Hiking destinations

A relaxed lakeside city beneath the Annapurna range, Nepal's base for trekking, paragliding and Himalayan sunrises.

The dramatic mountain airstrip town where Everest Base Camp treks begin, perched on a ridge deep in the Khumbu.

A misty mountain town of cascading rice terraces, ethnic-minority villages and Vietnam's highest peak.

A fabled Karakoram valley of apricot orchards and ancient forts, ringed by some of the highest peaks on earth.

The rugged gateway to K2 and the Baltoro glaciers, dotted with alpine lakes, cold deserts and hilltop forts.

An adobe oasis town in the world's driest desert, base for lunar valleys, geysers, salt flats and starry skies.

A friendly coffee-farming town at the foot of Kilimanjaro, the classic base camp for climbing Africa's highest mountain.

The world's adventure capital on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, where bungy jumps and jet boats meet jaw-dropping alpine scenery.

A relaxed lakeside resort town framed by mountains, home of the famously photogenic lone willow standing in the water.

Ecuador's adventure playground at the gateway to the Amazon, packed with waterfalls, hot springs and canyon swings.

A mountain-resort town inside a Rockies national park, gateway to turquoise glacial lakes.

Five candy-coloured fishing villages linked by cliff trails along the rugged Ligurian coast.

The adventure capital of the Bernese Alps, cradled between two lakes beneath towering peaks.

A car-free Alpine resort village sitting in the shadow of the iconic pyramid-shaped Matterhorn.