Five incredible walks around the world
An idyllic and elemental stroll Down Under
The Cape-to-Cape Track stretches 75 miles along the coast of Western Australia, from Cape Naturaliste to Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse in the south – traversing the lovely Margaret River region and some of the whitest, prettiest beaches and best surf breaks in the country. Alternating spectacular bluffs with woodland and sand trails, the Track can be taken in sections; one, two or four days is often the way to go, to get the best of it, from vineyard visits to refreshing rockpool swims.
A helihike to Earnslaw Burn by Heli Glenorchy, organised by Walk Into Luxury
Boranup Forest, on the Cape-to-Cape track
I did it with excellent Australian operators Walk Into Luxury, who’ve edited the experience down to its finest gourmand elements (a private tasting and chef’s-table dinner at Vasse Felix, whose cabernet sauvignons are best in Margaret River class) and its wildest natural ones (off-trailing in the Boranup Karri Forest, one of the most pristine such forests left in Oz). walkintoluxury.com, from A$3,350 (about £1,880) for four nights, including transfers to and from Perth
The high-low Highland Fling
The terrain is gentle and picturesque, with numerous accommodation options for a self-planned trip that lets you set the pace and the agenda, with as much (or as little) culture, beach and gastronomy filler as suits. Portugal Green Walks is a good resource for those who prefer to have their itineraries planned, whether camping or staying in pretty boutique hotels. portugalgreenwalks.com, from €995 for a 14-night Porto to Compostela walk
In Chile, W is for walks with wow factor
The Torres del Paine in Chile
Summer is coming to Chile, and the busy season for the country’s Torres del Paine W Trek – which this month opens up again to self-guided hiking – is too. It’s one of the more user-friendly trekking networks in South America, offering far less punishing altitudes than in the Andes (its highest point, the John Gardner Pass, is just 800m), staggering scenery, manageably mild temperatures and the enticing possibility of a puma encounter.
A view of the mountains in the W Trek © Jonathan Irish
Tierra Patagonia offers guided excursions that take in the Trek’s highlights © Jonathan Irish
Numerous operators, and a handful of good hotels, offer tailored takes on the W Trek experience, ranging from half-day walks to four-night treks with camping. Tierra Patagonia, part of the Tierra Hotels network, combines the best of luxury (slick architecture with acres of wood, huge rooms, a full spa, gourmet food with an indigenous-produce slant) with guided full-day excursions that take in some of the Trek’s highlights, including the Grey Glacier and, of course, the Towers themselves. tierrahotels.com, from $1,300
Sri Lanka’s tea trails get an upgrade
Part of the 185 miles of the Pekoe Trail in Sri Lanka
The big news out of Sri Lanka is the opening of the 22-route, 185-mile Pekoe Trail, a network of hiking paths through the island nation’s tea country. Ten years in the making, funded jointly by the US and the EU, the Pekoe is as much a social enterprise as it is a soft-adventure proposition, conceived to increase the flow of travellers (and their tourist dollars) to some of the most remote communities in the country. It incorporates many of the trails originally used to transport tea to the factories by horses, so is suitable for most ages and fitness levels.
The Pekoe was partially funded by the US and EU as a social enterprise
The pool at the private Nine Skies bungalow near the mountain station of EllaThough the official trailhead is in Kandy, there’s a multitude of entry and exit points in towns, villages, train stations and at interesting sites – crossing dramatic forested valleys and high country that’s steeped, if you will, in a singular colonial and spiritual history. Experience Travel Group has crafted a bespoke pan-island trip that includes three nights at Nine Skies, a stunning private bungalow near the mountain station of Ella, with half- and full-day guided walks on various sections of the Pekoe. experiencetravelgroup.com, Sri Lanka holidays from £4,000; 14-night all-inclusive journey with guided Pekoe Trail hikes, from £5,500
This story originally appeared on: Financial Times - Author:Maria Shollenbarger
