Quick answer: The world’s great long-distance trails include the Camino de Santiago, the Tour du Mont Blanc, the Appalachian Trail and Te Araroa.
From multi-week thru-hikes to manageable hut-to-hut routes, these are the world’s best long trails.
The 10 best long-distance trails
Camino de Santiago, Spain
The historic pilgrimage to Santiago, walkable in sections or full (~780km).
Tour du Mont Blanc
A ~170km loop through France, Italy and Switzerland.
Appalachian Trail, USA
~3,500km along the eastern US — a legendary thru-hike.
Te Araroa, New Zealand
The length of both islands, ~3,000km.
West Highland Way, Scotland
A scenic, accessible ~154km through the Highlands.
GR20, Corsica
One of Europe’s toughest and most spectacular routes.
Annapurna Circuit, Nepal
A classic Himalayan trek over a high pass.
Laugavegur, Iceland
A stunning multi-day route through volcanic country.
Kungsleden, Sweden
‘The King’s Trail’ through Arctic wilderness.
How to choose
Pick by time and fitness: the West Highland Way, Laugavegur or a Camino section suit a week; the Tour du Mont Blanc and Annapurna take 1–2 weeks; the AT and PCT are months-long thru-hikes. Train and pack light.