Continuing our series on experiencing some great hiking trails and sights to see around the world, we take a look at three more choices for your consideration. Are you adventurous enough to check out some great hiking around the world? There are some breathtaking spots for the hiking enthusiast and there are some wonderful hiking trails listed below that give you a unique perspective of the beauty and culture of some special destinations. The following three trails are definitely worth of checking out.
It is important to have the right type of travel insurance when you are visiting other countries and especially when you are hiking around the world or exploring other outdoor activities. Good Neighbor Insurance is here for you to provide the best policies and service for your trips.
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HAVE YOU EVER CLIMBED ON TOP OF A TABLE?
SKELETON GORGE TRAIL IN SOUTH AFRICA
If you have not had this experience, now is your chance! South Africa is known for some of the most dramatic landscapes in the world with its mix of mountains and coastline that will give you some tremendous views of the area. While it is famous for its safari adventures and the lions, buffalo, rhinos, leopards and elephants, South Africa also has beautiful coast lines, mountains and many other attractions.
One special place to visit is Cape Town where you will find some amazing scenery, historic architecture and modern culture. One of the best areas to get a panoramic view of the city is Table Mountain which is the back drop of Cape Town. The best months to visit the Table are from May through September.
Table Top is known for its level plateau that is 2 miles from side to side, with some magnificent cliffs at the edge. With its flat top, Table Mountain is an important landmark for Cape Town and you will encounter an amazing view of the city from a top the mountain. It was named one of the Seven New Wonders of the World. There is a large diversity of flora and fauna that are native to the area. The hike is a must do when visiting Cape Town.
There are several trails to choose from in hiking to the top. We chose the Skeleton Gorge Trail as our choice of hiking trail. It is one of the most popular ways to hike up the east side of Table Mountain.
If you are interested in a jungle setting with some great inland views, this is the hike for you. The best times to visit are during the drier months of October through March. You will find more plant species than in a tropical jungle.
It is a long and challenging hike, so it is important to be in good physical shape and fully prepared with your comprehensive travel insurance from Good Neighbor Insurance.
As you are hiking around the world, it will leave you feeling safe and secure that you called Good Neighbor Insurance.
The hike starts in Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. It is a special place that adds a lot to the Cape Town area. It spreads out from the base of Table Mountain. It is known as one of the great botanical gardens in the world and set against the eastern slopes of the Mountain.
The garden has a large conservatory where you can see indigenous flora from the South Africa area that includes over 7,000 species of plants. You will enjoy the landscaped garden area along the natural forest where your hike begins. There is an aerial walkway on the tops of the trees and arboretum that gives some incredible views of the garden area and scenes of Cape Town.
As you approach the edge of TM to start your hike, there is a beautiful waterfall to enjoy. Next, you will find a lush ravine that takes you through a tall and multilayered indigenous South African (jungle) forest called the Southern Afro Temperate Forest. It has as many plant species as a tropical jungle and you will get a taste of the floral zones and vegetation.
There is a section you hike through where you have to navigate a series of wooden ladders that are not difficult to negotiate. There are some nice inland views of the mountain and then some incredible views of the city as you work towards reaching the top.
You will next approach some shrub-covered slopes to get to the highest point of the mountain. The last half of the hike offers some incredible views of Cape Town and then finally is the highest point on Table Mountain called Maclear’s Beacon. From this point, you will walk across the length of the famous summit of the tabletop to make it to the upper cable station. The cable ride down and back to the base gives you some great views of the Cape Town Valley. You will be glad that you completed this hike, as it is well worth the effort to reach the top.
When you go hiking around the world, make sure you don’t forget your passport and be properly prepared with the best travel insurance from Good Neighbor where you will be serviced by our experienced travel experts.
INTERESTED IN GETTING CLOSE TO THE SOUTH POLE?
LAGUNA de los TRES day hike in ARGENTINA
Our adventure next takes us to South America where we visit Argentina. Patagonia is high on the list of special places to visit in Argentina, especially for the hiking and adventure enthusiasts. It is at the southern-most part of the South American continent and is known for its profound rugged beauty and wild regions.
You will find everything from jagged granite spires to enormous glaciers and some of the biggest ice fields on the planet. It has a large variety of flora and fauna and is well known for its unique wildlife, including woodpeckers, guanacos and condors, and occasionally the rare sighting of a Puma.
You can reach Patagonia by flying through Buenos Aires and then take a quick flight to El Calafate, and then a four hour drive to El Chalten where you will start the hike. The best timing for your visit is Nov through early March.
Most of the hikes in this region start near El Chalten with Mt Fitz Roy looming in the background. It is the main starting point for different hikes and treks in the area. It is a quaint and funky little village to stay where you can easily walk across the whole town in a few minutes and find tour operators for arranging guided hikes, bike rentals and climbing trips.
Many of these hikes are long and challenging, so it is important to be in good physical shape and fully prepared with your comprehensive travel insurance from Good Neighbor Insurance.
There are plenty of eateries and places to stay in El Chalten. For the budget tourist, Hostel Aylen Aike is a good choice to stay…. You can actually talk to the owner and he helps people with organizing the hikes.
Another option is to stay at a rustic cabin at Hem Herhu that is owned by a local family. You get the pleasure of being awakened by the resident rooster.
