Even in domestic hiking circles, Middle East and Africa hiking trails are rarely known. Hiking trails in the Middle East and Africa are intertwined with pilgrimages, trade routes, war marches, and geographical discoveries.
We follow famous expeditions, record the spread of religion, and witness the rise of hiking. Every trail, whether it’s 1000 meters or 1000 kilometers, is a record of the story of this planet.
The Lycian Way is one of the best long-distance hikes in the world, often ranked among the top ten for its unique combination of Mediterranean scenery, mountain hinterland, Turkish culture, and ancient ruins.
It is also Turkey’s first official hiking trail, and was signposted in 1999.
However, its origins can be traced back much further. Around 3000 BC, the democratic but warlike Lycians lived and developed trade on the Tekke Peninsula.
Alexander the Great marched through the area in 334 BC, and today’s hikers follow the same footpaths and mule tracks he used, plus later roads paved by Roman rulers.
The Lycian Way stretches from Ölüdeniz to Antalya, often walking along the rugged cliffs of the turquoise coast, passing through carob trees, strawberries, and juniper trees. It also passes through hidden historical sites, from Roman ruins to crumbling Byzantine monasteries, sunken cities, and Lycian tombs.
English name: LYCIAN WAY
Location: Southern Turkey
Length: 540 kilometers
Time: 29 days
The Danakil Depression is one of the most geologically active areas on Earth.
Yellow sulfur mounds adorn the landscape with an extraterrestrial look, while churning, simmering lava illuminates the night.
This hiking route will lead you to Erta Ale Volcano and Dallol, the lowest point in the Danakil Depression.
Erta Ale Volcano is located 50 meters below sea level, and its oval-shaped lava lake is the oldest of the six lava lakes in the world. After hiking to the top, you can try to walk around the crater with the splashing lava.
English name: DANAKIL DEPRESSION THRU-HIKE
Location: Afar Region, Ethiopia
Length: 15 kilometers
Best hiking time: November to February
Important note: When you reach the crater, it is best to wear a gas mask, as the sulfur gas emitted by the lava is somewhat toxic.
People call this hiking route the “Inca Trail of the Middle East,” although it is quite different from the Peruvian Andes in terms of topography, this desert hiking route is indeed a wild and untamed route, and there is also a similar iconic landmark at the end.
Petra was carved out of the rock in western Jordan around 2000 years ago.
In Petra, people built large tombs, colonnaded streets, altars, temples, and towering facades in the rose-red canyons.
The hiking route uses some old hunter trails and mule tracks, and you can hike from the Dana Nature Reserve to the World Heritage Site of Petra in 4-6 days. Along the way, you can camp in Bedouin tents, or sleep directly under the stars.
English name: DANA-PETRA TREK
Location: Jordan
Length: 45 kilometers
Best hiking time: February to April, October to December
Important note: You need sturdy shoes to walk through the rocky desert.
The Israel National Trail is called a “epic trail” hiking route. The Israel National Trail is 1000 kilometers long and is divided into 45 sections. The trail was opened in 1996.
The scenery along the way is both biblical in style and equally beautiful, ranging from the shimmering Sea of Galilee to the eternally desolate Negev Desert Trail, crossing Israel.
Starting from Dan village (Dan) near the border with Lebanon and heading south to Eilat on the Red Sea, passing the Jordan River used for baptism and the impressive Mount Tabor (mount tabor), the remains of Mount Barak (Barak) – General Barak and 10,000 Israelites defeated the Canaanites here (canaanite). The trail follows the Mediterranean Sea near Tel Aviv and climbs Mount Carmel (mount carmel), with other visual feasts along the way, including wildflower meadows, Nubian sheep, and migrating semi-nomadic Bedouin people (bedouin) on the plains.
English name: Isral national trail
Location: Northern Israel (near the Lebanon border) to Eilat in the south
Best hiking time: April to May
Mileage: 1100 kilometers
The Zulus described the Northern Drakensberg Mountains as “a hairy barrier”, these rugged, lushly vegetated peaks, are the “unforgettable beauty” of eastern South Africa.
The Drakensberg Mountains are arguably Africa’s most suitable hiking destination, with few roads in the various parks here.
The Northern Drakensberg Mountain Traverse is one of the top ten hiking trails in the world, with an epic and stunning trail that crosses mountains, cliffs, passes through many rivers and waterfalls, and finally reaches the Cathedral Peak Hotel in the Giant Castle Game Reserve.
From climbing chain ladders to the top of the plateau, where the world’s second largest waterfall, Tugela Falls, falls in five distinct cascades from high to low.
English name: DEAKENSBERG CHAIN LADDER HIKE
Location: Northern Drakensberg Mountains, on the border of KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa, and Lesotho
Mileage: 64 kilometers
Best hiking time: Mid-April to early June (Southern Hemisphere autumn)
The grueling 120-kilometer Naukluft Circular Trail is a prime hiking route in pristine natural scenery, a long trek on the outskirts of the world’s oldest desert, through winding valleys.
Isolated mountains rise abruptly from the flat plains, dotted with cartoon-like quiver trees, as well as rock hyraxes and black eagles that prey on them.
This landscape also changes with time: reddish-purple at sunrise, cloudless fiery yellow at noon, and gentle crimson at sunset. At night, far from all light pollution, the most stunning starry sky glitters here.
The route has limited numbers and is very popular, so it is necessary to book accommodation in advance. Accommodation ranges from simple cabins to stone shelters, with little more than water and toilets inside.
In addition, the route only allows people to hike between March and October, because in the Southern Hemisphere summer, temperatures exceed 38 degrees Celsius.
English name: NAUKLUFT TRAIL
Location: Namib-Naukluft National Park
Mileage: 120 kilometers
Best months: March to October
Important note: Must be booked in advance, hiking groups must be 3-12 people.
The Great Rift Valley in East Africa is also known as the “Cradle of Mankind,” where some of the earliest human remains have been unearthed.
The rift valley stretches for about 5,955 kilometers, from the Middle East to Mozambique in southern Africa, with an average width of 48-64 kilometers.
The Trans-Rift Trail, which officially opened in 2011, is only 145 kilometers long, meandering from Mondurogoi, climbing the eastern cliffs, and reaching Chorogei on the west.
The trail follows the routes used by some of the early explorers of this land, such as Scottish geologist Joseph Thomson, who was looking for the source of the Nile, and Hungarian Count Samuel.
The trail incorporates ancient trade and grazing routes that are still used by local people today. All of this means that the Trans-Rift Trail is far more than just a wilderness hike, and you’ll also get interesting cultural interactions.
English name: TRANS-RIFT TRAIL
Location: Great Rift Valley, Kenya
Mileage: 140 kilometers
Best months: July to September
Jesus founded Christianity, but it was Saint Paul who spread it around the world. Saint Paul was born around 5 AD in Tarsus in south-central Turkey.
After witnessing the resurrection of Christ, he began preaching, first in Damascus, then in what is now Cyprus, Turkey, Greece, Italy and beyond. It was Saint Paul who ensured that Jesus’s revelations left the Holy Land.
The 500-kilometer Saint Paul Trail runs from the Mediterranean in eastern Antalya inland, reaching Yarvacı northeast of Lake Eldir, and stretching intermittently to the routes the apostle first entered Asia Minor.
The trail mixes Roman roads, forest paths, and well-worn trails, venturing into remote villages, oak and cedar forests; past Roman aqueducts and amphitheatres, Byzantine towns, Ottoman backstreets, and even charming ruins without names.
English name: ST PAUL TRAIL
Location: Western Anatolia, Turkey
Mileage: 500 kilometers
Best months: May to June, August to October
Important note: Accommodation can be found in village houses and guesthouses, some sections require camping.
Mount Toubkal, at 4,167 meters, is the highest peak in the Moroccan Atlas Mountains and the highest peak in North Africa.
It wasn’t until 1923 that the first official ascent was recorded, by the thrill-seeking Frenchman Marquis René de Segonzac.
Hiking up and around the mountain is an adventure that offers both insight into Berber culture and breathtaking views of the peak.
This circular route starts from the village of Imlil, 60 kilometers south of Marrakech, exploring Berber territory and ascending the highest peak in North Africa.
English name: TOUBKAL CIRCUIT
Location: High Atlas Mountains, Morocco
Mileage: 72 kilometers
Best months: April to May, September
Important note: It is possible to climb in winter, but you must have crampons and an ice axe.
The Khoikhoi people walked around Table Mountain for nearly 1500 years, calling it “Hoerikwaggo”, meaning “mountain in the sea”.
Their ancient footsteps form the basis of today’s Hoerikwaggo Trail, a long walk around Table Mountain, the eponymous national park, and the pristine peninsula it sits on.
The Portuguese coined the name “Cape of Good Hope” for this south-facing headland in the late 15th century. The scenery here is magnificent, Table Mountain is a peculiar flat-topped mountain, 1086 meters high, often shrouded in mist.
Green slopes hide over 2200 plant species, ranging from fragrant marsh daisies to giant proteas. The diversity of habitat has nurtured a variety of animals, including rock hyraxes, black eagles, and baboons.
The 75-kilometer Hoerikwaggo Trail offers a fairly comfortable option for exploring the headland. No need to carry a tent, there are permanent campsites along the way, offering hot water, comfortable beds, communal bathrooms and fully equipped kitchens.
English name: HOERIKWAGGO TRAIL
Location: Table Mountain National Park, South Africa
Mileage: 75 kilometers
Best months: November to March
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