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For the hiking enthusiast, no trail in the world inspires quite the same feeling as the Haute Route through the French and Swiss Alps. Called the most scenic hike in Europe, it stretches from the French mountain resort of Chamonix to the Swiss Alpine village of Zermatt. Chamonix rests at the base, and in fact includes within its borders, Mont Blanc, the tallest peak in Western Europe. From there, the hike winds through almost a dozen mountain passes on its way to Zermatt, Switzerland, nestled at the base of one of the most recognizable peaks in the world, the Matterhorn. Hikes typically take anywhere from seven to twelve days, and depending on the route chosen, hikers can stay in mountain huts, hotels, or carry their own tents. The Haute Route can be hiked or skied, either alone or with a guided tour. In fact, Alpenwild provides services for both self-guided and professionally guided hikes.
Although the Haute Route is one of the most famous Switzerland hiking routes, it is far from the only one. One other popular hiking area is the Jungfrau region of Switzerland, which features some of Switzerland's most stunning geography. This region is dominated by the Jungfrau, Eiger, and Mönch triple crest which all rise over 4,000 meters high. The Jungfrau also boasts the Jungfraujoch, the site of the highest train station in Europe. In addition to these peaks, hikers will find plenty of trails full of fascinating scenery through the Lauterbrunnen and Lütschine valleys which surround the peaks. The region is also home to the Aletsch Glacier, the largest glacier in the Alps measuring in at over 23 km (14 miles) long and covering an area of about 120 km ² (45 m ²). This merely scratches the surface of all this astounding area has to offer. There is truly something for everyone to see in the Jungfrau region.
Not to be outdone by their neighbors to the south, Sweden boasts their own answer to Switzerland's famous hiking routes: Kungsleden, The King's Trail. Stretching almost 450 km (275 miles) from Abisko to Hemavan, this hike features an incredible array of geographic features and natural beauty. The trail passes through birch forests, glacial valleys, across rivers, and over Alpine-like mountain passes. It crosses through four national parks and a nature reserve, and it passes by Kebnekaise, Sweden's highest mountain. Although it takes a month to hike the trail in full, it can be broken up and hiked in smaller stretches for those who don't have so much vacation time on their hands. Like the Haute Route, hikers will find mountain huts along the way where they can spend their nights, or they can choose to sleep out under the Arctic sky along the trail.
Of course, we can't talk about Haute Route style hiking without mentioning Nepal. Perhaps one of the most famous Nepalese treks is the Annapurna Circuit, which at one time combined such a variety of climate and geography ranging from the tropical to the arctic, and has been voted many times the best long distance trek in the world. Like the other routes on this list, Annapurna has a few options depending on hikers, experience, time, budget, etc. The trail can take up to 25 days to complete, but it is entirely possible to cut that time down especially with the recent construction of motor roads throughout most of the area. In fact, it is estimated that by 2017, the entire Annapurna Circuit will be viewable from a car. Of course, the experience would be tarnished through a windshield. The best way to experience Annapurna is still on foot with a local Sherpa guide who can help hikers navigate the trail and the culture.
Of course, there are many other terrific Haute Route style trails all across the world. However, no list would be complete without mentioning these. Each hike boasts incredible scenery, can be done by any amateur hiker in reasonably good shape, and has many terrific resources for planning and executing a great adventure.
