These are the Most Searched For Hikes in Every Country

Hiking. It’s not a science. And it’s not expensive. From day hikes to continuous trekking, it’s something people have been doing for thousands of years. And, today, it still continues to be one of the world’s most popular recreational activities.

Whether it’s a swift walk to a local viewpoint or a challenging trek to the highest peak, hiking and backpacking has always been an ideal way to connect with nature.

What’s more, hiking is surely one of the world’s most accessible outdoor activities. You can do it almost anywhere, which means that the opportunities to get out and explore are endless. Visiting a new city? Or venturing to a remote campsite? There are always hiking trails and walking opportunities to be found, wherever you travel.

And that got us thinking. When it comes to travel, where are the best hikes? Which day trek is done the most? And what is the most popular hiking trail in the world?

So, we asked our data team at Hipcamp to crunch the numbers. Pooling endless lists from Europe to Africa, America to Australia, and combining must-do hiking routes with the latest Google search data. Together, we’ve found the “most searched for” hike in every country.

Trekkers, hikers, walkers, ramblers, the authoritative list of what you love is here. Check out the results below…

The Countries and Hikes with the Highest Search Volumes

Japan: Mount Fuji

Japan’s highest mountain, Mount Fuji, is part of the countries very essence. So it’s no wonder that climbing it has been a popular activity for centuries. The peak’s breathtaking views and cultural significance have made it almost obligatory for both tourists and locals alike.

In fact, as many as 5,000 people are thought to reach the summit each day between July and September, which could explain why there are around 300,000 searches each month for the mountain trek route.

Interestingly, the most common search query is actually for the location of the ‘5th station’, the highest station on the mountain at 2,400 meters above sea level, and the start of the Fujinomiya trail. This is the shortest route up Mount Fuji with the ascent taking between 4–7 hours and the descent taking between 2–6 hours.

Spain: Caminito Del Rey

While the Camino de Santiago is often considered the most famous long-distance trail in Europe, it’s actually another famous hiking trail in Spain, the Caminito Del Rey, that sees the top volume of searches online. Beating popular hikes in France, Italy, and Switzerland, the route in Spain’s Malaga region, sees just short of 280,000 monthly searches and has gained popularity due to its spectacular views and challenging terrain. With vistas of the Gaitanes Gorge and other surrounding natural beauty spots, it’s widely recognised as one of Europe’s most scenic hiking routes.

Caminito Del Rey was also once renowned as one of the most dangerous trails in Spain due to its narrow path and steep drops. However, it was restored in 2015 to make it much safer for hikers with an allocation of 1100 visitors a day being imposed for safety reasons. Despite this, the hike, which takes around 2 hours, is still incredibly popular.

Peru: Machu Picchu

A bucket list experience for adventure seekers and history buffs alike, Machu Picchu is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. The Inca Trail takes hikers along 26 miles, through the impressive Andes Mountains, and takes between 4 and 5 days to complete.

500 people can hike the Inca Trail each day, although we imagine that this number would be much higher without the regulations implemented by the Peruvian government on the number of hikers allowed on the trail at once.

With searches of around 139,000 each month, it’s unsurprising that permits to hike to Machu Picchu sell out so quickly, sometimes as far as 5 months in advance for peak season slots. After all, climbing Machu Picchu offers a ‘once in a lifetime’ experience that combines adventure, history and natural beauty.

Mexico: Nevado de Toluca

Mexico’s Nevado de Toluca is the only volcano in the country that has lagoons in its crater where archaeological remains have been found. And it’s not a hike for the feint hearted. Beginning at 4,000 meters above sea level, you’ll need to be ready for high altitude before you even start walking and the trek requires a good level of fitness. That doesn’t seem to be putting people off though; the route earns itself around 67,000 Google searches a month.

The trek to the summit of Nevado de Toluca takes between 3 and 4 hours, and it’s recommended that you start the hike in the early morning to avoid the afternoon heat. This also explains why the most common search query for this trail, in particular, was about the temperature and the best time of day to tackle the walk.

The Netherlands: Pieterpad

Perhaps the longest hike in this list, Pieterpad is a 309-mile trail that spans the length of the Netherlands, starting in Groningen in the north and ending in Maastricht in the south.

Walking enthusiasts can either hike the entire length of the trail, which can be done in 26 separate stages, or just choose specific sections depending on their interests. Pieterpad winds through various quaint Dutch villages and picturesque landscapes, so there are plenty of views to soak up.

