Hiking in Patagonia: The Ultimate Guide

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Two countries, two systems and one very large wind. The hikes worth planning a trip around, and what Torres del Paine asks of you before you may walk it.

Anja

Published October 2, 2026

Edited October 2, 2026

17 min read

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Patagonia is usually pictured as a single trail with a single famous view. It is a region shared by two countries, and Chile and Argentina run their mountains on opposite systems. On the Chilean side you cannot set foot on the main circuit without a confirmed bed or tent site for every night of the walk. On the Argentine side the trails to the most photographed peaks in South America start at the end of a village street.

That difference decides almost everything about a trip here: how far ahead you book, how much freedom you keep once you arrive, and what happens when the weather turns. The planning problem in Patagonia is availability, not navigation. The trails themselves are waymarked, walked by thousands of people a season, and almost never technical.

What is genuinely serious is the wind. This guide covers the hikes worth building a trip around, how the W and the O actually work, what the two countries ask of you, and the rules that were written by storms.

The Hikes Worth Building a Trip Around

Six walks carry most of the traffic in southern Patagonia. Three sit inside Torres del Paine in Chile and form the arms of the W. Two start from the Argentine village of El Chaltén. The sixth is not really a hike at all, and it is worth knowing that before you plan a day around it.

Distances below are round trips from the usual starting point. Where the figure comes from our own itineraries it is exact, because it is measured on the ground we walk. Everything else is marked with a tilde.

Mirador Las Torres

The three granite towers are the image that sells Patagonia, and reaching their base is a long day rather than a difficult one. Our own itinerary walks it as 20 km with over 1,100 m of ascent and the same in descent, from the Torre Central sector up through the Ascencio valley. The last 45 minutes climb a boulder slope that has no path so much as a line of markers between rocks. Only the final section feels like mountain ground.

Three granite towers rising above a pale glacial lagoon with a boulder field in the foreground — The lagoon sits directly under the towers, so the granite only glows for about twenty minutes at dawn

The lagoon at the top sits directly beneath the towers, which means the view is entirely at the mercy of cloud. Walkers staying at the refugio part way up the valley can start before dawn and be there for first light, when the granite turns orange for about twenty minutes. Anyone walking it from the park entrance in a single day arrives in the middle of the day, when the towers are most often covered.

The French Valley

Cut into the center of the Paine massif, the French Valley is the middle arm of the W and the one that feels least like a viewpoint and most like standing inside the mountain. Our route covers 24 km with 820 m of ascent and 860 m of descent, the longest walking day on the W Trek. The valley opens into an amphitheatre of walls with a hanging glacier on one side.

That glacier is why people stop for longer here than anywhere else on the route. Ice breaks off the face through the day and the sound arrives several seconds after the movement, which catches out everyone the first time. Give the French Valley more time than the distance suggests.

A wooden boardwalk running through green scrub toward the horn-shaped peaks of the Paine massif — The longest day on the W runs 24 km into this amphitheatre, where the ice falls are heard seconds late

Grey Glacier

Grey is the arm of the W that touches the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, a body of ice covering roughly 12,000 square kilometers and the largest outside the polar regions. Our walking day to the glacier viewpoints is 11 km with 330 m of ascent, which makes it the gentlest day on the trek. The face of the glacier is several kilometers wide and calves icebergs into the lake below it. Grey is the easiest day and the biggest scale.

Most walkers see Grey twice, once on foot from the trail above the lake and once from the water on the way out. The boat crossing runs the length of the lake past the ice front, and it is included on our W Trek. Ice that has broken off drifts down the lake for days, so the shore at the far end is usually littered with blue fragments.

A wide blue glacier front meeting a grey lake, with small icebergs floating in the foreground — Grey calves into the lake it is named for, the outflow of an ice field of roughly 12,000 square km

Laguna de los Tres

This is the Argentine equivalent of Las Torres, and the numbers are close: roughly 21 km round trip from El Chaltén with about 1,000 m of ascent, most of it in the final kilometre. The last section climbs a steep moraine slope that takes around an hour and is the only part anyone remembers as hard. At the top, Monte Fitz Roy stands directly across a glacial lagoon.

The important difference is at the start. The trailhead is a street corner in the village. There is no shuttle, no gate to queue at and no accommodation chain to have booked months earlier, which is why El Chaltén works so well for walkers who want to decide in the morning based on the sky.

A lone walker standing at the edge of a turquoise glacial lagoon ringed by snow-covered granite spires — The last kilometre up the moraine takes about an hour and is the only hard part of the whole walk

Laguna Torre

Shorter and far flatter than its neighbour, Laguna Torre runs roughly 18 km round trip with about 500 m of ascent, and it ends at a milky lake below Cerro Torre. It is the obvious first walk for anyone arriving in El Chaltén who wants to move after a long bus journey without committing to a full day of climbing. Most people take around five hours.

Cerro Torre is a slender granite spire with a mushroom of rime ice on its summit, and it is in cloud more often than not. Walkers who reach the lake and see nothing have plenty of company. The lake, the glacier feeding it and the icebergs on its surface are worth the walk on their own.

