Gilgit-Baltistan
Hunza Valley
Apricot orchards, old forts and Karakoram giants along the Karakoram Highway.
2,438 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Villages & culture
Destinations
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Filter by country, level and what you enjoy. Every guide lists the best months, the altitude and how to get there.
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Showing 396 of 396 destinations
Destinations
Diamer, Gilgit-Baltistan
Fairy Meadows
A grassy plateau with a front-row view of Nanga Parbat, reached by jeep and a forest trek.
3,300 m · Jun–Sep · Moderate
Good for: Trekking
Gilgit-Baltistan
Skardu & Shangrila
Lakes, high deserts and the road towards K2 and the Baltoro Glacier.
2,228 m · May–Sep · Easy
Good for: Lakes · Scenic views
Naran, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Lake Saiful Muluk
An alpine lake below Malika Parbat, reached by jeep from Naran.
3,224 m · Jun–Sep · Easy
Good for: Lakes
Valais
Matterhorn & Zermatt
A car-free village below the Alps' best-known peak, with lifts up to 3,883 m.
4,478 m · Jun–Sep · Dec–Apr · Moderate
Good for: Trekking · Snow & ski
Bernese Oberland
Lauterbrunnen Valley
A sheer-walled valley of waterfalls, including the 297 m Staubbach Falls.
795 m · May–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Villages & culture · Trekking
Khumbu
Everest Base Camp
The classic teahouse trek through Sherpa villages to the foot of the Khumbu Icefall.
5,364 m · Mar–May · Oct–Nov · Challenging
Good for: Trekking · Villages & culture
Annapurna, Gandaki
Annapurna Sanctuary
A glacial amphitheatre ringed by Himalayan peaks, reached from Pokhara.
4,130 m · Mar–May · Oct–Nov · Moderate
Good for: Trekking · Villages & culture
Banff National Park, Alberta
Moraine Lake & Banff
Turquoise water below the Valley of the Ten Peaks; the access road opens in late spring.
1,885 m · Jun–Sep · Easy
Good for: Lakes
Banff National Park, Alberta
Lake Louise
A glacier-fed lake with canoeing in summer and skiing nearby in winter.
1,646 m · Jun–Sep · Dec–Mar · Easy
Good for: Lakes · Snow & ski
Dolomites, Veneto & South Tyrol
Tre Cime di Lavaredo
Three limestone towers with a 10 km loop around their base.
2,999 m · Jun–Sep · Moderate
Good for: Trekking
Dolomites, South Tyrol
Seceda & Val Gardena
A knife-edge ridge above green meadows, reached by cable car from Ortisei.
2,519 m · Jun–Oct · Dec–Mar · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Snow & ski
Torres del Paine, Patagonia
Base of the Towers
A long day hike to a glacial lake below the three granite towers.
2,850 m · Nov–Mar · Challenging
Good for: Trekking · Lakes
Torres del Paine, Patagonia
Cuernos & Lago Pehoé
Banded granite horns above the turquoise water of Lago Pehoé.
2,884 m · Nov–Mar · Easy
Good for: Lakes · Scenic views
Yamanashi & Shizuoka
Mount Fuji
Japan's highest peak, with an official climbing season from early July to early September.
3,776 m · Jul–Sep · Moderate
Good for: Trekking
Yamanashi
Chureito Pagoda & Fuji
A five-storey pagoda framing Mount Fuji, best in cherry-blossom and autumn-leaf weeks.
Fuji views · Apr · Nov · Easy
Good for: Villages & culture · Scenic views
Haute-Savoie, Alps
Chamonix & Mont Blanc
The Alps' mountaineering capital, with glaciers, a cable car to 3,777 m and the Tour du Mont Blanc on the doorstep.
4,806 m · Jun–Sep · Dec–Apr · Moderate
Good for: Trekking · Snow & ski
Hautes-Pyrénées, Pyrenees
Cirque de Gavarnie
A vast glacial amphitheatre with a 422 m waterfall, reached on an easy valley walk from the village of Gavarnie.
1,350 m · Jun–Sep · Easy
Good for: Scenic views
Salzburg & Carinthia, Hohe Tauern
Grossglockner High Alpine Road
A 48 km mountain road with 36 bends, rising past glaciers to 2,504 m beneath Austria's highest peak.
2,504 m · Jun–Sep · Easy
Good for: Scenic views
Salzkammergut, Upper Austria
Hallstatt & Dachstein
A lakeside village below the Dachstein massif, with cable cars to ice caves, a salt mine and viewing platforms.
2,995 m · May–Oct · Easy
Good for: Lakes · Villages & culture
Sierra Nevada, California
Yosemite Valley
Granite cliffs, giant waterfalls and ancient sequoias in one of America's best-known national parks.
1,220 m · May–Jun · Sep–Oct · Moderate
Good for: Scenic views · Trekking
Wyoming, Teton Range
Grand Teton National Park
A jagged range that rises straight from the valley floor, with clear lakes, meadows and wildlife.
4,199 m · Jun–Sep · Moderate
Good for: Trekking · Lakes
Canterbury, Southern Alps
Aoraki / Mount Cook
New Zealand's highest mountain above glacial lakes, with an easy valley walk to icebergs at its foot.
3,724 m · Dec–Mar · Easy
Good for: Trekking · Lakes
Central North Island
Tongariro Alpine Crossing
A one-way volcanic day walk past steaming vents, the Red Crater and the bright Emerald Lakes.
1,886 m · Nov–Mar · Challenging
Good for: Trekking · Scenic views
Cusco Region, Andes
Machu Picchu
The 15th-century Inca citadel above the Urubamba River, reached by train from Cusco or on foot along the Inca Trail.
2,430 m · May–Sep · Moderate
Good for: Villages & culture · Trekking
Cusco Region, Andes
Rainbow Mountain (Vinicunca)
Mineral-striped ridges close to 5,000 m, reached on a long day trip from Cusco.
About 5,000 m · May–Sep · Challenging
Good for: Trekking · Scenic views
Santa Cruz, Patagonia
Fitz Roy & El Chaltén
Patagonia's trekking capital, with day hikes from the village to granite spires and glacial lakes.
3,405 m · Nov–Mar · Challenging
Good for: Trekking · Lakes
Mendoza, Andes
Aconcagua
The highest peak outside Asia, with a roadside viewpoint, short treks and a serious high-altitude climb.
6,961 m · Dec–Mar · Challenging
Good for: Trekking · Scenic views
Hardanger, Vestland
Trolltunga
A full-day hike to a rock ledge jutting out about 700 m above a fjord lake.
1,100 m · Jun–Sep · Challenging
Good for: Trekking · Lakes
Rogaland, Lysefjord
Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock)
A flat-topped cliff 604 m above the Lysefjord, reached by a stone-stepped path of about 4 km.
604 m · May–Sep · Moderate
Good for: Trekking · Scenic views
Himachal Pradesh, Himalaya
Spiti Valley
A high-altitude cold desert of ancient monasteries, remote villages and very high mountain roads.
3,650 m · Jun–Sep · Moderate
Good for: Villages & culture · Scenic views
Uttarakhand, Garhwal Himalaya
Valley of Flowers
A high Himalayan valley that bursts into bloom after the monsoon, reached on a trek from Govindghat via Ghangaria.
3,350–3,650 m · Jul–Sep · Moderate
Good for: Trekking · Scenic views
Kilimanjaro Region, northern Tanzania
Mount Kilimanjaro
Africa's highest peak, climbed on multi-day treks that need fitness, acclimatisation and a guide, but no technical skills.
5,895 m · Jan–Feb · Jun–Oct · Challenging
Good for: Trekking
Arusha Region, northern Tanzania
Mount Meru & Arusha National Park
A three to four day volcano climb with wildlife on the lower slopes, often done before Kilimanjaro.
4,562 m · Jan–Feb · Jun–Oct · Challenging
Good for: Trekking
Paro District, western Bhutan
Tiger's Nest (Paro Taktsang)
A Buddhist monastery clinging to a cliff about 900 m above the Paro valley, reached by a steep half-day hike.
3,120 m · Mar–May · Sep–Nov · Moderate
Good for: Villages & culture · Trekking
Thimphu & Punakha districts
Dochula Pass & Punakha
A mountain pass lined with 108 memorial chortens, with Himalayan views on clear days and a grand dzong below.
3,100 m · Mar–Apr · Oct–Nov · Easy
Good for: Villages & culture · Scenic views
Santa Cruz, Patagonia
Perito Moreno Glacier
A huge advancing glacier that calves into Lake Argentino, seen from walkways a few metres above the ice.
200 m · Oct–Apr · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Snow & ski · Lakes
Tierra del Fuego
Ushuaia and Tierra del Fuego
A port town at the southern tip of South America, with the Andes meeting the sea and a national park of lakes and forests.
1,380 m · Nov–Mar · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Lakes · Trekking
Río Negro, Patagonia
Bariloche and Nahuel Huapi
A lake and mountain resort town in Patagonia, with chocolate shops, forest walks and a big ski area.
770 m · Dec–Mar · Easy
Good for: Lakes · Scenic views · Snow & ski
Neuquén, Patagonia
San Martín de los Andes and Lanín
A tidy mountain town on a lake, below the snow-capped Lanín volcano and araucaria forests.
3,776 m · Dec–Mar · Moderate
Good for: Trekking · Lakes · Scenic views
Neuquén, Patagonia
Villa La Angostura and the Seven Lakes Road
A small lakeside village at the start of Argentina's most scenic lake road, with forests, beaches and viewpoints.
800 m · Dec–Mar · Easy
Good for: Lakes · Scenic views
Jujuy
Quebrada de Humahuaca
A long, colourful Andean valley of striped hills, adobe villages and ancient trade routes in north-west Argentina.
3,000 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Villages & culture · Scenic views
Salta
Cafayate
A small wine town at the foot of the Calchaquí valleys, with high-altitude vineyards and the red rock canyon of the Quebrada de las Conchas.
1,683 m · Mar–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Villages & culture
La Rioja
Talampaya National Park
A red sandstone canyon with 150 m cliffs, ancient petroglyphs and fossil sites in the dry north-west.
1,200 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Villages & culture
Chubut, Patagonia
Los Alerces National Park
A park of crystal-clear lakes and ancient alerce trees, some more than 2,000 years old.
2,300 m · Dec–Mar · Moderate
Good for: Lakes · Trekking · Scenic views
San Juan
Ischigualasto
A strange, eroded desert of striped hills and sculpted rocks, known as the Valley of the Moon and rich in fossils.
1,200 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Villages & culture
Tyrol
Innsbruck and the Nordkette
A historic Alpine city where a cable car climbs from the old town to a high ridge in about 20 minutes.
574 m · Year-round · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Snow & ski · Villages & culture
Salzburgerland
Zell am See and Kaprun
A lakeside town and a glacier valley in one: swimming and sailing below, skiing on the Kitzsteinhorn above.
757 m · Jun–Sep · Easy
Good for: Lakes · Scenic views · Snow & ski
Tyrol
Kitzbühel
A well-preserved medieval town in the Tyrolean Alps, home of the Hahnenkamm races and green hills for summer walking.
762 m · Jun–Sep · Easy
Good for: Snow & ski · Scenic views · Villages & culture
Tyrol
Zillertal
A long Tyrolean valley with a steam railway, big ski areas and the Hintertux glacier.
