It’s a little wild to consider the fact that people drop thousands of dollars or travel hundreds of kilometres just to go for a walk. But when you actually think about it – something to ponder on your next stroll, perhaps – it’s one of the most rewarding ways to spend your money and time. From guided multi-day pilgrimages to calming coastal walks and backyard bush bashes, Mother Nature has blessed us with millions of epic trails. Picking the best of the best is about as challenging as summiting Mount Kilimanjaro. But lucky for you, Time Out’s global team has done the hard yards to bring you the ultimate list of the world’s top 20 best hikes – and two of them are right here in Australia.
The list spans the globe, featuring everything from the historic Camino de Santiago in Spain to the breathtaking Tour du Mont Blanc in the Swiss Alps and the cliff-hugging Lycian Way in Turkey. It also happens to feature two Aussie gems, including Victoria’s windswept Great Ocean Walk and Tasmania’s secluded Maria Island Walk.
The Great Ocean Walk, Victoria
While the Great Ocean Road is well-known as Australia’s favourite road trip, many are surprised to discover that you can actually shadow the entire sea-swept stretch from Apollo Bay to the Twelve Apostles on foot. Spanning 104 kilometres, the Great Ocean Walk takes up to eight days to complete in full, but there are plenty of pick-up points throughout the trail that are perfect for shorter overnight stretches. Along the way, you’ll pass some of Victoria’s most iconic sights, from the lush rainforests of Great Otway National Park to the rugged cliffs of Port Campbell, before finishing up at the world-famous limestone stacks known as the Twelve Apostles.
The Maria Island Walk, Tasmania
Recently named one of the world’s most beautiful destinations, Maria Island is a hiker’s paradise, shaped by honeycomb-coloured cliffs, pristine white beaches and protected national park. The island’s cross-country trek, The Maria Island Walk, stretches between 25 to 43 kilometres from Darlington to Robey’s Farm and back. The full hike takes four days for the average Joe to finish, with plenty of wildlife encounters along the way, including Forester kangaroos, Bennett’s wallabies, wombats and even fairy penguins.
Feeling inspired to take a hiking holiday? You can check out more of the most incredible walks around the world below.
These are the 20 best hikes in the world, according to Time Out
- The French Way, Camino de Santiago
- The Lycian Way, Türkiye
- West Highland Way, Scotland
- The Nakahechi Route, Kumano Kodo, Japan
- The Great Ocean Walk, Australia
- Kungsleden, Sweden
- The Jordan Trail, Jordan
- Mount Snowdon, Wales
- Kalalau Trail, USA
- Dientes Circuit Trek, Chile
- Gotemba Trail, Japan
- Waitukubuli National Trail, Dominica
- Whale Trail, South Africa
- Wales Coast Path, Wales
- Mount Meru, Tanzania
- Ratikon High Trail Hut-to-Hut Circuit, Austria/Switzerland
- Coast-to-Coast Path, England
- Maria Island Walk, Australia
- Paria River Canyon, USA
- Tour du Mont Blanc, Switzerland/Italy/France