A dirt trail running through open scrub toward a line of snow-covered granite spires under a lens-shaped cloud — About 18 km round trip and five hours, and the spire at the end is in cloud more often than not

Perito Moreno Glacier

Perito Moreno is on almost every list of Patagonian hikes and it is not one. The site is a network of steel walkways descending the hillside opposite the ice front, totalling a few kilometers with about 180 m of height between the top and the lowest balcony. You can walk on the glacier itself, but only with a licensed operator and crampons they supply.

What makes it worth a day is the calving. The glacier front stands around 70 m above the water and pushes forward year round, so blocks the size of buildings drop off it while you watch. Treat Perito Moreno as a viewing day, not a walking day, and plan a real hike for the day either side.

A wide, heavily crevassed glacier front seen across water from tiered wooden viewing walkways in the foreground — Steel walkways drop about 180 m down the hillside opposite a front standing 70 m above the water

The W and the O, Explained

Both routes are named for the shape they draw on a map of the Paine massif. The W runs up and back down three valleys along the southern face, which is why it looks like the letter. The O adds the entire back side of the massif to make a loop, with the W forming its bottom edge.

In practice the W is the introduction and the O is the commitment. Our W Trek covers four walking days inside a seven-day trip, with the longest at 24 km and the biggest climb over 1,100 m, and we grade it 3 out of 5 for both fitness and technical demand. Our O Circuit covers seven walking days inside ten, roughly 135 km in total, and is graded 4 out of 5 for fitness.

The back side changes the character of the trip rather than just its length. There are no road connections, no day walkers and no way to shorten a stage once you have started it, and the two campsites out there are small. The O is a committing route because leaving it early is difficult.

A glacier tongue spilling between dark rock walls into a grey meltwater lake — The back side of the massif has no roads and no day walkers, which is what makes the O a commitment

The other difference is the direction of travel. The O is walked counter-clockwise only, which means everyone crosses the high pass in the same direction on the same morning, and the season is shorter: our O Circuit runs November to March, while the W Trek runs September to April.

10 days

Chile

Torres Del Paine O Circuit

Patagonia W Trek Tour

3/5 Fitness

3/5 Technical

from 1.845 €/person

Chile or Argentina: Two Countries, Two Systems

The Chilean side is organized around Torres del Paine, a single park that concentrates the famous walking into one massif. Entry tickets are bought online by sector before you arrive, and every night inside the park has to be spent at a designated refugio or campsite that you have already reserved. Rangers check the chain of bookings at the entrance.

Argentina puts its best-known peaks above a village instead of inside a controlled circuit. El Chaltén sits at the northern end of Los Glaciares National Park, and the paths to Laguna de los Tres, Laguna Torre and half a dozen viewpoints leave directly from its streets. Walkers register at the park office on arrival and then choose their day each morning.

The two systems reward opposite planning styles. Chile suits anyone who wants the route settled before they fly and is happy to walk a fixed stage each day. Argentina suits anyone who would rather keep the itinerary loose and let the weather pick the walk, which in a place with this much cloud is a real advantage.

Most trips do both, and the practical link between them is the road from Puerto Natales to El Calafate and on to El Chaltén, with a border crossing in the middle. Allow a full travel day for it. Bus schedules thin out sharply outside the summer months.

A hiker on a rock outcrop above a bright turquoise lake with a snow-capped massif behind — Chile concentrates its walking in one park, where every night has to be reserved before you start

What the Wind Actually Does

Southern Patagonia sits in the path of the westerlies with no landmass to slow them, and the wind is the reason the walking here is harder than the profiles suggest. On exposed ground it arrives in gusts strong enough to stop you mid-stride, and on lake shores it lifts spray off the water. Nothing about the terrain on the W or the O is technical. The weather is what makes it serious.

The rules on the O Circuit were written by one storm. On 17 November 2025 a blizzard caught walkers on the exposed stretch between Los Perros and Paso John Gardner, the 1,241 m saddle that is the high point of the loop. Gusts reached around 193 km/h, the temperature was near minus 5 °C, and five hikers died. Campsite staff that morning had forecast maximum winds of about 100 km/h.

CONAF, the Chilean forestry body that runs the park, closed the circuit and reopened it on 9 December 2025 under new conditions. The back side now takes a maximum of 100 people a day, travel is one-way only, registration at the Coirón ranger station is compulsory, and two rangers are posted to each of the high-risk sectors at Dickson, Los Perros and the pass itself.

A walker in a red jacket on a bare, stony saddle with a vast glacier and serrated peaks behind under heavy cloud — Paso John Gardner tops out at 1,241 m and now takes 100 walkers a day, all traveling one way

For anyone planning a trip, the practical consequences are simple. Cross the pass early, because the wind builds through the morning. Carry proper shell layers and gloves even on a forecast of sun, since the pass makes its own weather. A ranger holding you at a campsite is the forecast, because they are reading conditions you cannot see from below.

