Mother Nature has blessed Victoria with countless spots with amazing trails, from adventurous multi-day treks to breathtaking day hikes. From the Grampians National Park to the Dandenong Ranges National Park – if you're looking for world-class hiking, you don't have to look far. Affirming that our state is home to the best of the best treks, Time Out’s global team have compiled an ultimate list of the world’s top 20 best hikes – and one in the top five is right here in Victoria.
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 was named fifth on the list, an impressive feat considering the high calibre of hikes among the rankings. 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.
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
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