Bonjour,
Nous souhaiterions partir 1 semaine en Juillet avec une amie et nous hésitons entre les Canaries et les Açores. Objectifs du voyage :
- Se balader au milieu de paysages sauvages et dépaysants (nous apprécions en particulier la verdure, les forêts tropicales). Nous sommes motivées à l'idée de faire de belles randos mais je suis personnellement très peu sportive au quotidien donc il faudrait des sentiers faciles pour commencer...
- Pouvoir faire de belles plongées (sous-marines et/ou snorkeling), accessibles aux débutants (je suis niveau 1 et mon amie souhaiterait s'initier en réalisant un baptême)
- Eventuellement un peu de plage si possible.
Des avis sur ces 2 destinations ? Des personnes ayant fait les 2 et pouvant comparer ? Je sais que les Canaries sont très variées, nous avons déjà effectué quelques recherches et La Palma ou La Gomera nous ont semblé très vertes puis nous avons vu des photos de Sao Miguel aux Açores, et là dilemme, car l'île a l'air magnifique aussi...
J’ai séjourné sur 4 îles des Açores et sur 4 des Canaries. On peut faire de la randonnée, de la plongée et de la plage aussi bien aux Açores qu’aux Canaries.
Il y a bien sûr des différences entre les deux archipels : les Açores sont, actuellement du moins, encore moins fréquentées des touristes que les Canaries; le climat y est nettement plus humide : il peut pleuvoir en toute saison, même en été (c’est ce qui fait que ces îles sont si verdoyantes) et si vous considérez qu’un peu de pluie est synonyme de voyage gâché, les Açores ne sont pas pour vous. Question température, on est 10 ° de latitude plus au Nord aux Açores et il fait un peu plus frais qu’aux Canaries. Pour ce qui est de la langue, l’anglais est compris presque partout aux Açores mais c’est moins évident dans les villages, il y a des gens qui ne connaissent que le portugais.
Merci pour votre réponse, ça va être difficile de les départager ! Des îles en particulier que vous avez préféré parmi les 8 que vous avez visité entre les Açores et les Canaries ?
Ah, cela c’est une question épineuse ! C’est très dur de faire un choix car dans toutes les îles où j’ai séjourné, il y a des choses à voir et à faire. Elles valent toutes la peine !
Mais ceci dit, j’ai plus particulièrement apprécié :
- Lanzarote, avec son paysage très particulier, où l’on peut voir partout des traces du volcanisme. Dans le Parc naturels des volcans, qui vaut la visite, on a par endroit l’impression d’être sur une autre planète; on y a d’ailleurs déjà tourné des films de science-fiction et on peut y manger des repas cuits par géothermie.
Aux Açores (qui sont quand même un peu moins humides l’été):
- Sao Miguel : Très verte, c’est la plus grande île de l’archipel; il y a beaucoup à voir et à faire donc. A plusieurs endroits de l’île, on peut se baigner dans des sources chaudes. Très agréable !
La cuisine géothermique existe aussi à Sao Miguel.
- Pico : le plus haut sommet du Portugal (on peut en faire l’ascension), diverses curiosités naturelles, musée des baleiniers, vignobles (paysage viticole classé par l’Unesco au patrimoine mondial de l’humanité) et excellents vins qui valent le détour. Autre avantage, l’île de Faial est très proche de Pico, ce qui permet de visiter les deux îles facilement.
Merci encore une fois pour toute ces précisions, ça me conforte dans les recherches que j'avais faites. Nous pensons faire une seule île comme nous n'avons qu'une semaine donc ça va certainement se jouer entre La Palma et Sao Miguel !
Connaissant les deux îles, qui sont de superficie à peu près équivalente, comme Eze, je choisirais aussi sans hésiter Sao Miguel car il y a nettement plus de choses intéressantes sur cette île : belle diversité de paysages (Lac de Feu, Lac des Sept Cités, miradouros...), plantations de thé et d'ananas, vieille ville de Ponta Delgada (avec notamment églises et musées), sources thermales, observation des cétacés... Et question gastronomie (un aspect des voyages qui a pour moi son importance), il est possible de manger très bien aux Açores et pour un prix très raisonnable le plus souvent.