The wind also explains the shape of everything that grows here. Lenga trees on the exposed shores lean permanently downwind, and on the ridges they stay knee height whatever their age. It is a useful thing to notice on day one, because it tells you which way the weather comes from before you have felt it.

A gnarled, wind-twisted tree leaning over a stony lake shore with mountains beyond — Lenga on the exposed shores lean permanently downwind, which tells you where the weather comes from

Where You Sleep, and Why You Book It First

Inside Torres del Paine, wild camping is prohibited. Every night has to be spent at one of the designated sites along the route, and you must hold a reservation for each one before you are allowed to start walking. The sites are run by three different bodies: CONAF, which operates the free campsites, and two concession holders, Vértice and Las Torres, which run the rest.

This is the part that catches people out. Three separate booking systems have to line up on consecutive dates. A single full night in the middle of your chain breaks the whole itinerary, and by mid-season the January and February beds on the popular sections are long gone. Booking for the following season generally opens between April and June, with the two concessionaires opening weeks apart rather than together.

What you get varies more than the word refugio suggests. The larger sites have bunk rooms with bedding, hot showers, a shop and meals you can buy; the smaller ones on the back side have platform tents, cold showers and a shelter to cook in. All of them are open through the trekking season only, and all of them fill.

Where You Sleep on the W and the O

Refugio Centra Los Torres log cabin partially hidden by dry brush against arid hills.

Bunk beds with wooden frames and mattresses inside a simple room, possibly a refuge.

Refugio Torre Central

The base at the eastern end of the massif, where the W starts and finishes and the path to the Towers begins. Bunk rooms and a campsite run by Las Torres, with hot showers, a shop and meals you can book along with your bed.

Wooden refuge or cabin exterior with outdoor gear, firewood, and a person resting outdoors.

Attic cabin room with slanted wood beams, skylight, and bed with dark blue duvet

Refugio Los Cuernos

Directly under the horns on the shore of Lake Nordenskjold, roughly halfway along the southern face. Cabins and platform tents with showers and a covered place to cook, and the usual stop between the Towers and the French Valley.

Lodge with brown siding and flags at Paine Grande near Pehoe Lake, Patagonia.

Bunk beds with white bedding in a room overlooking a valley near Pehoe Lake.

Vertice Paine Grande

The largest site in the park, on the northern shore of Lake Pehoe where the catamaran lands. Bunk rooms, a campsite, showers, a shop and a large cooking building, and the junction between the French Valley and Grey.

Refugio & Camping Grey welcome sign with Chilean flag, set among green trees.

Rustic dining hall with wooden beams, long tables, and bar service area.

Camp Grey

Above the eastern shore of Grey Lake, within sight of the glacier front. Refugio beds and tent sites with showers, a well stocked shop and a dining room, and the first night after Paso John Gardner on the O Circuit.

Two brown wooden cabins in a grassy clearing before a steep, forested hill.

Two white square sinks set into a simple wooden vanity with mirrors above.

Camp Dickson

On the shore of Lake Dickson on the quiet back side of the massif, reached on the longest day of the O Circuit at 35 km. Wooden cabins and tent sites with showers, a shop and a dining room.

Hikers resting on wooden porch of brown cabin surrounded by mossy trees in forest.

Group of hikers dining indoors in a rustic lodge with exposed wooden beams.

Los Perros Camp

A small camp in beech forest below the Perros glacier, and the last night before Paso John Gardner. Tent sites, cold showers and an enclosed shelter to cook in, and one of the sectors CONAF now staffs with two rangers.

Best Time to Hike in Patagonia

The walking season in southern Patagonia runs from roughly September to April, and the months inside it are genuinely different rather than slightly different. Our W Trek operates September to April; our O Circuit, which crosses higher and more exposed ground, runs November to March only. Daylight is the quiet advantage of the southern summer: in December the light lasts past ten in the evening.

There is no month without wind, and the windiest stretch is the middle of summer. Trading some of the warmth for calmer air is the single best reason to walk in the shoulder months.

When to Walk

Peak season. Days run past ten in the evening, every service is open and the wind is at its strongest. Beds on the popular sections are booked six to twelve months ahead.

Autumn. The beech turns red and the wind eases as the crowds thin. Our W Trek runs to the end of April; the O Circuit closes at the end of March.

Spring. Quiet trails, fresh snow on the high ground and fewer services open. The W Trek starts in September, the O Circuit not until November because the pass holds snow.

Winter. The circuits close, daylight drops to around eight hours and the refugios shut. Only short walks near the park entrances stay open.

How Hard Is It, Really?

It depends on which Patagonia you mean. A day walk from El Chaltén to Laguna Torre is about 18 km on gentle ground and is within reach of anyone who walks regularly at home. The base of the towers, at roughly 20 km and over 1,100 m of climb, is a long day that rewards some training. The O Circuit asks for seven of those in a row while carrying what you need.

None of it is technical. There is no scrambling, no exposure that needs a head for heights and no altitude to speak of, since the high point of the O sits at 1,241 m. What tires people here is the hours, not the gradient. Stages regularly run eight to ten hours, and doing that on consecutive days in wind is a different proposition from doing it once.

