Here is collection of twelve world famous treks outside the United States that I would like to do at some point. Most of them are in the most rugged, mountainous areas on the planet – I like mountains! These trips would be more relaxed, but I imagine they would still be (much) lighter and faster than standard itineraries. As far as the combination of outrageous scenery, ease of travel, and budget, South America is the winner right now and will likely be my focus in the coming years. For trails on the West Coast of the United States, including the John Muir Trail (340 km) and Wonderland Trail (150 km), check out this blog post.
- Huayhuash Circuit, Peru (140 km): Amazing loop around the Cordillera Huayhuash Peaks in the Peruvian Andes.
- Ausangate Circuit, Peru (70 km): A super high altitude hike circling the Ausangate Massif (6,372 m).
- Paine Circuit, Chile (100 km): A loop around the Paine Massif in Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia.
- Fitz Roy, Argentina (38 km): Very photogenic spires as long as the weather cooperates! This is usually combined with the Paine Circuit and the loop seems like it would be a good adventure run.
- Annapurna Circuit, Nepal (~300 km): Majestic region of the mighty Himalayas.
- Everest Base Camp, Nepal (92 km): I think I would be too tempted to actually climb Everest, or at least something nearby.
- K2 Base Camp, Pakistan: The peaks and glaciers in this area look like they are out of control! Unfortunately, the political situation is similar.
- Haute Route, Alps (180 km): From Chamonix Valley to Zermatt. Either the dollar gets stronger or I will need a lot of dollars for this one!
- Tour du Mont Blanc, Alps (163 km): There is an ultra race of this route that would be super fun, but it would also be nice to take 3-4 days to do this hike.
- Milford Track, New Zealand (57 km): A short one that ends at the iconic Milford Sound. This would be a good one-day adventure run.
- West Coast Trail, British Columbia (75 km): Pristine wilderness coastline and so close to Washington State where I grew up.
- Kilimanjaro, Tanzania (55 km): Hopefully I’ll make it here before the last cube of ice melts away from the summit plateau.
Leor Pantilat's Adventures
Hi Leor! If you’re thinking of doing the Tour du Mont Blanc have a look at http://www.walkingthetmb.com – and then definately do it – it’s an awesome hike. Doing it in 3 to 4 days will be a real challenge though. As you might expect, it’s not so much the distance but the climbs and decents and weather that’s a challenge. There’s a video on the site of some guys who did it in two days (see http://www.walkingthetmb.com/links.html ) which will give you some idea of what’s involved.
Many interesting information on your site – keep up good workd
Thank you so much for providing this information. I did the Santa Cruz Trek in the Cordillera Blanca of Peru. Many other people went to the Huayhuash circuit. I will take your advice and do some of the ones you mention!
Happy Trekking!
Diego from Mexico City