Hiking’s Hidden Hot Spots: Where to Go to Beat the Crowds
As hiking holidays continue to gain popularity, some of the world’s most famous trails are facing growing visitor numbers. For those looking to swap well-trodden routes for something a little more unexpected, there are spectacular hiking experiences waiting beyond the usual hotspots. From Canada’s rugged mountain landscapes and Finland’s remote fells, to Guatemala’s jungle trails, Grenada’s rainforest and Hong Kong’s peaks, these routes offer the chance to discover dramatic landscapes, quieter trails and experiences that feel far removed from the crowds.
Canada: The Rugged Outdoors
Canada’s provinces and territories are filled with hiking trails and varied landscapes. From coast to coast to coast, visitors can explore rugged mountains, open prairies, and lush forests with fewer crowds. In Yoho National Park, British Columbia, the Iceline Trail offers a challenging 20km route through alpine meadows with panoramic views of glaciers, waterfalls and the surrounding peaks. Further west, Jasper National Park is home to the Skyline Trail, the park's highest route, climbing through forest to sweeping 360-degree views across the Canadian Rockies. In Cape Breton Highlands National Park the Aspy Trail offers a more remote hiking experience through the park's northern highlands, with forested valleys, rivers and expansive wilderness along the way. Hikers can explore the otherworldly landscape of exposed mantle rock along the Tableands Trail in Gros Morne National Park with views of coastal scenery across Newfoundland and Labrador.
For those seeking the ultimate adventure, the Trans Canada Trail stretches almost 30,000km across every province and territory, connecting urban, rural and wilderness landscapes from coast to coast to coast. With sections designed for hiking and walking across the country, it offers almost endless opportunities to discover Canada's landscapes on foot, with everything from forest paths and waterways to mountain and coastal trails.
For more information: travel.destinationcanada.com
Finland: Hiking Through Forests and Fells
With 41 national parks stretching from lake-filled forests in the south to the open fells of Arctic Lapland, Finland has plenty to offer those looking to explore on foot. Thanks to the country’s Everyman’s Rights, visitors are free to roam through much of Finland’ forests, fells and countryside, stopping to pick wild berries and mushrooms along the way. Trails range from gentle walks around lakes and through forests to multi-day hikes deep into the Finnish wilderness.
One of the country’s best-known routes is the 82-kilometre Karhunkierros, or Bear’s Trail, which winds through Oulanka National Park past old-growth pine forests, rocky gorges and rushing rivers, crossing suspension bridges along the way. Further north, the 50-kilometre Hetta–Pallas Trail crosses the fells of Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park, passing through open fell landscapes and birch forests, with wilderness huts dotted along the route for overnight stops. Autumn is an especially good time to visit, when ruska turns the landscape shades of red, orange, and gold, and the darker nights offer the chance to see the Northern Lights.
For more information: visitfinland.com and Ruka-Kuusamo
Hong Kong: Peaks and Panoramas
Hong Kong’s energetic urban centre is home to exceptional culinary experiences, acclaimed bars featured in the World’s 50 Best Bars and an impressive arts scene. Yet just moments away, spectacular mountain paths, coastal routes, and country parks offer a striking contrast to the city’s bustling metropolis. On Lantau Island, the Lantau Peak Sunrise Hike climbs to the 934-metre summit of Hong Kong’s second-highest mountain. Beginning before dawn, hikers are rewarded with sunrise views across the South China Sea and surrounding islands before descending towards Ngong Ping, home to the Tian Tan Buddha and Po Lin Monastery.
For a more challenging adventure, the MacLehose Trail around Pyramid Hill showcases the New Territories' rugged beauty. The nine-kilometre route follows a narrow ridgeline past the distinctive 536-metre peak, with panoramic views across Sai Kung’s wooded hills, sheltered coves and scattered islands. Continuing to the grassy Ngong Ping plateau, where hikers may encounter roaming cattle, the trail feels far removed from the city below, yet can still be combined with Hong Kong’s neighbourhoods, restaurants, and cultural attractions as part of the same trip.