Beginners do the W every season, and they do it comfortably when the trip is built with a refugio each night and a bag carried only for the day. The two things that catch out fit walkers are underestimating the last climb to the towers and packing for the forecast rather than for the place.

Two hikers walking a gravel path through pale grassland toward cloud-covered horn-shaped peaks — Stages regularly run eight to ten hours, and it is the hours rather than the gradient that tire people

Planning Your Patagonia Trek

Tickets, Permits and Registration

Torres del Paine tickets are bought online in advance, by sector and by length of stay, and you show them together with your accommodation bookings at the park entrance. Walkers doing the O Circuit must also register in person at the Coirón ranger station, and the back side is capped at 100 people a day. Arriving without the paperwork is not a queue you can join on the morning, it is a refused entry.

Argentina asks for much less. Walkers heading out from El Chaltén register at the park office in the village, which takes a few minutes and gets you a current read on trail conditions from a ranger. Access arrangements on the northern trails have been changing in recent seasons, so confirm what is in force when you arrive rather than relying on a guide written two years ago.

Fire, Stoves and Where You May Camp

In 2011 a fire started by a visitor burned about 17,000 hectares of Torres del Paine, and the rules written after it are enforced rather than advertised. Open fires are banned under Chilean law. Camping stoves may be used only inside the designated cooking shelters at the campsites, never on the trail and never at a tent.

The bleached skeletons of lenga trees you walk past on the southern shore of Lake Pehoé are the 2011 burn, and they are the reason a rule that sounds fussy is treated as serious. Camping outside a designated site is prohibited anywhere in the park.

A bleached, branchless dead tree standing against horn-shaped peaks above a turquoise lake — Skeleton lenga on the Pehoe shore are the 2011 burn, which took about 17,000 hectares of the park

A small waterfront town with a red ship at the quay and snow-covered mountains across the water — Puerto Natales is the staging town for the park, and the place where our W Trek begins and ends

Getting There and Getting Around

Most trips into Chilean Patagonia arrive through Punta Arenas and then take the road north to Puerto Natales, the staging town for the park and the start and finish of our W Trek. Our O Circuit begins and ends in Punta Arenas itself. Buses between the two towns run several times a day in season and thin out sharply outside it.

The Argentine side is reached through El Calafate, with a further three hours by road north to El Chaltén. Linking the two countries takes a full travel day on the Puerto Natales to El Calafate road, with a border crossing in the middle that closes early in the evening. Build a spare day into any itinerary that crosses the border before a flight.

Food, Water and What to Carry

Water on both circuits comes from streams and is generally drunk untreated by walkers and staff alike, though a filter costs almost nothing in weight. Meals can be bought at the larger sites if you reserve them along with your bed, and the campsite shops carry basics at a markup that reflects how they arrive. The back side of the O has the least of everything, so carry the days you need.

A windproof shell and warm gloves are not optional in any month of the season. Trekking poles earn their place on the descent from the towers and on the drop off the pass, which loses 1,400 m on our itinerary. Anyone camping rather than sleeping in bunk rooms needs a bag rated well below the overnight temperatures, which fall close to freezing on the back side even in midsummer.

Wooden cabins on stilts in a clearing of beech forest below a steep wooded slope — Dickson sits on the back side, where overnight temperatures fall close to freezing even in midsummer

Frequently Asked Questions

The walk to Mirador Las Torres in Torres del Paine, which ends at a lagoon directly beneath the three granite towers the region is known for. Our itinerary covers it in 20 km with over 1,100 m of ascent. Its Argentine counterpart, Laguna de los Tres beneath Monte Fitz Roy, is close behind it and roughly the same size of day.

Not technically. The trails are marked, the highest point on the O Circuit is 1,241 m and nothing requires scrambling. The difficulty comes from long days, consecutive days and wind, which is why the safety rules in Torres del Paine are built around weather rather than terrain.

Yes, and many do. The W Trek is the usual starting point, especially with a refugio bed each night and only a day pack to carry. El Chaltén is even easier to begin with, because you can pick a short walk or a long one on the morning, depending on the cloud.

The W takes four walking days, which fits a seven-day trip with travel at either end. The O takes seven walking days inside about ten. Adding the Argentine side sensibly needs four or five days more, since El Chaltén is a full travel day from Torres del Paine.

They answer different questions. Chile gives you one outstanding multi-day circuit with every night booked in advance; Argentina gives you a village with big day walks leaving from its streets and no chain of reservations to hold together. If you want a single trek, go to Chile. If you want flexibility in bad weather, go to Argentina.

You need a park entry ticket bought online for the right sector, plus a confirmed reservation for every night you sleep inside the park. Walkers on the O Circuit must also register at the Coirón ranger station, and the back side is limited to 100 people a day.

December to February for the longest days and the most reliable services, March and April for autumn color and calmer air, and late spring for quiet trails with a higher chance of snow on the pass. The O Circuit is open November to March only.

Of course. We aim to make your decision as easy as possible. Therefore, we crafted several selections targeted at particular groups of hikers – Best for Beginners, Best for Advanced Hikers, Mountain Hikes, Pilgrimages, Classic Treks, etc.

