Most walking tours take around eight days. Providing you book with a reputable company, you can walk assured you'll be well-equipped for the journey.
Go on a Walking Tour & See the World on Foot!
Get set for the holiday of your lifetime when you book a walking tour. "You'll have maps, route notes and be able to walk at your own pace," says Colin. "There's no rush because you know where you're going."
If you don't fancy spending your hard-earned holiday sitting in a bus full of strangers watching the world go by, or trying to navigate your way through the backstreets of a foreign country in a temperamental hire car, then perhaps a walking tour is for you.
The advantage of a walking tour, as opposed to other forms of sightseeing, is it allows you to get up close and personal with the natural and cultural features of your chosen destination. It takes you a step beyond the typical tourist traps and into the very heart of a small town or big city - meeting the local people, tasting authentic cuisine and discovering unique fauna and flora.
Let's start by considering what's available for travellers looking to holiday overseas.
Colin Hood, co-owner of Melbourne-based international walking tours specialist www.walkcycleholidays.com.au, believes solo travellers, couples, and groups will all find a tour to inspire them to dust off their walking shoes.
"A walking holiday isn't only spending weeks trekking to Everest Base Camp in Nepal," says Colin. "You can enjoy a gentle stroll through the vineyards of the Dordogne in France, appreciate the loneliness of Scotland's West Highland Way, or take delight in walking through the remote Mountains of the Moon in Africa."
If you are hesitant because of your age or fitness level, Colin says these factors shouldn't be a deterrent because you certainly don't have to be 20-something and fit as a fiddle to take a walking tour.
"Most people are not experienced bushwalkers," says Colin. "They have usually been to somewhere like Europe before, have done a bus tour and travelled around by car, and are looking for something a little different this time."
There are two styles of walking tours - self-guided or guided - both offering the comfort of a reserved bed. In Colin's experience, it's deciding on a destination that is the trickiest part when there are so many wonderful places to choose from.
"If you are locked into certain dates for your holidays you are then only able to go to those areas best suited for that time of year. In other words, you may have to compromise on your destination through a process of elimination," says Colin. He advises would-be walkers to speak with a good travel agent who should be able to explain the best time of year to visit any country in the world.
You can also search for information about potential destinations online, read reference books, magazines and relevant travel guides where both words and pictures will help you get a feel for the areas you wish to visit. "In most parts of the world, summer is the ideal time to travel," says Colin. "However, certain climatic conditions such as monsoons and high altitudes may preclude certain countries. Personally, I prefer to walk during the autumn months when the days are still quite long and the leaves are changing colour."
"I always tell people to consider where they want to go - what country and what area - in an effort to narrow it down. Generally, they'll then have around four areas in mind and make a final decision from there."
The only prerequisite, says Colin, is you'd better be prepared for an adventure! A good mental attitude will help you appreciate this kind of holiday. For Colin, who has all but traversed the globe on foot, it's often the ‘unplanned' experiences that are the most memorable.
"One time we were walking in Poland and it started snowing in the afternoon, by morning there was eight inches of snow outside - it's great to wake up to that sort of thing," he says. "Walking tours are a great concept. But it pays to be prepared for things like snow or bad weather - and you need a good pair of boots, without a doubt!"
Most walking tours take around eight days. Providing you book with a reputable company, you can walk assured you'll be well-equipped for the journey.
If you'd prefer to stay closer to home, why not consider a walking holiday in Australia. Monica Coleman, co-director of Auswalk, a company specialising in self-guided and guided walks throughout Australia, says most of their clients are mature travellers in their 50s to 70s looking for a holiday off the beaten track without any hassle. "Self-guided walking tours are great because there is no pressure to keep up with a group and we provide all the infrastructure in getting from one B&B to the next including moving all your luggage," she says.
One of the biggest attractions of this type of tour is it can be started any day of the week at various locations throughout NSW, Queensland and Victoria. "Self-guided tours are very flexible to fit in with the busy lifestyles of the people in this age group," says Monica.
The other option Auswalk offers is a guided tour, which Monica says is ideal for solo travellers and people who like the camaraderie of being in a group. "The unique aspect of our group tours, which appeals to older travellers, particularly couples with different fitness levels, is there are two guides," she says. "It means we can provide easier and harder walks each day - some people can take a leisurely pace and others can climb all the peaks!"
Some of the most popular destinations in Australia are Victoria's Great Ocean Walk and Great Alpine Walk, and the Blue Mountains in New South Wales. Whatever your budget or destination preference, there is a walking tour for you. A word of warning from Colin Hood, "It can be addictive!"
Some useful links
Five things you may not know about walking tours
- Your luggage is moved ahead to the next destination by the tour operator.
- The tour cost will generally include accommodation and some meals.
- Most walking tours will take around eight days.
- Participants are usually over the age of 50.
- You don't need to be a fine-tuned athlete to participate.
Favourite Walk Destinations
Remember, the cost of a self-guided walking tour includes accommodation, luggage transfers and some meals.
Most popular international
- Burgundy, France
- Coast to Coast, England
- Vienna to Prague
- Pilgrim's Path, Spain
- Tuscany, Italy
Colin's favourite
- West Highland Way, Scotland
- Vienna to Prague
- Annapurna, Nepal
- Apuane Alps, Italy
- Tatra Mountains, Poland and Slovakia
Most popular self-guided destinations in Australia
- Great Ocean Walk, Victoria
- Great Alpine Walk, Victoria
- Blue Mountains, New South Wales
