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 everyone, and happy New Year! Can you find screw-on gas canisters for camping stoves in Turkey? Thanks in advance, and safe travels! David

I'd like to do all or part of the GR 11 in June or July. Spain.

What shoes would you recommend, given it'll be hot and it's a mountain hike?

Regular hiking shoes or sandals?

Thanks

Hi everyone. I’ve been dreaming of this trek since my first trip to Nepal: either joining an existing group (I’m 70, so the pace will be adjusted accordingly...), or organizing it myself with the same guide who accompanied me on the Annapurna Circuit and in Mustang (putting together a group of 2 or 3 people). Who’s interested??? Jules. Agnes

Hi there, My wife and I are heading to Norwegian Lapland for a week soon. We arrive in Tromsø on January 9th and plan to visit Senja Island. We’d love to go snowshoeing there and would appreciate some tips: 1. Is it possible to go snowshoeing without a guide this time of year on Senja Island? Are there well-marked trails? If not, could anyone recommend some good local guides? 2. We’d also love recommendations for great snowshoeing routes on the island if possible. 3. Is 5 days in Dovær in the northern part of the island too long at this time of year? 4. Renting snowshoeing gear in Norway is super expensive—does anyone know a good place to rent between Tromsø and Senja Island? Thanks!

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?

Thanks

Cat, Bruno.

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

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

Hi there, for those who’ve been recently—is it possible to find other solo travelers in March on the island to share transport or room costs? It doesn’t seem easy to travel on a budget. If you have any recommendations for simple lodgings or places with dorms, I’d love to hear them. For those who’ve done multi-day treks while moving around: do you need to bring your own sleeping bag? I’d love to hear about itineraries you’ve done without a guide, just with a map and GPS. Thanks, and have a great day!

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,

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, I’m planning to do the Zanskar crossing from Lamayuru to Darcha in August 2026. I know the route has changed quite a bit in recent years, and I’m struggling to find reliable info on whether it’s possible to do this trek independently with just two people—sleeping and eating with locals each day. I’m also open to hiring a muleteer or going through an agency, so I’d love any recent and trustworthy recommendations on that too. Thanks in advance, Jean-Marc

I want to do sections of the Collioure-Cadaqués trail. I plan to stay in Collioure first to hike the paths on the French side using the bus. Speaking of which, I’m wondering if it’ll be easy to find a seat on the buses at the end of April, beginning of May.

After that, I’ll head to Figueres to do sections of the trail on the Spanish side. I’m worried the buses might not be too crowded at the end of April.

Here’s what I’m interested in: Llanca - Port de la Selva: Figueres - Llanca by train in the morning and Port de la Selva - Figueres on the way back Port de la Selva - Cadaqués: Figueres - Port de la Selva in the morning and Cadaqués - Figueres on the return trip

I’d also like to go to Cadaqués from Figueres as a day trip. I’m concerned about how busy this route might be at the end of April.

I’m wondering if I need to get tickets in advance and where to buy them.

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.

My husband and I are planning a 10-day trip to Northern Vietnam in November, traveling independently (no agency organizing everything) and using local buses. We’d like to spend at least 3 days in each place (including Meo Vac). We’re wondering if it’s possible to find local guides for day hikes, and if so, in which towns/villages (Meo Vac plus one or two other spots to explore the surrounding area). Thanks!

Hi there,

I’ll be in Nepal in October. I’m planning to do the Annapurna trek and climb Mera Peak. From what I’ve heard, it’s one of the most accessible 6,000m peaks and doesn’t require a mandatory guide? The info I’ve found is pretty scattered—mostly just travel agency blogs. :-) Has anyone here already done this climb? I’ve heard you can find guides in Khare for just the final part of the ascent (which is way cheaper).

Thanks for your feedback!

Can’t wait to be there! :-)

Hi there, my friend and I are heading to Sichuan and the Kham region in August and we’d love to do a 4- to 5-day trek around Tagong. I’ve got a few questions: 1/ Is it possible to find a guide on the spot in Kangding, Litang, or Tagong at the last minute? Or better yet, do you have the contact details for a guide you’d recommend? 2/ I’ve found Chinese guides online, but no Tibetan guides. It seems to me that a Tibetan guide would be a better fit. What do you think? 3/ The listed prices are really high, especially because of the porter services (tents, cooking gear, etc.) and the fact that, on top of the high-mountain guide, there’s also an English-speaking translator. We’re used to hiking independently in the high mountains, we carry our own backpacks, and we don’t need a cook. Is it possible to hire a guide without porter services or with limited porter support?

