Trekking

Kalaw is a small hill town nested among rolling mountains. It sprawls over several hills and is centered around the market. But travellers are not coming to Kalaw for shopping, but to go trekking in the green mountains and, particular, visit minority villages of the Palaung or Pa-O tribes. Trekking options range from easy half day treks over harder ones to multiple days, even all the way to Inle Lake. Though these villages only are accessible by foot some have been modernised, but you still find traditional longhouses, where several families live, and village monasteries. Expect trekking along muddy trails with beautiful views over sloping tea plantation. For the best experience, find a knowledge guide in Kalaw who knows the villages and people there.

The trail leading to the Japanese gun from WWII, will take you through a spectacular landscape of jagged coral pinnacles and deep depressions. It's a result of phosphate mining, where the surface soil was scrapped off before the phosphate was removed from the below ancient coral. Today, it's a huge labyrinth, where it's easy to get lost as you walk and scramble from pinnacle to pinnacle. For directions, see Japanese Gun from WWII.

Sagarmatha National Park is on the Natural World Heritage List and covers an area of approximately 1,150 km² in the Himalayan mountains. The park's mountains have heights ranging from 2,800 to 8,840 m (Mount Everest peak), and it is this area you trek through if, for example, you go to Mount Everest Base Camp. You get nothing less than a breathtaking moment when, after many hours of hard trekking - typically from the town of Namche Bazaar, you spot the first sight of the Everest mountain range and Mount Everest itself. The best time to trek in this area is in October, when you will have the best chances of fine weather and sunshine.

For the absolute best view of Haukland Beach hike up the mountain behind it. To get to the trail, cross the road and follow the sealed road away from the beach. After a couple of hundred meters a mud trail veers off up the mountain side. Just follow that until you reach the peak. It can both get muddy and rocky. Sections at the top can be particularly tricky with some scrambling needed. A return trip will take a couple of hours.

Runde is a true highlight of the Norwegian coast. A stunning island, reachable by boat or bridge, it is a bird-watcher’s paradise, with as much as half a million sea birds present here during spring and early summer. With fewer than 100 people living on the island, you’re unlikely to feel very crowded. There are basically two things to do here: hike across the island on foot, or tour around it by boat. The weather here is, as one might expect, crazy: sunny one minute, heavy rain the next. But that provides some absolutely stunning ocean scenery, and the terrain is easy enough to navigate even in bad weather. While the climb to the top of the island’s 300 m centre is a killer, the sight of thousands of Atlantic Puffins crash landing against the cliffs is well worth the effort. There’s also a nearby ship-wreck that has yielded over 500 kg of gold, so if you feel lucky you can always pull on a dry suit and jump in the water!

With a hole right through the middle, Torghatten is probably one of the most iconic mountains in Norway. The giant natural hole measures 30 meters in height and 20 meters in width, and you can hike through the 160 meters long hole. There are three hiking routes at Torghatten. The circuit hike at the base of the granite mountain (6.5 km), the summit hike (4 km return) and the hike to the hole (1.4 km return).

Treriksrøysa is a point where the borders of Norway, Finland and Russia meet. It might not sound too crazy, but the journey you have to undertake to get here is. First you need to get to Kirkenes, which is far away in the first place. Then you need to drive to Øvre Pasvik National Park, which is a bumpy road, but sealed. Then follows a 19 km long potholed dirt road through forest and past lakes, and very close to the Russian border (your cell phone might switch to a Russian network). Then there is the last 5.5 km of beautiful hiking along a well marked path with sections of boardwalk. You feel very remote out here in the middle of nowhere, with only bears and Russia as neighbors (and the Norwegian military). However, do not cross into Russia, not even sticking your arm or peeing inside their territory, for heavy fines will follow (for there are cameras). It's alright to venture into the Finnish side and have a short peek. The actual mark for the border intersection isn't particularly mind blowing, but the adventure is.

Fairy Meadows is considered by many Pakistani to be the most beautiful place in Pakistan. The lush valley is surrounded by snowcapped mountains with a gushing river at the bottom. Getting here is half of the adventure. First you take a hair rising jeep trip along a bumpy rock road, which clings to the mountain side and with deep scary drops. When the road ends you have a two hour up-hill hike ahead of you with views that just become better and better until you have panoramic views of Nanga Parbat (8,126 m). Fairy Meadows itself has a bit of Klondike feel with all the construction of new cottages and guesthouses (all made by hand in timber). From Fairy Meadows there good trekking options, one leading up the Nanga Parbat Viewpoint (3,703 m) through the settlement at Beyal Camp (3,560 m), which can be extended to the base camp (3,860 m).

Hushe Valley is the gateway to K2 (8,611 m), however you can't see K2 from the valley, but the views of the Masherbrum massif (7,821 m) are spectacular. The K2 base camp is several days' hike away, but most trekkers will spend about 14 days for the return hike to the base camp. Hushe Valley is literally the end of the road, and you will cross several wooden bridges just wide enough for your 4x4 (which is necessary). Hushe Valley will usually be visited on a day trip from Khaplu, but there are guest houses.

Maybe not the world’s deepest canyon as they like to believe but definitely a very deep and beautiful one. To fully appreciate the Colca Canyon you should go down into it for preferably 3 or 4 days of trekking. Only this way you can appreciate its depth and the beauty it offers. There are waterfalls, hot springs and baths, condors and plenty of cacti.
If you start the trekking at Cabanaconde you can trek down to Llahuar. The next day head to Fure where there are beautiful waterfalls close-by and the final night sleep in Sangalle, which is generally known as the "Oasis". Here you can enjoy the luxury of swimming pools and cold drinks before starting the steep climb out of the canyon early the next morning. If you haven’t seen any condors yet you can head out to Cruz del Condor where amongst the hundreds of tourists you’ll quite likely see condors too.