Great treks around the world: readers travel tips

Winning tip: Pirin Mountains, Bulgaria

A friend and I completed a 55km, three-day hike across the Pirin mountains. We started in picturesque Dobrinishte, stayed in mountain huts for two nights and finished in the famous wine-growing town of Melnik, via the stunning Rozhen monastery. The variety of landscape was wonderful, from the glacial lakes of the upper mountains to the gentle Alpine forests below and finally the almost sub-tropical sandstone pyramids, dense vines and creepers around Melnik. jamescrouchman

Three days is all it takes to complete one of New Zealands great walks. The trek takes you through dense forest to rocky mountainsides with some spectacular waterfalls on the way. Side treks are also available for those who want a little more adventure. These are greatly advised particularly Conical Hill, which gives a panoramic view of the mountain range. Alpine parrots will accompany your journey, but keep an eye on your picnic! Really friendly guides give you all the information you need in the excellent huts on the way. David Grant

The Travessia Petrpolis is a three-day trek inland from the city of Rio that takes you up above the clouds to over 2,000m in the Parque Nacional da Serra dos Orgos. You will see spectacular sunsets and sunrises and can bathe in a refreshing waterfall. You can spend two nights in mountain shelters, hire a tent or take your own. You will need to pay a small fee to access the park, which can be done online, where you can also book the shelter and find a local guide. When you get back to Rio, you can carry on trekking with climbs up the numerous peaks of that amazing city.

bikeandwalk bikeandwalk

This is one of the last great wilderness walks in the British Isles, and not for the faint-hearted. Its a rough, tough five-day trek with no roads, no accommodation other than basic bothies and no other people! What it does have is superb coastal scenery, abundant wildlife and remarkable geological phenomena. writeofway

My partner and I trekked through Burmas Shan State, from Kalaw to Inle Lake, over three days. The states agricultural hinterland comprises a patchwork of farmland and an endless vista of hills and forest, dotted with villages, pagodas and monasteries. Stopping overnight, we were warmly welcomed to stay in wooden village houses, experiencing rural Burmese life in a place that felt off the beaten track. Along the way, we chatted to locals, rested in small tea shops over sweet, milky drinks and ducked into monasteries to escape the suns midday glare. BenStarkey

This is a great trek for several reasons. First, its history - the pilgrim way to Santiago was one of the great routes of the Middle Ages. Second, the architecture Cluniac monasteries, tiny Romanesque churches, great pilgrim hospitals, and the amazing cathedrals of Le Puy and Compostela at either end. And third, the landscape, from the great droving tracks of Aubrac to the Pyrenees, the narrow gorge of the Lot to the fertile vineyards and fruit orchards of Gascony, the route traverses some of the finest landscapes of southern Europe. andreakkk

The Nuortti hiking trail is a circular 40km trek near the Finnish/Russian border in the Urho Kekkonen national park. The trail runs along the Nuortti river, which is a popular destination for fishing and offers views of dense forests and deep canyons. It is an extremely well-catered-for trek offering reservable huts equipped with wood for fires, an outhouse, gas cooker and kitchen utensils. Id advise spending two nights in the forest its a magical environment to immerse yourself in, a place to feel detached from the hustle and bustle of life. connect10

The valley of Glenlough lies facing the wild Atlantic in south-west Donegal, Ireland. Its en route from Port to Maghera, which is a comfortable two-day trek, edging the coast, along spectacular cliffs and breathtaking scenery. Accessible only on foot, the valley was once briefly home to poet Dylan Thomas, who spent the summer of 1935 living and writing there. (The old stone cottage where he stayed is now a ruin.) The area and surrounding mountains are also home to rare flora and fauna and have been described by the Enviromental Protection Agency (EPA) as one of the last remaining wilderness frontiers in Europe, and the sea stacks offshore are some of the largest in Ireland. glendoan

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Great treks around the world: readers travel tips