I’d love to hear about your experiences! Thanks in advance! 😊

Hi there, I'm looking for some nice hikes to do on foot around Fréjus. Thanks

Hi, We’re planning to spend 3 nights (4 days) in the Banaue area. We’ve booked 1 night in Banaue, 1 in Batad, and the 3rd back in Banaue. We’d like to get from one village to the other on our own (tricycle + hiking). Does that sound doable? Where can we find a hiking route so we don’t get lost (is Maps.me enough?)? The 2-day trek offered by guides is a bit tough and, above all, too expensive for us (83 €/person). Thanks for your feedback and experiences!

Hi everyone,

I’m finalizing my trip plans for Sumatra in June. I’m trying to lock in a trek (around 5 days), but I’m not really finding what I’m looking for.

The idea is to really go "off the beaten path" (I’m not a fan of the phrase since it’s lost all meaning, but anyway...). However, I’m struggling to find destinations or programs that are even slightly original.

We’re leaning toward a jungle trek starting from Ketambe—it seems nice in itself, but it feels a bit repetitive. All the guides offer the same packages: stops at fixed camps, you settle in, walk around the camp, eat, sleep, then move on the next day for 2-3 hours with the same routine. After all my research, I feel like I’ve already seen it all because every guide and tourist posts the same photos (hollow tree, hot springs, etc.).

Anyway, do you know of a guide or agency that offers a *real* trek (meaning you walk all day until you find a spot for the night, from a starting point A to an endpoint B) in an area that’s a little different from where everyone else goes? (Gunung Leuser or similar, though for transport and time reasons, I’d ideally like to stay in northern Sumatra.)

Thanks, and if you have any good tips about anything related to Sumatra, I’m all ears.

Have a great day,

Hi there, I’m planning to stay in Mae Hong Son for 4 days and Pai for 3 or 4 days to explore both towns and their surroundings. I’m not renting a car or scooter—I like to travel at a relaxed pace...

I’d love to know if it’s possible to do quite a few walks on foot from both towns and if it’s easy to find a tuk-tuk for the day to go a bit further.

I’ve heard that biking is really only for brave cyclists, which definitely isn’t me!

Thanks for your tips

Hi there, Apart from the few short hikes I’ve ticked off around Ampefy (Lily Falls to the Third Falls, geysers), do you have any must-do recommendations for a day hike between Ampefy and Antsirabe or around Antsirabe itself? I’m looking for a big, full-day trek, even if there’s a lot of elevation gain. P.S.: I’ll have a private driver. 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, we’re planning to do the Valley of Roses trek without a guide. Which village should we start the trek from? Is the route easy to find? Will 3 to 4 days be enough? (We’re experienced hikers and good walkers.) Which stopover villages would you recommend?.....Thanks! FG

Hi there! Discussions are rare and not recent, so I’m giving this a little bump—hope some folks are still around! ;-) I’d love to head to Wamena and trek south through the Valley over 5-6 days on foot. From what I’ve seen, finding your way isn’t exactly straightforward, and it seems best to hire a guide. I’ve never done that before because the encounters just aren’t the same...

Has anyone here explored the area? Is it feasible to trek down along the Baliem River, from Sogokmo to Kulise, then to Wamerek, cross over, and head back up along the river?

I’ve heard you should bring supplies to offer your hosts, which I’m happy to do!

What do you all think? The carefree spirit of my 20s is long gone, but I’d love to find it again, even just for a little while. ;-)

Thanks so much in advance for any tips or advice! Juliette

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

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

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

Hi there, I’d like to spend a week in the Dolomites (4 days of trekking and a few day hikes). Unfortunately, it’ll be in August (no choice). My questions are: - For a first time in the Dolomites, which 4-day trek should I pick? I’d love the most spectacular and varied landscapes possible. Around 1,000m elevation gain per day. - Is it busier the first or last week of August? - Will it still feel "quiet" while hiking? Not like a conga line in August...?

Thanks so much for your help! !

Hi, I’m planning the Switzerland-Paris hike for 2026. If any of you know a route where I can stay with locals or in other lodging (no camping), I’d really appreciate your tips. Thanks! M Brunner