If you remain unsure and overwhelmed, complete our quiz in under a minute to get tailored recommendations or book a call with us, and we can help you directly.

About this author

Anja Hajnšek·Travel Agent

Anja is our lead travel advisor and a lifelong hiker who has planned countless adventures across Europe. She prefers sunsets to sunrises — unless coffee is involved — and, ever since her first rock-climbing course, joins friends on climbing trips whenever she can.

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Hiking in Bavaria: 7 Multi-Day Alpine Routes

Germany's highest peak, its only Alpine national park and Europe's densest hut network. Seven Bavaria routes with distance, ascent and season for each.

Man enjoying the amazing morning scenery at a gorgeous lake in the Bavarian Alps, with teal water reflecting the view of the mountain range and the nice clouds

25 min read

Hiking in Germany: 12 Trails Across 8 Regions

Germany has 300,000km of marked trails. Twelve routes across eight regions, with real distance, ascent and season for each, from the Alps to Lüneburg Heath.

Hiker with large backpack overlooking a beach and coastal village in Portugal.

11 min read

From Cliff to Caldera: Hiking in Portugal by Region

Portugal has coast, mountain, wine and island hiking packed into one small country. Here's how to pick the part that fits your season, pace, and appetite.

Hiker on Besseggen Ridge overlooking turquoise Gjende lake in Jotunheimen National Park, Norway

14 min read

Besseggen: Norway's Legendary Ridge Hike

The Besseggen ridge is Norway's most popular hike, a knife-edge between two differently coloured lakes. The route, the direction to walk it, and the boat.

Loch Lomond seen from the hills above the scenic village of Balmaha.

19 min read

West Highland Way: How Long It Takes, and the Hard Days

The Devil's Staircase is not the hard part. The West Highland Way stage by stage, 96 miles past Loch Lomond to Ben Nevis, and where it really bites.

Scenic view from a canoe paddling the Great Glen Way in Scotland, canoe, paddling, Great Glen Way, Scotland, view

20 min read

Great Glen Way: Atlantic to North Sea in Six Days

Walk the length of Loch Ness on the Great Glen Way, 125 kilometres from Fort William to Inverness, with every stage, its ascent and the high route decision.

23 min read

Hiking in Scotland: 5 Trails and the Law That Opens Them

What hiking in Scotland really asks of you: the access law, the midge calendar, deer stalking dates, and the five waymarked trails worth taking leave for.

Panoramic view of beautiful Amalfi on hills leading down to coast, Campania, Italy. Amalfi coast is most popular travel and holiday destination in Europe.

26 min read

Amalfi Coast Hiking: Steps, Heat and a Permit

Ten trails thread this coast and the famous one is the gentlest of them all. Amalfi hiking days that stay level, and the 1,700 steps that end most of them.

Valensole, Provence, France. Lavender field full of purple flowers

15 min read

Hiking in Provence: Two Ranges and a Fire Calendar

Hiking in Provence is decided by heat, not hills. Which of the two ranges suits you, when the lavender turns, and the colour that shuts your trail.

Cityscape of Puy-en-Velay town. Haute-Loir, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes region in France.

20 min read

GR70: The Stevenson Trail, 272 km Through the Cévennes

Twelve stages, 6,700 m of climbing and a donkey if you want one. Which two days on the Stevenson Trail actually hurt, and when the gîtes fill.

church in a village in the french alps with mountains 3000 meters high. Green meadows in spring

22 min read

Hiking in France: Best Hikes, Trails & Walking Holidays

Hiking in France means 118,000 km of waymarked GR trails, so the hard part is narrowing it down. Six routes, what each demands, and when to book.

Steep cliffs along the northern Bornholm coastline overlooking the Baltic Sea in Denmark, Baltic Sea, Denmark, Bornholm

13 min read

Hiking in Bornholm: 120 km Around the Coast

Bornholm hiking is one 120 km loop in nine days. The real distances, the day that actually climbs, when the inns fill and how to reach the island.

Rocky coastal area around Hammershus Ruins

15 min read

Hiking in Denmark: 5 Best Multi-Day Trails

Hiking in Denmark means distance rather than altitude. Five waymarked trails from 84 to over 600 kilometres, what each one asks and when to walk them.

Narai-juku, Nagano, Japan Historic Town Along the Nakasendo Historic Route

15 min read

Nakasendo Trail: 69 Post Towns on the Samurai Road

An Edo highway through 69 post towns, walkable where the Kiso Valley preserved it, and the reason daimyo sent their families this way instead of the coast.

21 min read

Kumano Kodo: Japan's Ultimate Pilgrimage Guide

Emperors walked a month to reach the Kumano Kodo. Which of the six routes is worth your week, the real stage distances, and what to book before you fly.

Coastal cliffs near Carrapateira, Portugal, with dirt road and sea stacks under cloudy sky.

10 min read

The Rota Vicentina: A Coast and Interior Walking Guide

The Rota Vicentina is a network of two long-distance trails in Portugal's southwest — the Fishermen's Trail on the coast and the Historical Way inland.