633 m · Jun–Sep · Moderate
Good for: Snow & ski · Scenic views · Trekking
Tyrol
Ötztal and Sölden
A long valley leading to glaciers and 3,000 m peaks, with a major ski resort and the site of Ötzi the Iceman's discovery.
1,368 m · Jun–Sep · Moderate
Good for: Snow & ski · Trekking · Scenic views
Tyrol
Stubai Valley
A valley south-west of Innsbruck with a year-round glacier ski area, hut-to-hut hiking and mountain lakes.
1,000 m · Jun–Oct · Moderate
Good for: Trekking · Snow & ski · Scenic views
Vorarlberg
Lech and the Arlberg
A smart ski village in the Arlberg region, linked to St. Anton, with high-level walks and a quiet summer.
1,444 m · Jun–Sep · Moderate
Good for: Snow & ski · Scenic views · Trekking
Salzburgerland
Krimml Waterfalls
A set of three cascades in the Hohe Tauern National Park, 380 m high in total, among the tallest in Europe.
1,470 m · May–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Trekking
Salzkammergut
Wolfgangsee
A warm Alpine lake in the Salzkammergut with a famous lakeside inn, a cog railway and steamers.
538 m · May–Sep · Easy
Good for: Lakes · Scenic views · Villages & culture
Tyrol
Achensee
Tyrol's largest lake, a deep, clear fjord-like lake in the Karwendel and Rofan mountains with a steam railway.
929 m · May–Oct · Easy
Good for: Lakes · Scenic views · Trekking
Thimphu District
Thimphu
A small capital of traditional wooden architecture and no traffic lights, set in a high valley.
2,320 m · Mar–May, Sep–Nov · Easy
Good for: Villages & culture · Scenic views
Bumthang District
Bumthang
A cluster of four high valleys with some of the oldest temples and monasteries in the country, set among meadows and forests.
2,600 m · Mar–May, Sep–Nov · Easy
Good for: Villages & culture · Scenic views · Trekking
Wangdue Phodrang
Phobjikha and Gangtey
A wide, glacier-carved valley where black-necked cranes spend the winter, below the Gangtey Monastery.
3,000 m · Nov–Mar, Sep–Oct · Easy
Good for: Villages & culture · Scenic views · Trekking
Haa District
Haa Valley
A quiet valley west of Paro that opened to visitors only in 2002, with temples, meadows and the Chele La pass.
2,700 m · Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov · Easy
Good for: Villages & culture · Scenic views · Trekking
Paro and Haa
Chele La Pass
A high road pass hung with prayer flags, with views of Jomolhari and the Haa Valley on clear days.
3,988 m · Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Trekking
Paro District
Jomolhari Trek
A multi-day trek beneath Jomolhari, a 7,326 m peak sacred in Bhutan, through yak pastures and remote valleys.
4,930 m · Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct · Challenging
Good for: Trekking · Scenic views · Villages & culture
Trongsa District
Trongsa
A huge dzong on a ridge above the Mangde Chhu gorge, the ancestral home of Bhutan's royal family.
2,200 m · Mar–May, Sep–Nov · Easy
Good for: Villages & culture · Scenic views
Gasa District
Gasa and Gasa Tshachu
A remote northern district with a hilltop dzong and well-known hot springs, close to the start of the Snowman Trek.
2,800 m · Mar–May, Sep–Nov · Moderate
Good for: Villages & culture · Scenic views · Trekking
Thimphu District
Dagala Thousand Lakes
A short trek to a high plateau of glacial lakes, with views of the Himalayan range, close to Thimphu.
4,720 m · Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct · Challenging
Good for: Trekking · Lakes · Scenic views
Trashigang District
Trashigang
A hill town in eastern Bhutan with a large dzong above the Gamri river, a base for the remote east.
1,100 m · Mar–May, Sep–Nov · Easy
Good for: Villages & culture · Scenic views
Jasper National Park, Alberta
Jasper and Maligne Lake
A quieter Rockies base with a long turquoise lake, deep canyons and some of Canada's darkest skies.
1,670 m · Jun–Sep · Easy
Good for: Lakes · Scenic views · Trekking
Banff and Jasper national parks, Alberta
Icefields Parkway
A 232 km mountain road linking Lake Louise and Jasper, past glaciers, turquoise lakes and waterfalls.
2,088 m · Jun–Sep · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Lakes · Snow & ski
Yoho National Park, British Columbia
Yoho and Emerald Lake
A smaller, steeper park next to Banff, with a bright green lake, a tall waterfall and ancient fossils.
1,282 m · Jun–Sep · Easy
Good for: Lakes · Scenic views · Trekking
Mount Robson Provincial Park, British Columbia
Mount Robson
The highest peak in the Canadian Rockies, visible from the Yellowhead Highway, with a famous backpacking trail to Berg Lake.
3,954 m · Jul–Sep · Moderate
Good for: Scenic views · Trekking · Lakes
British Columbia
Whistler
A car-free mountain village two hours from Vancouver, with huge skiing in winter and lifts, trails and bike parks in summer.
2,182 m · Jun–Sep · Moderate
Good for: Snow & ski · Scenic views · Trekking
Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta
Waterton Lakes
Mountains rising straight from the prairie at the Montana border, with a lakeside village, a historic hotel and rewarding hikes.
1,290 m · May–Sep · Easy
Good for: Lakes · Scenic views · Trekking
Alberta
Kananaskis Country
A large mountain playground an hour from Calgary, with blue lakes, high passes and wildlife.
2,206 m · Jun–Sep · Easy
Good for: Lakes · Scenic views · Trekking
Newfoundland
Gros Morne
A UNESCO site on Newfoundland's west coast, with fjord-like freshwater ponds, orange rock and dramatic mountain scenery.
806 m · Jun–Sep · Moderate
Good for: Scenic views · Lakes · Trekking
Nova Scotia
Cabot Trail and Cape Breton Highlands
A 300 km loop around Cape Breton Island, with cliffs and ocean views, hiking trails and Acadian and Scottish culture.
532 m · Jun–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Villages & culture · Trekking
Yukon
Tombstone Territorial Park
Jagged granite peaks and colourful tundra in the Yukon, reached by the Dempster Highway.
2,192 m · Jul–Sep · Moderate
Good for: Scenic views · Trekking · Lakes
Araucanía
Villarrica and Pucón
A snow-capped, active volcano above a lakeside adventure town in the Chilean Lake District.
2,847 m · Dec–Mar · Challenging
Good for: Trekking · Lakes · Scenic views
Araucanía
Conguillío National Park
Ancient araucaria forests, black lava fields and a blue lake at the foot of the Llaima volcano.
3,125 m · Dec–Mar · Moderate
Good for: Trekking · Lakes · Scenic views
Los Lagos
Osorno Volcano and Puerto Varas
A cone-shaped volcano above a large lake, with German-influenced towns, waterfalls and forest.
2,652 m · Dec–Mar · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Lakes · Villages & culture
Santiago Metropolitan Region
Cajón del Maipo
A deep Andean valley within day-trip distance of Santiago, with hot springs, rafting and glaciers on high peaks.
2,500 m · Oct–Apr · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Trekking · Snow & ski
Aysén, Patagonia
Cerro Castillo
A jagged, castle-like mountain in northern Patagonia, with a famous multi-day trek and a village on the Carretera Austral.
2,675 m · Nov–Mar · Challenging
Good for: Trekking · Lakes · Scenic views
General Carrera Lake, Aysén
Marble Caves
Smooth, swirling marble caves and chapels on the shores of a turquoise glacial lake.
200 m · Nov–Mar · Easy
Good for: Lakes · Scenic views
Los Lagos, Patagonia
Pumalín Park
A huge park of temperate rainforest, waterfalls, fjords and volcanoes, crossed by the Carretera Austral.
2,404 m · Nov–Apr · Moderate
Good for: Trekking · Scenic views · Lakes
Arica and Parinacota
Lauca National Park
A high-altitude park of twin volcanoes, a mirror-calm lake and herds of vicuñas near the Bolivian border.
4,517 m · Apr–Nov · Moderate
Good for: Lakes · Scenic views · Villages & culture
Antofagasta, Atacama
Altiplanic Lagoons and Miscanti
Deep blue lagoons beneath volcanoes in the high Atacama, a day trip from San Pedro de Atacama.
4,140 m · Mar–Nov · Easy
Good for: Lakes · Scenic views
Araucanía
Huerquehue National Park
A park of small lakes, waterfalls and monkey-puzzle forest, with a well-known day hike from near Pucón.
1,200 m · Nov–Apr · Moderate
Good for: Trekking · Lakes · Scenic views
Giza, Cairo
Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx
The Great Pyramid, its two companions and the Sphinx, rising from the desert plateau on the edge of Cairo.
60 m · Oct–Apr · Easy
Good for: History & ruins · Desert & dunes
Tahrir and Giza, Cairo
Egyptian Museums in Cairo
The vast collections of ancient Egypt, from the Tutankhamun treasures to royal mummies, split between two great museums.
25 m · Oct–Apr · Easy
Good for: History & ruins · Villages & culture
Karnak, Luxor
Karnak Temple
The largest ancient religious complex in the world, with a forest of giant columns in the Hypostyle Hall.
80 m · Oct–Apr · Easy
Good for: History & ruins · Villages & culture
West Bank, Luxor
Valley of the Kings
The hidden valley where pharaohs of the New Kingdom were buried, with painted tombs cut deep into the rock.
150 m · Oct–Apr · Easy
Good for: History & ruins · Desert & dunes
Abu Simbel, Aswan
Abu Simbel
Two huge rock-cut temples guarded by four colossal statues of Ramesses II, on the shore of Lake Nasser.
180 m · Oct–Apr · Moderate
Good for: History & ruins · Desert & dunes
East Bank, Luxor
Luxor Temple
A temple on the Nile bank in the middle of Luxor, beautiful at sunset and floodlit at night.
80 m · Oct–Apr · Easy
Good for: History & ruins · Villages & culture
Agilkia Island, Aswan
Philae Temple
A graceful temple of the goddess Isis on an island in the Nile, rescued from the rising waters of the Aswan dams.
110 m · Oct–Apr · Easy
Good for: History & ruins · Scenic views
Nile city, Aswan
Aswan and the Nile
The sunny southern city on the Nile, with feluccas, granite islands, markets and colourful Nubian villages.
90 m · Oct–Apr · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Villages & culture
Old Cairo, Cairo
Islamic Cairo and Khan el-Khalili
The medieval heart of Cairo, with hundreds of mosques, madrasas and gates around the Khan el-Khalili bazaar.
30 m · Oct–Apr · Easy
Good for: Villages & culture · History & ruins · Cities & landmarks
Mediterranean coast, Alexandria
Alexandria
The Mediterranean city founded by Alexander the Great, with a fort on the site of the ancient lighthouse and a modern library.
5 m · Mar–May, Sep–Nov · Easy
Good for: Cities & landmarks · History & ruins · Beaches & coast
Farafra, Western Desert
White Desert
A dreamlike landscape of white chalk rocks shaped by wind into mushrooms, monoliths and animals, best seen at sunset and by night.
500 m · Oct–Apr · Moderate
Good for: Desert & dunes · Scenic views
Sharm El Sheikh, Sinai
Sharm El Sheikh
The main resort city of the Sinai, with clear water, coral reefs, desert mountains and plenty of sunshine.
