The World's 100 Best Walks
William Mackesy is on a long quest to identify the world's 100 best walks. He is hoping to tackle and assess all the walks himself, and has so far done more than 40% of the likely Top 100 (listed on our about page). His planned book on these walks is provisionally titled "Fat Man Walking: a Good Wheeze". But, as he is over 50 and his knees are in decline, he suspects his ambitions may have to be reduced at some point.
Identifying the best walks requires a system as well as stamina: but what are the essential ingredients of a great walk? See our approach and our walks assessment system.
See William's personal favourites walks.
See our all walks list. And see the countries with the highest concentration of great walks
Here is our (currently preliminary) list of the world’s Top 100 walks, created as part of William Mackesy’s research for his planned book on the World’s Best Walks. See our Walks Assessment System.
The Top 100 is a distillation: some walks on our All Walks list have been combined for creating a definitive Top 100 that avoids inappropriate duplication. (See the footnote below for further explanation.)
See below for some "near misses" from the Top 100.
The rating of walks marked * is currently provisional.
The Top 100
Rank | Walk Name | Country | Region | Beauty | Natural Interest | Human Interest | Charisma | Negative Points | Total |
1 | Mount Kailash Kora | China
Tibet |
Tibet | 35 | 16 | 18 | 38 | (7) | 100 |
2 | Inca Trails * | Peru
Cuzco/Inca Heartlands Area |
Cuzco/Inca Heartlands Area | 34 | 15 | 18 | 35 | (3) | 99 |
3 | Mustang | Nepal
Annapurna & Mustang |
Annapurna & Mustang | 32.5 | 17 | 16.5 | 34 | (2) | 98 |
4 | Hadrian's Wall Path | United Kingdom
England, Hadrian's Wall |
England, Hadrian's Wall | 32 | 14.5 | 20 | 33 | (2) | 97.5 |
5 | Tusheti and Khevsureti * | Georgia
Gt Caucasus, Tusheti and Khevsureti |
Gt Caucasus, Tusheti and Khevsureti | 34 | 16 | 14 | 33 | (0) | 97 |
6 | The Dolomites | Italy
Dolomites |
Dolomites | 37 | 17 | 8 | 36 | (2) | 96 |
7 | Svaneti Region | Georgia
Gt Caucasus, Svaneti |
Gt Caucasus, Svaneti | 34 | 16 | 12 | 33 | (0) | 95 |
8= | Garwhal, Kumaon Himalaya * | India
NW: Uttarakhand |
NW: Uttarakhand | 36 | 17 | 12 | 34 | (5) | 94 |
8= | Manaslu Circuit * | Nepal
|
35 | 17 | 12 | 34 | (4) | 94 | |
8= | Mt Everest Region * | Nepal
Everest Region |
Everest Region | 38 | 19 | 6 | 38 | (7) | 94 |
11 | Petra Area | Jordan
Petra |
Petra | 31.5 | 15 | 19 | 35 | (7) | 93.5 |
12= | Annapurna Region * | Nepal
Annapurna & Mustang |
Annapurna & Mustang | 36 | 17 | 10 | 37 | (7) | 93 |
12= | Grand Canyon | USA
SW: Grand Canyon |
SW: Grand Canyon | 35 | 18 | 5 | 38 | (3) | 93 |
12= | Himalayan Far North * | Myanmar
|
33 | 16 | 12 | 32 | (0) | 93 | |
12= | Kangchenjunga / Singalila | India/Nepal
Sikkim / E Nepal |
Sikkim / E Nepal | 37 | 17 | 8 | 35 | (4) | 93 |
12= | Khevi, Kazbegi and the Military Highway | Georgia
Gt Caucasus, Khevi |
Gt Caucasus, Khevi | 34 | 16 | 10 | 33 | (0) | 93 |
12= | Lofoten Islands | Norway
|
36 | 17 | 7 | 33 | (0) | 93 | |
12= | Mount Kenya | Kenya
Mount Kenya |
