Leave the car keys at home! These beautiful routes should be driven by your own efforts. Whether on foot, by bike or on skis, take the time to enjoy some of the most beautiful places on the planet.
The path of the Inca (Inca Trail), Peru
This trail is 41 km in length and is located high in the Andes. It follows the footsteps of the Incas, who’ve been down this road in the XV century and reaches Machu Picchu. Here you will see thousands of species of exotic flowers (among which there are nearly 200 orchid species!) and tropical birds. The ancient stone steps of the trail will take you through forests and alpine tundra, while the clouds before you separate the massive Puerta Del Sol (gate of the Sun) reveals in front of your eyes the granite Machu Picchu.
The Appalachian Route, United States
The Appalachian Route “buzzes” 14 States on the eastern seaboard of the United States and has a length of 3508 miles! It is one of the longest in the world and marked trails. It will take you through the extremely diverse areas-more in number than any other route on the continent. Starting from the State of Georgia (the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest), curving through the extensive valleys near the tops of Smoky Mountains and Shenandoah National Park. Then “crawl” through the bucolic towns of New England. It ends in the isolated countryside Hundred-Mile Wilderness in the State of Main (and here’s one of the places in the United States, where it is most likely to see Elk).
Torres Del Paine Trail, Chile
The trail has a length of 84 km and passes through some of Southern Patagonia, you will be amazed by these beautiful landscapes. There are many impressive glaciers and the pointed mountain peaks, but the most notable formations in this natural park are granite towers that rise above the Glaciers Valley. The route is challenging, but also a beautiful adventure. You will go through and past green lagoons and extensive ice fields, and if this landsape is not a reason enough to go to Chile, you would perhaps be tempted of diverse wild life here.
“The five lands” of Italy (Cinque Terre)
The Cinque Terre are called five colorful villages that are like dug into the rocks of the Italian Riviera and interconnected by a series of trails that snake just above the Mediterranean Sea. Each of the five villages (Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso al Mare) is preserving its old-world charm and atmosphere. This is one of the few places where you can walk in the heart of old Europe. The picturesque vineyards, olive groves and fruit trees that alternate with rocks beside the trail are surpassed only by the amazing villages, each of which is filled with old churches, houses, as if sprung from the postcard and high stone walls, overhanging above the sea.
The path of the King (Kungsleden), Sweden
About 170 km from the Arctic Circle lies one of the last pieces of untouched wilderness in Europe. Here is a narrow path known as the path of the King, which is also the only sign left of civilization in the greater part of the route. In winter, the trail becomes a 435-mile paradise for skiers and in summer, tourists can enjoy the pristine forests of birch, and flowers. This is quite likely to run into a whole herds of reindeer, and you have an excellent chance to see the northern lights!
The road of the vineyards (Route des Grands Crus), France
For those of you who love bicycles there is no better path than 64 km-long Route des Grands Crus, which passes through the heart of the Cote d’Or in Burgundy. The road is dotted with family wineries that are perched on the southest hillside. This is the reason why these vineyards receive so much sun and produce such great wines. Here and there you will see a castle as an accent in the landscape. Here it is almost impossible to get lost, thanks to road signs with images of grapes on them you will see all the way.
