Hi everyone,

I’m just at the very beginning of my research, so I’m coming straight to you for some info. I’d like to visit Morocco to discover a bit of the country. I’ve just found out about the Toubkal circuit, which I’d love to do in January/February. I’m open to going independently with a tent, food, etc., and also open to whatever other possibilities this circuit offers that I don’t know about yet... Could you share any random tips or info? I’d also love to hear your opinions? What I like about this circuit is that it’s fairly accessible and seems interesting for many reasons. I’ll leave it to you to share your thoughts—thanks in advance for your help! 🙂 Wishing you all lots of exciting plans for the new year ahead!

Nicolas

Hi there,

We’ve just returned from 15 days in Cape Verde, including 8 days of hiking in Santo Antão. It was a fantastic trip with great weather and heat that stayed manageable. Everything was organized by a highly competent local agency that really listened to our requests. I’m happy to share more details about the hikes, hotels, etc. if you’d like!

Because of a miscalculation on extra costs (non-hotel expenses and transfers), I’ve got 18,000 escudos left—I’d be more than happy to exchange them for a more widely used currency!

Hello, We’re heading to Laos in December 2025, and we want to do a multi-day trek—maybe even a week—to really take our time and make stops in villages since we’ll have our 3-year-old daughter with us.

We’re torn between the Luang Namtha region or Phongsaly for our big trek. We’re looking for the least touristy spot possible, we love mountains, so we’d like an area with varied landscapes, including rice paddies, and a chance to really connect with local ethnic groups. We’re after authenticity and only want to stay with locals. Which of the two should we prioritize? Any advice would be welcome to help us decide—it’s tough when you don’t know the area! Maybe there are other spots in the north worth considering for a beautiful week-long trek.

Thanks, fellow travelers

Hi there, we’re heading to Sri Lanka in early February for 15 days. We’d like to do a few days of trekking and thought we’d need an agency and a guide, but we’ve heard about the Pekoe Trail—a long-distance trail that’s supposedly well-marked. Is that accurate? Is it doable on our own? I’d love to hear from anyone who’s familiar with it. Thanks!

Hi there, After a few treks in Nepal, I'm thinking about doing one in Patagonia. But when I see the prices, it’s a bit off-putting!!!! I was used to going with local agencies at really good rates and the same conditions as tour operators. Are there any agencies like that in Argentina or Chile? Thierry

Hi there, my friend and I are planning a winter getaway to Morocco, with a flight from Paris to Marrakech, and we’d love some suggestions for itineraries (we’re thinking of renting a car to get around more easily).

We’re really into nature, meeting locals, staying with families, and hiking+++. Given the season, we’ll obviously avoid the Atlas and high-altitude hikes. But are there any other day-hike options in regions with milder winter weather? For example, in the Anti-Atlas?

Hi everyone. I’m planning a trip to Thailand for November. We loved the treks we did in Laos, Vietnam, and Myanmar so much that we’d like to repeat the experience in Northern Thailand. Most travelers who go trekking do it around Chiang Mai. But wouldn’t it be better to do it somewhere else (Chiang Rai?) to get a bit more authenticity? Any tips would be welcome (agency, guide, route, etc.). Thanks for your feedback!

Hi, Could recent travelers let me know the price for the 2D/1N trek in the rice terraces when booking directly on-site upon arrival? Is it possible to join a group? Thanks for your replies, best regards

Hi there, I’d like to hike The Narrows in mid-June. Has anyone done this hike and can share their feedback? I’ll be hiking up to the narrowing, and I saw there’s an outfitter that rents the right gear—I plan to get equipped. Though it depends on a lot of factors, what’s the average water level like at that time of year? Thanks

Hi there, I’m planning to hike in China in July/August, no specific regions in mind yet but probably in the southwest. Can anyone tell me if it’s generally easy to do multi-day independent hikes and if wild camping in a tent is allowed? Thanks

Hi, I’ll be arriving in Nice from Quebec on June 20th. I’m planning to rent a car for 7 days to do day hikes in Mercantour Park. Which village would be best to stay in? Saint-Martin-Vésubie? Barcelonnette? Or split my time between both to access different areas of the park and avoid too much driving? Also, are there hikes in lush, flower-filled valleys (like alpine meadows)? Thanks, Sylvie

Hi there, I’d like to visit several islands in the Cyclades in late June - early July 2026 for about 15 days. Stay 3 to 4 days on each one and do some hiking. Your suggestions are welcome—islands, accommodation, hikes, or anything else. Thanks in advance. Twizzle

Hi, I’m planning to go trekking in Armenia with a few friends. I’d love to get some recommendations for local agencies or names of French-speaking guides who organize multi-day treks. This destination seems pretty off the beaten path😕, which is exactly why I’m interested... Thanks.

Hello,

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

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.

Hi everyone,

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?

Thanks in advance for your tips! 🙂

Pascal

Hi everyone! We’re planning a 15-day road trip to Scotland this summer, specifically to explore and hike on Lewis and Harris—places we’ve never been before. We’ve visited other islands on previous road trips in Scotland (we usually go in April for a week). This would be our first time in Scotland in the summer and for 15 days. We’re looking at late August to early September.