Chouette, merci à tous les deux Captainbang et Eze, vous confirmez mon coup de coeur personnel lorsque j'ai découvert des photos de cette île qui m'a eu l'air beaucoup plus sauvage que les Canaries :) Ce sera donc certainement Sao Miguel !
Je ne qualifierais pas vraiment Sao Miguel d’île sauvage mais plutôt d’île-jardin ! 🙂
Car l’île est tout de même bien peuplée (à peu près 140.000 habitants) et les paysages naturels ont été profondément modifiés par le travail des hommes. Mais ils n’en sont pas pour autant moins beaux. L'île est très verdoyante (on la surnomme "L'île verte") et la diversité végétale y est étonnante.
La partie la plus « sauvage » de l’île est la région du Pico de Vara (entre Furnas et Nordeste), très peu peuplée. Le site ci-après vous donne un aperçu des randonnées possibles sur l’île : http://trails.visitazores.com/fr
Effectivement, le terme "sauvage" n'est peut-être pas le plus adapté, mais c'est surtout ce côté verdoyant qui a l'air impressionnant. Merci pour le lien sur les randonnées possibles, le petit menu avec critères à sélectionner est très pratique !
Histoire de relancer le débat, je vous conseille plutôt la Palma 😄
- je trouve La Palma plus variée en termes de paysages (bah si) alors que Sao Miguel a plus de curiosités naturelles, à mon sens mais cela reste une différence subtile. Toutefois en parcourant l'île, j'ai trouvé Sao Miguel plutot homogène alors qu'à la Palma on a l'impression de changer de pays tous les quarts d'heure tellement les paysages et la végétations sont différents
- il y a trop de monde à Sao Miguel par rapport à La Palma et aux Acores en général
- côté gastronomie, c'est mieux à Sao Miguel, effectivement (les ananas locaux sont une tuerie), mais on mange bien et pas cher à La Palma
- coté plages, l'eau est un poil plus chaude aux Canaries mais même au mois de juillet elle reste un peu fraîche (c'est l'océan atlantique)
- l'argument majeur pour moi: on peut faire le tour de la Palma en 1 semaine et tout voir, mais pas à Sao Miguel, il faut plus de temps
Et si vous ne connaissez pas, je vous conseille d'étudier Madère 😉
Effectivement, nous suivons la situation de près car nous avions finit par réserver aux Açores... Nous espérons que les mesures vont s'assouplir d'ici là car effectivement actuellement ce n'est pas top. Niveau traffic aérien, ça n'est pas gagné non plus. Nous attendons les infos de la mi-Juin.
Merci @RogerRaoul pour les infos supplémentaires, je retiens donc La Palma pour une prochaine destination ;)
J'ai également réservé pour juillet. Ryanair nous a annulé le vol de France vers Lisbonne il y a une semaine mais maintient celui de Lisbonne vers Ponta Delgada... TAP Air Portugal propose des vols pour remplacer celui annulé par Ryanair, mais j'attends avant de réserver. Si il faut se faire tester avant de prendre l'avion je pense que l'on va annuler notre voyage.
Oh mince ! Je ne pensais pas qu'ils commençaient à annuler dès maintenant pour Juillet... De notre côté, nos 2 trajets sont opérés par TAP air, nous n'avons pas encore eu d'annonce pour le moment donc nous croisons les doigts. S'il faut un test, nous le ferons, mais nous espérons que nos hôtes airbnb ne vont pas annuler nos réservations.
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I’m planning to do the Mercantour crossing following the Randoxygène route in mid-July.
I’m used to hiking in the mountains, but I sometimes get vertigo, for example on ridges with drops on both sides. I wanted to check if there are any T4 or T3-T4 sections and find out if there are any very exposed passages—and if so, where—so I can plan an alternative route.
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Thanks!
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We're planning to go at the end of November/beginning of December to visit (with a rental car) and hike on La Palma and El Hierro for 15 full days, including 1 day for inter-island ferry transfers. What’s the best split between the two islands—8 days on La Palma and 6 on El Hierro, or even more time for La Palma? Should we have one or two home bases on La Palma? Thanks for your tips!
Annie
Hi there,
I’m planning to cross the Gourgs Blancs Pass at the end of the month, from La Soula Refuge to Portillon Refuge. On this section near the pass, I don’t have any trail marked on my IGN map. Is the path well signposted, or should I use a compass?
