Top Walking Vacations

What if your next vacation was built around walking?

In this episode of Why Walking Matters: The Science Explained, we're taking a journey around the world to explore some of the most incredible walking vacations on the planet. Whether you're dreaming about your next adventure or simply curious about the growing world of walking vacations, this episode will inspire you to see the world one step at a time.

Where would your dream walking vacation take you?

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:04

Welcome back to Why Walking Matters The Science Explained. I'm Tatiana, your host. If you're a new listener, welcome. If you're a loyal listener, welcome back. Last week I had the pleasure of speaking with filmmaker Ben Wolf about his newest documentary, Changing Lanes, and the powerful concept of walkability as a health variable. We explored how the design of our communities can influence everything from physical activity and chronic disease rates to social connection and overall quality of life. If you haven't listened to that conversation yet, I highly recommend going back and checking it out. One of the ideas that really stayed with me from that discussion is that where we walk matters. A walk isn't always just about exercise, it's also about the environment around us, the people we meet, the places we discover, and the experiences we have along the way. That got me thinking about a different kind of walking experience. Walking vacations. What if walking wasn't just something you did around your neighborhood or local park? What if it became the centerpiece of your next adventure? Today we're taking a journey around the world to explore some of the most incredible walking vacations on the planet, from ancient pilgrimage routes in Spain and picturesque villages in England to tropical trails in the Caribbean, mountain paths in Morocco, and historic routes in Japan, we'll discover destinations where walking isn't just a way to get around, it's the best way to experience a place. So grab your passport, lace up your walking shoes, and join me as we explore some amazing destinations where every step tells a story. According to Classic Journeys dot com, walking trips have evolved far beyond the realm of hardcore backpackers. Today, they offer a delightful blend of adventure and relaxation that appeals to a diverse group of travelers. Walking tours provide a perfect opportunity to engage with local customs, culture, and cuisine in a more intimate way. Walking tours offer a low impact form of exercise that can be tailored to various fitness levels while exploring new destinations. Walking tours often involve small groups, allowing travelers to meet like-minded travelers and interact with local guides. And walking tours provide a slower, more relaxed pace that allow travelers to fully absorb their surroundings. So travelers get to slow down and experience a destination rather than just visit it. Travelers stay active without working out, counteract vacation overeating, and reduce travel stress. And there are lots of options for every fitness level, including guided tours and self-guided itineraries. The fact is, walking vacations offer something that many traditional vacations don't, a chance to truly immerse yourself in the destination. Instead of rushing from one attraction to the next, you experience the place at a human pace, noticing the details, meeting the people, and creating memories that simply aren't possible from behind the wheel of a car or the window of a tour bus. And perhaps nowhere has the walking vacation been embraced more than in Europe. With centuries old footpaths, historic pilgrimage routes, charming villages, and some of the world's most walker-friendly infrastructure, Europe has become the gold standard for walking holidays. Let's begin our journey with some of the continent's most iconic walking destinations. Number one, the Camino de Santiago in Spain. More than four hundred thousand pilgrims complete some portion of the Camino each year. According to fifty sevenhours.com, what is the Camino de Santiago? At its most basic, the Camino de Santiago means the way of Saint James. Camino translates to the way, and Santiago refers to Saint James, one of the apostles. That definition is accurate, but it doesn't explain why people keep coming back, sometimes again and again, even when they swear the last walk would be their final one. According to the tradition, Saint James traveled to Galicia in Northwest Spain to preach Christianity. After his death in Jerusalem, his followers placed his remains on a stone boat and sent them across the sea. In the early ninth century, those remains were believed to have been discovered near what is now Santiago de Compostela. Word spread and people began to walk. At first, the journey was deeply religious, undertaken as an act of faith, repentance, or devotion. Over time, what started as a religious journey turned into one of Europe's great pilgrimage networks. Kings walked it, farmers walked it, merchants, monks, and everyday people followed what would later become known as the Camino de Santiago routes. Inns appeared, bridges were built, and towns grew because pilgrims passed through. Even today, many villages exist primarily because of the Camino. Walking it now, you're still following those same natural lines through the land. Old Roman roads merge into farm tracks. Medieval bridges still carry tired feet across rivers. From the perspective of someone who's worked as a Camino de Santiago guide for years, the Camino feels less like a historical artifact and more like an ongoing conversation between past and present. Each walker adds something to it, even if they don't realize it at the time. What to expect? You'll walk on dirt paths, forest tracks, farm roads, and quiet stretches