10 m · Oct–Apr · Easy
Good for: Beaches & coast · Cities & landmarks
Citadel, Cairo
Cairo Citadel and Muhammad Ali Mosque
A medieval hilltop fortress above the city, with a grand Ottoman-style alabaster mosque and wide views.
85 m · Oct–Apr · Easy
Good for: History & ruins · Villages & culture · Cities & landmarks
Old Cairo, Cairo
Coptic Cairo
A walled enclave of ancient churches, a synagogue and a museum on the site of a Roman fortress.
25 m · Oct–Apr · Easy
Good for: Villages & culture · History & ruins
Saqqara, Cairo
Saqqara and Memphis
The Step Pyramid of Djoser, the oldest large stone building, among the tombs of the ancient capital Memphis.
35 m · Oct–Apr · Easy
Good for: History & ruins · Desert & dunes
Deir el-Bahari, Luxor
Temple of Hatshepsut
The terraced mortuary temple of Egypt's great woman pharaoh, set against a bowl of pale cliffs.
100 m · Oct–Apr · Easy
Good for: History & ruins · Desert & dunes
Kom Ombo, Aswan
Kom Ombo Temple
A Ptolemaic double temple on a bend of the Nile, shared by the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon god Haroeris.
90 m · Oct–Apr · Easy
Good for: History & ruins · Scenic views
Edfu, Aswan
Edfu Temple of Horus
The best-preserved major temple in Egypt, a huge Ptolemaic temple of the falcon god Horus.
90 m · Oct–Apr · Easy
Good for: History & ruins · Villages & culture
Dendera, Luxor
Dendera Temple Complex
A beautifully preserved temple of the goddess Hathor, known for its zodiac ceiling and roof stairs.
80 m · Oct–Apr · Easy
Good for: History & ruins · Villages & culture
Siwa, Western Desert
Siwa Oasis
A remote oasis of palm groves, salt lakes and a mud-brick fortress, near the Libyan border and the Great Sand Sea.
18 m below sea level · Oct–Apr · Moderate
Good for: Desert & dunes · Villages & culture · History & ruins
Bahariya, Western Desert
Bahariya Oasis and the Black Desert
A palm-filled oasis, hot springs and golden mummies, with the black volcanic hills and crystal mountain nearby.
130 m · Oct–Apr · Moderate
Good for: Desert & dunes · History & ruins · Scenic views
Fayoum, Western Desert
Fayoum, Wadi El Rayan and Wadi Al-Hitan
A green oasis a short drive from Cairo, with a lake, desert waterfalls and a valley of fossil whales.
40 m below sea level · Oct–Apr · Easy
Good for: Lakes · Desert & dunes · History & ruins
Saint Catherine area, Sinai
Mount Sinai (Jebel Musa)
The mountain traditionally linked with Moses and the Ten Commandments, climbed at night for sunrise over the granite peaks.
2,285 m · Oct–May · Moderate
Good for: Trekking · History & ruins · Scenic views
Saint Catherine, Sinai
Saint Catherine's Monastery
One of the oldest working Christian monasteries in the world, built in the 6th century at the foot of Mount Sinai.
1,570 m · Oct–May · Easy
Good for: History & ruins · Villages & culture · Scenic views
Dahab, Sinai
Dahab
A relaxed Red Sea town of diving, windsurfing and Bedouin culture, with desert mountains behind the bay.
5 m · Oct–Apr · Easy
Good for: Beaches & coast · Scenic views
Ras Mohammed, Sinai
Ras Mohammed National Park
A protected headland at the tip of Sinai, with some of the richest coral reefs in the Red Sea.
5 m · Oct–Apr · Easy
Good for: Beaches & coast · Scenic views
Hurghada, Red Sea
Hurghada and the Giftun Islands
A long strip of Red Sea beach resorts, with coral islands offshore, desert hills behind and diving all year.
10 m · Oct–Apr · Easy
Good for: Beaches & coast · Cities & landmarks
Marsa Alam, Red Sea
Marsa Alam
A quieter southern stretch of the Red Sea coast with turtles, dugongs and some of the best snorkelling in Egypt.
5 m · Oct–Apr · Easy
Good for: Beaches & coast · Scenic views
El Gouna, Red Sea
El Gouna
A planned resort town of lagoons, islands and low-rise white buildings, with kitesurfing and a relaxed, upmarket mood.
5 m · Oct–Apr · Easy
Good for: Beaches & coast · Cities & landmarks
Nuweiba, Sinai
Coloured Canyon
A narrow canyon in South Sinai, with sandstone walls striped in red, yellow, purple and white.
300 m · Oct–Apr · Moderate
Good for: Scenic views · Trekking · Desert & dunes
Haute-Savoie
Annecy
A medieval old town of canals beside one of Europe's cleanest lakes, ringed by the Alps.
448 m · May–Sep · Easy
Good for: Lakes · Scenic views · Villages & culture
Savoie
Vanoise National Park
France's first national park, with glaciers, high lakes and plenty of ibex and marmots on long walking routes.
3,855 m · Jun–Sep · Moderate
Good for: Trekking · Scenic views · Lakes
Hautes-Alpes
Écrins and La Grave
A small village beneath the jagged Meije peak in the Écrins National Park, with huge views and big off-piste skiing.
3,983 m · Jun–Sep · Moderate
Good for: Trekking · Scenic views · Snow & ski
Provence
Mont Ventoux
A bare, white-topped mountain rising above the lavender and vineyards of Provence, famous for cycling.
1,912 m · May–Oct · Moderate
Good for: Trekking · Scenic views
Hautes-Pyrénées
Pic du Midi de Bigorre
A Pyrenean peak with an observatory and a cable car, famous for its dark skies and its panoramic terraces.
2,877 m · Jun–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Snow & ski
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Gorges du Verdon
A limestone canyon of up to 700 m deep, with a turquoise river, circular roads and viewpoints above the water.
700 m · May–Oct · Moderate
Good for: Scenic views · Lakes · Trekking
Hautes-Pyrénées
Cauterets and Pont d'Espagne
A spa town on the edge of the Pyrenees National Park, with waterfalls, lakes and high trails.
932 m · Jun–Sep · Moderate
Good for: Trekking · Scenic views · Lakes
Savoie
Val d'Isère and Tignes
Two of the highest ski resorts in the French Alps, sharing the Espace Killy ski area and a wide summer playground.
1,850 m · Jun–Sep · Moderate
Good for: Snow & ski · Scenic views · Trekking
Auvergne
Puy de Dôme and the Auvergne volcanoes
A line of extinct volcanic cones in central France, with the Puy de Dôme as its best-known summit.
1,465 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Trekking · Villages & culture
Isère and Drôme
Vercors
A vast limestone plateau ringed by cliffs, with deep gorges, caves and high pastures near Grenoble.
2,341 m · May–Oct · Moderate
Good for: Trekking · Scenic views · Snow & ski
Ladakh
Leh and Ladakh
A high-altitude desert of monasteries, palaces and mountain passes, reached by one of the highest roads in the world.
3,500 m · Jun–Sep · Moderate
Good for: Villages & culture · Scenic views · Trekking
Ladakh
Pangong Tso
A long, brackish lake at over 4,000 m that shifts between blue, green and grey, straddling the border with Tibet.
4,350 m · Jun–Sep · Moderate
Good for: Lakes · Scenic views
Ladakh
Nubra Valley
A high valley north of Leh, with sand dunes, double-humped camels, monasteries and the highest motorable road in the world nearby.
3,050 m · Jun–Sep · Moderate
Good for: Scenic views · Villages & culture
Himachal Pradesh
Manali and Solang Valley
A busy hill station in the Beas valley, with meadows, forests, snow slopes and adventure sports.
2,050 m · Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Snow & ski · Trekking
Jammu and Kashmir
Gulmarg
A high meadow below the Affarwat range, famous for its gondola, which rises to almost 4,000 m, and its skiing.
2,650 m · Dec–Mar, Apr–Jun · Moderate
Good for: Snow & ski · Scenic views · Trekking
West Bengal
Darjeeling
A colonial hill station among tea gardens, with a narrow-gauge railway and views of Kangchenjunga on clear mornings.
2,042 m · Mar–May, Oct–Nov · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Villages & culture
Sikkim
Yumthang Valley
A high valley of rhododendrons and hot springs in North Sikkim, ringed by snow peaks and cut by the Lachung river.
3,564 m · Mar–Jun · Moderate
Good for: Scenic views · Trekking
Uttarakhand
Chopta and Tungnath
A meadow and the world's highest Shiva temple, reached by a short, steep trek with views of the Garhwal Himalaya.
3,680 m · Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov · Moderate
Good for: Trekking · Scenic views · Villages & culture
Himachal Pradesh
Dharamshala and Triund
The home of the Tibetan government-in-exile and a short trek to a ridge beneath the Dhauladhar range.
2,828 m · Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov · Moderate
Good for: Trekking · Villages & culture · Scenic views
Himachal Pradesh
Kinnaur and Kalpa
A high valley of apple orchards and old wooden temples, with Kinnaur Kailash across the river from the village of Kalpa.
2,960 m · Apr–Jun, Sep–Nov · Moderate
Good for: Scenic views · Villages & culture · Trekking
South Tyrol
Lago di Braies
A green-blue lake under the Seekofel cliffs, with a path around the shore and wooden rowing boats.
1,496 m · Jun–Oct · Easy
Good for: Lakes · Scenic views
South Tyrol
Alpe di Siusi
A vast, gently rolling high meadow beneath the Sciliar and Sassolungo peaks, for walks, views and family days out.
1,680 m · Jun–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Trekking · Snow & ski
Veneto
Cortina d'Ampezzo
The glamorous mountain town of the Dolomites, surrounded by rock towers, with big skiing and strong walks.
1,224 m · Jun–Sep · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Trekking · Snow & ski
South Tyrol
Val di Funes
A quiet valley of meadows and small churches below the Odle (Geisler) peaks, one of the most photogenic corners of the Dolomites.
1,300 m · May–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Trekking · Villages & culture
Aosta Valley
Courmayeur
A relaxed Alpine resort at the foot of Mont Blanc, with glacier views, cable cars and walks into the Val Veny and Val Ferret.
1,224 m · Jun–Sep · Moderate
Good for: Scenic views · Trekking · Snow & ski
Aosta Valley
Breuil-Cervinia
A high ski resort beneath the Italian face of the Matterhorn, with summer skiing and linked slopes to Zermatt.
2,050 m · Jun–Sep · Moderate
Good for: Snow & ski · Scenic views · Trekking
Aosta Valley and Piedmont
Gran Paradiso National Park
A glaciated massif and Italy's first national park, famous for its ibex and high mountain trails.
4,061 m · Jun–Sep · Moderate
Good for: Trekking · Scenic views
Lombardy and South Tyrol
Stelvio Pass
One of the highest paved passes in the Alps, with a famous staircase of hairpin bends on the South Tyrol side.
2,758 m · Jun–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Snow & ski
Sicily
Mount Etna
Europe's highest active volcano, with lava fields, craters and vineyards on its slopes.
3,357 m · Apr–Oct · Moderate
Good for: Trekking · Scenic views · Snow & ski
Abruzzo
Gran Sasso and Campo Imperatore
The highest peaks of the Apennines, with a vast high plateau, medieval villages and hill forts.