Also, beyond the physical effort, are there any technical, exposed, or vertigo-inducing sections on this part?
Since I’m finding very little info, I’m being thorough with my questions.
I'm developing a free and open-source web app for planning walking and cycling trips (and even car trips). You can create a route by clicking directly on the map to add waypoints, and it can consist of multiple stages. The app provides tools to edit the stages and the overall route, and to display useful information (distances, altitudes, and elevation changes). A relief profile can be shown as a graph for a specific stage or the entire route.
Once the route is ready, it can be exported as a GPX file, which can then be used with a GPS or a mobile navigation app.
The app is built in JavaScript and runs entirely in the web browser. It uses the Leaflet library and several OpenStreetMap-based services. Initially developed for my personal needs (I enjoy hiking and cycle touring), I’d be happy to share it with anyone who might find it useful. It’s free to use, doesn’t require an account, and the source code is available.
hi there
I’m heading to Uzbekistan for three weeks from mid-September to mid-October 2026—a country I haven’t visited yet.
I’d love to do a few multi-day hikes in the mountains without going through a tour operator or hiring a guide. Has anyone here done this?
It doesn’t have to be all trekking; day hikes are great too.
I’m open to any tips!
Also, I see there are lots of train options if you book well in advance—does that only apply to the "fast" trains? Are there buses as well?
Hello,
In mid-November, we’ll be in Mindelo and Santo Antão.
We’ve booked transportation with Kapverden Tours.
One trip is from Porto Novo to Ponta do Sol, including the hike from Corda to Coculi.
What’s the trail like?
Then we’ll be staying in Ponta do Sol,
Here’s what we’re planning:
A hike to Fontainhas—what’s the best direction, considering we’re not great with climbs? No problem with flat terrain or descents.
Take an aluguer to Ribeira Grande and continue along the coastal road.
With the agency:
An excursion to Cruzinha with a short walk.
Return to Porto Novo via the path from Cova to… I’m not sure where yet, to pick up the car for Porto Novo, since we’ll be taking the ferry that evening.
We’ll have a guide for this hike.
We’d love to spend a day in Tarrafal, but getting back requires a boat or taxi, and it’s really expensive!
We’re a couple, 78 and 76 years old.
What do you think of this itinerary?
Not very well known: Hokkaido Island has national parks that rival those in North America. Hiking there is free (even many mountain huts) and requires no formalities. These treks are described in the LP *Hiking in Japan* guide—you can just buy the Hokkaido PDF. It’s way better than Mount Fuji. Of course, everything depends on the weather, which is very unstable in the Japanese mountains (frequent strong winds). The trails are often obstacle courses.
The Daisetsu Zan traverse is a stunning hike through volcanic terrain with a remote section in the middle that requires at least one night of camping (there are basic huts for the rest, which is popular with Japanese hikers): 4 to 6 days.
The Shiretoko traverse takes 2 days with views including an island in Russia, but the ridge is brown bear territory—there are even more here than in Denali National Park in Alaska (brown bears and grizzlies are the same). I ran into 7 in just 6 hours of hiking!
Hi everyone,
I’m leaving on Monday, August 3rd for my very first long-distance trek: the GR223 from Coutances to Mont Saint-Michel, over 6-7 days (~11-14 miles/day), solo.
I’m looking for tips from people who know this section well (Coutances → Regnéville-sur-Mer → Hauteville-sur-Mer → Bréhal → Granville → Genêts → bay crossing):
Budget-friendly accommodations: I’m struggling to find affordable stopover lodgings (a lot of what I find online are expensive vacation rentals, not really suited for a solo hiker). If you have any great spots (hostels, hiker-friendly B&Bs, nice campgrounds), I’d love to hear them!
Bay crossing: Any feedback on guides/providers leaving from Genêts for the final crossing?
General tips for a first long-distance trek: What you wish you’d known before your first time, pitfalls to avoid, etc.
Hi,
We’re planning to do the 4-day trek from Mestia to Ushguli without an agency. The descriptions mention that there are accommodations at each stop, but we can’t find any details about them. Has anyone got info or feedback on this route?
New to this forum, I’m planning a pretty big project for 2028.
I’m heading to Nepal to do a trek from Kathmandu all the way to Everest Base Camp (a cool 5,300 m 😄).
This trek is a bit special because even though I’ll be part of a group, I’m going solo (so far, no problem—I’m used to it). But it’s my first real trek, and it’s also a humanitarian one: once I reach base camp, I’ll stay an extra week to help clean up the waste left by tens of thousands of climbers! Since I’m originally from South America, from two countries that share the Andes, I have a deep respect for mountains—they fascinate me. So Everest… it’s kind of the trip of a lifetime!
So, a little question for those who’ve done treks to Everest before… any tips for good mental preparation (I’m already working on the physical side)?
We're planning to trek in Peru and Bolivia and would love to find some local agencies.
If you know any, could you share details on prices and, of course, the names of the agencies?
Which trek would you recommend?
Elocine
I'm heading out on a fully self-sufficient trek in Morocco (10 days) from Imilchil to Aghbalou.
Can I find screw-on gas canisters (Coleman, Primus) in Marrakech (any addresses?) or in villages between Imilchil and Aghbalou?
If not, are Butagaz canisters for camping gas (small 230g size) available?
Thanks in advance for your tips!
Hello, I’d like to embark on a little trip in my home country, Switzerland. I’ll start walking from La Cure, heading toward Le Noirmont first, then I’ll improvise my route—but it’ll probably follow the French border... at least as far as Lac de Joux.
I’ll decide day by day how much farther to go after that. My goal is to stay in nature as much as possible, wander around for as long as I can, and restock food in villages or towns along the way.
I’m thinking of mostly camping, but we’ll see if I end up in a hotel or another campsite depending on my route.
I’d love to reach La Chaux-de-Fonds on foot... maybe even Delémont.
The whole thing should take about a week, give or take.
I’ll be bringing my dog, and I’m preparing for this as soon as I’m ready.
Any tips to make sure everything goes smoothly for us? Things I should know—or avoid? What about shepherds with their flocks of sheep? And isn’t hunting season open right now?
I’m not sure if what I’m planning is even doable, which is why I’m asking around.
This’ll be my first time doing something like this—wandering in nature *and* with a dog. I’m really excited for this adventure... and I need it. Thanks!
We’re really keen on ecosystems and want to hike in "natural" ancient forests—not planted woods or areas heavily degraded by human activity. Travel guides (like Lonely Planet) don’t provide much info on this. Could you point us to the most interesting spots?
Thanks in advance for your tips.
We wish you happy holidays and a fantastic 2026, full of discoveries!
Claire and Albert
Hi, this might not be the right section, but I’d like to know if it’s possible to start mountaineering with another person without necessarily hiring a guide. We’ve done quite a bit of hiking but not mountaineering—we’ll just do a half-day glacier course. After that, we were thinking of starting with La Grande Motte and the Pointe de la Traversière, which were recommended to us. Honestly, for things like roping up and knots, I’ll learn at home with lots of videos and a book.
I’d love to know if anyone has done treks in the Rwenzori Mountains and how much it costs on average, what the infrastructure is like, the landscapes, and safety in the area. Thanks so much! I’m really looking forward to your replies.
We’re leaving in 9 days for a two-week trip to Madeira, mainly to hike.
From my research, I’ve found that since last year, access to most trails—and systematically for the most popular ones—is now paid. You have to pay an access fee of 4.50 € per person per classified hike in 2026, and even 10.50 € for the most iconic hike: Pico Arieiro to Pico Ruivo. When paying, you also have to choose a day and a 30-minute time slot for your start time. Of course, this reservation is neither changeable nor refundable, even if the weather that day is terrible.
Personally, given the massive influx of tourists to the island in recent years, I don’t mind paying a fee to help maintain the trails. Similarly, setting a limit on the number of people who can hike them per day is certainly preferable to preserve this priceless heritage.
However, what’s much less fair is that in reality, most of the available spots are reserved: 1/ for Madeira residents (which is normal); 2/ for "economic operators" (meaning local tour operators). For example, if you’re a non-resident (independent tourist), no booking is possible for the Pico Arieiro hike for an early morning start before September! So, unfortunately, we’ll have to skip this hike.
