Mt Whitney Zone Forums General Discussion Favorite International Hikes

What are your favorite day hikes outside of the United States?

Here is a short list of some of my favorites:

1. The West Highland Way, Scotland
www.west-highland-way.co.uk/home.asp
Can be done backpacking style or by staying in village accomodations.
Best season: Summer! Be prepared for rain and/or mud.

2. Austria & Germany: Bavaria & the Tyrol, especially
Lake Königsee and Berchtesgaden National Park
Best seasons: Spring and Summer

3. Italy: Amalfi Coast
Walk the Path of the Gods, one of the world's most stunning coastal trails.
Best seasons: Spring and Autumn. Summers can be very hot.

4. Italy: The Northern Lakes
Various hiking trails overlooking some of the most beautiful lakes on the planet.
Best seasons: Spring and Summer.

5. Ireland: Dingle Bay & Killarney - Killarney National Park
Best season: Summer. Be prepared for rain.

6. Ecuador? We'll see.. The Valley of the Volcanos. We're leaving next week for Quito. Hope to post report and photos here in December.

I told Pat that she was not allowed to show me any pictures of your adventure, lest I leave and never come back... ;)

Have a great trip, Bob! Hope to someday be able to contribute to this sort of a thread!

-L

I agree with #3 & #4 -- stunning. I would also add Monte Cervino (more commonly known as Matterhorn)& Masada to the list.

Have fun, Bob! Hope you have a safe and inspiring trip. I'm looking forward to your trip report.

Now... for international hikes, I only know of one -- because I've only been on one. :-|   But it was definitely a good one:

New Zealand: Tongariro Alpine Crossing

It is a popular trail, easier than Half Dome, a little more difficult than a hike to Little Yosemite Valley. My wife and I hiked it 9 years ago. One side of the mountain is dry, with little plant growth, like the Sierra east side. The other side, the trail is cut through dense tree and shrub growth. In the middle, the hike goes past the recently active Mt Ngauruhoe (pronounce that!), elev 7500'.

Mt Nguaruhoe

Tigers Nest in Bhutan, closely followed by Mt Fuji

GR20 in Corsica, hands down my favorite in Europe, and I lived half my life there. Corsica is about the only place I want to visit again

My preferred day outdoor hikes outside of the U.S are Vancouver BC in Canada, Italy and Ecuador. These are some favorite places for me and I like to go there again and again.

Anything in the European Alps.
In the Dolomites of northern Italy, Tre Cime was very nice.

CaT

Haven't done much in Europe, but:

New Zealand - Tongariro Crossing/Circuit, Mount Ruapehu, Mt Ngauruhoe (North Island), Routeburn, Queenstown Hill hike (South Island). Mt Taranaki also, but I've been turned back by storms both times :-(

Australia - Cradle Mountain Tasmania and other hikes in the NP, anything around Freycinet NP, Tas. Coastal Walk in Royal National Park, Cliff track in Tasman National Park (forget the trail name); Sydney - coast walk from Bondi to Coogee (paved, but great ocean shoreline views), Blue Mountains.

Chile - Torres Del Paine "W" or "Full" circuit and any of the side trips nearby.

Argentina - Fitz Roy Circuit and any side trips nearby

Japan - Daisetsuzan NP alpine trek, beautiful scenery and wildlife; Shirotoku is also wonderful, but plenty of Brown bears there (Higuma) to watch out for, lots of deer also.

Canada - Waterton lakes NP (sister of Glacier in the U.S.)