2,912 m · Jun–Sep · Moderate
Good for: Trekking · Scenic views
Nagano, Northern Alps
Kamikōchi
A clear-water valley in the Japan Alps, reachable only by bus or taxi, with easy riverside walks beneath jagged peaks.
1,500 m · mid-Apr–mid-Nov · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Trekking · Lakes
Toyama and Nagano
Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route
A 37 km route across the Northern Alps by cable car, ropeway and trolley bus, famous for its huge snow walls in spring.
2,450 m · mid-Apr–Nov · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Snow & ski
Kanagawa
Hakone
A mountain area of hot springs, lakes and volcanic valleys, an easy trip from Tokyo with views of Mount Fuji.
723 m · Year-round · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Lakes · Villages & culture
Tochigi
Nikkō
Ornate shrines in cedar forest below a mountain plateau of lakes, waterfalls and hot springs.
1,269 m · Apr–Nov · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Villages & culture · Lakes
Wakayama
Kōyasan
A mountain-top temple community, the centre of Shingon Buddhism, with a vast forest cemetery and temple stays.
800 m · Apr–Nov · Easy
Good for: Villages & culture · Scenic views
Gifu and Nagano
Nakasendō: Magome and Tsumago
An 8 km walk on the old Nakasendō post road, linking two well-preserved Edo-period post towns.
801 m · Apr–Nov · Easy
Good for: Trekking · Villages & culture · Scenic views
Gifu
Shirakawa-gō
A mountain village of steep thatched farmhouses, a UNESCO site that looks magical under winter snow.
500 m · Year-round · Easy
Good for: Villages & culture · Scenic views · Snow & ski
Kumamoto, Kyushu
Mount Aso
A huge volcanic caldera on Kyushu, with five peaks, grassy plains and an active crater.
1,592 m · Apr–Nov · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Trekking
Hokkaidō
Daisetsuzan
The wild heart of Hokkaidō, with volcanic peaks, alpine meadows, hot springs and brown bears.
2,291 m · Jul–Sep · Moderate
Good for: Trekking · Scenic views · Snow & ski
Kagoshima
Yakushima
A round, mountainous island of ancient cedars, moss-covered forests and very heavy rain.
1,936 m · Mar–Nov · Moderate
Good for: Trekking · Scenic views
Rasuwa, Bagmati Province
Langtang Valley
A glacier-framed valley north of Kathmandu, with Tamang villages, yak cheese and an easy-access trek of about a week.
3,870 m · Mar–May, Oct–Nov · Moderate
Good for: Trekking · Scenic views · Villages & culture
Gorkha, Gandaki Province
Manaslu Circuit
A remote circuit around the eighth-highest mountain on Earth, crossing the Larkya La pass.
5,100 m · Mar–May, Sep–Nov · Challenging
Good for: Trekking · Scenic views · Villages & culture
Annapurna Conservation Area, Gandaki Province
Annapurna Circuit
A classic multi-day trek around the Annapurna massif, crossing the 5,416 m Thorong La pass.
5,416 m · Mar–May, Oct–Nov · Challenging
Good for: Trekking · Scenic views · Villages & culture
Myagdi, Gandaki Province
Poon Hill and Ghorepani
A short teahouse trek to a famous sunrise viewpoint over Dhaulagiri and the Annapurna range.
3,210 m · Mar–May, Oct–Nov · Moderate
Good for: Trekking · Scenic views · Villages & culture
Mustang, Gandaki Province
Upper Mustang
A dry, high desert of red cliffs and Tibetan Buddhist villages, ending at the walled city of Lo Manthang.
3,840 m · Mar–Nov · Moderate
Good for: Trekking · Villages & culture · Scenic views
Khumbu, Koshi Province
Gokyo Lakes
A string of turquoise lakes below Gokyo Ri, with big views of Everest, Lhotse and Cho Oyu.
5,357 m · Mar–May, Oct–Nov · Challenging
Good for: Trekking · Lakes · Scenic views
Kaski, Gandaki Province
Pokhara and Phewa Lake
A relaxed lakeside city with the Annapurna range as a backdrop, and the main gateway for treks in central Nepal.
822 m · Sep–May · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Lakes · Villages & culture
Bagmati Province
Kathmandu Valley
A valley of ancient royal squares, stupas and temples, with the Himalaya on the horizon on clear days.
1,400 m · Oct–Apr · Easy
Good for: Villages & culture
Bhaktapur, Bagmati Province
Nagarkot
A hilltop village east of Kathmandu, known for sunrise views over the Himalayan range.
2,195 m · Oct–Mar · Easy
Good for: Scenic views
Mugu, Karnali Province
Rara Lake
Nepal's largest lake, a deep blue sheet of water in a remote national park in the far west.
2,990 m · Apr–May, Sep–Nov · Moderate
Good for: Lakes · Trekking · Scenic views
Fiordland, Southland
Milford Sound
A steep-sided fiord in Fiordland, with Mitre Peak rising from the water and waterfalls pouring down sheer cliffs.
1,692 m · Oct–Apr · Easy
Good for: Scenic views
Otago
Queenstown and the Remarkables
A lakeside town beneath a wall of mountains, known for adventure sports, skiing and vineyards.
2,319 m · Dec–Mar · Moderate
Good for: Scenic views · Snow & ski · Lakes
Otago
Wānaka and Roys Peak
A relaxed lake town at the gateway to Mount Aspiring National Park, known for the long climb to Roys Peak.
1,578 m · Nov–Apr · Moderate
Good for: Scenic views · Lakes · Trekking
West Coast
Franz Josef Glacier
A steep glacier flowing from the Southern Alps almost to the temperate rainforest on New Zealand's wet west coast.
300 m · Oct–Apr · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Trekking · Snow & ski
Fiordland and Mount Aspiring national parks
Routeburn Track
A 32 km Great Walk between Glenorchy and Fiordland, crossing a high saddle with alpine lakes and views.
1,255 m · Nov–Apr · Moderate
Good for: Trekking · Scenic views · Lakes
Taranaki, North Island
Mount Taranaki
A symmetrical, snow-capped volcano rising from the coastal farmland of the west of the North Island.
2,518 m · Nov–Apr · Challenging
Good for: Trekking · Scenic views
Canterbury and West Coast
Arthur's Pass
A high mountain pass across the Southern Alps, with waterfalls, alpine walks and cheeky kea parrots.
737 m · Nov–Apr · Moderate
Good for: Scenic views · Trekking · Snow & ski
Fiordland, Southland
Kepler Track and Te Anau
A 60 km Great Walk loop from Te Anau, climbing above the tree line to ridges and caves.
1,472 m · Oct–Apr · Moderate
Good for: Trekking · Lakes · Scenic views
Canterbury
Lake Tekapo
A milky-turquoise lake in the Mackenzie Basin, with a stone church, lupins in early summer and one of the world's clearest night skies.
710 m · Nov–Apr · Easy
Good for: Lakes · Scenic views · Villages & culture
Otago
Glenorchy and Mount Aspiring
A small lakeside village at the head of Lake Wakatipu, beneath the peaks of Mount Aspiring National Park.
3,033 m · Nov–Apr · Moderate
Good for: Scenic views · Trekking · Lakes
Møre og Romsdal
Geirangerfjord
A narrow, steep-sided fjord with waterfalls such as the Seven Sisters, in the UNESCO-listed West Norwegian fjords.
1,038 m · May–Sep · Easy
Good for: Scenic views
Nordland
Lofoten
A chain of jagged islands north of the Arctic Circle, with red fishing huts, sheltered bays and white-sand beaches.
1,000 m · Jun–Sep · Moderate
Good for: Scenic views · Trekking · Villages & culture
Innlandet
Jotunheimen and Besseggen
Norway's highest mountains and its most famous ridge walk, between a green lake and a blue one.
2,469 m · Jul–Sep · Challenging
Good for: Trekking · Lakes · Scenic views
Møre og Romsdal
Trollstigen
A mountain road of eleven hairpin bends and a waterfall, climbing a steep valley in western Norway.
858 m · Jun–Sep · Easy
Good for: Scenic views
Vestland
Flåm and the Nærøyfjord
A narrow UNESCO-listed fjord and a steep mountain railway that makes one of the best scenic journeys in Europe.
866 m · May–Sep · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Lakes · Villages & culture
Rogaland
Kjerag
A steep hike to a plateau above the Lysefjord, where a boulder, Kjeragbolten, is wedged in a crevice 984 m above the water.
1,110 m · Jun–Sep · Challenging
Good for: Trekking · Scenic views
Troms
Lyngen Alps
A range of sharp, glaciated peaks on a peninsula in northern Norway, loved by ski tourers and northern lights photographers.
1,833 m · Jun–Sep · Challenging
Good for: Scenic views · Snow & ski · Trekking
Troms
Senja
Norway's second-largest island, with sharp peaks, fjords, white beaches and fewer visitors than Lofoten.
1,000 m · Jun–Sep · Moderate
Good for: Scenic views · Trekking · Lakes
Innlandet
Rondane
Norway's oldest national park, a high plateau of rounded peaks, with wild reindeer and long views.
2,178 m · Jul–Sep · Moderate
Good for: Trekking · Scenic views
Møre og Romsdal
Romsdalseggen and Åndalsnes
A famous ridge walk above the Romsdal valley and the Isfjord, with a big view of Åndalsnes and the surrounding peaks.
1,555 m · Jun–Sep · Challenging
Good for: Trekking · Scenic views
Skardu, Gilgit-Baltistan
Deosai National Park
A vast, treeless plateau of summer wildflowers and Himalayan brown bears, reachable by road for only a few months a year.
4,114 m · Jun–Sep · Moderate
Good for: Scenic views · Lakes
Gojal, Gilgit-Baltistan
Khunjerab Pass
The world's highest paved border crossing, a barren, snow-ringed pass at the top of the Karakoram Highway.
4,693 m · May–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views
Near Gilgit, Gilgit-Baltistan
Naltar Valley
Pine forest, coloured alpine lakes and winter skiing, a short jeep ride from Gilgit.
2,800 m · Jun–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Lakes · Snow & ski
Baltistan, Gilgit-Baltistan
Shigar Valley
A wide river valley of orchards and sand dunes below the Karakoram, with a restored 17th-century fort.
2,300 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Villages & culture · Scenic views
Ghanche, Gilgit-Baltistan
Khaplu Valley
A quiet Balti valley of river views, apricot trees, a restored palace and a 14th-century wooden mosque.
2,600 m · May–Oct · Easy
Good for: Villages & culture · Scenic views
Chitral, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Kalash Valleys
Three green valleys in the Hindu Kush, home to the Kalasha people and their distinctive festivals.
2,000 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Villages & culture · Scenic views
Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Swat Valley and Kalam
A green, river-cut valley of forests, lakes and Buddhist ruins, with Kalam as the usual mountain base.
2,000 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Lakes · Villages & culture
Azad Jammu and Kashmir
Neelum Valley
A deep, green river valley of forest, waterfalls and wooden villages in Azad Kashmir.
2,100 m · May–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Lakes
Baltoro Glacier, Gilgit-Baltistan
K2 and Concordia
A multi-week trek up the Baltoro Glacier to Concordia, the meeting point of giant glaciers beneath K2.
8,611 m · Jun–Aug · Challenging
Good for: Trekking · Scenic views
Kaghan Valley to Chilas, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan
Babusar Pass
A high, winding road over the mountains between the Kaghan Valley and the Karakoram Highway, with views towards Nanga Parbat.