I’m currently drafting the itinerary. We’d be crossing from Ullapool and were thinking of spending 3 nights on Harris and 4 nights on Lewis.

Does that sound balanced to you? Is it better to keep the same accommodation on Harris and the same on Lewis to explore the area? I’d love to hear about any past experiences you’ve had on these islands. Thanks!

Hi there, We’re spending a month in northern Vietnam this coming November and we’d love to do some day hikes around the village of Mu Cang Chai to see the famous spiral terraced rice fields. We’ll most likely be staying in Mu Cang Chai itself and we don’t have a car. It’s really tough to find a route online. Any tips would be great. Thanks in advance.

Hello everyone,

We’re planning to spend 15 days in early May in La Gomera, solely for hiking and exploring the island. We like to take our time and not rush to see everything. We’ve booked small hostels or hotels, and our itinerary will be: San Sebastian -> Playa Santiago -> Valle Gran Rey -> Vallehermoso -> back to San Sebastian

We’re hesitating about renting a car—it would certainly give us more flexibility compared to buses, but it also comes with a budget and responsibilities (parking, getting back to the car after a hike, driving fatigue, distances, etc.). Since hiking is our main focus, the ROTHER guidebook shows mostly hikes that are accessible by bus. Is the bus network reliable? Is it restrictive to go without a car, with 2 or 3 nights in each location?

Thanks for your feedback—we can’t decide!

Best, Thomas

Hi there,

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. Can anyone give me some info on this? Thanks!

Hi there, We’re heading to South Africa in August 2025 and planning a classic loop that I’d love to finish with the Drakensberg (I’m a big hiking fan) before returning to Johannesburg to catch our flight. I’ve got 3 nights for this part of our trip. But I’m wondering if it’s actually a good idea to hike in the Drakensberg in August, since it’s the Southern Hemisphere winter (I’m from Réunion and we hike year-round there, but I don’t know what the climate’s like in South Africa, especially the Drakensberg). I’m particularly worried about getting stuck because of snow and missing our flight... ;) I’ve read so many different things that I’m totally confused! If it’s okay to hike at this time of year, what would you recommend? I’m torn between Champagne Valley and Royal Natal National Park. Thanks in advance for your firsthand tips! Malijp

Hi there,

This summer, my sister and I would like to do part of the tour of old Chaillol. We’re thinking of leaving our car at Chapelle en Valgaudemar and going hiking for three days with two nights in a mountain refuge. At the end of the third day, do you know if it’s possible to take a bus or coach to get back to Chapelle en Valgaudemar? From Pont du Fossé or Chabottes. If not, would you have another more suitable route to suggest?

Thanks in advance.

Hi! In March, we’ll be spending two weeks in the Drakensberg region and Golden Highlands National Park (Clarens). From what I understand, you have to pay to hike if you're in a national park. I can’t find the rates or info on whether there are multi-day passes if we hike for several days. Could you help me out, please? Thanks

hi there,

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

Hi, I’d like some advice on doing the Camino de Santiago—or part of it—from the Basque Country. Best,

hi

we’re planning a trip to Yellowstone and hoping to do a three-day backcountry hike if we get a permit. if any of you have done this before, could you let me know if it’s possible to find water along the way? And if we can transport it, are we allowed to use a stove?

thanks for any tips!

sandra

hi there I live near Dole, so not too far away, and I sometimes go hiking (Camino de Santiago, Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert, etc.), and I’d love it if someone could suggest a trek in the Vosges—I really don’t know the area well. (Yeah, I know, I’m a little embarrassed about that.) If you could recommend a nice route. Arrival by car or train, doesn’t matter. Thanks so much!

Hi everyone,

I’ve planned a little day trip with my kids (12 and 16 years old) to Venice. The goal is to go for a walk through the city’s streets rather than visiting museums, which would take way too much time. We’d like to pass by the main landmarks, so I’ve put together a small 15 km hike... (thanks to Komoot and visioRando). Could you take a quick look and let me know if I’ve missed anything or made any mistakes?

1. Start at Santa Lucia Train Station 2. Ponte Degli Scalzi 3. Ponte dei Pugni 4. squero de San Trovaso 5 Le rio della Salute 6. Accademia Bridge 7. St. Mark’s Square 8. St. Mark’s Basilica 9. Ponte de la Canonica 10. Ponte de la Pietà 11. Ponte de la Tana 12. The Arsenale 13. Bridge of Sighs 14. Doge’s Palace Then return to the Rialto Bridge via Marzaria dell’Orologio

Also, could you tell me if the Doge’s Palace courtyard is paid entry? Thanks for your help and feedback!

Stéphane.

hi there (mid-August 2025), I’m arriving in COLCA CANYON from PUNO by bus to stay for 3 days I’ll be on foot what’s the best place to sleep since I’ll be hiking then I’m taking a bus to AREQUIPA but I can’t find any info about it only thing I’ve seen is that I’ll find a collectivo in CHIVAY can you give me some tips to organize this as smoothly as possible thanks ISABELLE

Hi, Does anyone know a good local agency in Peru? I’d like to do the Ausangate trek and Machu Picchu. Thanks in advance for your replies. Didier