Mountain peaks with pine trees, hiking trail, and clouds in valley under blue sky

13 min read

GR131 Gran Canaria: Hiking from Dunes to Cloud Forest

Golden dunes, Canary pine, laurel cloud forest and a fishing-village finish, all walkable in January. Here's how to plan the GR131 on Gran Canaria.

landscape with bucegi mountains in Romania

12 min read

Hiking in Romania: The Carpathians and Saxon Villages

The Carpathians shape Romania's hiking country with wild ranges, glacial lakes, medieval Saxon villages, and 1,400 km of trails that pass them.

Epic adventure of hiker do trekking activity in mountain of Northern Japan Alps, Nagano, Japan, with panoramic nature mountain range landscape. Motivation leisure sport and discovery travel concept.

14 min read

Hiking in Japan: The Ultimate Guide

Hiking in Japan means a hut network to rival the Alps, a pilgrimage trail with its own passport, and post towns that voted never to modernise.

Tuscan farmhouse on rolling green hills at sunset

11 min read

Hiking in Tuscany: Where to Find the Best Trails

Most of Tuscany's hiking is gentle hill-town walking, not alpine trekking — here's who it suits, where the elevation hides, and when to go.

20 min read

Alpstein High Trail: 3-Day Hut-to-Hut Trek

The Alpstein High Trail crosses the massif in three walking days, 33 km and 2,900 metres of ascent, with fixed cables and two mountain inns on the ridge.

Hiker with backpack standing in mountainous landscape at sunset

13 min read

Hiking in Wales: The Ultimate Guide

Three national parks, the world's first country-length coast path, and a renamed summit, now called Yr Wyddfa. Here's how to plan walking in Wales.

Panoramic morning view of Stellisee lake with Matterhorn / Cervino peak on background. Impressive autumn scene of Swiss Alps, Zermatt resort location, Switzerland, Europe.

23 min read

Matterhorn Hiking: The Trek Around the Peak

Hiking the Matterhorn means walking round it, not up it. Five stages and two mountain huts on a circuit of about 42 km, with the climbing left to the ropes.

über die Alpen nach Italien, Scalettapass, Graubünden, Schweiz

22 min read

Kesch Trek: Four Days Hut to Hut in Graubünden

The Kesch Trek runs 52.9 km over four stages between three Swiss Alpine Club huts, with no cables or glacier gear and a firing range that shuts it twice a year.

touriite contemplant le coucher de soleil

18 min read

10 Best Hikes in the USA and When to Walk Them

The USA has no single hiking season. Ten of the best hikes across five regions, the month each one works, and the lotteries that decide if you walk them.

Majestic rocky Albanian Alps with snow patches towering over a green forested valley in Valbona Valley.

9 min read

Accursed Mountains: The Meeting Point of Three Countries

This mountain range rewards those who dare hike it with turquoise springs, traditional villages and renowned hospitality.

20 min read

Kungsleden Trail: 107 km and Five Huts in Seven Days

Sweden's best known trek, walked the way it really goes: 107 kilometres of Kungsleden, five huts a day apart, one pass and Kebnekaise to finish.

Hikers celebrating by clear alpine lake with rocky mountains and snow patches, Pirin Lakes

13 min read

Hiking in Pirin Mountains: The Complete Guide

A hiker's guide to the Pirin Mountains: 118 glacial lakes, marble peaks over 2,900 m, Koncheto's knife ridge and the huts that make it all possible.

View from Planinica in Durmitor national park with Veliko Skrcko jezero lake, Montenegro.

14 min read

Hiking Montenegro: The Ultimate Guide to Peaks and Coast

What to know about hiking in Montenegro: the peaks worth walking, when to go, and what else to know before you fly.

Hikers on steep mountain ridge stairs above a sea of clouds

10 min read

Ultimate Guide to Hiking in Madeira

A full walking guide to Portugal's Atlantic mountain island — the signature routes, the SIMplifica trail reservation system, and when to walk it.

Vikos Gorge, a gorge in the Pindus Mountains of northern Greece, lying on the southern slopes of Mount Tymfi, one of the deepest gorges in the world.

9 min read

Hiking in Greece: Six Trails, Two Seasons, One Guide

Greece offers two hiking countries in one: mainland mountain peaks and gorges and islands whose coastal paths are best walked in shoulder months.

Person standing on wooden dock at alpine lake with snowy mountains reflection

10 min read

Hiking in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia

Plan a week of hiking from the charming Kranjska Gora: from the trails worth walking to the fitness required.

Hiker with backpack and dog walking out of a coastal cave toward the sea

12 min read

Ultimate Guide to Hiking in Croatia: Trails, Peaks, Coast

Everything you need to know before trekking in Croatia — the Velebit and Biokovo ranges, national parks, Istria's vineyard trails, and island walking

Hikers with backpacks on mountain trail overlooking a canyon at sunset

17 min read

The Hikers’ Guide to Spain

Learn about the six regions worth walking, when each is in season, and the mistakes that catch out first-timers.