4,173 m · Jun–Sep · Moderate
Good for: Scenic views
Gojal, Gilgit-Baltistan
Attabad Lake
A long turquoise lake created by a landslide in 2010, now crossed by tunnels and boats on the Karakoram Highway.
2,500 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Lakes
Gojal, Gilgit-Baltistan
Passu
A village below the jagged Passu Cones, with a glacier you can walk to and a famous rope footbridge.
2,500 m · May–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Trekking
Karimabad area, Hunza, Gilgit-Baltistan
Altit
A quiet village of stone houses and orchards around Altit Fort, one of the oldest buildings in the Hunza Valley.
2,100 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Villages & culture · Scenic views
Above Karimabad, Hunza, Gilgit-Baltistan
Eagle's Nest, Duikar
A hilltop viewpoint above Karimabad with a wide view of the Hunza Valley and the peaks around it.
2,850 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views
Minapin, Nagar, Gilgit-Baltistan
Rakaposhi Base Camp
A one- or two-day walk from the village of Minapin to the base camp of Rakaposhi, one of the great mountain walls of the Karakoram.
3,500 m · Jun–Sep · Moderate
Good for: Trekking · Scenic views
Nagar, Gilgit-Baltistan
Hopar Valley
A side valley of Nagar where a glacier ends among terraced fields, facing Karimabad across the Hunza River.
2,800 m · May–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Villages & culture
Gojal, Gilgit-Baltistan
Gulmit and Ghulkin
The main village of upper Hunza, with a small museum, old houses and a glacier on the doorstep of neighbouring Ghulkin.
2,500 m · May–Oct · Easy
Good for: Villages & culture · Scenic views
Near Ghulkin, Gojal, Gilgit-Baltistan
Borith Lake
A small, still lake above the Hunza River, reached by a short walk and a good place to see the Passu Glacier and the cones.
2,600 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Lakes
Karimabad, Hunza, Gilgit-Baltistan
Baltit Fort and Karimabad
A restored hilltop fort above Karimabad, the old home of the rulers of Hunza, with sweeping views of the valley and its peaks.
2,500 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Villages & culture · Scenic views
Hopar, Nagar, Gilgit-Baltistan
Rush Lake
A bright blue lake at about 4,700 m, said to be the highest alpine lake in Pakistan, reached by a demanding trek from Hopar.
4,694 m · Jul–Sep · Challenging
Good for: Trekking · Lakes · Scenic views
Gojal, Gilgit-Baltistan
Sost
The last town in Pakistan on the Karakoram Highway, a customs and checkpoint stop on the way to the Khunjerab Pass and China.
2,800 m · May–Oct · Easy
Good for: Villages & culture · Scenic views
Gojal, Gilgit-Baltistan
Shimshal Valley
A remote Wakhi valley at the end of a long jeep road, famous for its mountaineers and as a gateway to high glaciers and pastures.
3,100 m · May–Oct · Moderate
Good for: Villages & culture · Trekking · Scenic views
Gilgit, Gilgit-Baltistan
Gilgit
The regional capital and main gateway to Hunza, Naltar, Skardu and the passes, with a lively bazaar and an old Buddhist rock carving nearby.
1,500 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Villages & culture · Scenic views
Near Gilgit, Gilgit-Baltistan
Bagrot Valley
A green side valley about an hour from Gilgit, with terraced villages and trails towards the base of high peaks.
2,300 m · May–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Villages & culture · Trekking
Ghizer, Gilgit-Baltistan
Phander Valley
A calm, green valley in Ghizer with a still lake, poplar trees and snow peaks, on the long road from Gilgit to Chitral.
2,900 m · May–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Lakes
Between Ghizer and Chitral, Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Shandur Pass
A high, grassy plateau with a lake between Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral, famous for a polo festival played at over 3,700 m.
3,738 m · Jun–Oct · Moderate
Good for: Scenic views · Villages & culture · Lakes
Astore, Gilgit-Baltistan
Astore Valley
A green valley of pine forest, meadows and small villages at the foot of Nanga Parbat, with Rama Meadows as its best-known viewpoint.
2,400 m · May–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Trekking
Diamer, Gilgit-Baltistan
Chilas
A hot, dry town on the Indus and the Karakoram Highway, known for thousands of ancient rock carvings and inscriptions along the river.
1,250 m · Mar–May, Sep–Nov · Easy
Good for: Villages & culture
Astore, Gilgit-Baltistan
Rupal Valley
A high valley below the south face of Nanga Parbat, one of the tallest mountain walls in the world, with a trek to the Herrligkoffer base camp.
3,000 m · Jun–Sep · Moderate
Good for: Trekking · Scenic views
Near Skardu, Gilgit-Baltistan
Kachura Lakes
Two quiet lakes near Skardu, with the Shangrila resort on the lower lake and a short walk to the upper one.
2,300 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Lakes · Scenic views
Near Skardu, Gilgit-Baltistan
Satpara Lake
A wide turquoise lake just south of Skardu, the water supply of the town and the first stop on the road to Deosai.
2,636 m · May–Oct · Easy
Good for: Lakes · Scenic views
Near Skardu, Gilgit-Baltistan
Katpana Desert
Golden sand dunes below snow mountains near Skardu, often described as one of the highest deserts in the world.
2,300 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views
Ghanche, Gilgit-Baltistan
Hushe Valley
A high Balti valley at the end of a rough road from Khaplu, below Masherbrum and the start of treks to Gondogoro La and Concordia.
3,050 m · Jun–Sep · Moderate
Good for: Trekking · Scenic views · Villages & culture
Deosai, Skardu, Gilgit-Baltistan
Sheosar Lake
A wide, still lake on the Deosai plateau at over 4,000 m, among wildflower meadows and open skies.
4,142 m · Jun–Sep · Moderate
Good for: Lakes · Scenic views
Biafo and Hispar glaciers, Gilgit-Baltistan
Snow Lake and Hispar La
One of the great glacier journeys of the world, crossing the Biafo and Hispar glaciers by way of the vast white basin known as Snow Lake.
5,151 m · Jul–Aug · Challenging
Good for: Trekking · Scenic views
Mansehra, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Kaghan Valley
A long, green valley of pine forest, rivers and alpine lakes, running from Balakot up to the Babusar Pass.
2,409 m · Jun–Sep · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Lakes
Kaghan Valley, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Naran
The busy summer town at the heart of the Kaghan Valley, with hotels, a long bazaar and jeeps for the lakes.
2,409 m · Jun–Sep · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Lakes
Kaghan Valley, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Shogran and Siri Paye
A cool forest plateau above the Kaghan Valley, with a jeep ride to the high Siri Paye meadows and the slopes of Makra Peak.
2,362 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Trekking
Above Naran, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Lalazar Plateau
A high pine-and-meadow plateau above Naran, reached by a jeep track and surrounded by snow peaks.
3,120 m · Jun–Sep · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Trekking
Kaghan Valley, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Dudipatsar Lake
A high alpine lake in a green bowl below snow peaks, reached by a long day trek from the Kaghan Valley.
3,800 m · Jul–Sep · Moderate
Good for: Trekking · Lakes · Scenic views
Kaghan Valley, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Lulusar Lake
A large alpine lake beside the road to the Babusar Pass, and the source of the Kunhar River.
3,410 m · Jun–Sep · Easy
Good for: Lakes · Scenic views
Kaghan Valley, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Malika Parbat
The highest peak of the Kaghan Valley, known as the Queen of the Mountains, with high-altitude trails and viewpoints from Naran.
5,290 m · Jul–Sep · Challenging
Good for: Trekking · Scenic views
Galiyat, Abbottabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Nathia Gali
A cool pine-forest hill station in the Galiyat hills, with colonial-era buildings and walks, about two and a half hours from Islamabad.
2,500 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Villages & culture
Galiyat, Abbottabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Ayubia National Park
A small national park of pine and fir forest in the Galiyat hills, known for its chairlift, walking trails and leopards.
2,400 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Trekking
Chitral, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Chitral
A mountain town on the Chitral River below the Hindu Kush, with an old fort, a famous mosque and views of Tirich Mir.
1,500 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Villages & culture · Scenic views
Chitral, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Tirich Mir
The highest peak of the Hindu Kush, a great snow mountain that dominates the skyline of Chitral.
7,708 m · Jun–Sep · Challenging
Good for: Trekking · Scenic views
Karambar Pass, Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Karambar Lake
One of the highest lakes in Pakistan, a turquoise lake near the Karambar Pass on the Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral border.
4,272 m · Jul–Sep · Challenging
Good for: Trekking · Lakes · Scenic views
Upper Dir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Kumrat Valley
A green valley of deodar forest and meadows beside the Panjkora River, with a jeep road to high pastures and lakes.
2,000 m · May–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Trekking
Kalam, Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Mahodand Lake
A turquoise lake above Kalam, in a long forested valley, known as the Lake of Fishes and reached by a scenic jeep ride.
2,865 m · May–Sep · Easy
Good for: Lakes · Scenic views
Kalam, Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Matiltan and Ushu Forest
A quiet village and forest valley above Kalam, with a waterfall, deodar trees and a river, on the road to Mahodand Lake.
2,300 m · May–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views
Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Malam Jabba
Pakistan's best-known ski resort, a forested hill above Swat with a chairlift, a ski slope and views of the valley.
2,800 m · Dec–Mar, Jun–Sep · Easy
Good for: Snow & ski · Scenic views
Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Madyan and Bahrain
Two river towns in the middle of the Swat Valley, with hotels, trout restaurants and bazaars on the way to Kalam.
1,350 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Villages & culture
Mingora, Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Swat Buddhist Heritage
The ruined stupas and carvings of ancient Swat, a major centre of Buddhism, with a museum and a giant rock-cut Buddha.
1,000 m · Mar–Nov · Easy
Good for: Villages & culture
Azad Jammu and Kashmir
Muzaffarabad
The capital of Azad Kashmir, set where the Neelum and Jhelum rivers meet, and the gateway to the Neelum Valley.
700 m · Mar–Nov · Easy
Good for: Villages & culture · Scenic views
Neelum Valley, Azad Jammu and Kashmir
Sharda
A village in the upper Neelum Valley with a river bridge, wooden cabins and the ruins of an ancient seat of learning.
1,981 m · May–Oct · Easy
Good for: Villages & culture · Scenic views
Neelum Valley, Azad Jammu and Kashmir
Arang Kel
A small meadow village on a high ridge above the Neelum River, reached by a cable car and a steep uphill walk.
2,554 m · May–Oct · Moderate
Good for: Scenic views · Trekking
Neelum Valley, Azad Jammu and Kashmir
Ratti Gali Lake
A high glacial lake below snow peaks in the upper Neelum Valley, reached by a long walk through meadows from Dowarian.
3,683 m · Jul–Sep · Moderate
Good for: Trekking · Lakes · Scenic views
Near Muzaffarabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir
Pir Chinasi
A high ridge above Muzaffarabad with a Sufi shrine, a viewpoint and cool, misty air, popular for day trips and for its snow in winter.
2,900 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Villages & culture
Neelum Valley, Azad Jammu and Kashmir
Keran
A village on the Neelum River where the valley opens into terraces and meadows, with guesthouses facing the far bank.
1,524 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Villages & culture
Poonch, Azad Jammu and Kashmir
Banjosa Lake
A quiet man-made lake among pine forest in the Poonch hills, with boats, cabins and walks, close to Rawalakot.
