Amazon River, Peru
Why to Go
The Amazon demands superlatives: The river, at 4,345 miles, is Earth’s longest, and the rainforest, at over 2 million square miles, is the planet’s largest. Brazil offers the most traditional Amazon experience, though its strengths lie in the human and cultural offerings. Upriver, in Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia, visitors will find more abundant hiking, biking, kayaking, and even swimming opportunities, as well as a greater variety of wildlife. The fauna in this enormous biosphere, of course, is as iconic as it is diverse, from anacondas to piranhas, scarlet macaws to poisonous frogs, sloths to spider monkeys.
How to Go
Aqua Expeditions’ Aria Amazon river boat brings unimaginable luxury to the wilds of the Peruvian jungle. The vessel—which sets out from Iquitos or Nauta, depending on the season—hosts no more than 32 guests, and each of its 250-square-foot cabins has floor-to-ceiling windows to maximize wildlife watching. Guided expeditions off the boat take place throughout the day. One of Lima’s top chefs, Pedro Miguel Schiaffino (of Amaz and Malabar), oversees the Amazonia-inspired cuisine (think escolar fish in aji panka chili adobo and grilled paiche with huatia potatoes) served onboard.
Where to Stay
Where to Stay Across the Yarapa River (a tributary of the Amazon) from Nauta, Treehouse Lodge is a collection of 10 comfortably rustic suites perched between 34 and 67 feet above the ground. Although the views from up in the canopy are breathtaking, you’ll want to get back to solid ground for a guided hike, which might take you out into the jungle to forage for medicinal plants, track nocturnal monkeys, or find 6-foot-wide giant water lilies.
The Galápagos, Ecuador
Why to Go
The Galápagos wasn’t destined to be the crown jewel of pristine ecosystems. It is a remote archipelago—but not so remote as, say, Hawaii. It does have a remarkable array of endemic animals—but not so unique as, say, Australia’s. Yet with a cameo role in Darwin’s The Voyage of the Beagle, which recorded the genesis of his theory of evolution; a history relatively empty of human intervention (unlike Hawaii and Australia, where introduced species quickly laid waste to local flora and fauna); and a population of animals that don’t blink at human proximity, the Galápagos became a living symbol of “the environment.” Today, exploring the area is a highly regulated experience. Visitors must be accompanied by a licensed guide when hiking or swimming through Galápagos National Park (which makes up 97 percent of the island chain and surrounding area), groups are capped at 16 per guide, and only so many groups can set foot (or snorkel fin) in any given designated area per day.
How to Go
Lars-Eric Lindblad led one of the first groups of nonscientist travelers to the Galápagos in 1967, and his company, which has since partnered with National Geographic, still offers the definitive tour of the Galápagos today. Lindblad–National Geographic’s 10-day expeditions combine creature comforts (onboard spa treatments, local and sustainable Ecuadorian cuisine) with daily hikes and dives; excursions on kayaks, paddleboards, and glass-bottomed and Zodiac boats; and recap talks from naturalists—at cocktail hour, of course.
Where to Stay
Located atop two extinct volcanic craters on Santa Cruz Island, sleek and eco-friendly Pikaia Lodge is working to restore its natural surroundings, which had been decimated over decades by cattle ranches. Explore the two miles of trails that cross the hotel’s 77 acres (home to a private giant tortoise reserve). Back at the lodge, you can brush up on your Darwin in the science-themed lounge library, soak in an infinity pool surrounded by Peruvian travertine marble decks, or sample ceviche and South American wines at the appropriately named Evolution Restaurant.
Appalachian Trail, U.S.
Why to Go
The most famous hike in the U.S. covers 2,190 gorgeous, punishing miles of slopes and scrambles from Georgia to Maine. Conceived in 1921 and completed in 1937, the Appalachian Trail (AT) was the first of its kind, and it remains the longest hiking-only footpath in the world. Through hikers—the bedraggled tribe that traverses the entire length of the trail in a single year—are its most renowned (and easy to spot) inhabitants, but there’s no need to rough it à la Bill Bryson; day hikers can choose from a wide variety of lengths and paces at which to approach the Appalachians.
How to Go
The AT is marked by simple-to-follow white blazes as it passes through ranges such as Tennessee’s Great Smokies and New Hampshire’s Whites. One of the most accessible—and loveliest—stretches is the 105-mile green strip that runs along the crestline of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Shenandoah National Park, just southwest of Washington, D.C. The park is best known for its spectacular autumn foliage, but the Shenandoah does well in any season. (In summer, pick up a blackberry milkshake made from local berries at the park’s Skyland hotel.) For a good day hike, try the panorama-filled 7.2-mile loop Mary’s Rock via the Pinnacle, which encompasses the most stunning section on this stretch of the AT.
Where to Stay
The Inn at Little Washington is less than half an hour from the gate of Shenandoah National Park and is home to perhaps the most lauded restaurant in the D.C. metro area. When you come off the trail, treat yourself to a two-Michelin-starred, four-course French tasting menu—and then retire to one of the 23 lavishly appointed rooms, suites, and cottages at the five-star Inn. It beats the hell out of a tent.