It’s the same issue for Ponta de São Lourenço, the 25 Fontes, Pico Ruivo... in short, all the most popular hikes. Oh well, we’ll skip those too!
So my question is: which hikes do you recommend where we won’t face the huge crowds that the others get? And where we can book the day before for the next day, taking the weather into account?
Finally, a quick accommodation question: we’ve booked the first week in Funchal, but I haven’t decided yet for the second week. Do you have any advice on where to stay in the south or north, preferably avoiding overly concrete-heavy and touristy spots?
I’m reposting about the logistics for Samaria Gorge.
I’d love to get recent info, especially about whether it’s possible to park my car in Omalos, do the hike, and then catch a bus back to my vehicle.
In theory, it’s doable, but when you check the KTEL website, there aren’t any feasible schedules listed. If anyone has recently organized this with reliable, verified details, I’d really appreciate it. Thanks in advance!
Hi there,
We’re flying from Montreal to Lyon this August to go hiking in the French Alps. We’ve rented a car and will be staying at campgrounds. We’re planning to do day hikes and want to stay a few days in one spot, do a few hikes, then move on to our next camping spot. Could you share your favorite spots or any recommendations for places to spend a few days with great hikes?
A few details:
We arrive in early August and leave in early September.
We’re looking for day hikes (or shorter), moderate difficulty, with a cumulative elevation gain of no more than 1000m, and of course, beautiful scenery!
We’d prefer not to drive too much—maybe it’s best not to head too far south and deal with unnecessary heat?
Along the same lines, if you know of any great campgrounds where we can start our hike directly without needing the car, we’d love to hear your suggestions!
Hi there,
I’m planning to go hiking on this island and would like to know the best time to do it. I visited for a few days in November 2018—not for hiking but just to explore—and the weather wasn’t great, especially in the mountains. So, is a star-shaped itinerary doable if I rent a car and maybe use two different accommodations?
I’m not planning to join an organized group—just traveling with one other person and organizing things ourselves—unless you’d recommend a local agency or guide. Finally, even though I’ll be getting maps, a topo guide, and a GPS, I’d really appreciate your top hiking recommendations.
Thanks so much for your tips!
I’m planning a trip around Cap Corse and the AGRIATES in 2026, from May 8th to 15th (there are still 2 spots left, by the way! Just DM me if you're interested).
I’d love to know which hikes are worth prioritizing in the AGRIATES. We’ll be staying in SALECCIA for two days as our base—what should we focus on from there?
A round trip to IGNHU beach? Any other suggestions?
For Ostricano, I think it’s too far for a round trip...
Thanks for your tips!
Have a great day,
Anie, Toulouse
I’d like to get some info about the GR10 Pyrenees traverse. I need help planning the daily stages and accommodations—my wife isn’t an experienced hiker but walks a lot, so I’d like to schedule shorter walking days and thus a longer overall trip in terms of number of days.
Could anyone give me some help and advice?
Best regards,
Hi there, I’m planning the Annapurna Circuit for March 2027 and I’m looking for a local agency with a local guide—preferably French-speaking—to arrange this trek for us. Any suggestions? Thanks
Hello!
We’re spending a few days in Toraja country at the end of May. We’d love to do a day trek—taking our time—on a route that’s stunning in terms of scenery, but not a level 5 in difficulty!
Any suggestions you can share, please?
Thanks in advance
I’d like to do the Mare a Mare Sud in May over 4 days. I’ve found quite a few places to stay along the route, but I’m stuck on the start and finish.
I’ll be arriving by plane on Sunday evening and would like to start pretty early on Monday morning. Ideally, accommodation right at the trailhead (Alzu di Gallina) would be amazing, but I can’t find anything. Any tips?
Also, for the transfer from Figari Airport to Porto Vecchio or Alzu di Gallina?
At the end, I’d like to pick up a rental car—any advice on that too?
I’m traveling solo by plane to Catania in May and plan to hike the northern side of Etna, starting from Linguaglossa where I’ll arrive by bus. After that, I’d love some info on how to get up to Piano Provenzana (shuttles or hitchhiking), since it seems there’s no public transport except in the summer. Can you sleep there in a free or cheap refuge, or camp? And how far up can you go without having to hire a guide? Thanks in advance. Bernard.
