So you want to go on holiday. If you’re hoping to visit a city, you might think that you’ll have to put your love of long hikes to one side, if you’re going to be spending your time in the big city.
However, this doesn’t have to be the case! In some of the world’s most fantastic cities, you’ll be able to find some amazing walks. Whether you’re looking to hike for mere hours or for long days, you’ll barely have to leave the city with these suggestions.
Rio de Janeiro – The Tijuca Forest
The Tijuca Forest is Brazil’s very first national park, and is famous for being the largest urban forest in the world, located right at the heart of Rio. You know the famous shot of Christ the Redeemer looking down over the city? All that green surrounding the urban landscape is the Tijuca – it is glorious.
You have tall trees, rugged mountains, and glistening waterfalls all at your feet. Winding through the forest is a number of different hiking trails. We’d recommend walking to the top of Tijuca Peak, the highest mountain in the place, for the best views. You can also walk right up to the statue of Cristo Redentor itself if you so please!
London – The Thames Path
You don’t have to travel far for a good city walk, you know. The Thames Path takes its name from the River of the same name, and stretches for over 180 miles. However, you don’t have to leave the capital to enjoy some of its best bits!
Here’s a suggestion for you, a way of spending two days: start off at Kingston-on-Thames and walk all the way to the Thames Barrier at Greenwich. This is pretty much a London Greatest Hits tour – you’ve got Kew Garden, Westminster, the Eye, Big Ben, Battersea Power Station, the Globe… the list goes on.
Take a look at www.nationaltrail.co.uk/thamespath for more information! It’s a really great walk.
Cape Town – The Hoerikwaggo Trail
This trek is meant to take five days, and there are four tented camps along the way to allow you to get some comfortable kip. Of course, you don’t have to do it, but we would definitely recommend that you do! To get to Cape Point, fly to Cape Town, then travel there by car and walk back again.
The trail itself stretches for almost 50 miles, and crosses the iconic Table Mountain along the way. Constructed by 162 unemployed workers from around the area, the trail is beautiful and serene. Sadly, it’s not signposted, but this shouldn’t pose too much of a problem – you just need to hire a guide or bring along some decent maps to show you the way.
Thankfully, the camps have both kitchens and bathrooms, so you’ll be able to get a nice shower and cook a good meal each night, but you will have to bring your own food. The walk finishes at the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway, so you can take the cable car all the way down into the city to end your journey.
Photo credit: thames path
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