Mount Kenya | 36 | 19 | 5 | 36 | (3) | 93 |
19= | Mt Meru | Tanzania
|
35.5 | 20 | 3 | 36 | (2) | 92.5 | |
19= | Source of the Ganges and Above | India
NW: Uttarakhand/Garwhal |
NW: Uttarakhand/Garwhal | 35 | 16.5 | 12 | 34 | (5) | 92.5 |
21= | Cappadocia | Turkey
Central Anatolia, Cappadocia |
Central Anatolia, Cappadocia | 31 | 17.5 | 14.5 | 33 | (4) | 92 |
21= | Great Wall | China
|
31 | 13 | 18 | 34 | (4) | 92 | |
21= | Madeira * | Portugal
Madeira |
Madeira | 34 | 17 | 8 | 33 | (0) | 92 |
21= | Mount Kilimanjaro | Tanzania
Mount Kilimanjaro |
Mount Kilimanjaro | 35 | 19 | 3 | 37 | (2) | 92 |
21= | Peaks of the Balkans Trail * | Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro
|
33 | 15 | 12 | 32 | (0) | 92 | |
21= | Q'adisha Valley * | Lebanon
|
31 | 14.5 | 16 | 32.5 | (2) | 92 | |
21= | Torajaland | Indonesia
Sulawesi |
Sulawesi | 31 | 14 | 17 | 31 | (1) | 92 |
21= | Torres del Paine / Fitz Roy Massif * | Chile/Argentina
Patagonia |
Patagonia | 38 | 18 | 2 | 36 | (2) | 92 |
21= | Utah's Canyon Lands | USA
South-west |
South-west | 36 | 18 | 4 | 36 | (2) | 92 |
30= | Dolpo * | Nepal
Dolpo |
Dolpo | 34 | 16.5 | 10 | 33 | (2) | 91.5 |
30= | Drakensberg Escarpment | South Africa
Drakensberg |
Drakensberg | 34 | 17 | 6 | 34.5 | (0) | 91.5 |
30= | Hajar Mountains | Oman
|
31 | 15.5 | 13 | 32 | (0) | 91.5 | |
30= | Mount Athos | Greece
|
31 | 13.5 | 15 | 32 | (0) | 91.5 | |
30= | South East Asian Hill Tribe Walks | Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam
|
30 | 14.5 | 16 | 31 | (0) | 91.5 | |
30= | Taygetus and the Mani | Greece
Peloponnese: Taygetus range and the Mani |
Peloponnese: Taygetus range and the Mani | 31 | 14.5 | 14 | 32 | (0) | 91.5 |
36= | French Pyrenees | France
Pyrenees |
Pyrenees | 34 | 17 | 5 | 35 | (0) | 91 |
36= | Huayhuash Circuit * | Peru
North, Huayhuash |
North, Huayhuash | 36 | 16 | 6 | 35 | (2) | 91 |
36= | Jebel Toubkal Area | Morocco
High Atlas |
High Atlas | 33 | 16 | 10 | 32 | (0) | 91 |
36= | Julian Alps | Slovenia
Julian Alps |
Julian Alps | 34 | 17 | 8 | 32 | (0) | 91 |
36= | Piatra Craiulai National Park * | Romania
Carpathian Mountains |
Carpathian Mountains | 33 | 16 | 12 | 30 | (0) | 91 |
36= | Picos de Europa | Spain
Picos de Europa |
Picos de Europa | 34 | 17 | 6 | 34 | (0) | 91 |
36= | The Lake District | United Kingdom
England, Lake District |
England, Lake District | 34 | 16 | 8 | 33 | (0) | 91 |
36= | Tibet's Monastery Koras | China
Tibet |
Tibet | 30 | 15 | 18 | 32 | (4) | 91 |
36= | Transylvania | Romania
Transylvania |
Transylvania | 30 | 15 | 15 | 31 | (0) | 91 |
36= | Utah's Slot Canyons | USA
South-west |
South-west | 34 | 18 | 1 | 38 | (0) | 91 |
46= | Japan's Pilgrimage Routes | Japan
|
30.5 | 13 | 18 | 31 | (2) | 90.5 | |
46= | Simien Mountains | Ethiopia
Simien Mts |
Simien Mts | 35 | 16.5 | 8 | 33 | (2) | 90.5 |
46= | The Amalfi Coast * | Italy
Amalfi Coast |
Amalfi Coast | 32 | 14.5 | 15 | 32 | (3) | 90.5 |
49= | Avenue of the Volcanoes | Ecuador
Central Andes |
Central Andes | 35 | 19 | 3 | 34 | (1) | 90 |
49= | Corsica Walking | France
Corsica |
Corsica | 33 | 17 | 8 | 32 | (0) | 90 |