Via Ferrata, Italy
Why to Go
World War I soldiers built the Via Ferrata, or Iron Road—a system of cables, ladders, and tunnels that string through Italy’s Dolomites—to help them navigate the mountainous front line between the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Kingdom of Italy. (Italy wouldeventually take the Alto Adige region, but to this day, most of the area’s inhabitants speak German.) Though they look daunting, the trails allow a wide range of hikers to access some of the Dolomites’ most dramatic, beautiful limestone peaks. And a trek in the Dolomites isn’t complete without a visit to a rifugio, the Alpine huts that dot the mountains, providing meals to hikers on the go. Try the Tyrolean Spinatknödel, or spinach dumpling, cooked in brown butter and covered in fine shavings of parmesan cheese.
How to Go
The Vie Ferrata is best explored with a guide. Discover Your Italy designs custom walking, hiking, and food tours with local Alpine guides. A good place to start is the Via Ferrata Maximilian, which traverses the Denti di Terrarossa ridge and provides excellent views of the Alpe di Siusi (the largest high-altitude Alpine meadow in Europe) and the peaks beyond. The route isn’t technically demanding, but a sure foot and a steady head are essential.
Where to Stay
You can begin your hike from your hotel’s front door if you stay at Alpina Dolomites, an eco-friendly five-star lodge on the Alpe di Siusi, almost 2,000 feet above the valleys where most of the area’s accommodations are located. Start your day with a breakfast of muesli, local goat’s milk, and Alpine honey and ease your trail-weary muscles with an hour in the spa’s steam rooms, saunas, and relaxation rooms with stunning views. For an incredible meal, take a short walk to Gostner Schwaige, which serves up Alpine rifugio dishes—such as Kaiserschmarren (shredded sweet pancakes with raisins) and Heublütensuppe (a soup made with hay, flowers, and herbs)—at their most refined.
Te Araroa, New Zealand
Why to Go
Since serving as the backdrop for The Lord of the Rings, New Zealand has become justifiably famous for its fantastic landscape. There’s no better introduction than the Te Araroa, which runs from the top of the North Island to the bottom of the South. First conceived in the 1970s, it took decades of vision and planning to open the full 1,864-mile-long route in 2011. Since its official inauguration, the trail has grown increasingly popular with ambitious backpackers who attempt four- to six-month through hikes, but day hikers will also find much to appreciate on the trail.
How to Go
Most hikers begin their trek at Cape Reinga, the northernmost point of New Zealand’s North Island and a place sacred to Māoridom. The Northland Region doesn’t have the monumental mountain ranges that dominate much of the southern landscape, but its stunning coastal sweep in the historic heart of the Maori homeland makes this leg particularly special. Travel through fern and open bush along the
Russell Forest Track before returning to the wide sandy estuary and beaches at the village of Whananaki.
Where to Stay
The ultra-exclusive Helena Bay Lodge opened to much fanfare in 2016 along a pristine stretch of Northland beach. It hosts, at maximum, 10 guests across five villas, all of which face the sweeping coastline. With on-site amenities such as a magnificent Russian-style bathhouse, a heated pool, a library, an outdoor firepit, and a Mediterranean-style restaurant from the team behind Campagna’s two-Michelin-starred Don Alfonso 1890, it’s the perfect place to end a long day’s hike.
Nakasendo Way, Japan
Why to Go
Japan has mountains for days. The goal of most visiting hikers is to summit Mount Fuji—meaning that a line of thousands is virtually always stretching to the very top of the country’s highest peak—but there are many less crowded paths through Japan’s alpine country. Perhaps the best known of these is the Nakasendo Way, one of two medieval roads that connected Kyoto and Tokyo. The Tōkaidō, which lay by the sea, eventually became the path of Japan’s first bullet train, while the Nakasendo, which winds through the Kiso Valley, was more or less forgotten. The ancient road has now been rediscovered, and it still offers idyllic stretches along moss-covered cobblestones, past remote Shinto shrines, and through traditional teahouses and inns.
How to Go
Walk Japan’s two founders were academics who both did their scholarly work on the (then) disappearing highway. What began as an informal guided walk for their students has, in less than 30 years, become the definitive way to experience the Nakasendo. The 11-day, 10-night fully guided tour from Kyoto to Tokyo offers various grades of strenuousness (from Level 1, which utilizes mostly public transit, to Level 6, which can cover as much as 15.5 miles in a day). No matter your capabilities, you’ll spend your rest stops soaking in onsen (hot spring baths) and sleeping in ryokans (traditional Japanese inns).
Where to Stay
At the end of the trail, the Hoshinoya Tokyo offers a contemporary (and extremely luxurious) interpretation of the ryokan. The 17-story exterior is decked out in a subtle yet complex komon lattice-leaf pattern, and the entry door, cut from a single huge cypress, gives way to a tatami-matted hallway with bamboo shoeboxes. Not to be missed is the hotel’s superb restaurant, where chef Noriyuki Hamada applies French techniques to hyper-seasonal, multi-course Japanese meals served in private, zen-inspired dining rooms.