of pavement. The Camino de Santiago Trail is clearly marked with yellow arrows and scallop shells, and it's rare to feel truly lost. And how long it takes depends entirely on how much of it you choose to walk. That walk is usually life-changing for many walkers. For first time walking vacationers in Europe, number two is the cotswalls in England. Walking in the Cotswolds means stepping into a quintessential English storybook. The region offers hundreds of miles of gentle rolling hills, wildflower meadows, and historic stone built villages. And the highlight of the Cotswolds is the Cotswold Way, a one hundred and two mile national trail which stretches the entire length of the Cotswolds, from Chipping Camden in the north to Bath in the south. According to Active EnglandTours.com, while it's one of the UK's shorter national trails, the Cotswold Way still offers some challenging climbs and rolling hills, and it's an ideal walking holiday in England for international visitors. Anyone with a good level of fitness should feel confident taking it on, whether you're after a brisk hike or a leisurely amble. Plus, there are plenty of places to stop along the way. Those were two very different walking destinations. Europe may be the birthplace of many of the world's most famous walking vacations, but you don't need a passport if you're in the US to experience an unforgettable journey on foot. Right here in North America, we have incredible destinations that combine stunning scenery, rich history, and miles of trails designed for walkers of all abilities. The number one location, Acadia National Park in Maine. According to the National Park Service, Acadia National Park offers over 150 miles of walking and hiking trails ranging from flat coastal strolls to steep, ladder assisted cliff climbs. The best trails are categorized by intensity to help you plan your day, whether you're seeking an easy scenic walk or an adventurous mountain scramble. Highlights include ocean views, historic carriage roads, and charming Bar Harbor. From outdoors.org, almost all of Acadia National Park sits on Mount Desert Island and skirts the edges of island communities Bar Harbor, Southwest Harbor, Northeast Harbor, and Mount Desert. The park's protected lands also extend onto Scotik Peninsula across Frenchman Bay to the east and several outer islands to the south, including Al Ojot and the Cranberry Islands. The Mount Desert Island portion of the park is divided in two, the east side and the west side. The eastern side is nestled between Soam Sound to the west and Frenchman Bay to the east. All the most popular attractions are concentrated there, so it is by far the busiest part of the park. 27 mile Park Loop Road is the main drag. It's a three to four hour drive that winds along the coastline, delivering near constant knockout ocean views and passing among almost all the tourist hotspots. The main attractions on the east side are the extensive carriage road system, the island's highest peak, Cadillac Mountain, and only two sandy beaches, Oceanfront Sand Beach and Echo Lake Beach, along with the most popular hiking trails and first-rate popovers at Jordan Pondhouse. It's the most visited part of the park for a reason, but it's not the only way to experience Acadia. The west side of the park is known as the quiet side since it receives significantly fewer visitors. There are no carriage roads, so bikers will be less spoiled. Aside from that, it's nearly identical to the east side. The hiking trails pass through the same lush forest onto open ridgelines and rugged peaks, but the lower foot traffic makes them feel more untamed. The coastline is a hair less spectacular, but it more than makes up for it when you have the whole view to yourself. In the summer, be prepared for traffic during Acadia's busiest season, particularly on holiday weekends when Park Loop Road is mired in gridlock and parking is scarce. If you're driving, make sure you have a full tank of gas since there are no service stations in the park itself. But you don't need a car to have a great visit. The Free Island Explorer Bus System links hotels, inns, and campgrounds with destinations within the park. It's a great option to avoid traffic and parking headaches during the busy season. You can also bring your bike or rent one in town and bike into the park. There seems like so much to do there, listeners. Number two in North America, the Great Smoky Mountains. Walking in the Great Smoky Mountains offers an incredible diverse trail system, but it requires careful preparation due to unpredictable weather, elevation changes, and abundant wildlife. From hiking the smoky mountains.com, the best way to determine which trail you should try is to think about what you want to see: waterfalls, dense forest, high altitude views, historic buildings. Hiking in the Smokies is a different experience every time, so you'll never run out of things to see. Once you've decided the purpose, consider the distance you're willing to go. As a novice hiker, a five-mile round trip hike is a great starting point. Always lean to a more conservative distance when in doubt, then go from there. You have lots of options when it comes to easy hikes, and that includes going on a paved trail in the Smoky Mountains. Two of the most popular are Kowohi and Laurel Falls. Fair warning, both are a little steep, but well worth it. The hike to the Kowohi Observation Tower is only one mile round trip, and with views at one of the tallest points in the park, it's a must for any hiker. The easiest hike to a waterfall is definitely the trail to Laurel Falls. It's 2.6 miles round trip and features a majestic 80-foot waterfall, and the footbridge at Laurel Falls is one of the best photo opportunities. Beginners and families with kids are guaranteed to love both of these. There