It’s no wonder that walking is my favorite way to see the world. You’ve got all this: Exploration. Ever-changing scenery. Challenging terrain. Time to drink it all in. A definitive goal.
When I think back over the past year of travel, almost all of my favorite memories involved human power. A night hike up Mount Sinai, climbing Table Mountain, the gorilla trek in Rwanda, four days on the Inca Trail with my husband.
Each one of those experiences made me feel accomplished, nourished, grateful.
So when I made a list of dreams I want to conquer next, it’s only natural that my pen moved to the places my feet can go — plus a festival for good measure.
Here’s what I have on my wish list so far:
Annapurna Circuit
The Annapurna Circuit in Nepal offers some of the world’s most magnificent scenery, though a new road threatens to disrupt the character and quaint environment of this hike.
This is a teahouse trek, meaning that you hike from village to village and don’t have to carry a tent. It lasts anywhere from 16 to 21 days, ambling through holy sites, slurping up the local food, moving from a lush sub-tropic to a stunning mountain ecosystem.
Want to know more? My friends over at JDMesh.com recently finished hiking the circuit. Here’s their summary post.
El Camino de Santiago
I can’t remember where I first heard about this pilgrimage in Spain. Was it the Paulo Coelho book? Maybe it was referenced in a movie or an article at some point?
It really doesn’t matter. This walk lasts for weeks or months, depending on your own pace, there are several routes and the starting points vary. Basically, this is all very much a personal journey. As someone who enjoys walking as a moving form of meditation, I can’t imagine a better way to spend a few weeks.
Mount Kilimanjaro
Climb through four seasons in a week and end up higher than anyone else in Africa? Sold!
Also, big news coming up soon about this one.
Torres del Paines
Well, look at it.
This is a 52-mile, 10-day loop around some of the best sights Chile has to offer. I waffle a little bit about this one, because I don’t like being cold and this trek skirts glaciers. But it’s so stunning, I feel like I’d be robbing myself of happiness by not doing it.
Also, I had to slice Chile out of the itinerary on my most recent trip, so I need to make up for lost time.
Lantern Festival
Like a hike for the eyes.
Lantern festivals happen all over Asia, but I have my heart set on this one in China that marks the end of the new year. Participation is easy: Write prayers on the paper lanterns for health, fortune and happiness, then release them into the sky. It’s the marriage of fire and air, where lightning bugs meet stars. I can’t wait.
Where will your feet take you?