The best places to hike, from gentle trails to the Himalaya

A gentle start: Slovenia and the Dolomites

Slovenia may be the easiest proper-mountain destination in Europe to reach. In the Julian Alps you can choose by mood: quiet trails around Lake Bohinj and through green valleys, walks beside river gorges, and for those who want more, a multi-day hut-to-hut route through the Seven Lakes Valley. Triglav, the highest summit, is a more serious undertaking: the final sections involve protected climbing, so we'd suggest going with an experienced mountain guide.

Italy's Dolomites are perhaps the best place for anyone who wants mountains without feeling exhausted every evening. Lifts are plentiful, so the long climb can be skipped and the walking starts high, among alpine meadows and jagged rock. The mountain huts (rifugi) are a pleasure of their own, many serving pasta or polenta for lunch with a view that makes you linger. Val Gardena, the Alpe di Siusi, Val di Funes and the trails around the Tre Cime di Lavaredo let you tailor each day to your legs.

Both suit the same window from Lithuania: summer and early autumn, when most huts are open. The journey to Slovenia or northern Italy is short, so even a week works well.

The middle ground: Svaneti and New Zealand

Svaneti, in Georgia, is a region of the Caucasus where medieval stone towers still rise above the villages. The popular multi-day walk from Mestia to Ushguli crosses passes, alpine meadows and small villages, with nights in simple family guesthouses where dinner is often more generous than expected. The trails are less groomed than in the Alps and infrastructure is more modest, so a local guide and good transfer logistics help a great deal. The best window is usually summer and early autumn, once the passes are clear of snow.

In New Zealand, walking – 'tramping' – is a national passion, and the Great Walks are the best known. The Milford Track in Fiordland takes four days through rainforest, valleys and over a pass; the Routeburn is shorter but no less striking. A few details matter: limited hut places and walker numbers mean these tracks are worth booking very early, and in Fiordland rain isn't an exception but part of the landscape. The season is reversed in the Southern Hemisphere, overlapping roughly with the Lithuanian winter – a fine way to spend the darkest months in the mountains.

Wind and granite: Patagonia

Patagonia isn't extreme in difficulty, but it tests you another way – with weather. In Chile's Torres del Paine, the famous W route leads to granite towers, glaciers and turquoise lakes, with nights in campsites or refugios that also need booking ahead. On the Argentine side, El Chaltén is a true walkers' town: day hikes lead to trails towards Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre, and in the evening you're back in a warm room.

The wind can be strong enough to knock you off balance, and the weather changes within the hour. A spare day and layered clothing are worth having here, even in midsummer.

Where altitude changes everything: Peru and Nepal

In Peru's Andes, walking to Machu Picchu carries a particular meaning – arriving at the Inca city on foot rather than by bus. The classic Inca Trail takes several days, requires limited permits that sell out quickly, and usually closes briefly each year for maintenance during the wettest season. The Salkantay route is a wilder alternative with a higher pass. Either way, altitude matters most: a few days in the Sacred Valley and Cusco before the walk are well spent.

Nepal is the summit of the walking world, quite literally. The journey to the foot of Everest in the Khumbu begins with a small plane to Lukla, followed by a couple of weeks walking teahouse to teahouse – simple mountain lodges – past Sherpa villages, monasteries and prayer flags. The highest points reach roughly 5,300 metres and beyond, so acclimatisation days are essential, and flights to Lukla often depend on the weather. Autumn and spring are generally the most settled seasons.

Choosing your walk

A few questions worth answering honestly before choosing:

• How many hours a day do you enjoy walking – and for how many days in a row? Four hours and eight hours are entirely different journeys.
• Do you want to return to the same hotel each night, or does moving hut to hut with a small pack appeal?
• How much does comfort matter? A Dolomites rifugio with a glass of wine and a Himalayan teahouse with a shared dining room are both wonderful, and very different.
• When can you travel? The Alps and the Caucasus suit the summer holidays; Patagonia and New Zealand the Lithuanian winter; Nepal autumn or spring.
• Are you travelling alone, as a couple or with friends – and does everyone want the same pace?

The best walk isn't the hardest one – it's the one that leaves you wanting more.

Tell us how you like to walk, how much time you have and what draws you to the mountains – the quiet, the views, the challenge or the evening in a hut after a long day. We'll find the route that fits you.