1,981 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Lakes · Scenic views
Passu area, Gojal, Gilgit-Baltistan
Hussaini Suspension Bridge
A long rope-and-plank footbridge over the Hunza River, set below the Passu Cones and often photographed as a symbol of the valley.
2,500 m · May–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Villages & culture
Karimabad area, Hunza, Gilgit-Baltistan
Ganish
An old stone village beside Karimabad, known for its restored mosques, watchtower and narrow lanes.
2,400 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Villages & culture · Scenic views
Above Karimabad, Hunza, Gilgit-Baltistan
Ultar Sar
A 7,388 m peak that rises above Karimabad, with a day walk towards Ultar Meadows and its glacier.
7,388 m · May–Oct · Challenging
Good for: Scenic views · Trekking
Ghizer, Gilgit-Baltistan
Yasin Valley
A long, quiet valley in the far west of Gilgit-Baltistan, with fields, poplars and a river below high Hindu Kush peaks.
2,400 m · May–Oct · Moderate
Good for: Scenic views · Trekking
Ghizer, Gilgit-Baltistan
Ishkoman Valley
A green valley of potatoes, poplars and small villages in northern Ghizer, with routes to high passes and the Karambar valley.
2,100–3,700 m · May–Oct · Moderate
Good for: Scenic views · Trekking
Gupis, Ghizer, Gilgit-Baltistan
Khalti Lake
A calm lake in the Gupis valley, formed by a landslide, with poplars, a footbridge and trout in its clear water.
2,200 m · May–Oct · Easy
Good for: Lakes · Scenic views
Near Gilgit, Gilgit-Baltistan
Kargah Buddha
An ancient standing Buddha carved into a cliff in the Kargah valley, a short drive from Gilgit.
1,500 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Villages & culture
Near Skardu, Gilgit-Baltistan
Manthal Buddha Rock
A large boulder carved with a seated Buddha and rows of smaller figures, just outside Skardu on the Satpara road.
2,300 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Villages & culture
Skardu, Gilgit-Baltistan
Kharpocho Fort
The ruined fort on a rocky hill above Skardu, with wide views of the Indus, the old town and the surrounding peaks.
2,300 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Villages & culture · Scenic views
Kharmang, Skardu, Gilgit-Baltistan
Mantokha Waterfall
A tall waterfall that drops about 55 m down a rock wall in the Kharmang valley, east of Skardu.
2,400 m · May–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views
Khaplu, Ghanche, Gilgit-Baltistan
Khaplu Palace
The restored white palace of the Khaplu rulers, with carved wooden balconies, a museum and a heritage hotel below the mountains.
2,600 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Villages & culture · Scenic views
Khaplu, Ghanche, Gilgit-Baltistan
Chaqchan Mosque
One of the oldest mosques in Baltistan, dating to about 1370, with a wooden frame, carved balconies and a blend of Tibetan and Persian styles.
2,600 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Villages & culture
Naltar Valley, Gilgit, Gilgit-Baltistan
Satrangi Lake
A green-and-turquoise lake in the upper Naltar Valley, reached by a rough jeep track beyond Naltar village.
3,100 m · Jun–Sep · Moderate
Good for: Lakes · Scenic views
Baltoro Glacier, Gilgit-Baltistan
Baltoro Glacier
One of the longest glaciers outside the polar regions, the highway of ice to K2 and four other 8,000 m peaks.
3,000–4,600 m · Jun–Aug · Challenging
Good for: Trekking · Scenic views
Baltoro Glacier, Gilgit-Baltistan
Trango Towers
A cluster of huge granite spires beside the Baltoro Glacier, among the steepest rock walls in the world.
6,286 m · Jun–Aug · Challenging
Good for: Trekking · Scenic views
Nagar, Gilgit-Baltistan
Nagar Valley
The green, terraced valley across the river from Karimabad, with views of Rakaposhi, glaciers and old villages.
2,400 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Villages & culture
Diamer and Astore, Gilgit-Baltistan
Nanga Parbat
The ninth-highest mountain on earth, an immense snow massif that can be seen from Fairy Meadows, the Rupal valley and the Babusar road.
8,126 m · Jun–Sep · Challenging
Good for: Scenic views · Trekking
Astore, Gilgit-Baltistan
Rama Lake
A small lake in the Rama meadows above Astore, with forest slopes and snow peaks of Nanga Parbat country above it.
3,300 m · Jun–Sep · Moderate
Good for: Lakes · Scenic views
Hunza, Gilgit-Baltistan
Khunjerab National Park
A huge high-altitude park along the Chinese border, home to ibex, marmots, blue sheep and the rare Marco Polo sheep.
3,200–5,200 m · May–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Trekking
Gilgit, Gilgit-Baltistan
Jaglot
A roadside junction near Gilgit where the Indus and Gilgit rivers meet and three great mountain ranges come together.
1,400 m · Mar–Nov · Easy
Good for: Scenic views
Ghizer, Gilgit-Baltistan
Gupis
A green valley town on the Ghizer River, with poplars, trout and easy access to Khalti Lake and the Phander valley.
2,150 m · May–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views
Kaghan Valley, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Ansoo Lake
A tear-shaped lake in the high basin below Malika Parbat, reached on a hard day trek from Lake Saiful Muluk.
4,126 m · Aug–Sep · Challenging
Good for: Lakes · Trekking
Galiyat, Abbottabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Dunga Gali
A quiet pine-forest hill station in the Galiyat, with the well-known Pipeline Track walk and trails to Miranjani.
2,500 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Trekking
Galiyat, Abbottabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Miranjani Trek
A forest and ridge hike to the highest peak of the Galiyat, with wide views over Kashmir and the Himalayan foothills.
2,992 m · Apr–Oct · Moderate
Good for: Trekking · Scenic views
Abbottabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Thandiani
A quiet hill station of thick forest above Abbottabad, with cool summers, snow in winter and views across the Himalayan foothills.
2,750 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Snow & ski
Mansehra, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Balakot
The river town at the foot of the Kaghan Valley, where the mountain road begins and the Kunhar River comes out of the hills.
1,000 m · Mar–Nov · Easy
Good for: Scenic views
Haripur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Tarbela Dam and Lake
One of the largest earth-filled dams in the world, holding back the Indus in a wide reservoir an easy drive from Islamabad.
450 m · Oct–Apr · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Lakes
Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Takht-i-Bahi
A UNESCO World Heritage monastery on a hilltop, one of the best-preserved Buddhist sites in Pakistan.
150 m above the plain · Oct–Apr · Easy
Good for: Villages & culture
Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Marghazar White Palace
A white palace built by the first ruler of Swat in 1940, set among gardens and trees beside a mountain stream.
1,000 m · Mar–Nov · Easy
Good for: Villages & culture · Scenic views
Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Miandam
A cool, forested hill resort in Swat, about 55 km from Mingora, with terraced slopes, small waterfalls and quiet walks.
1,900 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views
Matta, Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Jarogo Waterfall
A tall waterfall that drops down a mossy cliff in a forested gorge in the Chatekal valley of Matta, in Upper Swat.
1,500 m · May–Oct · Moderate
Good for: Scenic views
Kalam, Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Utror Valley
A deodar and spruce valley north of Kalam, with a clear river, meadows and the lakes of Kundol and Pari.
2,300 m · May–Sep · Moderate
Good for: Scenic views · Lakes · Trekking
Chitral, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Chitral Fort
The old fort of the rulers of Chitral on the river bank, famous for the siege of 1895 and still the family home of the royal house.
1,500 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Villages & culture · Scenic views
Upper Chitral, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Mastuj and Buni
Two old villages in Upper Chitral, on the road to the Shandur Pass, with wide plains, fruit trees and views of high snow peaks.
2,350 m · May–Oct · Moderate
Good for: Scenic views · Villages & culture
Chitral, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Chitral Gol National Park
A mountain park near Chitral town that protects the markhor, Pakistan's national animal, with rough trails and views down the valley.
1,450–5,000 m · Apr–Oct · Moderate
Good for: Scenic views · Trekking
Chitral and Dir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Lowari Pass and Tunnel
The high pass between Dir and Chitral, with a long tunnel that opened in 2017 and a winding road with views of forest and snow.
3,118 m · Jun–Oct · Moderate
Good for: Scenic views
Neelum Valley, Azad Jammu and Kashmir
Jagran Valley
A green side valley of the Neelum, with clear trout streams, wooden cottages and forests on steep slopes.
1,400 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views
Kundal Shahi, Neelum Valley, Azad Jammu and Kashmir
Kutton Waterfall
A wide, roaring weir on the Jagran River beside Kundal Shahi, often called the Niagara of Kashmir.
1,350 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views
Neelum Valley, Azad Jammu and Kashmir
Athmuqam
The main town of the Neelum Valley, with a bazaar, waterfalls and a base for trips to Keran, Sharda and the side valleys.
1,350 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views
Hattian Bala, Azad Jammu and Kashmir
Leepa Valley
A remote valley of rice terraces, apple orchards and pine forest near the Line of Control, reached by a long mountain road.
1,900 m · May–Oct · Moderate
Good for: Scenic views
Rawalakot, Poonch, Azad Jammu and Kashmir
Toli Pir
A high pine-and-grass hilltop above Rawalakot, with cool air, wide views and snow in winter.
2,743 m · May–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Snow & ski
Poonch, Azad Jammu and Kashmir
Rawalakot
The main town of Poonch, set in a green hill valley, and the base for Banjosa Lake, Toli Pir and the pine forests of the district.
1,600 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Villages & culture
Bagh, Azad Jammu and Kashmir
Ganga Choti and Sudhan Gali
A high peak of the Pir Panjal with an easy-to-reach meadow base at Sudhan Gali, popular for day treks and camping.
3,045 m · May–Oct · Moderate
Good for: Trekking · Scenic views
Muzaffarabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir
Red Fort, Muzaffarabad
A 17th-century brick fort on a rocky spur above the Neelum River, known locally as the Rutta Qila.
740 m · Mar–Nov · Easy
Good for: Villages & culture
Shounter Valley, Neelum, Azad Jammu and Kashmir
Chitta Katta Lake
A remote high lake below dark rock peaks and glaciers, reached by jeep from Kel and a long hike in the Shounter Valley.
4,100 m · Jul–Sep · Challenging
Good for: Lakes · Trekking
Murree, Punjab
Murree
The classic hill station of the Pir Panjal foothills, an easy two hours from Islamabad, with the Mall Road, pine forest and winter snow.
2,200 m · Mar–Nov · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Snow & ski
Murree, Punjab
Patriata (New Murree)
A forested hilltop above Murree with a chairlift, a cable car and wide views over the foothills.
2,250 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views
Islamabad Capital Territory
Margalla Hills National Park
A national park on the edge of Islamabad, with forested hiking trails, viewpoints and wildlife a short drive from the city centre.
1,600 m · Oct–Apr · Moderate
Good for: Trekking · Scenic views
Islamabad Capital Territory
Daman-e-Koh
A hillside viewing terrace in the Margalla Hills, with a wide view over Islamabad, its green avenues and the Faisal Mosque.
650 m · Oct–Apr · Easy
Good for: Scenic views
Rawalpindi, Punjab
Taxila
A UNESCO World Heritage city of Buddhist stupas, monasteries and ancient ruins, about 35 km from Islamabad.
