Pt. 10 – The Summit: The Top 10 Hikes in the World

This is it—the final chapter of the Top 100 Hikes in the World series. After crossing continents, climbing peaks, and tracing trails through history, we’ve reached the ultimate tier: the Top 10. These are not just hikes; they are the crown jewels of adventure—routes that define what it means to explore, endure, and be transformed by the mountains.

Here you’ll find journeys that have inspired generations of trekkers: following the ancient trade routes of the Himalayas, tracing the rugged spine of Corsica, or walking through the enchanted valleys of Patagonia. From the volcanic heights of Kilimanjaro to the alpine passes between Chamonix and Zermatt, every one of these trails is a pilgrimage of a lifetime.

These hikes stand apart not only for their scenery, but for the way they capture the essence of adventure itself—epic challenges, cultural immersion, and the kind of breathtaking landscapes that leave you changed forever.

This is Part 10 of our series, featuring hikes #10 through #1—the world’s very best trails, the legends that every hiker dreams of experiencing.

Follow along on Instagram @TrailheadTraveler for reel highlights of each trail and more inspiration for your own adventures.

Let’s finish strong.

Part 1: Top 100 Hikes in the World: #100 – #91

Part 2: Top 100 Hikes in the World: #90 – #81

Part 3: Top 100 Hikes in the World: #80 – #71

Part 4: Top 100 Hikes in the World: #70 – #61

Part 5: Top 100 Hikes in the World: #60 – #51

Part 6: Top 100 Hikes in the World: #50 – #41

Part 7: Top 100 Hikes in the World: #40 – #31

Part 8: Top 100 Hikes in the World: #30 – #21

Part 9: Top 100 Hikes in the World: #20 – #11

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💡 Why This Series Stands Out

This isn’t just another roundup of “bucket list hikes.” It’s been a curated expedition through the world’s most transformative trails—routes that blend awe-inspiring landscapes, cultural depth, and raw adventure. The Top 100 Hikes in the World has never been about hype; it’s about journeys that leave a permanent mark on the soul long after the trek is over.

From Corsica’s rugged GR20 ridgelines to the glaciers of Patagonia, from Africa’s tallest peak to the legendary passes of the Himalayas, these are hikes that define the spirit of exploration.

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🧭 How We Ranked the World’s Best Hikes

Every trail in the Top 100 earned its place through a balance of four key pillars:

🌄 Scenic Brilliance – Landscapes that redefine what “breathtaking” means, from alpine summits to wild coastlines.
🔥 Adventure Factor – The grit and determination it takes to tackle high passes, long distances, and epic challenges.
🏛️ Cultural & Historical Significance – Routes steeped in heritage, mythology, and the footsteps of explorers before us.
🧳 Accessibility – Trails that demand effort, but reward those willing to prepare, persevere, and take the leap.

The result? A definitive countdown for those who crave more than just a hike—they want a life-changing trek.

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🌍 What to Expect in the #20–#11 Countdown

Now we arrive at the pinnacle. These aren’t simply great hikes—they’re the legends of trekking, the routes that every hiker dreams about.

Here’s a glimpse of what defines the final tier:

🗺️ Bucket-List Epics – The world’s greatest long-distance trails, from the Walker’s Haute Route to the Tour du Mont Blanc.
🏔️ High-Altitude Icons – The test of a lifetime on Kilimanjaro, Manaslu, and Everest Base Camp with Gokyo Lakes.
📿 Cultural Pilgrimages – Trails that intertwine natural wonder with heritage and tradition, connecting past and present.
🌄 Global Masterpieces – From New Zealand’s “finest walk” on the Milford Track to the Dolomites’ Alta Via 1, these treks are the crown jewels of hiking.

Each of these trails is more than just a journey—they are the stories you’ll tell forever.

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🥾 Who This List Is For

This series is for those who dream big, push limits, and seek meaning in every mile:

🌍 Global wanderers planning entire trips around one iconic trail
💪 Dedicated trekkers chasing the world’s toughest and most rewarding challenges
📸 Storytellers seeking landscapes that etch themselves into memory—and into photos
🕊️ Cultural explorers who believe a path can be both sacred and scenic

After nine parts and ninety epic trails, we’ve reached the final ascent. This is it—the Top 10 Hikes in the World.

