Car-free long-distance hikes

Italy · point-to-point

Alta Via 1

OSM 118 km · Verified

Cicerone/CAI: Grade 2 / E (optional Marmol VF = EEA) · SAC T2–T3 (mapped — no official SAC grade) · YDS 1

Car-free access: Venice Marco Polo (VCE) → Cortina d'Ampezzo (bus); Treviso (TSF) → Cortina d'Ampezzo / Belluno (rail); Cortina d'Ampezzo → Lago di Braies (bus) — some legs on this record are provisional

Permit unverified

Portugal · point-to-point

Fishermen's Trail

OSM 222.1 km · Verified

Rota Vicentina: medium / somewhat difficult · SAC T1–T2 (mapped — no official SAC grade) · YDS 1

Car-free access: Lisbon (LIS) → Sines (bus) — some legs on this record are provisional

No permit listed

France · point-to-point

GR 10

OSM 925.9 km*

SAC T3 (mapped — no official SAC grade) · YDS 2

Car-free access: Biarritz (BIQ) → Hendaye (rail) — some legs on this record are provisional

No permit listed

France · point-to-point

GR20

OSM 183.6 km · Verified

PNRC: one of Europe's most difficult; N très technique · SAC T2–T4 (mapped — no official SAC grade) · YDS 1

Car-free access: Bastia Poretta (BIA) → Calvi (rail) — some legs on this record are provisional

No permit listed

United Kingdom · point-to-point

Hadrian's Wall Path

OSM 123.7 km*

National Trail: easy–moderate · SAC T1–T2 (mapped — no official SAC grade) · YDS 1

Car-free access: Newcastle International Airport (NCL) → Wallsend (rail) — some legs on this record are provisional

No permit listed

United States · point-to-point

John Muir Trail

OSM 335.8 km*

SAC T2 · YDS 1

Car-free access: Fresno (FAT) → Yosemite Valley (bus); San Francisco (SFO) → Yosemite Valley (bus) — some legs on this record are provisional

Permit required: Yosemite wilderness permit (lottery)

Jordan · point-to-point

Jordan Trail

OSM 646.2 km*

SAC T2 · YDS 1

Car-free access: Queen Alia (AMM) → Amman Tabarbour terminal (bus); Amman Tabarbour → Irbid (bus); Nuweiba (Egypt) → Port of Aqaba (sea) — some legs on this record are provisional

Water: Plan on about 5 L per full day without resupply (3–4 L in winter or cooler weather). If camping overnight, allow several more litres for cooking and cleaning. Conditions vary — verify locally before you go.

Permit required: Section permits (Petra / Wadi Rum / Dana)

New Zealand · loop

Kepler Track

OSM 61.6 km*

DOC: Great Walk / Intermediate · SAC T2 (mapped — no official SAC grade) · YDS 1

Car-free access: Queenstown (ZQN) → Te Anau (bus) — some legs on this record are provisional

Permit required: DOC Great Walk hut/campsite booking

Ireland · loop

Kerry Way

OSM 184.6 km*

Sport Ireland: Strenuous · SAC T1–T2 (mapped — no official SAC grade) · YDS 1

Car-free access: Cork (ORK) → Killarney (rail); Dublin (DUB) → Killarney (rail) — some legs on this record are provisional

No permit listed

Japan · point-to-point

Kumano Kodo — Nakahechi (Takijiri to Hongū)

OSM 35.9 km*

Tanabe City: grade 4 of 5 · SAC T2 (mapped — no official SAC grade) · YDS 1

Car-free access: Kansai International Airport (KIX) → JR Kii-Tanabe (rail); JR Kii-Tanabe → Takijiri-oji (bus) — some legs on this record are provisional

Permit unverified

Iceland · point-to-point

Laugavegur

OSM 52.8 km*

FÍ: moderate–challenging (no official SAC) · SAC T2 (mapped — no official SAC grade) · YDS 1

Car-free access: Reykjavík → Landmannalaugar (bus) — some legs on this record are provisional

Permit unverified

Türkiye · point-to-point

Lycian Way

OSM 454.5 km*

SAC T2 · YDS 1

Car-free access: Fethiye → Ovacık / Hisarönü (bus) — some legs on this record are provisional

Permit unverified

New Zealand · point-to-point

Milford Track

OSM 53.6 km*

DOC: Great Walk / Easier tramping track (in season) · SAC T2 (mapped — no official SAC grade) · YDS 1

Car-free access: Queenstown (ZQN) → Te Anau (bus); Te Anau → Glade Wharf (ferry) — some legs on this record are provisional

Permit required: DOC Great Walk hut booking

Australia · point-to-point

Overland Track

OSM 77.6 km*

Parks Tasmania: Grade 4 · SAC T2–T3 (mapped — no official SAC grade) · YDS 1

Car-free access: Launceston (LST) → Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre (bus); Hobart (HBA) → Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre (bus); Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre → Ronny Creek trailhead (bus) — some legs on this record are provisional

Permit required: Overland Track Pass (booking season) + Tasmania parks pass (winter)

Albania · loop

Peaks of the Balkans Trail

192 km*

SAC T3 · YDS 2

Car-free access: Tirana (TIA / city) → Theth (bus); Podgorica bus station → Plav (bus) — some legs on this record are provisional

Permit required: Cross-border permit (AL/XK/ME)

Slovenia · point-to-point

Slovenian mountain trail

OSM 577.6 km*

SAC T2 · YDS 1

Car-free access: Ljubljana → Maribor (rail); Ankaran → Koper (ferry) — some legs on this record are provisional

Permit unverified

New Zealand · loop

Tongariro Northern Circuit

OSM 44.2 km · Verified

DOC: Great Walk (in season) · SAC T2 (mapped — no official SAC grade) · YDS 1

Car-free access: Auckland (AKL) → Waimarino (National Park Village) (rail); Wellington (WLG) → Waimarino (National Park Village) (rail); Waimarino (National Park Village) → Whakapapa Village (bus) — some legs on this record are provisional

Permit required: DOC Great Walk hut/campsite booking

Chile · traverse

Torres del Paine W Trek

80 km*

SAC T2 · YDS 1

Car-free access: Punta Arenas airport (PUQ) → Puerto Natales bus terminal (bus); Puerto Natales → Laguna Amarga / Pudeto park entrance (bus) — some legs on this record are provisional

Permit required: CONAF park entry + campsite bookings

France · loop

Tour du Mont Blanc

OSM 166 km · Verified

Standard TMB non-technical; high variants harder · SAC T2–T3 (mapped — no official SAC grade) · YDS 1

Car-free access: Geneva (GVA) → Chamonix (bus); Chamonix → Les Houches (bus) — some legs on this record are provisional

No permit listed

Switzerland · point-to-point

Walker's Haute Route

122.6 km · schematic — not walking distance*

SAC T3 (mapped — no official SAC grade) · YDS 2

Car-free access: Geneva (GVA) → Chamonix (bus); Zermatt → Visp / Geneva (rail) — some legs on this record are provisional

No permit listed

United Kingdom · point-to-point

West Highland Way

OSM 153.2 km*

SAC T2 · YDS 1

Car-free access: Glasgow Queen Street / Central → Milngavie (rail); Fort William → Glasgow Queen Street (rail); Glasgow → Fort William (bus) — some legs on this record are provisional

No permit listed