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Paul
Scott Mower once said, "There is nothing like walking to get the feel
of a country…" If you've ever contemplated going abroad to find your
next trail, here are three classic hikes to consider.
New
Zealand's Milford Track:
The best known "track" through New Zealand's beautiful fjords, this 32.9
miles (53 km) easy 4-day hike, starts at Glade Wharf (Lake Te Anau), winds
over
Mackinnon
Pass and ends at Sandfly Point (Milford Sound). The scenery includes
rainforests, alpine meadows and waterfalls at every turn, including the
worlds third highest, the 3-leap Sutherland Falls. With its ethereal,
dream-like scenery, some have described this hike akin to "walking through
a Lord of the Rings movie."
Milford
track is highly regulated for tourism and restricted to a one-way route
during summer season. All hikers (independent or guided) are required
complete the track in 3 nights/ 4 days and stay in the designated
commune-styled huts along the way. Day-specific reservations and trail
permits are required
Peru's Inca
Trail:
This 30 mile trail attract hikers from all over the world seeking to walk
the ancient, ruin-studded path to the sacred site of Machu Picchu. The
trail meanders over high passes, offering breathtaking views of glaciated
mountains and lush green valleys of cloud forest. Along the trail, you'll
pass early Inca stonework and abandoned outposts and villages until you
reach the trail's end at Machu Picchu. There you'll pass into the sacred
site through the Sun Gate, just as the Incas did centuries ago. This walk
involves considerable climbing (at altitudes up to 14,000 feet),
especially during the first half of the trail, and takes about 4 days.
Most trips
start at the 88km mark (also known as (Qoriwayrachina) on the Cuzco to
Machu Picchu rail line. Due to over-use (and abuse), the Peru's government
no longer allows independent hikers on the trail. You are now required to
go with a licensed tour operator and reservations need to be filed with
the government 30 days before your arrival.
China's
Great Wall:
Hiking sections of China's Great Wall is a fantastic way to see and
experience some of China's most significant and best-known sites. For
centuries, the 4,163 mile long wall served several dynasties as an
efficient military defense. Now, with a history spanning over 2,000 years,
many of the Great Wall's sections are in ruins or have completely
disappeared. Still, depending on where you start your trek, you'll pass
through rugged mountain scenery, areas of unforgiving desert and glimpse
traditional Chinese culture in a way most tourists will never experience.
Unless you
have a friend in
China
that can round up all the difficult to obtain, but necessary permits,
you'll need to hire a guide or tour company that specializes in hiking
sections of the wall. Many Chinese tour companies include wall hiking in
combination with other sightseeing tours or offer the opportunity to hike
several sections over the course of a few days or weeks. In any case, each
step along this ancient monument will be a hike back through China's
history.
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