Ready? Let’s dive into hikes #10 to #1! ⬇️

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Top 100 Hikes in the World: #10 – #1

🥾 #10. Dolomites Alta Via 1 (Italy 🇮🇹)

📍 Trailhead Location: Lago di Braies to Belluno
🥾 Distance: ~120 km (75 miles) point-to-point
🧗‍♂️ Elevation Gain: ~7,000 m (23,000 ft) cumulative
🥵 Difficulty: Moderate to Challenging (well-marked but long stages, alpine terrain)
🌟 Highlight: Towering limestone spires, WWI history, and cozy rifugi stays
🕰️ Best Time to Hike: Late June–September

Why It Made the List

The Alta Via 1 is the most famous long-distance route through the Italian Dolomites, showcasing jagged peaks, emerald meadows, and dramatic cliffside traverses. Over the course of a week to ten days, hikers journey hut-to-hut, staying in mountain rifugi that serve hearty meals and local wine. The route blends breathtaking alpine scenery with poignant reminders of World War I history, where trenches and tunnels still line the ridges. With its mix of comfort, culture, and world-class mountain landscapes, the Alta Via 1 is a quintessential European trekking experience.

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🥾 #9. Annapurna Circuit (Nepal 🇳🇵)

📍 Trailhead Location: Besisahar to Nayapul/Jomsom (varied start & end points)
🥾 Distance: ~160–230 km (100–145 miles), depending on route
🧗‍♂️ Elevation Gain: Cumulative ~10,000 m (32,800 ft); max elevation 5,416 m (17,769 ft) at Thorong La Pass
🥵 Difficulty: Challenging (altitude, long distance, varied terrain)
🌟 Highlight: Crossing Thorong La Pass with sweeping views of the Himalayas
🕰️ Best Time to Hike: October–November or March–April

Why It Made the List

The Annapurna Circuit is one of the world’s most legendary treks, circling the massive Annapurna range through subtropical valleys, alpine forests, and high mountain passes. The diversity is staggering—you’ll move from rice paddies and waterfalls to barren high-altitude deserts within days. Along the way, traditional Nepali villages and Buddhist monasteries offer deep cultural immersion. The dramatic crossing of Thorong La Pass, the trek’s high point, rewards hikers with jaw-dropping panoramas of snow-capped giants. Its mix of scenery, challenge, and cultural encounters makes this trek a true bucket-list adventure.

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🥾 #8. Mount Kilimanjaro via Machame Route (Tanzania 🇹🇿)

📍 Trailhead Location: Machame Gate, Kilimanjaro National Park
🥾 Distance: ~62 km (37 miles) round trip
🧗‍♂️ Elevation Gain: ~4,900 m (16,100 ft) cumulative; summit at 5,895 m (19,341 ft)
🥵 Difficulty: Strenuous (altitude, rapid ascent, summit night push)
🌟 Highlight: Sunrise from Uhuru Peak, Africa’s highest point
🕰️ Best Time to Hike: January–March or June–October

Why It Made the List

Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro is a once-in-a-lifetime challenge, taking trekkers from lush rainforests through alpine moorlands to the glacier-capped summit of Africa’s highest peak. The Machame Route—known as the “Whiskey Route”—is popular for its varied scenery and strong acclimatization profile. Each day reveals a new ecosystem, from giant lobelias in the Shira Plateau to the stark volcanic landscape of the Barranco Wall. The final push begins at midnight, culminating in a sunrise summit over the vast African plains. Standing on the “Roof of Africa” is one of the most powerful trekking experiences on Earth.

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🥾 #7. Walker’s Haute Route (France 🇫🇷 to Switzerland 🇨🇭)

📍 Trailhead Location: Chamonix, France to Zermatt, Switzerland
🥾 Distance: ~200 km (125 miles) point-to-point
🧗‍♂️ Elevation Gain: ~12,000 m (39,000 ft) cumulative
🥵 Difficulty: Challenging (multiple high passes, long days, alpine weather)
🌟 Highlight: Linking Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn via 11 dramatic passes
🕰️ Best Time to Hike: July–September

Why It Made the List

The Walker’s Haute Route is an alpine odyssey, connecting Chamonix at the foot of Mont Blanc with Zermatt, home of the Matterhorn. The trek traverses 11 mountain passes, each revealing jaw-dropping views of glaciers, jagged peaks, and flower-strewn valleys. It’s a true test of endurance, with long days and steep climbs, but the rewards are unmatched. Mountain huts and charming Swiss villages provide respite along the way, blending natural wonder with cultural discovery. To walk this route is to experience the very best of the European Alps.