are also plenty of easy, non-paved smoky mountain trails to choose from. The Great Smoky Mountains hiking trails are primarily located inside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which straddles the border between Tennessee and North Carolina. The park contains over eight hundred miles of trails spread across half a million acres with the main hubs, visitor centers, and trailheads accessible near Gatlinburg, Tennessee, Townsend, Tennessee, and Cherokee, North Carolina. Well listeners, both of those North America locations sounded amazing. North America offers no shortage of spectacular places to explore on foot. But if you're looking for something even more exotic, our next destinations take us beyond the familiar and into environments that feel truly extraordinary. Imagine hiking through a tropical rainforest to a hidden waterfall, walking beneath towering volcano peaks, exploring remote mountain villages, or even encountering wildlife on foot with an experience to guide. Next, we'll head to the Caribbean and Africa where some of the world's most unique walking adventures await. Number one, Dominica, known as the Nature Island. The Waitukubuli National Trail is the Caribbean's longest walking trail spanning one hundred and fifteen miles across the lush interior of Dominica. This rugged trail crosses through dense rainforests, towering volcanic peaks, and indigenous Kalinago territories over fourteen distinct segments. From gardening gun dot com, if you're the type of person who'd enjoy hiking several miles into an overlush Caribbean rainforest, tramping up and down enough mountains and ridges to make your route resemble a seismograph reading, then wandering an ashy, hissing ruinscape where you ford streams of boiling water carefully, carefully rock by rock, until at last you come to a bubbling brute blue gray cauldron of a lake about 200 feet across that seeds and swirls and steams like something out of a 1950 sci-fi B movie. Well better get a move on. Dominica, no relation to the Dominican Republic, known as the Nature Island, remains as far from spoiled as any island in the Caribbean, if not the world, because roughly 60% of it is forested, with a quarter of the island protected as park or reserve. Dominica has no high-rise condominiums, no four-lane thoroughfares, no designer outlets, and hardly any of the palm-lined soft sand beaches we associate with pina coladas. What it has instead within an area about the size of Memphis is more than 300 rivers, nine volcanoes, the Caribbean's only through hiking trail, almost 200 species of birds, and so many shades of green and that writers have found themselves flummoxed trying to describe them. Very dramatic, Dominica. It sounds delightful. The narrow canyons of Titu Gorge in the central part of the island were formed by torrents of molten lava cooling and cracking open and being inundated with cool spring water. They feel like a giant staircase back in time, back to a mossier, fernier, more primordial earth, one velveted with green. You can hike to the edge of some of the canyons to gape down the 30 and 40 foot cliffs, but the far superior view is from down in the water looking up. Now for a completely different experience, imagine walking with trained guides while observing wildlife from the ground rather than from a vehicle. Walking safaris offer an intimate, sensory focused way to explore the African bush. Zambia is celebrated as the Birthplace of the walking safari, while Kenya offers incredible out of Africa trekking in private reserves. Both offer world-class guided experiences, though their terrains and trip styles differ significantly. From BBC.com, Zambia is the world's walking safari capital. Our guide, Thomas Molonga, leads us single file through the mopane woodland of Mosi Oa Tunya National Park near Victoria Falls, Zambia. I'm on high alert, scanning the bush for signs of life, half hoping, half fearing we will find something. Two armed wildlife scouts bracket our group, rifles slung across their shoulders. We're tracking near threatened southern white rhinoceros, though it's hard not to think about what else moves through this dry savanna. Notoriously aggressive hippos, unpredictable cape buffalo prone to ambush, elephants slipping through the trees, cantankerous baboons barking in the shadows. We've seen many of them before from the safety of a vehicle, but now we're on a walking safari, and on foot the calculus is different. Malonga walks as if he belongs to the landscape, pausing often and listening more than speaking. He stops and points to a shallow indentation in the dust. Fresh, he mouths. Then we see him, an imposing patriarch, lies sprawled in the sun, massive and still like a sleeping dog. We are close enough to see the craggy folds of the white rhino's dusty, creepy skin etched with what resemble dry riverbeds meandering across his immense frame. There is no windshield on a walking safari, no engine for a quick getaway, only open bush and a few yards of earth between us. A walking safari, I begin to understand, is not simply about seeing wildlife. It's about entering a world up close and on its own terms. Wow. In Kenya, they do not permit walking safaris to protect the environment and wildlife. Instead, walks are exclusively based out of expansive private conservancies where you are often guided by local Masai or Samburu warriors. Still, sounds very exciting. Now let's head to Asia for our final stop on this journey around the world's best walking vacations. Number one, Nakasendo Trail in Japan. This is often considered one of the world's most beautiful cultural walking experiences. It's an ancient samurai era route that once connected Tokyo and Kyoto. Its ultimate highlights are the beautifully preserved post towns of Magome and Sumago, lush cedar forests, historic tea