Best walking holidays for 2025: Hiking routes, guided tours and accommodation
A walking holiday is a lovely way to truly switch off, all while soaking up dramatic scenery and wonderful wildlife. Deciding where to tread can be difficult, however, with everything from the raw beauty and ruggedness of the Scottish Highlands to the charm of Pembrokeshire's coastal villages on offer.
What is a walking holiday?
A walking holiday can include self-guided, guided or group walking or hiking tours, combined with accommodation, travel and food. You usually spend a portion of the day taking in the sights as you walk, and spend the nights at various lodgings along your trail. They can go from one to two day exertions to multiple weeks, depending on your preference, time constraints or skill level.
While often an expensive option, a guided walking holiday takes the stress out of planning and, with the help of a tour guide, you can learn about local traditions, birdlife and the history of the landscape on the way. Plus, it's a super way to meet new people if you enjoy walking in a group.
Make sure you're kitted out before heading off, with our reviews of the best walking shoes and the best walking boots.
The best walking holidays – adventures await
Note: A majority of the walking holidays listed below will include accommodation and food, but please read the small print to make sure you're getting exactly what you want.
The best UK walking holidays
Walk the highlights of South-West England
With: Tour Hub
- Duration: 9 days
- Walking grade: low
- Price: from £2,764
If you're yet to explore the wonders of England's south-west region, this walking tour from Tour Hub is packed with regional highlights. The walking tour starts in London, and takes you through Salisbury, Stonehenge, Dartmoor National Park, Penzance, and Tintagel, allowing you to hug the coast and soak in the dreamy views.
The fully guided tour includes stop-offs at Stonehenge, Land’s End, St Michael's Rock, Porthcurno beach and the Minack Open Air Theatre.
Walk Northumberland
With: Tour Hub
- Duration: 6 days
- Fully guided? Yes
- Price: from £1,299
Northumberland is a popular area for hikers due to its wild woodland, with plenty of stunning coastal views and castle visits on offer too.
Starting and ending in the small yet delightful town of Alnwick, this six-day walking tour is a top pick for castle enthusiasts. Explore Northumberland's stunning coastline and get your history fix on the way. Trip highlights include Holy Island, Dunstanburgh Castle (entry not included), Hadrian's Wall and Cragside House and Gardens.
Walk the Lake District
With: Explore.co.uk
- Distance: 67km
- Duration: 7 days
- Walking grade: 3 (moderate)
- Price: from £1,665
For a chance to soak in the Lake District's mesmerising lakes and mountains, consider Explore's Northern Lake District walking tour. You can tick off Scafell Pike, part of the Cumbria Way and the High Spy fell on this adventure.
The tour consists of five full days of walking, expect well-maintained, flat trails with a few steep hills and some scree, for between five to six hours a day.
Guests stay at the same hotel all week, so you can really set up base, and all breakfasts, picnic lunches and dinners are included – enjoy local in-season ingredients, and a week off from meal planning!
Walk Scotland: Orkney Islands
With: Explore.co.uk
- Distance: 43.5km
- Duration: 7 days
- Walking grade: 2 (moderate and leisurely)
- Price: from £1,899
For many explorers, the characterful puffin takes top place as their favourite bird, but it's not often we get to see the beautiful creatures in their natural habitat, swooping shores and adorning clifftops. A walking holiday in the Orkney Islands could be just your ticket.
Organised by tour group Explore, the seven day Orkney Isles walking holiday takes you across dramatic clifftops, surrounded by beautiful wildflowers and birdlife.
A top choice for archaeology enthusiasts, too, the Orkney Island walking holiday takes you to the Neolithic settlement of Skara Brae, where you can step back 5,000 years in time to explore the pre-historic preserved villages.
The walk is described as 'grade 2' in terms of difficulty, so expect mainly good, flat and grassy paths and trails, with the possibility of some boggy terrain. Your covered for comfort in the evenings, as the package includes six nights in a hotel.
Previous walkers have appreciate the variety of birdlife and landscape on offer, with one saying: "A wonderful mix of walking, viewing seabirds (especially puffins) and fascinating Neolithic archaeological sites."
Walk Scotland: Outer Hebrides, Orkney, Shetland, Skye and Mull
With: Hidden Hebrides
- Variety of walking grades and duration times available to browse
Starting and ending in Inverness, this walking holiday company takes you around the fantastical sights of Scotland, such as the Outer Hebrides, Orkney, Shetland, Skye and Mull. Specialising in guided (or self-guided if you'd prefer to adventure alone) tours, Hidden Hebrides stays away from crowded or touristy islands, allowing you to discover wonderful wildlife, archaeology & landscapes. Plus, you get a £50 discount for returning clients.
- Book guided or self-guided walking holidays at Hidden Hebrides
- (On TripAdvisor, click Contact -> through to their website for details on how to book)
Walk Wales
With: Anglesey And Wales Walking Holidays
- Variety of walking grades and duration times available to browse
These tailor-made walking holidays that cover a wide range of Wales trails include accommodation, luggage transfer, as well as map & route planners. Operating for over 18 years, they say: "When you book with us, you will know that your money goes straight back to the small businesses on the island – accommodation providers, shops, cafes, pubs and restaurants" using local ingredients.
- Book tailor-made walking holidays at Anglesey And Wales Walking Holidays
- (On TripAdvisor, click Contact -> through to their website for details on how to book)
The best European walking holidays
Walk Ireland
With: Footfalls Walking Holidays
- Variety of walking grades and duration times available to browse
Set in the beautiful Irish countryside, this wonderful island has lots of long distance and loop trails for you to discover. For example, Wicklow Way is an 81-mile trail that is named Ireland's oldest and most scenic route. The company also cover almost every corner of Ireland, Scotland, Wales and the Lake District.
- Book guided or self-guided walking trail tours at Footfalls Walking Holidays
- (On TripAdvisor, click Contact -> through to their website for details on how to book)
Walk Bulgaria
With: Bulgaria Walking Tours
- Variety of walking grades and duration times available to browse
Home to some of Europe’s most stunning mountain ranges, Bulgaria is a hiker's dream come true. With Bulgaria Walking Tours you can hike the rugged terrain of the majestic Pirin mountains, trek the forested slopes of the Rila — all whilst staying in small, family-run hotels in traditional Bulgarian villages. Hazel, the founder of the company says: "the food is always home-made (more often than not home-grown) and the hospitality unstintingly generous."
- Book hiking, biking and wine tasting holidays at Bulgaria Walking Tours
- (On TripAdvisor, click Contact -> through to their website for details on how to book)
The best worldwide walking holidays
Walk Australia & Tasmania
With: Park Trek Walking Holidays
- Variety of walking grades and duration times available to browse
See out-of-this-world scenery in Tasmania and mainland Australia with Park Trek — operating for 25 years, and eco-credited since 2011. Prepare yourself for small group, day-pack only, multi-day walking tours across beautiful terrain.
So, be a bit cheeky and book yourself one. Life is too short not to go on an adventure or two.