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🥾 #6. Manaslu Lodge Circuit (Nepal 🇳🇵)

📍 Trailhead Location: Soti Khola to Dharapani
🥾 Distance: ~177 km (110 miles) circuit
🧗‍♂️ Elevation Gain: Cumulative ~11,000 m (36,000 ft); max elevation 5,106 m (16,752 ft) at Larkya La Pass
🥵 Difficulty: Challenging (altitude, remote setting, long distances)
🌟 Highlight: Crossing the dramatic Larkya La Pass beneath towering Manaslu (8,163 m)
🕰️ Best Time to Hike: October–November or March–April

Why It Made the List

The Manaslu Circuit offers a quieter, wilder alternative to the Annapurna region, circling the world’s eighth-highest peak, Mount Manaslu. This lodge-to-lodge trek leads through remote valleys, Tibetan-influenced villages, and dense rhododendron forests. The ascent to Larkya La Pass is both demanding and exhilarating, with sweeping views of snow-draped summits stretching into the horizon. The cultural encounters are just as memorable, with monasteries, mani walls, and prayer flags lining the trail. With its combination of remoteness, challenge, and Himalayan grandeur, Manaslu is trekking at its purest.

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🥾 #5. Milford Track (New Zealand 🇳🇿)

📍 Trailhead Location: Glade Wharf to Sandfly Point, Fiordland National Park
🥾 Distance: 53.5 km (33 miles) point-to-point
🧗‍♂️ Elevation Gain: ~1,400 m (4,600 ft) cumulative
🥵 Difficulty: Moderate (well-formed trail but changeable weather)
🌟 Highlight: Mackinnon Pass with sweeping Fiordland views
🕰️ Best Time to Hike: Late October–April (Great Walk season)

Why It Made the List

Dubbed the “finest walk in the world”, the Milford Track is New Zealand’s most iconic hike, winding through lush rainforest, alpine passes, and cascading waterfalls. Each day reveals new wonders: crystal-clear rivers, moss-draped beech forests, and towering peaks. The climb over Mackinnon Pass is the trek’s centerpiece, offering breathtaking panoramas of Fiordland’s rugged terrain. With carefully maintained huts and world-class scenery, the Milford Track delivers an unforgettable Great Walk experience. It’s a hike that defines the spirit of New Zealand’s wild landscapes.

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🥾 #4. GR20 Trail (Corsica, France 🇫🇷)

📍 Trailhead Location: Calenzana to Conca, Corsica
🥾 Distance: ~180 km (112 miles) point-to-point
🧗‍♂️ Elevation Gain: ~12,000 m (39,400 ft) cumulative
🥵 Difficulty: Very Strenuous (rugged terrain, scrambling, long stages)
🌟 Highlight: Sharp granite ridgelines and wild Corsican landscapes
🕰️ Best Time to Hike: June–September

Why It Made the List

The GR20 is often called Europe’s toughest trek, slicing diagonally across the rugged mountains of Corsica. Known for its sharp granite ridgelines, exposed scrambles, and demanding ascents, this trail is as challenging as it is rewarding. Hikers are treated to sweeping views of wild Corsican landscapes, dotted with alpine lakes and Mediterranean vistas. Nights are spent in basic refuges or tents, adding to the raw adventure. The GR20 is the ultimate test of endurance in Europe, attracting trekkers seeking one of the continent’s most legendary challenges.

