Lifestyle -- 25 days ago
Words: Patrick
A hike doesn’t have to be about pushing your body to the extremities of its limit – although a sturdy pair of lungs and decent physical fitness certainly helps. We’re talking to the Gents who enjoy a good yomp in stunning surroundings; those with less record-smashing ambition than, say, Ranulph Fieness, but who posses a level of gumption to ensure that they won’t roll down a steep hill faster than the porters pushed them up it. With the likes of K2 and Everest therefore out of the equation, we have turned our attention to treks that combine culture, paralysingly striking landscapes and a distance that is going to challenge and exert. With this in mind, here are three you need to complete before you plump yourself on a seat in purgatory.
INCA TRAIL, PERU As the most familiar site of Inca civilisation, and with postcard beauty, there can be no surprise to Machu Picchu being awarded the accolade of one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. The Inca Trail, undisputedly the most famous trek in South America, is an incredible way to see the preserved dry-stone walls of the 15th century city. But from start to finish, the Trail provides an unforgettable experience, combining beautiful mountain scenery, lush cloud-forest, subtropical jungle and a stunning mix of Inca paving stones, ruins and tunnels. And the infectiously chipper rosy-cheeked Inca children who pepper the high-altitude paths will make your journey just that little bit brighter. At 26 miles in length, you can think of it as a marathon, but rather than just a medal at the finish line you are rewarded with what is arguably one of the finest sights on the planet. Inca Trail
MILFORD TRACK, NEW ZEALAND Widely reputed as the most beautiful country in the world, New Zealand is a haven for treks to suit all abilities and penchants. The most acclaimed of all is the 53.5km Milford Track, weaving amidst glacial mountains and temperate rainforest in Fiordland National Park in the South Island. The lake starts at the head of Lake Te Anau and finishes at Milford Sound, encompassing a mélange of amazing sights, such as the MacKinnon Pass, Sutherland Falls (NZ’s tallest waterfall) and Lake Ada. Milford Track
WAY OF ST. JAMES, SPAIN A cultural cut above any others, the Way of Saint James offers an original and different way of sightseeing in northern Spain. There are two routes to choose between, the Northern and the French, both ending at the shrine of the apostle St. James the Great in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, where tradition has it that the remains of the saint are buried. Both routes offer a wealth of monuments, charming towns and villages and other spectacular natural attractions. Way of St. James
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