Walk Away

Right now, nothing feels easy. So if you are yearning to shrug it all off, to stretch your legs and clear your mind, it is time to get walking. Ditch the doomscrolling and book a hiking holiday that will work your body and lift your spirits at the same time.

Desert dreaming in the Red Centre

Move over, Dwayne Johnson. Long before the wrestler-turned-movie star first hit the headlines, ‘The Rock’ referred to Uluru, the mighty monolith rising out of the sands of the Red Centre. Of course, Uluru is not the area’s only spectacular stone formation: 54km away sits Kata Tjuta, its domed rock ‘heads’ appearing to cluster tightly together.

The brand-new five-day Uluru-Kata Tjuta Signature Walk, launched by the Tasmanian Walking Company (taswalkingco.com.au), does more than connect these two icons. It lets you dive deep into the culture and history of the local Anangu people, while exploring parts of this sacred landscape otherwise off-limits to visitors.

Travelling in a small group and carrying a day pack, your hike starts in the shadows of Kata Tjuta and heads east. Drinking in the ever-changing scenery of red dunes and mulga woodlands is only part of what lies in store: stints of walking are interspersed with art workshops and lessons in how the Anangu have managed these lands for thousands of years.

The first two nights are spent in safari tents in two different off-grid desert camps, while on the last two nights you bed down in an eco-friendly lodge. There are plenty of highlights along the way, including magnificent chef-prepared meals, but we reckon the chance to lose yourself in the desert night, where countless stars blaze high overhead, is high on the list of unforgettable experiences.

Good to know: Add on an extra day at Ayers Rock Resort if you want to catch one of the dazzling laser, light and sound shows developed in conjunction with the local indigenous people, the early-morning Sunrise Journeys or the night-time Wintjiri Wiru.

Hike into history in Peru

It is a sight many of us dream of: the Incan citadel of Machu Picchu, perched high among the mist-draped peaks of the Peruvian Andes. Getting there is easier than you might think, thanks to a train that takes visitors on the 200km journey from the city of Cusco to Aguas Calientes, the town that sits below Machu Picchu.

But doesn’t an amazing destination like this deserve an equally incredible arrival experience? For those who are up for it, arriving at Machu Picchu after hiking the Inca Trail is an inspiring adventure. This four-day, 40km hike follows an ancient road that was part of the 30,000km Incan road network. You will arrive at Machu Picchu early on the final morning, entering via the Sun Gate.  

As you're travelling at altitude through cloud forests and along stone pathways, which means you need to be fit. That is particularly true on the day before your arrival, when you cross the Dead Woman’s Pass – the highest point of the trek – and descend into a valley before climbing up to crest a second pass.

World Expeditions (worldexpeditions.com) offers a 10-day Classic Inca Trail itinerary which combines the four-day hike with some of Peru’s other unmissable destinations. Spend time exploring the Incan capital of Cusco and dramatic landscapes including the Sacred Valley as well as visiting local communities and some of the area’s most remarkable archaeological sites.

Good to know: You can take a number of different routes to Machu Picchu including the 60km Salkantay Trek, which takes you high among the mountaintops, or the less-challenging 33km Lares trek, which stops at local communities along the way.

Hit your stride in New Zealand

New Zealand is home to some stunning walks, but many of them are all-or-nothing propositions. Hike the Milford Track or the Heaphy Track and you’re committed to a multi-day adventure, lugging all your own gear. Great for hardcore adventurers, a bit much for most of us.

The Abel Tasman Coast Track is different. No less scenic than its more famous counterparts, thanks to an irresistible combination of lush forest and beautiful beaches, this 60km trail on the top of the South Island is usually hiked on either a three-day or a five-day program. Still unsure whether you can commit to that? Easy water-taxi access along much of the route means you can also tackle one or two sections as day hikes.

For maximum joy and minimum fuss, consider signing up for one of the guided (and fully catered) three- or five-day walks offered by Wilson Abel Tasman (abeltasman.co.nz). These itineraries let you travel light, hiking with just a day pack and returning to one of the area’s beachfront lodges at night.

Among the loveliest sections is the 13km stretch between Bark Bay and Awaroa Beach, which winds deep into the bush before dipping back to the coast several times. Allow time for a swim at Onetahuti Bay and another at Awaroa Beach, which became famous a decade ago when it was almost sold into private ownership. A crowdfunding campaign raised over NZ$2 million to keep the beach in public hands.

Good to know: The area is also home to the largest cold-water springs in the southern hemisphere. The Te Waikoropupū Springs in Golden Bay discharge an incredible 14,000 litres a second, and measurements have shown this is some of the clearest water on the planet.

Enjoy a European mountain high

If you think you need to leave creature comforts behind in order to enjoy jaw-dropping vistas, think again. Europe’s highest mountain, the 4810-metre high Mont Blanc, is a true cloud-piercer, but you can enjoy its epic scale without ever straying too far from civilisation.

This is the place where mountaineering was invented, after a naturalist offered a large reward for the first person to reach Mont Blanc’s summit. That feat was achieved by a local, Jacques Balmat, in 1786, followed in 1808 by the first woman to summit, Marie Paradis, a maidservant who climbed in a skirt.

A Mont Blanc adventure doesn’t have to involve an attempt on the summit; a circuit around the mountain is just as exhilarating. You don’t even have to push yourself particularly hard if you don’t want to. UTracks (utracks.com) offers a range of treks on and around Mont Blanc, including the sometimes-challenging 7-day Mont Blanc Classic Guided Hike or the more relaxed 7-day Mont Blanc Rambler Guided Hike.

On both trips trekkers follow well-established trails through three separate countries – Italy, France and Switzerland – alternating between breathtaking scenery and visits to cosy villages where you can dine on local specialties such as raclette. Neither trip requires heavy lifting – your luggage is transported from one accommodation to the next, either by vehicle or, in the more remote stretches along the Classic Guided Hike, by mule.

Good to know: Arrive a day early at your departure point, the French town of Chamonix, if you want to ride France’s highest cable car. The Aiguille du Midi cable car, which crosses the Alps between Chamonix and Courmayeur, is also the closest you can get to Mont Blanc’s summit without donning crampons.