Thru-Hikes of Asia & the Middle East: Himalaya to Petra

Asia holds the highest walking on Earth and some of the oldest. In Nepal, teahouse trails climb past 5,000 meters beneath the eight-thousanders; in Japan, thousand-year-old pilgrim paths link shrines and temples through cedar forest; and in the Middle East, two young national trails cross entire countries from green hills to red desert. Few regions offer such different reasons to walk.

These seven routes come from our Thru-Hikes of the World overview. Seasons matter more here than anywhere: Nepal is an October–November and March–May destination, Japan is best in spring and autumn, and the Israel and Jordan trails are walked in the cooler months from October to April.

Everest Base Camp Trek — Khumbu, Nepal, ~80 miles round trip, 12–14 days, challenging to strenuous. The world's most famous trek runs from the airstrip at Lukla through Sherpa villages and monasteries to the foot of Everest at 5,364 meters, with the classic sunrise from Kala Patthar at 5,545. Teahouses provide beds and meals the whole way — the challenge is altitude, not terrain, and the two acclimatization days at Namche Bazaar and Dingboche are non-negotiable. On the Namche rest day, walk up to the Hotel Everest View at Syangboche for a first look at Everest over a pot of tea, and if it's Saturday, catch the weekly market where traders from the Tibetan side still sell their goods.

Annapurna Circuit — Annapurna region, Nepal, ~100–145 miles, 12–18 days, strenuous. Long considered the world's greatest walk: a horseshoe from subtropical rice terraces to the arid, Tibetan-influenced Manang valley, over the prayer-flag-draped Thorong La at 5,416 meters, and down into the Kali Gandaki gorge. Roads have shortened the classic route, but the side trips keep it world-class — especially the climb from Braga to Ice Lake (Kicho Tal) at 4,600 meters, the best acclimatization day on the circuit with the whole Annapurna range across the valley. Tilicho Lake and the restricted Nar Phu valley are the bigger detours.

Great Himalaya Trail (Nepal) — east to west across the country, 1,000-plus miles, 4–6 months, expert. The ultimate Himalayan traverse links remote valleys and 5,000–6,000-meter passes from Kangchenjunga to Humla. The high route requires mountaineering skills and logistics support; only a handful of people finish each year, and most split it across seasons.

Kumano Kodo (Nakahechi route) — Kii Peninsula, Japan, ~40–60 miles, 4–6 days, moderate. A UNESCO-listed network of thousand-year-old pilgrimage paths through cedar forest to the three grand shrines of Kumano, with stone-paved passes, tiny villages, ryokan and minshuku lodging with kaiseki dinners, and onsen. At Yunomine Onsen, a short walk from Hongu Taisha, book a half hour in Tsuboyu, a two-person wooden bathhouse over a stream that is the only hot spring on the World Heritage list; you can also boil eggs in the public spring outside. It's one of only two pilgrimages with World Heritage status — the Camino is the other — and a dual-pilgrim credential exists for those who walk both.

Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage (Ohenro) — Shikoku, Japan, ~750-mile loop, 6–8 weeks, moderate to challenging. A circuit of 88 temples around Japan's fourth-largest island, walked for over a thousand years in honor of the monk Kūkai. Much of it now follows roads, but the culture of osettai (gifts to pilgrims), the white pilgrim garments, and the temple rituals make it a walk like no other. Temple 1, Ryōzen-ji near Naruto, sells the full kit.

Israel National Trail — Dan to Eilat, ~680 miles, 6–8 weeks, challenging to strenuous. From the green Galilee through the Mediterranean coast and the Jerusalem hills into the Negev, where "trail angels" and pre-cached water make the final desert third possible. National Geographic has ranked it among the world's best long trails. Check current travel advisories before planning.

Jordan Trail — Umm Qais to Aqaba, ~420 miles, 5–6 weeks, challenging to strenuous. From the Roman ruins of the north through the canyons of Dana, into Petra by the back door, and across the sandstone desert of Wadi Rum to the Red Sea, with Bedouin hospitality and camp-based logistics. The Dana-to-Petra section alone is one of the world's great week-long treks: start with a night at Feynan Ecolodge, a candlelit, solar-powered lodge at the bottom of the Dana Biosphere Reserve, and finish through Little Petra (Siq al-Barid), the quieter sister site most day-trippers skip.

Planning notes. Lukla flights and Annapurna permits (TIMS and ACAP) are handled in Kathmandu or Pokhara. Kumano Kodo lodging is booked through the Tanabe City Kumano Tourism Bureau, often months ahead for autumn. Jordan Trail hikers usually go guided through the Jordan Trail Association for the desert sections.

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