houses, and serene stretches of traditional countryside. From Japan StartsHair dot com, Magome is where most Nakasendo hikes begin, and as a result, perhaps paradoxically, is a town that people tend to just blow right through. But whether you stay here overnight and hike the next morning, the sunset alone is worth the effort. Or come a few hours before you set off to explore, it's worth more than a touch and go visit. You can also come to Magome on a day trip from Nagoya if you don't plan to hike the Nakasendo but want to see some of it. There's an argument to be made that the trail from Magome to Samago is one of the Nakasendo trail best parts. En route, you'll find many charming villages and houses. There's also the magnificent Otaki and Bitaki, male and female waterfalls. On the other hand, Samago itself is perhaps the most crowded of the juku along the Nakasendo, even if this abates somewhat if you sleep here and explore after night falls. Hiking or really walking the Nakasendo is easy, with the possible exception of the Tori Pass. It's a relatively easy eight to nine kilometer hike that takes about two to three hours to complete. But if you're looking for a slightly more rugged and exhilarating mountain hike, the trek over the Tori Pass is a trail that leads you up dense shaded forest path where travelers historically prayed for safe passage. Hiking this route allows you to descend into Naraijuku, giving you sweeping, iconic views of the valley and village. It sounds beautiful. And number two of our incredible Asian walking route is Nepal. Walking in Nepal is an unforgettable experience, ranging from gentle multi-day foothill walks to challenging high altitude tracks. Most rout rely on local tea houses for cozy lodging and warm meals with iconic destinations like the Everest Base Camp and the Annapurna Circuit leading global hiking adventures. From Wildlandtrekking.com, Nepal is one of the most mesmerizing, beautiful, and inspiring places you can visit. It's a land filled with snow capped peaks and high alpine villages. Welcoming locals invite travelers from around the world into their homes to show them the serenity of the nation's landscape and friendliness. Hiking through the Himalayas is an experience of a lifetime. Whether it's your first time in the country or your curiosities bringing you back for more, it's a place where once you step onto the land, you feel the connection and spirit of something bigger. Nepal is the cherry on top when it comes to trekking. It pairs gorgeous land and friendly culture with affordability. It's no surprise both travelers and trekkers alike have been swarming to this place for decades. With that said, the country and its people remain authentic despite the number of growing visitors. The Nepalese take their land and tourism industry very seriously. They have a great time sharing their surroundings and genuinely understand why people love to visit their homeland. Nepal is the classic trekking destination, easy access to the highest mountain range in the world, the Himalaya, and home to the most famous mountain on earth, Mount Everest. Nepal is more than just the gateway to the Himalayas. Nepal is one of the ten least urbanized countries in the world, and the unique juxtaposition of high mountains at subtropical latitude creates a multitude of environments that support ample biodiversity. The geography of Nepal results in immense cultural diversity as well. Nepal is a hybrid of many ethnic groups, but the ethos of Nepali culture is steeped primarily in Hindu and Buddhist traditions. Monks, monasteries, sadus, and stupas abound in Nepal's colorful capital, Kathmandu. A visit to Nepal is an immersive experience sure to provide ample enrichment for naive westerners and seasoned globetrotters alike. Wow, I'm ready for my walking vacation listeners. So now that we've walked our way across Europe, the Caribbean, Africa, and Asia, let's bring it all together. When it comes to walking vacations, there's really no one size fit-all destination. The best trip for you depends on what you actually want out of the experience. If you're looking for culture and history, places like the Camino de Santiago, the Nakasendo Trail in Japan, or one we didn't talk about, but which is a very popular go-to destination, the Great Wall of China, can give you that deep sense of connection to the past while you're on your feet. If scenery is your priority, you might be drawn to places like Acadia National Park or even the Himalayas in Nepal, where the views alone become part of the experience. If you're craving something more tropical, destinations like Dominica offer rainforest trails, waterfalls, and coastal walks that feel completely different from anything you'd experience at home. And if you want something truly adventurous, walking safaris in Africa, or which we didn't get to talk about the Atlas Mountains in Morocco, but you can research on your own, give you that sense of exploration and immersion that goes far beyond a typical vacation. But here's the common thread in all of it. These aren't just trips where you happen to walk, these are experiences where walking is the way you see the world. So as you think about your next vacation, consider this. Where do you want your steps to take you? Walking can improve your health close to home, but it can also become a passport to some of the world's most remarkable places. The beauty of a walking vacation is that it transforms travel from something you watch through a window into something you experience with every step. Thanks again for joining me today, listeners, on Why Walking Matters besides explain. Remember, share your walking stories at whywalkingmatters.com. Or if you have topic ideas for the podcast. As always, if you're enjoying this podcast, be kind to share with us like until next time.