49= | Cotahuasi and Colca Canyons * | Peru
South, Arequipa Area |
South, Arequipa Area | 34 | 17 | 8 | 34 | (3) | 90 |
49= | Jomolhari trek | Bhutan
|
36 | 17 | 8 | 34 | (5) | 90 | |
49= | Markha Valley * | India
Ladakh |
Ladakh | 34 | 15 | 10 | 34 | (3) | 90 |
49= | Menz-Guassa Conservation Area * | Ethiopia
Central |
Central | 32 | 16 | 10 | 32 | (0) | 90 |
49= | Mont Blanc Area | France
Alps, Mt Blanc Area |
Alps, Mt Blanc Area | 36 | 16 | 6 | 35 | (3) | 90 |
49= | Pindos/Vikos Circuit | Greece
|
32.5 | 16 | 8.5 | 33 | (0) | 90 | |
49= | Royal Trek * | Nepal
Annapurna & Mustang Region |
Annapurna & Mustang Region | 32 | 14 | 12 | 32 | (0) | 90 |
49= | Spanish Pyrenees | Spain
Pyrenees |
Pyrenees | 34 | 17 | 2 | 37 | (0) | 90 |
59= | Alpine Pass Route * | Switzerland
Alps |
Alps | 36 | 16.5 | 4 | 34 | (1) | 89.5 |
59= | Around Lalileba * | Ethiopia
Lalileba Area |
Lalileba Area | 31 | 13.5 | 14 | 31 | (0) | 89.5 |
59= | Cockpit Country * | Jamaica
|
30 | 16.5 | 12 | 31 | (0) | 89.5 | |
59= | Huangshan | China
Eastern, Anhui |
Eastern, Anhui | 36 | 17 | 12.5 | 34 | (10) | 89.5 |
59= | Jasper NP * | Canada
Alberta: Jasper NP |
Alberta: Jasper NP | 36 | 16.5 | 2 | 36 | (1) | 89.5 |
59= | Matterhorn Circuit * | Switzerland
Alps |
Alps | 34 | 15 | 7.5 | 35 | (2) | 89.5 |
59= | Zagros Mountains * | Iran
Zagros Mountains |
Zagros Mountains | 32 | 14 | 11.5 | 32 | (0) | 89.5 |
66= | Ballintory to Giants Causeway | United Kingdom
Northern Ireland, Causeway Coast |
Northern Ireland, Causeway Coast | 33 | 16 | 10 | 32 | (2) | 89 |
66= | Blyde River Canyon * | South Africa
Mpumalanga |
Mpumalanga | 32 | 18 | 5 | 34 | (0) | 89 |
66= | Camino de Santiago * | Spain
|
31 | 15 | 16 | 31 | (4) | 89 | |
66= | Concordia Trek * | Pakistan
|
39 | 18 | 6 | 38 | (12) | 89 | |
66= | Eiger Trail * | Switzerland
Alps |
Alps | 35 | 16 | 8 | 32 | (2) | 89 |
66= | Gran Paradiso * | Italy
Alps: Gran Paradiso |
Alps: Gran Paradiso | 34 | 17 | 4 | 34 | (0) | 89 |
66= | Monte Rosa Circuit * | Switzerland/Italy
Alps |
Alps | 36 | 16 | 6 | 32 | (1) | 89 |
66= | Mount Rinjani * | Indonesia
Lombok |
Lombok | 36 | 19 | 2 | 34 | (2) | 89 |
66= | Otavalo Area * | Ecuador
Northern Andes: Otavalo Area |
Northern Andes: Otavalo Area | 34 | 17 | 5 | 33 | (0) | 89 |
66= | The Cairngorms | United Kingdom
Scotland, Cairngorms |
Scotland, Cairngorms | 33 | 16 | 6 | 34 | (0) | 89 |
66= | Tongariro Alpine Crossing | New Zealand
North Island, Tongariro Area |
North Island, Tongariro Area | 34 | 19 | 2 | 36 | (2) | 89 |
66= | Upper Humla Valley | Nepal
Western Nepal |
Western Nepal | 33 | 15 | 12 | 31 | (2) | 89 |
78= | Altai Mountains | Mongolia
|
33 | 14.5 | 8 | 33 | (0) | 88.5 | |
78= | Ireland's SW Peninsulas | Ireland
Kerry/Cork |
Kerry/Cork | 34 | 15.5 | 8 | 33 | (2) | 88.5 |
78= | Kunisaki Peninsula * | Japan
Kyushu |
Kyushu | 31 | 12 | 15.5 | 30 | (0) | 88.5 |
78= | Northern Limestone Alps | Austria
|
34.5 | 17 | 3 | 34 | (0) | 88.5 | |
78= | Tash Rabat | Kyrgyzstan
|
33 | 15 | 10 | 31.5 | (1) | 88.5 | |
78= | The Cotswolds | United Kingdom
England, Cotswolds |
England, Cotswolds | 30 | 13.5 | 14 | 31 | (0) | 88.5 |
