16 Incredible Backpacking Trips That Will Change Your Life

You’re about to discover 16 incredible backpacking trips that will change your life.

No matter where you are, there’s an incredible backpacking trip waiting for you.

Do you like mountains?

Canyons?

Rivers?

Exploring fields?

There’s a perfect place for you.

Updated 2/9/2020 – The next time you plan a backpacking trip, make sure to think about all the awesome trails around the world.

Think about all the countries that you want to visit, as well as the places you’d like to go hiking.

Once you’ve picked the right country for you, find a trail that meets your needs.

Another important factor is time of year.

Some trails are best in summer.

Others are beautiful during the fall.

There are some trails that are even awesome during the winter.

After you find the right trail, start getting excited about the trip!

Make sure to bring the right gear for your adventure.

You’ll have to remember to bring a DSLR camera.

Some of the views are breathtaking, and you’ll want pictures for your friends.

Don’t just take our word for it!

Look through the resources here and all the awesome photos.

You’ll see trails from around the world.

They’ll make every hiker jealous!

Get ready for your next trip, and find somewhere incredible to visit!

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16 Incredible Backpacking Trips That Will Change Your Life

1.) Laugavegurinn Trail — Iceland

This trail actually helped inspire the Lord of the Rings series!

That makes it a great spot for anyone who’s a film buff.

You can finish the trail in about four days.

The whole trail is accessible to intermediate hikers.

The best times are summer and early fall.

You’ll get to see glaciers, valleys, and more!

2.) Kalalau Trail — Hawaii, U.S.

Here’s a great trail when you want to explore inside the USA.

The trail is pretty tough, but you can go at any time during the year.

The best part of the trail is the great view you’ll get of Hanakoa Falls.

Plan to spend two or three days hiking if you want to go at a reasonable pace.

3.) Queen Charlotte Track — New Zealand

When you have four days to spare, head to New Zealand!

This trail is great for every hiker, and it’s always well-maintained.

There are beautiful forests to explore, plus views of the water.

There’s a reason that lots of movies get filmed around here!

Head down during any time of the year.

4.) Jomolhari Trek — Bhutan

During the spring and late fall, you can spend a week or two enjoying the scenery in Bhutan.

This mountain is famous in the Himalaya range, and it’s sacred to many different religions.

You will need a few days to get used to the altitude change, but don’t let that stop you!

It’s worth the trip.

5.) Inca Trail to Machu Picchu — Peru

The best way to spend your summer is hiking up to Machu Picchu!

If you haven’t already been, make sure that this trip gets on your bucket list.

You’ll need a little time to adjust to the climate change and altitude, but the professional guides help make the hike easier.

Enjoy the trip!

6.) Gates of the Arctic National Park — Alaska, U.S.

If you have some free time during the summer, head up to Alaska.

This park is far north, so it’s still a little cold during the summers.

There are plenty of animals to see, and you won’t run into a lot of tourists.

The park has thousands of square miles to explore, so there’s always something new to do.

7.) John Muir Trail — California, U.S.

This particular trail in California is the perfect place to go during late summer and fall.

The trees turn beautiful colors during the fall.

You can see plenty of different mountains, and there are beautiful national forests here, too.

You’ll see the best parts of California if you take this trail.

8.) The Dingle Way — Ireland

If you have an extra week to spare, see if you can hike this trail in Ireland.

You can try the trip year-round, but there is a little snow during the winter.

The trail goes through plenty of different villages, which makes it a lively way to get around the country.

9.) The Long Trail — Vermont, U.S.

This trail is actually the oldest long trail in the United States!

That makes it a great place to visit if you like history.

It runs through most of the mountains in Vermont.

You will get to see about seventy different shelters.

So as you can imagine, there are places to stay every night.

Enjoy the forests and the beautiful, clear ponds!

10.) Lukla to Everest Base Camp — Nepal

During the spring, late fall, and early winter, this trail in Nepal is accessible to most hikers.

If you spend two weeks hiking here, you’ll get to see four of the tallest mountains in the world!

There are plenty of Buddhist monasteries to visit.

You can also stay in local villages along the way.

Just leave a few days to adjust to the altitude!

11.) The Overland Track — Australia

From fall through spring, you can spend a week hiking this mild trail in Australia.

This trek is accessible even to hiking beginners, and it goes through gorgeous landscapes.

You’ll get to see plenty of rainforests, mountains, and brush.

There are even day hikes to nearby mountains.

12.) Cinque Terre — Italy

The beautiful villages in this area are all connected by short trails.

You can do most of them in under a day.

The buildings here are famous for their colorful walls, and the olive trees and beaches make this a scenic place.

Try to take every trail if you get the chance!

13.) Gunung Rinjani — Indonesia

The next time that you want a challenging hike, head here!

During the spring and summer, you can climb this active volcano.

It’s one of the tallest mountains around.

As long as you go with a guide, you’ll be fine.

There are even hot springs to explore, and you might see monkeys!

14.) North Drakensberg Traverse — South Africa

During the spring, you can spend a week at this gorgeous mountain range.

It’s the highest mountain range in South Africa, but there are plenty of other cool things to see.

Check out the caves and waterfalls when you need a break from hiking up the mountains.

You’ll love this trip!

15.) Tour du Mont Blanc — France, Italy, Switzerland

There’s a reason that this hike is famous.

During the summer and fall, see if you can spend a week or two in the area.

You’ll be able to see parts of the Alps, and there are plenty of interesting high altitude plants.

You can even camp along the way, if you’d like to spend evenings on the range.

16.) Torres del Paine — Chile

These huge rock sculptures are popular with hikers.

It’s easy to see why: they rise up about 10,000 feet!

You’ll be able to see all kinds of interesting animals, and the sun stays up until pretty late during the summers.

The trail can get a little tough, so make sure to bring your best hiking shoes.

The Next Step

No matter what time of year it is, there’s a trail somewhere in the world that’s perfect for you.

Hiking beginners can choose where to start an awesome trek, and more experienced hikers can go anywhere!

When you get the chance, make sure that you look through this list and start thinking about your next vacation.

Think about all of the different things that you like seeing.

Do you want to climb mountain ranges, or explore secluded valleys?

Once you pick your favorite kinds of hikes, it’s easy to plan an epic backpacking trip.