Offbeat Destinations For Your Next Walking Holiday

As with so many other aspects of society, the travel industry sees human conditioning affect its choice of popular destinations quite significantly. ‘Fly-and-flop’ defenders and those who prefer to indulge in a more energetic walking holiday alike unconsciously and willingly suffer from it when it comes time to pick their destinations. The sun-and-fun crowd will inevitably think of southern Spain, Ibiza, Mallorca, Cancun; the high energy crowd will turn their attention to places like Scotland, the Alps, or anywhere with hilly natural treks to explore.

In the process of doing so, both sets of travellers will be neglecting a number of lesser-known, but no less fascinating destinations. There will often be no difference (in quality) between these spots and those everyone else is flocking to, other than perhaps a less adept marketing campaign and a great deal of happenstance. Still, fans of the walking holiday that decide to explore these options may them very much to their liking, with plenty to offer the keen rambler. Below are just a few of these places.

Berlengas Islands, Portugal. The Berlengas archipelago, off the coast of Peniche, is every keen hiker's dream. Located less than two hours’ drive from Lisbon, and accessible via an often quite bumpy boat ride, the Grande Berlenga (Big Berlenga) provides hikers with everything they might desire - from unspoilt wilderness to breathtaking coves and a small, quaint village, which harbours the island’s very few locals. Nature buffs will also enjoy the proximity of the myriad seagulls that inhabit the sanctuary within the island, and the top of the fort makes for an excellent vantage point for some very scenic photos. To top it all off, the island also boasts a gorgeous beach and a campsite, where the more adventurous can set their tent for a night in the semi-wilderness.

Matamata, New Zealand. The whole of Oceania provides excellent opportunities for a walking holiday, but the Matamata region is particularly scenic, with its verdant landscape. The main attraction is, of course, the set of Hobbiton, the hobbit village in Peter Jackson’s Lord Of The Rings film adaptation. While most of it has been taken down, a few props remain, and it continues to delight fans of the trilogy and casual passers-by alike.

African Safaris. Technically, these are not all done on foot, of course. Still, there will be more than enough hiking, sightseeing and interaction with nature to please the most die-hard rambler. In addition, few things beat the experience of seeing a lion, elephant, giraffe or even hyena up so close.

The Amazon Forest. Much like the previous entry, this one is not entirely done on foot – as one of its main attractions is paddling down one of the largest rivers in the world. But, again, as in the case of Africa, there is enough nature spotting, adventuring, exploring and sightseeing to make even the staunchest defender of a walking holiday forget their reservations.

Tony Maniscalco is the Marketing Manager for Ramblers Worldwide Holidays. Join us on a walking holiday to see scenic locations & landscapes at the best value prices. We offer over 140 guided group walking holidays in over 60 different countries.

Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.