The trail gets around 37,000 searches each month, which is unsurprising considering how many people walk different sections of Pieterpad each day and its versatility for all hiking abilities.

Other Interesting Findings

We thought we’d take a little hike into some of the other interesting findings too…

USA: Diamond Head

In the USA, the Diamond Head crater saw the highest number of searches, with 36,000 on average each month. Located on the Hawaiian island of Oahu, Diamond Head is a 300,000-year-old volcanic crater that offers breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean and Honolulu, after you’ve hiked up to it.

Visitors to the area are thought to exceed 3,000 people per day, making Diamond Head one of the most popular and heavily visited destinations in the state of Hawaii for both tourists and locals alike.

The most common search query was regarding the length of the hike, which is actually only a 1.6-mile round trip that should take walkers around 2 hours in total—with time to take in the views, of course! Be prepared though, despite the distance, Diamond Head is not an easy hike due to the 560ft climb that includes 175 stairs.

United Kingdom: Brecon Beacons Waterfalls

The Four Waterfalls Walk is the most-searched-for day hike in the United Kingdom, with 9,400 queries each month on average. The 5.5-mile footpath winds through beautiful woodlands, areas of wildflowers, and passes—you guessed it—four waterfalls: Sgwd Clun-Gwyn, Sgwd Isaf Clun-Gwyn, Sgwd y Pannwr, and Sgwd yr Eira.

The Four Waterfalls Walk is located in the Brecon Beacons, a popular National Park in South Wales that encompasses 519 square miles and is thought to see as many as 3 million visitors per day.

Naturally, the most common search query is people searching for a map of the trail—which is definitely useful for a route that winds around so many different cascading falls and intercepts a number of other public footpaths.

Canada: Joffre Lakes

Canada’s Joffre Lakes is the hiking trail that saw the most searches in the country, with an average of 5,100 per month. Offering both day trips and multi-day options, the route offers hikers brilliant views of British Columbia’s most picturesque lakes.

The Lower, Middle, and Upper Lakes are all incredibly striking, with their turquoise hue providing a captivating photo backdrop. The first, Lower Joffre Lake, is just 500m from the car park and trailhead. Then, as you carry on towards Middle and Upper Joffre Lakes, the trail becomes steeper and more challenging.

The most common search query is how long it takes to climb, which is between 3.5—5 hours depending on your speed and rest stops.

Australia: Three Sisters Walk

In Australia, it’s the Three Sisters Walk in New South Wales that sees the most searches, with 7,600 each month on average. Rather breezy compared to other hikes in this study, it takes around 45 minutes to complete the 900-metre trail.

That being said, the Three Sisters Walk still offers rivalling scenery with a panoramic view of the Three Sisters landmark and the surrounding valley. The site consists of an unusual rock formation in the Blue Mountains and is an important part in Aboriginal history.

According to legend, there were once three sisters who fell in love with three brothers in the neighbouring tribe, something that was forbidden under tribal law. To rebel, the brothers set out to make the women their brides and a major war began between the two tribes.

A witch doctor from the sister’s tribe decided to help by transforming the women into stone to protect them and planned to reverse the spell after the battle ended. Sadly, the witch doctor was killed, leaving the three sisters as large rock formations for all eternity.

New Zealand: The Pinnacles

New Zealand is famed for its epic mountain scenery and outdoor access. And amongst any list of the best hiking trails your bound to find The Pinnacles Walk on the Coromandel Peninsula. With 250 searches each month on average, the 7.4-mile hike doesn’t quite take you to the highest point on the peninsula but does give you all the amazing views you could need.

Hikers often opt to stay overnight in the Pinnacles hut as the trail is said to boast jaw-dropping views of the sunrise over the east coast of New Zealand’s north island, with the morning glow cast across the peninsula’s limestone cliffs.

Methodology

To find the “most searched for” hike in each country, we searched for words such as “hike,” “trek,” and “route” in the appropriate language, and selected the route with the highest search volume.

We also used credible sources like Lonely Planet, Rough Guides, and AllTrails to find popular hiking trails in each country and analyzed the search volume for these.

Countries without any data available were omitted from the study.

Places such as national parks or volcanos where a high volume of searches also focus around other activities, such as safaris and wildlife reserves, were excluded, along with key search terms where notable anomalies had caused a spike in searches (e.g. a recent volcano eruption).

Famous landmarks were included if the only way to reach them was via a hike.

Data correct as of February 2023.

A full dataset is available on request.

Full results table also found below: