900 m · Easy
- Keran · 1,524 m · Easy
- Banjosa Lake · 1,981 m · Easy
- Hussaini Suspension Bridge · 2,500 m · Easy
- Ganish · 2,400 m · Easy
- Ultar Sar · 7,388 m · Challenging
- Yasin Valley · 2,400 m · Moderate
- Ishkoman Valley · 2,100–3,700 m · Moderate
- Khalti Lake · 2,200 m · Easy
- Kargah Buddha · 1,500 m · Easy
- Manthal Buddha Rock · 2,300 m · Easy
- Kharpocho Fort · 2,300 m · Easy
- Mantokha Waterfall · 2,400 m · Easy
- Khaplu Palace · 2,600 m · Easy
- Chaqchan Mosque · 2,600 m · Easy
- Satrangi Lake · 3,100 m · Moderate
- Baltoro Glacier · 3,000–4,600 m · Challenging
- Trango Towers · 6,286 m · Challenging
- Nagar Valley · 2,400 m · Easy
- Nanga Parbat · 8,126 m · Challenging
- Rama Lake · 3,300 m · Moderate
- Khunjerab National Park · 3,200–5,200 m · Easy
- Jaglot · 1,400 m · Easy
- Gupis · 2,150 m · Easy
- Ansoo Lake · 4,126 m · Challenging
- Dunga Gali · 2,500 m · Easy
- Miranjani Trek · 2,992 m · Moderate
- Thandiani · 2,750 m · Easy
- Balakot · 1,000 m · Easy
- Tarbela Dam and Lake · 450 m · Easy
- Takht-i-Bahi · 150 m above the plain · Easy
- Marghazar White Palace · 1,000 m · Easy
- Miandam · 1,900 m · Easy
- Jarogo Waterfall · 1,500 m · Moderate
- Utror Valley · 2,300 m · Moderate
- Chitral Fort · 1,500 m · Easy
- Mastuj and Buni · 2,350 m · Moderate
- Chitral Gol National Park · 1,450–5,000 m · Moderate
- Lowari Pass and Tunnel · 3,118 m · Moderate
- Jagran Valley · 1,400 m · Easy
- Kutton Waterfall · 1,350 m · Easy
- Athmuqam · 1,350 m · Easy
- Leepa Valley · 1,900 m · Moderate
- Toli Pir · 2,743 m · Easy
- Rawalakot · 1,600 m · Easy
- Ganga Choti and Sudhan Gali · 3,045 m · Moderate
- Red Fort, Muzaffarabad · 740 m · Easy
- Chitta Katta Lake · 4,100 m · Challenging
- Murree · 2,200 m · Easy
- Patriata (New Murree) · 2,250 m · Easy
- Margalla Hills National Park · 1,600 m · Moderate
- Daman-e-Koh · 650 m · Easy
- Taxila · 550 m · Easy
Alps · Best Jun–Sep · Dec–Mar
Cog railways and cable cars lift visitors from village streets to glaciers within the hour. Summer is for hiking, winter for skiing.
- Matterhorn & Zermatt · 4,478 m · Moderate
- Lauterbrunnen Valley · 795 m · Easy
- Grindelwald and First · 2,168 m · Easy
- Jungfraujoch · 3,454 m · Easy
- Saas-Fee · 1,800 m · Easy
- Aletsch Glacier · 2,927 m · Easy
- St. Moritz and the Engadin · 1,822 m · Easy
- Mount Pilatus · 2,128 m · Easy
- Rigi · 1,798 m · Easy
- Verbier · 1,500 m · Moderate
- Davos and Klosters · 1,560 m · Easy
- Säntis and Appenzell · 2,502 m · Easy
Himalaya · Best Mar–May · Oct–Nov
Teahouse trails climb past monasteries and prayer flags toward the highest peaks on Earth. Eight of the fourteen 8,000 m summits lie in or on the border of Nepal.
- Everest Base Camp · 5,364 m · Challenging
- Annapurna Sanctuary · 4,130 m · Moderate
- Langtang Valley · 3,870 m · Moderate
- Manaslu Circuit · 5,100 m · Challenging
- Annapurna Circuit · 5,416 m · Challenging
- Poon Hill and Ghorepani · 3,210 m · Moderate
- Upper Mustang · 3,840 m · Moderate
- Gokyo Lakes · 5,357 m · Challenging
- Pokhara and Phewa Lake · 822 m · Easy
- Kathmandu Valley · 1,400 m · Easy
- Nagarkot · 2,195 m · Easy
- Rara Lake · 2,990 m · Moderate
Canadian Rockies · Best Jun–Sep
Glacier-fed lakes, big-sky highways and chalet towns fill the Canadian Rockies. Roads and trails are at their best from June to September.
- Moraine Lake & Banff · 1,885 m · Easy
- Lake Louise · 1,646 m · Easy
- Jasper and Maligne Lake · 1,670 m · Easy
- Icefields Parkway · 2,088 m · Easy
- Yoho and Emerald Lake · 1,282 m · Easy
- Mount Robson · 3,954 m · Moderate
- Whistler · 2,182 m · Moderate
- Waterton Lakes · 1,290 m · Easy
- Kananaskis Country · 2,206 m · Easy
- Gros Morne · 806 m · Moderate
- Cabot Trail and Cape Breton Highlands · 532 m · Easy
- Tombstone Territorial Park · 2,192 m · Moderate
Dolomites · Best Jun–Sep
The Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are pale limestone towers laced with hut-to-hut paths and cable cars.
- Tre Cime di Lavaredo · 2,999 m · Moderate
- Seceda & Val Gardena · 2,519 m · Easy
- Lago di Braies · 1,496 m · Easy
- Alpe di Siusi · 1,680 m · Easy
- Cortina d'Ampezzo · 1,224 m · Easy
- Val di Funes · 1,300 m · Easy
- Courmayeur · 1,224 m · Moderate
- Breuil-Cervinia · 2,050 m · Moderate
- Gran Paradiso National Park · 4,061 m · Moderate
- Stelvio Pass · 2,758 m · Easy
- Mount Etna · 3,357 m · Moderate
- Gran Sasso and Campo Imperatore · 2,912 m · Moderate
Patagonian Andes · Best Nov–Mar
Granite towers, turquoise lakes and wind-scoured steppe define Torres del Paine in Chilean Patagonia. Southern-hemisphere summer, from November to March, is the main season.
- Base of the Towers · 2,850 m · Challenging
- Cuernos & Lago Pehoé · 2,884 m · Easy
- Villarrica and Pucón · 2,847 m · Challenging
- Conguillío National Park · 3,125 m · Moderate
- Osorno Volcano and Puerto Varas · 2,652 m · Easy
- Cajón del Maipo · 2,500 m · Easy
- Cerro Castillo · 2,675 m · Challenging
- Marble Caves · 200 m · Easy
- Pumalín Park · 2,404 m · Moderate
- Lauca National Park · 4,517 m · Moderate
- Altiplanic Lagoons and Miscanti · 4,140 m · Easy
- Huerquehue National Park · 1,200 m · Moderate
Japanese Alps & Fuji · Best Jul–Sep (Fuji climb)
Mount Fuji dominates the skyline, with the Five Lakes, pagodas and the Japanese Alps within a day's travel. The official climbing season runs from early July to early September.
- Mount Fuji · 3,776 m · Moderate
- Chureito Pagoda & Fuji · Fuji views · Easy
- Kamikōchi · 1,500 m · Easy
- Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route · 2,450 m · Easy
- Hakone · 723 m · Easy
- Nikkō · 1,269 m · Easy
- Kōyasan · 800 m · Easy
- Nakasendō: Magome and Tsumago · 801 m · Easy
- Shirakawa-gō · 500 m · Easy
- Mount Aso · 1,592 m · Easy
- Daisetsuzan · 2,291 m · Moderate
- Yakushima · 1,936 m · Moderate
Alps · Pyrenees · Best Jun–Sep · Dec–Mar
Mont Blanc, the highest summit in the Alps, towers above Chamonix, while the Pyrenees hold the vast rock amphitheatre of Gavarnie. Summer is for hiking, winter for skiing.
- Chamonix & Mont Blanc · 4,806 m · Moderate
- Cirque de Gavarnie · 1,350 m · Easy
- Annecy · 448 m · Easy
- Vanoise National Park · 3,855 m · Moderate
- Écrins and La Grave · 3,983 m · Moderate
- Mont Ventoux · 1,912 m · Moderate
- Pic du Midi de Bigorre · 2,877 m · Easy
- Gorges du Verdon · 700 m · Moderate
- Cauterets and Pont d'Espagne · 932 m · Moderate
- Val d'Isère and Tignes · 1,850 m · Moderate
- Puy de Dôme and the Auvergne volcanoes · 1,465 m · Easy
- Vercors · 2,341 m · Moderate
Eastern Alps · Best Jun–Sep · Dec–Mar
Austria's highest peak, the Grossglockner (3,798 m), is crossed by one of Europe's great mountain roads, and the Dachstein rises above the lake village of Hallstatt.
- Grossglockner High Alpine Road · 2,504 m · Easy
- Hallstatt & Dachstein · 2,995 m · Easy
- Innsbruck and the Nordkette · 574 m · Easy
- Zell am See and Kaprun · 757 m · Easy
- Kitzbühel · 762 m · Easy
- Zillertal · 633 m · Moderate
- Ötztal and Sölden · 1,368 m · Moderate
- Stubai Valley · 1,000 m · Moderate
- Lech and the Arlberg · 1,444 m · Moderate
- Krimml Waterfalls · 1,470 m · Easy
- Wolfgangsee · 538 m · Easy
- Achensee · 929 m · Easy
Sierra Nevada · Rockies · Best Jun–Sep · Dec–Mar
Granite cliffs and giant waterfalls in Yosemite, and the jagged Teton Range rising straight from the valley floor in Wyoming: two national parks, two very different mountain landscapes.
- Yosemite Valley · 1,220 m · Moderate
- Grand Teton National Park · 4,199 m · Moderate
- Glacier National Park · 2,026 m · Moderate
- Rocky Mountain National Park · 4,346 m · Moderate
- Yellowstone · 2,240 m · Easy
- Zion National Park · 1,234 m · Moderate
- Grand Canyon · 2,134 m · Easy
- Great Smoky Mountains · 2,025 m · Easy
- Denali · 6,190 m · Moderate
- Mount Rainier · 4,392 m · Moderate
- Maroon Bells and Aspen · 2,920 m · Easy
- Sequoia and Kings Canyon · 2,050 m · Easy
Southern Alps · Central Plateau · Best Dec–Mar
Aoraki / Mount Cook, the country's highest peak, stands above glacial lakes in the South Island, while the volcanic craters of Tongariro hold the North Island's most famous day walk.
- Aoraki / Mount Cook · 3,724 m · Easy
- Tongariro Alpine Crossing · 1,886 m · Challenging
- Milford Sound · 1,692 m · Easy
- Queenstown and the Remarkables · 2,319 m · Moderate
- Wānaka and Roys Peak · 1,578 m · Moderate
- Franz Josef Glacier · 300 m · Easy
- Routeburn Track · 1,255 m · Moderate
- Mount Taranaki · 2,518 m · Challenging
- Arthur's Pass · 737 m · Moderate
- Kepler Track and Te Anau · 1,472 m · Moderate
- Lake Tekapo · 710 m · Easy
- Glenorchy and Mount Aspiring · 3,033 m · Moderate
Andes · Best May–Sep
Inca stone terraces cling to the cloud forest at Machu Picchu, and the striped ridges of Rainbow Mountain rise to about 5,000 m, both within reach of Cusco, itself at 3,400 m.
- Machu Picchu · 2,430 m · Moderate
- Rainbow Mountain (Vinicunca) · About 5,000 m · Challenging
- Inca Trail · 4,215 m · Challenging
- Sacred Valley · 2,870 m · Easy
- Salkantay Trek · 4,630 m · Challenging
- Choquequirao · 3,050 m · Challenging
- Colca Canyon · 3,700 m · Moderate
- Lake Titicaca · 3,812 m · Easy
- Huaraz and the Cordillera Blanca · 3,052 m · Moderate
- Laguna 69 · 4,600 m · Challenging
- Huayhuash Circuit · 5,000 m · Challenging
- Ausangate · 6,384 m · Challenging
Andes · Patagonia · Best Nov–Mar
Aconcagua (6,961 m) is the highest mountain outside Asia, and in Patagonia the granite spires of Fitz Roy rise above the trekking village of El Chaltén.
Scandinavian Mountains · Fjords · Best Jun–Aug
Norway's fjord country offers hikes that end on dramatic rock ledges: Trolltunga above Lake Ringedalsvatnet and Preikestolen, the flat-topped cliff above the Lysefjord.
- Trolltunga · 1,100 m · Challenging
- Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock) · 604 m · Moderate
- Geirangerfjord · 1,038 m · Easy
- Lofoten · 1,000 m · Moderate
- Jotunheimen and Besseggen · 2,469 m · Challenging
- Trollstigen · 858 m · Easy
- Flåm and the Nærøyfjord · 866 m · Easy
- Kjerag · 1,110 m · Challenging
- Lyngen Alps · 1,833 m · Challenging
- Senja · 1,000 m · Moderate
- Rondane · 2,178 m · Moderate
- Romsdalseggen and Åndalsnes · 1,555 m · Challenging
Himalaya · Best Jun–Sep
In the Indian Himalaya, Spiti is a high-altitude cold desert dotted with ancient monasteries, and the Valley of Flowers bursts into bloom each monsoon.
