Walking is often the best way to approach a site and embrace the majesty of a landscape. A contemplative exercise that's good for body and mind. Here are 10 of the most incredible itineraries on the planet.
Spain - El Caminito del Rey
Vertigo sufferers please refrain. It's just over 8 kilometers long and not very difficult. On the other hand, it's undoubtedly one of the most impressive paths - even frightening if you suffer from vertigo - on the planet. Built in the early 20e Built in the 19th century to give workers direct access to two hydroelectric stations in Andalusia, it is carved into the rock 100 meters above the Gaitanes gorge in the El Chorro canyon. A narrow, one-metre-wide path weaves its way through the rock, a feat of engineering at the time. Worn by time, it underwent a superb renovation a few years ago. Now, glass passages can be found here and there, for an extra thrill!
Length: 8.6 km. www.caminitodelrey.info.
Tanzania - Ngorongoro Crater
Ngorongoro is a veritable Garden of Eden born of the Earth's fury. Some 2 or 3 million years ago, a titanic eruption formed the planet's largest caldera, now dormant. As in the world's first morning, its nearly 300 km2 still provide refuge and grazing for one of Africa's greatest concentrations of wildlife. Zebra, wildebeest, elephant, impala, black rhino and lion roam the savannah in their thousands. The hike along the crater rim offers breathtaking views of the conservation area. And the largest of the animals, rhinoceros and elephant, can be seen with the naked eye. From refuge to observation post, you cross open expanses and wooded areas in turn. A different kind of safari, much closer to nature: the animals may even appear on the ridge, so you need to be accompanied by an armed guard.
Length: 10 km.
Norway - From Nusfjord to Nesland
The Lofoten archipelago, stretching in a ribbon along Norway's northern coast, is a fantastic journey in itself. And Nusfjord, one of the country's most beautiful spots, is an added delight. With its wooden houses on stilts and quays suspended over the sea, this centuries-old fishing village is a picture postcard that's hard to leave behind. The trail begins at the edge of Nusfjord village, below the village school. It is marked with cairns and requires you to climb a few rocks, but is still very easy. In the village of Nesland, the arrival point is a guesthouse built in the 19th century.e century and still run by the descendants of the original owner. A great invitation to stay at least one night to soak up the gentle atmosphere at the end of the world.
Length: 4.7 km.
Switzerland - Aletsch Glacier
Overlooking the largest glacier in continental Europe, located in the Swiss Valais, the UNESCO high altitude trail may be short, but its intensity is incredible. A real challenge for sure-footed hikers not prone to vertigo. Also known as the «Gratweg», there's nothing easy about it, even if the most exposed passages are well secured. It starts at the Bettmerhorn cable car station (2647 m) and leads over the summit ridge to the Eggishorn (2869 m). It's a hike on the level of an Alpine itinerary, but above all an unforgettable adventure thanks to the extraordinary views it offers of the Aletsch glacier, the Jungfrau, the Aletschhorn and the Bietschhorn, as well as the Rhone valley and the majestic 4,000-meter peaks of the Valais.
Length: 3 km. www.aletscharena.ch.
Greece - From Thera to Oia
For a hike between earth and sky against a backdrop of inky-blue seas, you've come to the right place. This trail offers some of the finest panoramic views in the Mediterranean. It follows the summit of the sunken caldera of the Santorini volcano, in the heart of the Aegean Sea. A remnant of the terrible eruption that took place in the 18th century BC, it still stands 300 metres above the waves. The hiker treads ash, paved sections and a short stretch of asphalt, taking in the island's geological history and discovering a host of volcanic phenomena and strata of coloured lava. You'll never tire of the plunging views over the islets that face Santorini, or of the white villages that cap the caldera's rim or cling to its flanks. The spectacle reaches its peak as you approach Oia, at the northern tip of the island. The itinerary takes on an extra dimension at sunset, but there you're sure not to be alone.
Length: 9.5 km.
Ireland - Giant's Causeway
Head for the coast of Northern Ireland, which offers some of the most beautiful scenery in Europe. This trail links Ballycastle to Portstewart, passing through some of the island's most emblematic sites. First and foremost, of course, is the famous Giant's Causeway, which, according to legend, was built by an Irish giant wishing to measure himself against a Scottish rival. The scientific version is that a lava flow from the Tertiary era produced this fascinating backdrop of near-perfectly shaped basalt pillars. Playing leapfrog with cliffs, beaches and meadows, the hike has other surprises in store, such as the rope bridge linking the islet of Carrick-a-Rede and the ruins of Dunluce Castle. All in all, this is a fairly easy route that can be covered in 2 or 3 days, and requires only an average level of fitness.
Length: 53 km. www.ireland.com.
France - Calanques de Cassis
An unusual blend of Norwegian fjords and Greek white coasts, the Calanques de Cassis offer breathtaking walks, often between land and sea. One of the most beautiful itineraries starts at Port-Miou and leads to the Calanque d'En Vau, considered one of the most beautiful, via the equally scenic Port Pin. It follows the course of the GR 98-51, but hikers can choose between the new route (marked in red and white) and the old one (marked in black), which is steeper and more technical. It's a hike that keeps its promise from start to finish, through a landscape that's unique in the world, where white and orange rock meets the turquoise of the sea and the deep green of pine trees and scrubland plants.
Length: 14.5 km. www.ot-cassis.com.
Argentina - Fitz Roy loop
The Fitz Roy massif is one of the most important sites in Argentine Patagonia. Starting from the town of El Chalten, this route climbs through Los Glaciares National Park, which is almost as large as Belgium. As you climb, the silhouette of the peaks, often almost vertical and covered with heavy glaciers, stands out against a backdrop of azure skies. The route leads down to the glacier at the base of the famous Cerro Torre (3128 m), one of the most coveted peaks for mountaineers. From here, the trail continues to a high plateau where you can bivouac (Camp Poincenot). The next day, you'll have the chance to watch the sunrise over Fitz Roy.
Length: 19.5 km.
Italy - Frédéric-Auguste trail
This trail owes its name to the visit of the King of Saxony, who at the turn of the 20the century, fell in love with the panorama offered by the Alpe di Siusi plateau. His wish was to see a trail in the Trentino region named after him. And one of the most perfect was chosen, as it has the advantage of requiring minimal effort and offering maximum sensations in return. It begins at Passo di Sella and climbs to the Frédéric-Auguste refuge. The route takes in some of the most beautiful scenery in the Dolomites: the Sella massif, Sassolungo and the Sasso Piatto mountains. It continues to the Sasso Piatto hut, over the Passo Duron pass and then down to Saltria. From here, a bus takes you back to the starting point.
Length: 10.5 km.
Madagascar - Tsingy de Bemaraha Park
In Malagasy, tsingy means a site that you can't walk on barefoot. In fact, the tsingy is a dense, impenetrable massif of sculpted rocks, some 100 m high. As you approach, you have the sensation of entering a veritable forest of stone and limestone, sculpted by millennia of rainfall. Narrow cracks and crevices allow you to squeeze through, but... beware of taking the wrong step! The most adventurous circuit, that of Andamozavaky, lasts 4 hours and is not for the faint-hearted or those prone to vertigo, as it ends in a narrow via ferrata that climbs up the rock face. Equipped with harnesses and karabiners, the hiker is rewarded with an unforgettable spectacle: the final section of the route overlooks the entire site, from footbridge to belvedere. And it's not unusual to spot lemurs in the trees surrounding the rocks.
Length: 4 km.