550 m · Oct–Apr · Easy
Good for: Villages & culture
Cusco Region
Inca Trail
The classic four-day walk along an ancient stone path to Machu Picchu, through cloud forest, high passes and Inca ruins.
4,215 m · May–Sep · Challenging
Good for: Trekking · Villages & culture · Scenic views
Cusco Region
Sacred Valley
A broad Andean valley of Inca terraces, ruins, weaving villages and markets, lower and warmer than Cusco.
2,870 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Villages & culture · Scenic views
Cusco Region
Salkantay Trek
A five-day walk beneath the glacier-capped Salkantay mountain, finishing near Machu Picchu.
4,630 m · May–Sep · Challenging
Good for: Trekking · Scenic views
Apurímac
Choquequirao
A vast and quiet Inca site high above the Apurímac canyon, reached only on foot after a steep descent and climb.
3,050 m · May–Oct · Challenging
Good for: Trekking · Villages & culture · Scenic views
Arequipa Region
Colca Canyon
A deep Andean canyon with terraced villages, hot springs and a viewpoint for Andean condors.
3,700 m · Apr–Nov · Moderate
Good for: Scenic views · Trekking · Villages & culture
Puno Region
Lake Titicaca
A huge high-altitude lake shared with Bolivia, with floating reed islands and island communities.
3,812 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Lakes · Villages & culture · Scenic views
Ancash
Huaraz and the Cordillera Blanca
The highest tropical mountain range in the world, with Peru's highest peak, glacier lakes and some of the best trekking in South America.
3,052 m · May–Sep · Moderate
Good for: Trekking · Scenic views · Lakes
Huascarán National Park, Ancash
Laguna 69
A day hike from Huaraz to a bright turquoise glacier lake below Chacraraju.
4,600 m · May–Sep · Challenging
Good for: Trekking · Lakes · Scenic views
Ancash and Huánuco
Huayhuash Circuit
A long, high circuit around the Cordillera Huayhuash, with ice peaks, turquoise lakes and passes above 4,600 m.
5,000 m · Jun–Aug · Challenging
Good for: Trekking · Lakes · Scenic views
Cusco Region
Ausangate
A high circuit around the sacred, glaciated Ausangate massif, through turquoise lakes, alpaca pastures and hot springs.
6,384 m · May–Sep · Challenging
Good for: Trekking · Lakes · Scenic views
Bernese Oberland
Grindelwald and First
A Bernese Oberland village under the Eiger north face, with a gondola to the high lake of Bachalpsee.
2,168 m · Jun–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Trekking · Snow & ski
Bernese Oberland and Valais
Jungfraujoch
Europe's highest railway station, reached by a rack railway through the Eiger and Mönch, with views over the Aletsch Glacier.
3,454 m · Year-round · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Snow & ski
Valais
Saas-Fee
A car-free village ringed by 4,000 m peaks and glaciers, with the highest underground funicular in the world.
1,800 m · Jun–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Snow & ski
Valais
Aletsch Glacier
The longest glacier in the Alps, seen from the car-free villages of the Aletsch Arena.
2,927 m · Jun–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Trekking
Graubünden
St. Moritz and the Engadin
A high valley of blue lakes and bright light, with the glamour of St. Moritz at one end and quiet villages at the other.
1,822 m · Jun–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Lakes · Snow & ski
Lucerne, Central Switzerland
Mount Pilatus
A jagged peak above Lake Lucerne, with the steepest rack railway in the world and a cable car from the edge of the city.
2,128 m · May–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Trekking
Central Switzerland
Rigi
A gentle, lake-ringed mountain reached by Europe's oldest mountain railway, with huge views from the top.
1,798 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Lakes
Valais
Verbier
A sunny mountain resort above the Rhône valley, with big skiing in winter and long trails and bike routes in summer.
1,500 m · Jun–Sep · Moderate
Good for: Snow & ski · Scenic views · Trekking
Graubünden
Davos and Klosters
The highest city in Europe and its quieter neighbour, with long ski runs in winter and lakes, trails and trains in summer.
1,560 m · Jun–Sep · Easy
Good for: Snow & ski · Scenic views · Lakes
Eastern Switzerland
Säntis and Appenzell
A rocky summit above rolling Appenzell farmland, with a cable car, a cliff-edge guesthouse and a lake in a forested hollow.
2,502 m · May–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Lakes · Villages & culture
Arusha Region
Ngorongoro Crater
A huge volcanic caldera with a floor of grassland, a soda lake and some of the densest wildlife in Africa.
2,300 m · Jun–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Villages & culture
Mara and Simiyu Regions
Serengeti
Endless grass plains and acacia woodland, famed for the annual migration of more than a million wildebeest.
1,500 m · Jun–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views
Manyara Region
Lake Manyara
A compact park beneath the Rift Valley escarpment, with a soda lake, groundwater forest and tree-climbing lions.
960 m · Jun–Oct · Easy
Good for: Lakes · Scenic views
Manyara Region
Tarangire
A park of ancient baobab trees and large elephant herds, centred on the Tarangire river.
1,100 m · Jun–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views
Arusha Region
Ol Doinyo Lengai and Lake Natron
A cone-shaped, active volcano that erupts unusual black lava, above a red soda lake where flamingos breed.
2,962 m · Jun–Oct · Challenging
Good for: Trekking · Lakes · Scenic views
Tanga Region
Usambara Mountains
A cool, green mountain range in north-east Tanzania with walking trails, villages and rare wildlife.
2,300 m · Jun–Oct · Moderate
Good for: Trekking · Scenic views · Villages & culture
Iringa and Morogoro Regions
Udzungwa Mountains
A park of old rainforest, waterfalls and rare primates, the largest of the Eastern Arc mountains.
2,576 m · Jun–Oct · Moderate
Good for: Trekking · Scenic views
Kigoma Region
Mahale Mountains
A remote mountain range rising from Lake Tanganyika, with forest, white beaches and wild chimpanzees.
2,462 m · May–Oct · Moderate
Good for: Trekking · Lakes · Scenic views
Mbeya and Njombe Regions
Kitulo National Park
A high plateau of grassland and wildflowers, known as the Serengeti of Flowers, with orchids, proteas and rare birds.
2,600 m · Dec–Apr · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Trekking
Manyara Region
Mount Hanang
A quiet volcanic peak, the fourth highest in Tanzania, with a day-and-a-half climb through farmland and forest.
3,417 m · Jun–Oct · Challenging
Good for: Trekking · Scenic views
Sultanahmet, Istanbul
Hagia Sophia
A 6th-century domed cathedral that became a mosque, a museum and a mosque again, the great landmark of Istanbul.
40 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: History & ruins · Villages & culture
Sultanahmet, Istanbul
Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Mosque)
A six-minaret mosque lined with blue İznik tiles, built in the early 17th century opposite Hagia Sophia.
40 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Villages & culture · History & ruins
Göreme, Cappadocia
Göreme and the Cappadocia valleys
A village among cone-shaped rock towers, with rock-cut churches, cave hotels and valleys to hike.
1,000 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · History & ruins · Trekking
Göreme, Cappadocia
Cappadocia Balloon Flights
A sunrise flight over fairy chimneys and valleys with dozens of colourful balloons in the sky.
1,000 m · Apr–Nov · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · History & ruins
Pamukkale, Aegean Coast
Pamukkale and Hierapolis
Brilliant white travertine terraces of warm mineral water, beside the ruins of the Roman spa city of Hierapolis.
350 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · History & ruins
Selçuk, Aegean Coast
Ephesus
One of the best-preserved Roman cities in the Mediterranean, with the Library of Celsus and a 25,000-seat theatre.
30 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: History & ruins · Villages & culture
Sultanahmet, Istanbul
Topkapı Palace
The palace where the Ottoman sultans ruled for about 400 years, with courtyards, a harem, a treasury and views over the Bosphorus.
40 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: History & ruins · Villages & culture
Antalya, Mediterranean Coast
Antalya and Kaleiçi
A walled old town of Ottoman houses and a Roman harbour, with the Taurus Mountains rising behind the bay.
30 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Cities & landmarks · Beaches & coast · History & ruins
Fethiye, Mediterranean Coast
Ölüdeniz and Babadağ
A turquoise lagoon backed by a mountain, with tandem paragliding from the top of Babadağ.
1,700 m · May–Oct · Easy
Good for: Beaches & coast · Scenic views · Trekking
Bodrum, Aegean Coast
Bodrum
A white-washed harbour town on the Aegean, dominated by a medieval castle that holds an underwater archaeology museum.
10 m · May–Oct · Easy
Good for: Beaches & coast · History & ruins · Cities & landmarks
Adıyaman, Southeastern Anatolia
Mount Nemrut
A mountaintop tomb-sanctuary guarded by giant stone heads of gods and a king, famous for sunrise.
2,134 m · May–Oct · Moderate
Good for: History & ruins · Scenic views
Maçka, Black Sea
Sümela Monastery
A Greek Orthodox monastery clinging to a sheer cliff above a forested gorge in the Pontic Mountains.
1,150 m · May–Oct · Easy
Good for: History & ruins · Scenic views
Beyazıt and Eminönü, Istanbul
Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar
One of the oldest and largest covered markets in the world, with thousands of shops, and the nearby Spice Bazaar.
40 m · Mar–Nov · Easy
Good for: Villages & culture · Cities & landmarks
Between Europe and Asia, Istanbul
Bosphorus
The strait between Europe and Asia, with Ottoman palaces, fortresses and waterside villages best seen from a ferry.
0 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Cities & landmarks
Galata, Istanbul
Galata Tower and Karaköy
A medieval stone tower on a hill above the Golden Horn, with a 360-degree view of the old city, the Bosphorus and the bridges.
60 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Cities & landmarks · History & ruins
Derinkuyu, Cappadocia
Derinkuyu Underground City
A multi-level underground city carved from soft volcanic rock, with tunnels, stables, chapels and rolling-stone doors.
1,300 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: History & ruins · Villages & culture
Kaş, Mediterranean Coast
Kaş and Kekova
A small harbour town on the Lycian coast, with Greek island views, ancient tombs and a sunken city off Kekova.
10 m · May–Oct · Easy
Good for: Beaches & coast · Scenic views · History & ruins
Olympos and Çıralı, Mediterranean Coast
Olympos and the Chimaera
A forested valley of Lycian ruins running down to a pebble beach, with natural flames that burn on the hillside at night.
10 m · Apr–Oct · Moderate
Good for: History & ruins · Scenic views · Trekking
Çanakkale, Marmara
Troy
The ruins of the legendary city of the Trojan War, with nine layers of settlement and a large wooden horse.
30 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: History & ruins · Villages & culture
Gelibolu, Marmara
Gallipoli Peninsula
The battlefields, cemeteries and memorials of the 1915 campaign on a quiet, wooded peninsula.
30 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: History & ruins · Villages & culture
Bursa, Marmara
Bursa
The first capital of the Ottoman Empire, with green-tiled mosques, silk markets and the slopes of Uludağ behind.
150 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: History & ruins · Villages & culture · Cities & landmarks
Uludağ National Park, Marmara
Uludağ
The highest mountain in north-west Turkey, with a ski resort above Bursa and forest trails in summer.
2,543 m · Dec–Mar, Jun–Sep · Moderate
Good for: Snow & ski · Scenic views · Trekking
Doğubayazıt, Eastern Anatolia
Mount Ararat and Doğubayazıt
The snow-capped volcano that dominates eastern Turkey, with a palace and a viewpoint in nearby Doğubayazıt.