78= | Walkers Haute Route (Chamonix to Zermatt) * | France/Switzerland
Alps |
Alps | 35 | 16.5 | 5 | 34 | (2) | 88.5 |
85= | Anna's Walk * | United Kingdom
England, East Anglia |
England, East Anglia | 30 | 15 | 14 | 29 | (0) | 88 |
85= | Assynt Peninsula | United Kingdom
Scotland, NW Highlands, Assynt |
Scotland, NW Highlands, Assynt | 34 | 18 | 3 | 34 | (1) | 88 |
85= | Burgess Highline Trail * | Canada
BC: Yoho |
BC: Yoho | 34 | 19 | 3 | 32 | (0) | 88 |
85= | Cerro Castillo * | Chile
Patagonia |
Patagonia | 35 | 17 | 2 | 34 | (0) | 88 |
85= | Copper Canyon * | Mexico
|
33 | 17 | 5 | 33 | (0) | 88 | |
85= | Easter Island * | Chile
|
30 | 13 | 12 | 33 | (0) | 88 | |
85= | Grand Teton National Park * | USA
Western: Grand Teton NP |
Western: Grand Teton NP | 35 | 17 | 2 | 34 | (0) | 88 |
85= | Great Volcanic Ridge | Spain
Canary Islands: La Palma |
Canary Islands: La Palma | 32 | 19 | 3 | 34 | (0) | 88 |
85= | Iceberg/Hooker Glacier Lake * | New Zealand
South Island, Mount Cook Area |
South Island, Mount Cook Area | 35 | 16 | 5 | 32 | (0) | 88 |
85= | Illampu Circuit * | Bolivia
|
36 | 17 | 3 | 34 | (2) | 88 | |
85= | Kullu Valley * | India
NW:Himachal Pradesh |
NW:Himachal Pradesh | 34 | 16 | 5 | 33 | (0) | 88 |
85= | Las Canadas and El Tiede | Spain
Canary Islands: Tenerife |
Canary Islands: Tenerife | 33 | 18 | 3 | 34 | (0) | 88 |
85= | Mount Sinai * | Egypt
|
30 | 14 | 15 | 32 | (3) | 88 | |
85= | Odessa Lake * | USA
Western/Rocky Mountain NP |
Western/Rocky Mountain NP | 36 | 17 | 2 | 33 | (0) | 88 |
85= | Overland Track | Australia
Tasmania |
Tasmania | 34 | 18 | 3 | 34 | (1) | 88 |
85= | Rif Mountains * | Morocco
Rif Mountains |
Rif Mountains | 31.5 | 15 | 10 | 31.5 | (0) | 88 |
Near Misses
And here are some superb "near misses" that merit special recognition:
Walk Name | Continent | Country | Beauty | Natural Interest | Human Interest | Charisma | Negative Points | Total |
Chemin St Jacques | Europe | France | 28 | 15 | 15 | 28 | (0) | 86 |
Hua Shan | Asia | China | 32 | 15 | 14 | 32 | (8) | 85 |
M'goun Massif | Africa | Morocco | 32 | 15 | 8 | 30 | (0) | 85 |
Atacama Desert | South America | Chile | 32 | 18 | 0 | 34 | (0) | 84 |
Mount Fuji Ascent | Asia | Japan | 30 | 17 | 8 | 34 | (5) | 84 |
Footnote:
In the distillation process some walks in the All Walks list have been combined when creating the Top 100 walks
- Some may be separate sections of one longer trail, so, while perhaps meriting separate listings in the All Walks list, they should be treated as one walk for establshing the Top 100.
- While individually superb, some are sufficiently similar or close to each other (e.g. similar landscapes in the same mountain chain, similar "slot" canyons in the US, or different walks in the same national park) to make it pointless to include them separately in the Top 100 walks: people would be likely to want to walk one but not both of them, or giving over-similar or neighbouring walks such prominence would reduce the diversity and interest of the list. Further, the inclusion of both walks separately may detract from the estimation of them both as a result of their similarity.