- Spiti Valley · 3,650 m · Moderate
- Valley of Flowers · 3,350–3,650 m · Moderate
- Leh and Ladakh · 3,500 m · Moderate
- Pangong Tso · 4,350 m · Moderate
- Nubra Valley · 3,050 m · Moderate
- Manali and Solang Valley · 2,050 m · Easy
- Gulmarg · 2,650 m · Moderate
- Darjeeling · 2,042 m · Easy
- Yumthang Valley · 3,564 m · Moderate
- Chopta and Tungnath · 3,680 m · Moderate
- Dharamshala and Triund · 2,828 m · Moderate
- Kinnaur and Kalpa · 2,960 m · Moderate
Kilimanjaro · Mount Meru · Best Jan–Feb · Jun–Oct
Kilimanjaro (5,895 m) is the highest mountain in Africa and the tallest free-standing mountain in the world, and neighbouring Mount Meru makes a quieter first climb.
- Mount Kilimanjaro · 5,895 m · Challenging
- Mount Meru & Arusha National Park · 4,562 m · Challenging
- Ngorongoro Crater · 2,300 m · Easy
- Serengeti · 1,500 m · Easy
- Lake Manyara · 960 m · Easy
- Tarangire · 1,100 m · Easy
- Ol Doinyo Lengai and Lake Natron · 2,962 m · Challenging
- Usambara Mountains · 2,300 m · Moderate
- Udzungwa Mountains · 2,576 m · Moderate
- Mahale Mountains · 2,462 m · Moderate
- Kitulo National Park · 2,600 m · Easy
- Mount Hanang · 3,417 m · Challenging
Eastern Himalaya · Best Mar–May · Sep–Nov
Prayer flags, cliff-edge monasteries and some of the highest unclimbed peaks on Earth: Bhutan's mountains are explored slowly, along temple trails and high passes.
- Tiger's Nest (Paro Taktsang) · 3,120 m · Moderate
- Dochula Pass & Punakha · 3,100 m · Easy
- Thimphu · 2,320 m · Easy
- Bumthang · 2,600 m · Easy
- Phobjikha and Gangtey · 3,000 m · Easy
- Haa Valley · 2,700 m · Easy
- Chele La Pass · 3,988 m · Easy
- Jomolhari Trek · 4,930 m · Challenging
- Trongsa · 2,200 m · Easy
- Gasa and Gasa Tshachu · 2,800 m · Moderate
- Dagala Thousand Lakes · 4,720 m · Challenging
- Trashigang · 1,100 m · Easy
Arabian Peninsula · Hajar Mountains · Best Nov–Mar
Glass towers in Dubai, a white marble mosque in Abu Dhabi, red dunes, old forts and mountain roads that climb to cool air: the Emirates pack a lot into a short trip. Winter is the season.
Anatolia · Taurus and Pontic Mountains · Best Apr–Jun · Sep–Nov
Mosques and bazaars in Istanbul, balloons over the rock towers of Cappadocia, Roman cities on the Aegean and a long Mediterranean coast: Turkey has more to see than a single trip allows.
- Hagia Sophia · 40 m · Easy
- Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Mosque) · 40 m · Easy
- Göreme and the Cappadocia valleys · 1,000 m · Easy
- Cappadocia Balloon Flights · 1,000 m · Easy
- Pamukkale and Hierapolis · 350 m · Easy
- Ephesus · 30 m · Easy
- Topkapı Palace · 40 m · Easy
- Antalya and Kaleiçi · 30 m · Easy
- Ölüdeniz and Babadağ · 1,700 m · Easy
- Bodrum · 10 m · Easy
- Mount Nemrut · 2,134 m · Moderate
- Sümela Monastery · 1,150 m · Easy
- Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar · 40 m · Easy
- Bosphorus · 0 m · Easy
- Galata Tower and Karaköy · 60 m · Easy
- Derinkuyu Underground City · 1,300 m · Easy
- Kaş and Kekova · 10 m · Easy
- Olympos and the Chimaera · 10 m · Moderate
- Troy · 30 m · Easy
- Gallipoli Peninsula · 30 m · Easy
- Bursa · 150 m · Easy
- Uludağ · 2,543 m · Moderate
- Mount Ararat and Doğubayazıt · 5,137 m · Challenging
- Lake Van and Akdamar Island · 1,640 m · Easy
- Uzungöl · 1,100 m · Easy
- Kaçkar Mountains and Ayder · 3,937 m · Challenging
- Konya and the Mevlana Museum · 1,016 m · Easy
- Safranbolu · 500 m · Easy
- Mardin · 1,083 m · Easy
- Göbekli Tepe · 760 m · Easy
Nile Valley · Sinai and the Red Sea · Best Oct–Apr
The Pyramids of Giza, temples that line the Nile, painted tombs, desert oases and coral reefs: Egypt is one of the oldest destinations in the world, and the cooler months are the time to go.