18 min read

Hiking in Sweden: Midnight Sun, Reindeer and Arctic Huts

Hiking in Sweden means a week of Arctic huts on the Kungsleden from mid-June to mid-September, or Skåne coast trails from April with a hotel every night.

Hiking view of Positano and Amalfi Coast from Sentiero degli Dei over blue sea with boats.

9 min read

Hiking Southern Italy: Trails, Crowds, and Best Timing

Which coastal trails, volcanic peaks, and quiet national parks are worth your week — and which ones ask more from you than the postcards let on.

12 min read

Hiking in Cyprus: Trails from the Coast to Mount Olympus

Six trails, two mountain ranges, and a 555-km cross-island path; this is our complete guide to walking Cyprus year-round without the summer heat.

Two young men walk down a path with sticks and backpacks at the mountain. Hikers in Pirin mountain, Bulgaria. Beautiful spring green landscape

14 min read

The Ultimate Guide to Hiking in Bulgaria

Everything you need to know before hiking Bulgaria — the two ranges worth your week, when to go, how difficult most hikers find it and more.

Stari Most bridge over the Neretva River in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina at sunset.

11 min read

Bosnia and Herzegovina for Hikers: Know Before You Go

Wild Dinaric peaks, remote highland villages, and one of Europe's last primeval forests, all at Balkan prices. Here's how to plan a hiking trip to Bosnia.

A yellow Corfu Trail sight on the Arkoudilas path on the Island of Corfu in Greece.

9 min read

The Corfu Trail: A Complete Walker's Guide

Corfu's 220-km waymarked long-distance trail runs from Cape Asprokavos to Cape Agia Ekaterini — here's the route, season, difficulty and how to walk it.

22 min read

8 Best Hikes in Jasper National Park, Canada

A guide to Jasper hiking: the Skyline Trail, Whistlers Summit, Sulphur Skyline and Maligne, when to go, wildlife, and what to pack.

Albanian flag waving over a stone clock tower with snow-capped mountains in the background.

15 min read

Hiking in Albania: All You Need to Know

Wild peaks, remote villages, and uncrowded trails, still affordable and incredibly welcoming. Here’s what else to expect on the trails in Albania.

Majestic Steep Mountain Overlooking the Sea and Blue Sky. Howe Sound, Squamish, BC, Canada.

19 min read

7 Best Hikes in Squamish, Sea Level to Ice

Seven walks with real distance and climb, the free Garibaldi day-use passes that catch people out, and the four altitude bands Squamish stacks in one valley.

26 min read

13 Best Hikes in Canada, Rockies to Coast

Thirteen of the best hikes in Canada with real distance, ascent and access for each, from an eight kilometre summit to the 75 kilometre West Coast Trail.

Traditional stone houses in Castle Combe village, Cotswolds, England

19 min read

Cotswolds Hiking: The Cotswold Way, Villages and Best Walks

Cotswolds hiking without a steep climb: the 102-mile Cotswold Way along the escarpment, the villages worth walking through, and the two best months to go.

The view of Blea Tarn in the Lake District with heather in bloom.

26 min read

Lake District Hiking: How to Read the Fells

Lake District hiking explained: how the valleys are laid out, the 214 Wainwrights, the ground underfoot, the rain, and the two months worth planning around.

34 min read

Hiking in the UK: 12 Best Trails by Landscape

The 12 best trails for hiking in the UK, grouped by the six landscapes they cross, with real distances, walking days and where every route starts.

18 min read

The Ultimate GR20 Guide

The GR20 refuses the valleys, which is why it is the hardest of the French GRs. Fifteen stages, mandatory refuge booking and no wild camping.

Rugged granite mountains and lush green forest under a bright blue sky in Corsica.

16 min read

Hiking in Corsica: The Complete Trail Guide

Hiking in Corsica explained: the GR20 and the gentler coast-to-coast routes, refuges, when to go, gear and how to reach each trailhead.

16 min read

The Ötztal Trek: Tyrol's High-Alpine Long-Distance Trail

The Ötztal Trek is 400 kilometres and 22 stages around Tyrol's most glaciated valley, with 30,000 metres of climbing and most of it graded black.

Classic panoramic view of famous old town Hallstatt and alpine deep blue lake with tourist ship in scenic golden morning light on a beautiful sunny day at sunrise in summer, Salzkammergut, Austria

19 min read

Salzkammergut Hiking: A Guide to Austria's Lake District

Hiking in the Salzkammergut means 76 lakes and walks from 405 to 1,180 metres of climbing. Five routes compared, plus the ten-day Dachstein Circuit.

Slovakia mountain peak Osnica at sunrise - autumn panorama

10 min read

Malá Fatra Hiking: Ridge Traverse, Peaks and Huts

Hiking Malá Fatra end to end: 54.4 km and 3,250 m of ascent over five days, two mountain huts, and the closure that shuts Rozsutec until mid-June.

