Top 10 Bucket List Hikes to Satisfy Your Inner Adventurer

Sometimes the only cure for the restlessness within you is to pack your gear and hit the trails. If you’re looking for a challenge, itching to test your endurance, and wanting to satisfy your inner adventurer, these top 10 bucket list hikes will leave you in awe and wonder.

1. Half Dome, Yosemite National Park, California, USA

Ascending the Half Dome via the cable route exposes you to breathtaking views of Nevada Falls, Half Dome, and Yosemite Valley. This 16-mile trek tests your strength and endurance as you navigate steep climbs and narrow drop-offs.

2. Inca Trail, Peru

Walk the path of the ancient Incas from Cuzco to the breath-taking Machu Picchu over four days and 26 miles. See beautiful mountain scenery, cloud forests, pre-Columbian ruins, and alpine tundra.

3. Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

The highest peak in Africa, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, promises an unforgettable experience. Standing at 19,364 feet, climbers breathe the fresh mountain air as they make their way through grasslands, forests, and glaciated areas.

4. Annapurna Circuit, Nepal

Spanning two weeks and covering 128 miles, the Annapurna Circuit is a scenic trek that takes you through remote Nepalese villages and rocky terrain. The trek rewards the adventurers with spectacular views of deep valleys, splendid mountain ranges, and much more.

5. Torres del Paine W Trek, Chile

This five-day trek covers a 45-mile loop around Torres del Paine National Park in Chile. Hikers will experience varied terrain, from glaciers to mountains, as well as spot wildlife, such as guanacos and herds of graceful Patagonia horses.

6. Ben Nevis, Scotland

Resembling a jagged knife-edge with sweeping drops on all sides, the ascent up Ben Nevis is challenging and breathtaking. Standing tall at an elevation of 4,412 feet, Ben Nevis offers stunning views of the surrounding mountains.

7. The Haute Route, France and Switzerland

The Haute Route is undoubtedly one of the most scenic and challenging ski traverses globally, and even more so on hot summer days. This 7-day alpine skiing tour promises majestic mountain scenery while crossing from the Chamonix Aiguilles to the Oberer Theodulpass.

8. The Milford Track, New Zealand

Walk through the Fiordland National Park with 54 km of stunning unspoiled scenery, such as cascading waterfalls, soaring cliffsides, alpine flora, and native forests while crossing suspension bridges and mountain passes.

9. The Mont Blanc Circuit, France

Hike the 110 m Mont Blanc Circuit to experience some of Europe’s most dramatic mountain scenery. Trek over alpine meadows and rivers before climbing the infamous cols – the toughest of which will leave you breathless.

10. The Drakensberg Traverse, South Africa

Hiking through one of South Africa’s highest ranges up the heart of KwaZulu-Natal’s dramatic mountains and down to the isolated lowlands near the border with Lesotho gives you a vast wildlife and incredible views.

All these bucket-list hikes will bring the adventurer out of you while granting you amazing accomplishments and memories that will surely last a lifetime!