5,137 m · Jul–Sep · Challenging
Good for: Trekking · Scenic views · History & ruins
Van, Eastern Anatolia
Lake Van and Akdamar Island
A vast, high soda lake ringed by mountains, with an Armenian church on an island and famous Van cats and breakfast.
1,640 m · May–Oct · Easy
Good for: Lakes · Scenic views · History & ruins
Çaykara, Black Sea
Uzungöl
A small lake in a forested valley, with a mosque, wooden houses and green slopes in the Pontic Mountains.
1,100 m · May–Oct · Easy
Good for: Lakes · Scenic views
Çamlıhemşin, Black Sea
Kaçkar Mountains and Ayder
The highest range of the Pontic Mountains, with glacial lakes, summer pastures, hot springs and a classic multi-day trek.
3,937 m · Jul–Sep · Challenging
Good for: Trekking · Scenic views · Lakes
Konya, Central Anatolia
Konya and the Mevlana Museum
The Anatolian city of the poet Rumi, with a turquoise-domed tomb and the home of the whirling dervishes.
1,016 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Villages & culture · History & ruins
Karabük, Black Sea
Safranbolu
A UNESCO-listed town of Ottoman timber houses, caravanserais and cobbled streets, once a trading stop on the way to the Black Sea.
500 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: History & ruins · Villages & culture
Mardin, Southeastern Anatolia
Mardin
A honey-coloured stone city climbing a hill above the Mesopotamian plain, with madrasas, churches and monasteries.
1,083 m · Mar–May, Sep–Nov · Easy
Good for: History & ruins · Villages & culture · Scenic views
Şanlıurfa, Southeastern Anatolia
Göbekli Tepe
A hilltop site of carved stone pillars about 11,000 years old, one of the oldest known monumental structures in the world.
760 m · Mar–May, Sep–Nov · Easy
Good for: History & ruins · Villages & culture
Downtown Dubai, Dubai
Burj Khalifa and Downtown Dubai
The world's tallest building, rising 828 m above Downtown Dubai beside the Dubai Mall and its nightly fountain show.
10 m · Nov–Mar · Easy
Good for: Cities & landmarks · Scenic views
Dubai Marina and JBR, Dubai
Dubai Marina
A man-made canal district of glass towers, a long waterfront walk and a busy beach on the Gulf.
5 m · Nov–Mar · Easy
Good for: Cities & landmarks · Beaches & coast
Palm Jumeirah, Dubai
Palm Jumeirah
A palm-shaped artificial island with beach resorts, waterparks and a view of the Dubai skyline from the sea.
3 m · Nov–Mar · Easy
Good for: Cities & landmarks · Beaches & coast
Jumeirah, Dubai
Burj Al Arab and Jumeirah Beach
The sail-shaped hotel on its own island, with the open public beaches of Jumeirah in front and the Madinat Jumeirah souk behind.
3 m · Nov–Mar · Easy
Good for: Cities & landmarks · Beaches & coast
Abu Dhabi city, Abu Dhabi
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
A white-marble mosque with 82 domes, four minarets and a mirror-like pool, open to visitors of all faiths.
5 m · Oct–Apr · Easy
Good for: Villages & culture · Cities & landmarks
Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi
Louvre Abu Dhabi
An art museum under a vast lacy dome that scatters light like a rain of stars, on the waterfront of Saadiyat Island.
5 m · Oct–Apr · Easy
Good for: Villages & culture · Cities & landmarks
Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve and Al Marmoom, Dubai
Dubai Desert and Al Marmoom
Red-gold dunes and protected desert a short drive from the city, for safaris, camel rides, sunrise balloons and stars.
100 m · Nov–Mar · Easy
Good for: Desert & dunes · Scenic views
Bur Dubai, Dubai
Al Fahidi and Dubai Creek
Dubai's oldest quarter, with restored wind-tower houses, small museums and wooden abras crossing the creek.
5 m · Nov–Mar · Easy
Good for: Villages & culture · History & ruins
Jebel Jais, Ras Al Khaimah
Jebel Jais
The highest peak in the UAE, with a mountain road, a record-length zip line and cool air above the desert.
1,934 m · Oct–Apr · Moderate
Good for: Scenic views · Trekking
Liwa, Abu Dhabi
Liwa Oasis and the Empty Quarter
A crescent of oases at the edge of the Empty Quarter, where some of the highest sand dunes in the world rise out of the desert.
120 m · Nov–Mar · Moderate
Good for: Desert & dunes · Scenic views
Al Ain, Abu Dhabi
Jebel Hafeet
The second-highest peak in the UAE, with a famous winding road, sunset views and Bronze Age tombs on its flanks.
1,249 m · Oct–Apr · Moderate
Good for: Scenic views · Trekking
Sharjah city, Sharjah
Heart of Sharjah
A restored old town of coral-stone houses, souks, museums and a fort, in the UAE's cultural capital.
5 m · Nov–Mar · Easy
Good for: Villages & culture · History & ruins
Deira, Dubai
Deira Souks
The old markets of Deira, where gold, spices and perfumes are sold in crowded lanes beside Dubai Creek.
5 m · Nov–Mar · Easy
Good for: Villages & culture · Cities & landmarks
Hatta, Dubai
Hatta
A small mountain town in the Hajar range, about 130 km from Dubai, with a turquoise dam lake, a heritage village and trails.
300 m · Nov–Mar · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Lakes · Trekking
Zabeel Park, Dubai
Dubai Frame
A 150 m picture frame with a glass-floored sky bridge between the old city and the new skyline.
10 m · Nov–Mar · Easy
Good for: Cities & landmarks · Scenic views
Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai
Museum of the Future
A ring-shaped museum covered in Arabic calligraphy, where exhibits explore technology and the future.
10 m · Oct–Apr · Easy
Good for: Cities & landmarks · Villages & culture
Abu Dhabi city, Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi Corniche
A long waterfront promenade with a clean public beach, cycle paths and a view of the skyline.
3 m · Nov–Mar · Easy
Good for: Cities & landmarks · Beaches & coast
West Corniche, Abu Dhabi
Emirates Palace
A huge sand-coloured palace hotel with gold-leaf domes, gardens and a private beach on the Abu Dhabi waterfront.
5 m · Oct–Apr · Easy
Good for: Cities & landmarks · Beaches & coast
Abu Dhabi city, Abu Dhabi
Qasr Al Hosn
The white watchtower fort where Abu Dhabi began, restored as a museum of the city's history.
5 m · Oct–Apr · Easy
Good for: History & ruins · Villages & culture
Yas Island, Abu Dhabi
Yas Island
A leisure island with theme parks, a water park, a beach and the Formula 1 circuit.
3 m · Oct–Apr · Easy
Good for: Cities & landmarks · Beaches & coast
Al Ain, Abu Dhabi
Al Ain Oasis
A shady palm garden in the middle of the city, watered by an ancient system of underground channels.
270 m · Oct–Apr · Easy
Good for: Villages & culture · History & ruins
Al Ain, Abu Dhabi
Al Jahili Fort
A sand-coloured fort with round towers, built in 1891 by Sheikh Zayed the First, with a gallery of early photographs of the region.
270 m · Oct–Apr · Easy
Good for: History & ruins · Villages & culture
Abu Dhabi city, Abu Dhabi
Eastern Mangroves and Jubail Mangrove Park
A mangrove lagoon in the middle of the city, explored by kayak or on a boardwalk, with birds and fish in the shallows.
2 m · Oct–Apr · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Beaches & coast
Ras Al Khaimah, Ras Al Khaimah
Dhayah Fort
A 16th-century fort on a rocky hill above date palms, the only hill fort in the UAE, with a climb of several hundred steps.
60 m · Oct–Apr · Moderate
Good for: History & ruins · Scenic views
Mleiha, Sharjah
Mleiha and Fossil Rock
An archaeological centre and desert park in central Sharjah, with ancient tombs, a rock of fossils and dark skies for stargazing.
150 m · Nov–Mar · Easy
Good for: Desert & dunes · History & ruins
Khor Fakkan, Sharjah
Khor Fakkan
A relaxed Gulf of Oman beach town beneath the Hajar Mountains, with a public beach, a dam and green parks.
5 m · Oct–Apr · Easy
Good for: Beaches & coast · Scenic views
Fujairah city, Fujairah
Fujairah Fort
One of the oldest forts in the UAE, a mud-brick stronghold on a hill above the old town of Fujairah.
30 m · Oct–Apr · Easy
Good for: History & ruins · Villages & culture
Al Bidyah, Fujairah
Al Bidyah Mosque
A tiny mud-brick mosque with four domes, usually described as the oldest mosque in the UAE, beneath a rocky hill by the sea.
10 m · Oct–Apr · Easy
Good for: History & ruins · Villages & culture
Wadi Wurayah, Fujairah
Wadi Wurayah National Park
The UAE's first mountain national park, with permanent pools, a waterfall and rare wildlife in the Hajar Mountains.
200 m · Nov–Mar · Moderate
Good for: Scenic views · Trekking
Dibba, Fujairah
Dibba
A tri-border coastal town where the Hajar Mountains meet the Gulf of Oman, with beaches, diving and boat trips.
5 m · Oct–Apr · Easy
Good for: Beaches & coast · Scenic views
Montana
Glacier National Park
Rugged peaks, glacier-carved valleys and a famous road across the Continental Divide, at the Canadian border.
2,026 m · Jul–Sep · Moderate
Good for: Scenic views · Lakes · Trekking
Colorado
Rocky Mountain National Park
Alpine lakes, elk meadows and one of the highest paved roads in the United States, within day-trip range of Denver.
4,346 m · Jun–Sep · Moderate
Good for: Scenic views · Lakes · Trekking
Wyoming, Montana and Idaho
Yellowstone
The world's first national park: geysers, colourful hot springs, canyons and herds of bison on a volcanic plateau.
2,240 m · May–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Lakes
Utah
Zion National Park
A deep red-rock canyon of sheer cliffs, with river hikes and cliff-edge trails in southern Utah.
1,234 m · Mar–Nov · Moderate
Good for: Scenic views · Trekking
Arizona
Grand Canyon
A vast, layered canyon more than a mile deep, carved by the Colorado River across northern Arizona.
2,134 m · Mar–Nov · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Trekking
Tennessee and North Carolina
Great Smoky Mountains
Ridge after ridge of forested, mist-covered Appalachian peaks, the most-visited national park in the United States.
2,025 m · Apr–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Trekking
Alaska
Denali
North America's highest peak rising above vast tundra, with grizzly bears, caribou and a single long park road.
6,190 m · late May–mid Sep · Moderate
Good for: Scenic views · Trekking
Washington
Mount Rainier
A glacier-covered volcano rising above wildflower meadows and old-growth forest, within two hours of Seattle.
4,392 m · Jul–Sep · Moderate
Good for: Scenic views · Trekking · Snow & ski
Colorado
Maroon Bells and Aspen
Two red-tinged peaks above a lake and aspen groves, one of the most photographed views in Colorado.
2,920 m · Jun–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Lakes · Trekking
California
Sequoia and Kings Canyon
Groves of the largest trees on Earth, high granite domes and deep canyons in the southern Sierra Nevada.
2,050 m · May–Oct · Easy
Good for: Scenic views · Trekking
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