13 min read

Hiking Near Innsbruck: Multi-Day Treks & Hut-to-Hut Trails

Hiking near Innsbruck, the Capital of the Alps, means the Adlerweg and Stubai High Trail start an hour from the platform. Pick the right one!

View with High Tatras in Pieniny. Summer mountain landscape in Slovakia. Slovakia and Poland countryside

22 min read

Hiking in Slovakia: 10 Best Hikes Across 4 Ranges

Hiking in Slovakia is not only the Tatras. Ten hikes across four ranges, with walking time, ascent and trailhead, and the 15 June date the high trails reopen.

Pyrenees Pessons peak and lakes in Andorra

12 min read

Hiking in Andorra: Best Multi-Day Treks and Huts

Hiking in Andorra means 65 peaks above 2,000 metres and four staffed refuges. Three multi-day treks compared on distance, ascent and how hard each really is.

Amazing spring landscape from Slovenia, Europe. Velika planina in the heart of the Kamnik Alps. with a small lake surrounded by saffron and with with the reflection of distant mountains in it.

10 min read

The Best Time to Hike the Alps

Wondering about the best time to hike the Alps? An honest month-by-month breakdown of huts, snow, crowds and weather to help you pick your dates.

Beautiful mountain landscape with two cute mountain goats in the French Alps near the Lac Blanc massif against the backdrop of Mont Blanc.

21 min read

Hiking in the Alps: The Ultimate Guide

Which Alpine country to choose, the best long-distance routes, hut versus hotel, how the difficulty grades work, and the months that actually deliver.

Person taking photos with a smartphone of mountain landscapes, waterfalls, and hiking trails.

7 min read

Snap Epic Hiking Photos: 11 Tips for Phone Photography

How to take breathtaking hiking photos with your phone — simple tips to capture light, perspective, movement, and landscapes that tell your story.

8 min read

Decoding Trail Markings Around the World

Every country marks its hiking trails differently. Learn to read paint blazes, cairns, scallop shells, and some of the quirkiest markers on earth.

Couple trekking through the rain in the Highlands

7 min read

How to Survive Midges on a Hike

Midges ruining your hike? Learn when they swarm, where they hide, and how to outsmart them — so you can enjoy Europe's best trails bite-free.

9 min read

Extreme Weather on the Trail? A Hiker's Survival Guide

Stay safe while facing extreme weather on your hike. Here's how to handle fog, rain, and lightning, and make smart decisions when mountain weather turns on you.

Back view of young man in green hoodie, exercising and stretching hands, looking at mountains range, resting after climbing and hiking on summer day - healthy lifestyle, travel, weekend trip concept

7 min read

Stretching for Hikers: Before & After Your Hike

The best stretches for hikers to prevent injuries, reduce soreness, and keep your legs fresh on multi-day treks. Here's what to do before and after every hike.

Man and woman hiking in Infected ticks forest with warning sign. Risk of tick-borne and lyme disease.

5 min read

How to Avoid Ticks While Hiking

Ticks exist on hiking trails. Panic is optional. Learn how to avoid ticks while hiking, protect yourself, and keep your outdoor adventures itch-free.

Couple of hikers walking, with Tre Cime di Levarado peaks on background, view from a cave window, in Dolomites, Italy.

8 min read

10 Best Hiking Trails in Europe

These top 10 multi-day treks deliver pure magic. Here are our picks for the best hikes in Europe – from wild Atlantic coastlines to dramatic Alpine peaks.

Via ferrata carabiner and orange rope secured to a steel cable on a rocky mountain edge.

7 min read

Mountain Safety 101

A safe hike is a great hike. From late snow to guardian dogs, here’s what to know before heading into the mountains this season.

12 min read

How to Train for Hiking?

How to train for a hike the right way. Practical workouts, strength exercises, and week-by-week plans so you enjoy your hiking holiday — not just survive it.

Hiking in Patagonia: The Ultimate Guide

Two countries, two systems and one very large wind. The hikes worth planning a trip around, and what Torres del Paine asks of you before you may walk it.

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The Hikes Worth Building a Trip Around

Mirador Las Torres

The French Valley

Grey Glacier

Laguna de los Tres

Laguna Torre

Perito Moreno Glacier

The W and the O, Explained

Torres Del Paine O Circuit

Patagonia W Trek Tour

Chile or Argentina: Two Countries, Two Systems

What the Wind Actually Does

Where You Sleep, and Why You Book It First

Where You Sleep on the W and the O

Best Time to Hike in Patagonia

When to Walk

How Hard Is It, Really?

Planning Your Patagonia Trek

Tickets, Permits and Registration

Fire, Stoves and Where You May Camp

Getting There and Getting Around

Food, Water and What to Carry

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most famous hike in Patagonia?

Is Patagonia difficult to hike?

Can beginners hike Patagonia?

How long does it take to hike Patagonia?

Is it better to hike Patagonia in Chile or Argentina?

Do you need a permit to hike in Torres del Paine?

When is the best time to hike in Patagonia?

You have too many options. Is there any way I can narrow down the selection?

About this author

Torres Del Paine O Circuit

Patagonia W Trek Tour

Where You Sleep on the W and the O