For more information: www.discoverhongkong.com
Grenada: The Caribbean’s Rainforest Hiking Escape
Beyond its tropical beaches, Grenada reveals a strikingly varied landscape with a network of walking trails that offer everything from gentle coastal routes to waterfall hikes deep within the island’s rainforest interior.
In the northern parish of St Patrick, the 450-acre Levera National Park brings together some of the island’s most striking coastal scenery. A peaceful trail circles its 23-acre pond, passing lagoons and mangrove swamps, while a boardwalk across the water offers an ideal vantage point for photography. The wetland supports herons, black-necked stilts, common snipes and scarlet ibis, while the park’s coral reefs and seagrass beds shelter colourful marine life. Between March and July, Levera Beach also welcomes nesting leatherback turtles. The accessible walking trails allow visitors to spot abundant wildlife and showcase Grenada’s remarkable natural diversity.
Deeper within the island, Grand Etang National Park and Forest Reserve immerses walkers in Grenada’s volcanic interior. Centred around a crater lake formed in an extinct volcano, the reserve is filled with towering trees, tropical plants and wildlife ranging from colourful birds and frogs to Mona monkeys. The gentle Shoreline Trail traces the edge of Grand Etang Lake, while the more demanding Mount Qua Qua Trail climbs to 2,370 feet and rewards hikers with far-reaching views across the island’s mountainous landscape. Nearby, the trail to Seven Sisters Waterfalls winds through vegetation to a succession of cascades and deep natural pools, where hikers can call off in a memorable finale.
For more information: www.puregrenada.com
Guatemala: El Mirador Jungle Trek, Guatemala
Located in Central America, Guatemala is a country where ancient history, culture and varied landscapes come together. From ancient Maya ruins and highland villages to active volcanoes and lush rainforests, it offers a broad mix of experiences in one destination. For hiking enthusiasts, Guatemala is particularly incredible, with trails winding through dense forests and remote highlands, offering spectacular views and a chance to experience the country’s natural beauty up close.
Hidden deep within Guatemala's vast Maya Biosphere Reserve, El Mirador is one of the most remote archaeological sites in the Americas and can only be reached on foot. Offered by Jungle Tours Guatemala, this six-day expedition takes trekkers through dense tropical rainforest, following ancient Maya causeways into a lost city swallowed by the jungle for centuries. Covering around 80km on foot, the route passes isolated ruins, wildlife-rich forests and archaeological sites rarely visited by mainstream travellers, before arriving at the colossal La Danta pyramid, one of the largest ancient structures ever built. Combining endurance trekking, wilderness camping and world-class archaeology, the journey offers a rare opportunity to experience one of the last true expedition-style adventures in Central America.
For more information: visitguatemala.gt and jungletoursguatemala.com
Dubai: Hiking the Hajar Mountains
Dubai may be known for its skyline, beaches, and restaurants, but just 90 minutes from the city, Hatta offers a very different landscape. Set among the Hajar Mountains, the area is made up of rugged peaks, winding wadis and mountain trails, with 32.6 kilometres of hiking routes to explore across five different trails.
The trails run through Dubai’s largest national park, taking hikers across the foothills and varied terrain, from sandy stretches to sharp rock. Routes are graded by difficulty, with options for different abilities and levels of experience, whether it’s a gentler walk through the landscape or a more challenging mountain hike. With the wadis weaving between the peaks and plenty of open mountain scenery along the way, exploring Hatta on foot offers a side of Dubai that many visitors may not expect. There’s plenty to do once the hiking boots come off, too. Hatta is one of Dubai’s key outdoor adventure destinations, with kayaking, mountain biking and camping all offering more ways to explore the landscape and turn a day on the trails into a longer stay.
For more information: Ootlah