After weighing the options for hiking trails, we chose Laguna de los Tres day hike. Laguna de Los Tres is in the Los Glaciares National Park and is 15 ½ miles long.
When traveling overseas and especially for hiking around the world and various adventuresome outdoor activities, it is highly recommended that tourists use Travel Insurance. Good Neighbor Insurance is the perfect company to meet your insurance needs with helpful and responsive customer service.
In choosing this hike, you will get a fabulous view (weather permitting) of Mount Fitz Roy. There are many sights to encounter, including landscapes of lakes that are frozen, immense glaciers, granite spires and some of the native woodland. It is quite the stunning experience.
The hike begins just outside El Chalten at Avenida San Martin. The trail starts off quite steep and you will get to roam through the forest landscapes of native species of trees and bushes. You will see frozen lakes, some incredible glaciers and the jagged mountains. There are some breathtaking riverbeds and a beautiful lake to see on this stretch. After a little over an hour, you will come to a rocky viewpoint that gives you a great view of the extraordinary landscape.
After four hours of hiking, you will walk over the wooden bridge and then reach Poincenot Base Camp. You can enjoy a full lunch prepared and served by the welcoming campground staff while relaxing for a nice break.
The stretch of the hiking after leaving the camp is the toughest part of the hike and you will spend an hour to get through it. It is a rugged and steep trail up mostly through large rocks to reach the top, but the payoff is worth it. The trail ends at a ridge of a mass of rocks and sediment that was carried down from the glacier. It is quite a sight to see.
You will get to see an incredible view of the lagoon of blue waters and bobbing icebergs of Laguna de Los Tres and De los Tres glacier. You will get to view some of the blue lagoons and a panoramic view of the granite wall and the famous Mount Fitz Roy and the neighboring peaks. If you are able to be here at sunrise, you will get to see the hills dyed red from the first rays of the sun rising.
The stunning views make it well worth the effort to hike this trail and it will provide a strong sense of accomplishment.
HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO EXPERIENCE THE SURREAL BEAUTY OF ICELAND?
HIKE THE MT BLAHNUKUR LOOP IN LANDMANNALAUGAR
Most people would not normally think of Iceland when choosing a hiking destination. The weather is not nearly as extreme as you might think it would be. Hiking is one of the best ways to explore Iceland in depth to see the true face of the country and enjoy the incredible landscape and natural wonders.
Among the stunning sites, you will find enormous mountains, volcanic scenes and a lot of geothermal baths. Also, get ready to encounter the northern lights, ice caves, blue lagoons, whale watching, black sand beaches, stunning waterfalls and so much more to see and experience. Also, it is hard to find people that are more friendly than the Icelanders.
We chose a special hike that is about 3 hours east of Reykjavik area. It is well known for its colorful rhyolite mountains and some tremendous day hikes.
When traveling overseas and especially for hiking around the world and various adventuresome outdoor activities, it is highly recommended that tourists use Travel Insurance. Good Neighbor Insurance is the perfect company to meet your insurance needs with helpful and responsive customer service.
Hiking up the Mt. Blahnukur Loop trail is a tough hike that rewards you with some fabulous views from the summit. Much of the trail is fairly flat and not difficult, but the trek up the mountain can be fairly steep and challenging at times. Mt. Blahnukur is known as the Blue Peak with its blueish-gray color that makes it different from the yellow, brown and orange mountains of Landmannalaugar. Hiking poles and some good shoes are helpful for this 4-mile hike.
This is a truly unique trail and the opportunity to experience the amazing scenery is definitely worth the effort. the thrill of watching steam come up from the rocks in a few areas. Much of the trail is fairly flat and not difficult, but the trek up the mountain can be fairly steep and challenging at times. Hiking poles and some good shoes are helpful.
This unique hike takes you through lava fields, zig-zag trails and fumaroles(volcanoes) with steam rising upward. At certain spots, you will cut sharply from one direction to the other while climbing steeply on the hill or side of the mountain.
There are many points to stop and take some great photos along the way, which gives you an excuse to take frequent breaks to catch your breath. Once you reach the summit of the mountain, there are some incredible panoramic views overlooking the rhyolite mountains of Landmannalaugar.
Now that you have made it to the peak of Mt. Blahnukur, the trail leads you east and then drops lower to a riverbed area. It’s a relaxing and easy way downhill. Going downward, the whiteline trail is much less steep and much easier on the knees.
Once you reach the final section of the trail before arriving at the riverbed, it is quite short and steep. There is a bridge of stepping stones where you cross a small river and then you head to the lava field. Once you reach this point, you will pass (steaming, sulfuric vents and colorful geothermal features). You will have a wonderful view of the lava field.
At this point, it is downhill to reach the campground. It’s an easy walk and good point to see the multi-colored rhyolite mountains that are so unique to this region. Once you are at the base of Mt. Brennisteinsalda, there is a walk through the flat valley where you will reach another lava field. Before the trek down, you will realize how worthwhile it was to have decided on this hike.
We thank you for journeying with us across the world to explore some of these one of a kind hikes and destinations you will treasure. There are so many great choices in hikes around the world that it is difficult to choose from just a few of them to experience. Hopefully reading about these hikes will whet your appetite to explore additional destinations.
Please remember Good Neighbor for your insurance needs when travelling anywhere in the world. It will give you such a sense of peace to have you and your family protected for any situation that comes up on your trip.