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🥾 #3. W Trek (Torres del Paine, Patagonia, Chile 🇨🇱)

📍 Trailhead Location: Refugio Las Torres to Refugio Paine Grande (varied)
🥾 Distance: ~80 km (50 miles) out-and-back “W” route
🧗‍♂️ Elevation Gain: ~3,000 m (9,800 ft) cumulative
🥵 Difficulty: Moderate to Challenging (variable weather, long stages)
🌟 Highlight: Torres del Paine, French Valley, and Grey Glacier
🕰️ Best Time to Hike: November–March (Patagonia summer)

Why It Made the List

The W Trek is the crown jewel of Patagonia, guiding hikers through Torres del Paine National Park’s most iconic landmarks. Each arm of the “W” reveals a highlight: the towering granite Torres del Paine, the dramatic French Valley, and the massive Grey Glacier. The landscapes are as wild as the weather—winds roar, clouds race, and light shifts dramatically over jagged peaks. Refugios and campsites along the way make the trek accessible, while still feeling remote. This is Patagonia at its most dramatic and unforgettable.

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🥾 #2. Tour du Mont Blanc (France/Italy/Switzerland 🇫🇷🇮🇹🇨🇭)

📍 Trailhead Location: Chamonix, France (circular route through Italy and Switzerland)
🥾 Distance: ~170 km (105 miles) circuit
🧗‍♂️ Elevation Gain: ~10,000 m (32,800 ft) cumulative
🥵 Difficulty: Moderate to Challenging (multiple passes, long days)
🌟 Highlight: Panoramas of Mont Blanc, Europe’s highest peak
🕰️ Best Time to Hike: Late June–September

Why It Made the List

The Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) is Europe’s most celebrated long-distance trek, circling the Mont Blanc massif through France, Italy, and Switzerland. Over 10–12 days, hikers climb multiple passes, wander through alpine meadows, and gaze upon glaciers tumbling from Europe’s highest mountain. The route is as much a cultural journey as a physical one, with stops in charming villages offering French, Italian, and Swiss hospitality. Its balance of epic scenery, accessibility, and rich tradition has made the TMB the gold standard of European trekking. Simply put, it’s the most iconic loop in the Alps.

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🥾 #1. Everest Base Camp and Gokyo Lakes Trek (Nepal 🇳🇵)

📍 Trailhead Location: Lukla, Nepal (loop via Namche, Gokyo, EBC, and Cho La Pass)
🥾 Distance: ~130 km (80 miles) circuit
🧗‍♂️ Elevation Gain: Cumulative ~8,000 m (26,000 ft); max elevation 5,643 m (18,513 ft) at Kala Patthar
🥵 Difficulty: Challenging (altitude, length, rugged terrain)
🌟 Highlight: Views of Everest, turquoise Gokyo Lakes, and the Cho La Pass crossing
🕰️ Best Time to Hike: March–May or October–November

Why It Made the List

The Everest Base Camp and Gokyo Lakes Trek represents the pinnacle of Himalayan trekking, combining the classic approach to the world’s highest mountain with the serene beauty of the Gokyo Valley. Hikers trace the footsteps of mountaineering legends through Sherpa villages, across swinging suspension bridges, and up to viewpoints like Kala Patthar for a front-row seat to Everest. The route’s highlight is the dramatic crossing of Cho La Pass, linking the turquoise Gokyo Lakes with the Khumbu Valley. It’s a journey that blends culture, challenge, and world-class scenery into the ultimate adventure. For many, this is the greatest trek on Earth—and the perfect finale to the Top 100.

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🎉 The Journey Complete: The Top 100 Hikes in the World

And there it is—the summit of our journey. From coastal trails and desert crossings to alpine circuits and high-altitude epics, we’ve counted down the Top 100 Hikes in the World, ending with the ultimate adventures on Earth. These last ten hikes represent the pinnacle of trekking, blending culture, endurance, and landscapes so breathtaking they defy description.

This series has been about more than just bucket-list trails—it’s been a celebration of the way hiking connects us to nature, to history, and to ourselves. Whether it’s the solitude of a fjord plateau in Newfoundland, the rugged ridges of Corsica, or the thin air of the Himalayas, each trail tells a story that lingers long after the boots come off.

Though the countdown ends here, the journey doesn’t. The trails are waiting—whether near or far, modest or monumental. The question now is simple: where will your next adventure take you?

📍 Follow @TrailheadTraveler on Instagram for reels, planning tips, and new hiking inspiration beyond the Top 100.

🌍🥾 Thank you for coming along for the climb. Here’s to the next trail, the next summit, and the next story worth telling.