A forest hike is one of life’s great pleasures: rustling leaves, chirruping birds, warming rays breaking through the canopy. Utter. Bliss.
But, with around a quarter of the Earth’s land covered by forest, narrowing down where to trek through the trees is a toughy. To help, we’ve narrowed down our most beautiful forests for hiking (and the trips you can join to explore the trees for yourself).
Fanal Forest, Madeira, Portugal
Sheltered by the Seixal and Ribeira da Janela mountains, the Fanal Forest is a haven for hikers, particularly when the atmospheric mists roll in to cloak the landscape. The scenic forest hikes here take you through ancient til trees, whose twisting, curling branches look like something from a fairytale, while the trees themselves were there to greet the Portuguese when they discovered the island in 1419.
Find the Forest Trail: Walking the Island of Madeira
As part of this immersive hiking adventure in Madeira, we visit the Fanal Forest on Day 5. Our 7mi (11km) hike takes you along the Paul da Serra Plateau and through the largest surviving area of laurisilva forest on the planet, before ending in the Fanal Forest.
Primeval forest of Sipoonkorpi National Park, Finland
Just outside Helsinki, Sipoonkorpi provides a blissful escape for city hikers. Its old-growth forests are commanded by conifers, while tinkling streams, scenic lakes and rugged crags add to the classic Finnish beauty of the landscape.
Get lucky, and you might spot some of the resident wildlife, which includes wood grouse, lynx and the European eagle owl, the latter of which has become the symbol of the park.
Find the Forest Trail: Walks of the Baltics and Finland
On an adventure encompassing the wild landscapes of the Baltics and Finland, we enjoy a hike through Sipoonkorpi. Taking the circular Fiskträsk Trail, we experience some of the most beautiful landscapes in Finland, passing canyons, Ice Age rock formations and a portion of the primeval forest.
Taiga Forests of Sápmi, Sweden
Far north of the Arctic circle, 125mi (200km) to be exact, the taiga forests of Sápmi (Lapland) twinkle when the winter sun hits them just right. Snow bends the boughs and footprints betray the animals who slink between the trees.
When you want remote, northern Sweden does it in spectacular fashion. For hikers, the snowy landscapes also offer the opportunity to ditch their boots and explore by snowshoe (or perhaps by dog sled or ski, if you prefer).
Find the Forest Trail: Arctic Circle Aurora Adventure
Join our local guides, experts in exploring wintery landscapes, to experience the astonishing beauty of the taiga forests. Much of your adventure takes place in the trees, with the chance to forest ski, dog sled and see the pine-covered hills.
Amazon Rainforest, South America
Good things take time. And at 55 million years old (at least), the Amazon is about as good as it gets. Stretching into nine nations, it’s the largest remaining tropical forest in the world and home to 10% of all animal species, some 400 indigenous and ethnic groups, and a minimum of 30 million people.
It’s also hiking heaven. Here, the trees can reach nearly 90m (295ft) high, while the rainforest comprises at least 40,000 plant species, though some estimate it could be more than double that.
Find the Forest Trail: Discover Brazil
Around 60% of the Amazon resides within Brazil. On this culture-packed adventure, we journey deep into the wilderness to stay with one of the Indigenous communities who call it home. Alongside the chance to walk the trails, we also take a boat along the Rio Negro, meet riverside communities and embark on an exclusive tractor tour. For beauty, the Amazon never fails to deliver.
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Uganda
Impenetrable (for all but the local experts), Bwindi shelters 460-odd mountain gorillas, around half of the world’s population. They’re critically endangered but a hike through the thick undergrowth to see them is a nature doc come reality.
But don’t think you can go it alone. The gorillas are well protected; not just by the dense foliage (which you’ll need a machete to hack through) but also government-imposed restrictions. Find the right tour, however, and you’ll enjoy one of the world’s great wildlife experiences and an adventurous hike that (almost) matches it.
Find the Forest Trail: Gorillas & Masai Mara
Scratch off a huge chunk of your bucket list on this African wildlife-watching adventure. You’ll enjoy an overland safari in the Masai Mara in Kenya, track chimpanzees, and, of course, join our expert guides in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest to spend an unforgettable hour with mountain gorillas.
Monteverde Cloud Forest, Costa Rica
Perennially shrouded by a misty blanket, the Monteverde Cloud Forest of Costa Rica is a natural utopia. The life-giving moisture that hangs over the landscape is a blessing for plants, particularly epiphytes, such as lichens, orchids and bromeliads.
It is also a haven for wildlife. Eight life zones are found here, sheltering all six species of the cat family, plus more than 100 mammal species, 400 types of bird, and 1,200 amphibians and reptiles. For hikers, there’s also 8mi (13km) of trails to discover.
Find the Forest Trail: Discover Costa Rica
Join our classic wildlife adventure in Costa Rica and you’ll venture deep into the Tilaran mountains to explore the Monteverde Cloud Forest. You’ll also explore the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve, while also navigating the wildlife-rich waterways of Tortuguero and hiking trails in the Esquinas Rainforest Nature Reserve.
Meiji Jingu Forest, Japan
A pocket of peace within busy Tokyo, the Meiji Jingu Forest is a welcome antidote to the fast-paced megacity wrapped around it. At its heart is the Meiji Jingu Shinto shrine, dedicated to the ‘divine souls of Emperor Meiji and his consort Empress Shoken’.
The forest itself is an astonishing collection of more than 100,000 trees, including 235 different varieties, which were donated from across the country and planted by 110,000 volunteers.
Find the Forest Trail: Highlights of Japan
Visit Meiji Jingu shrine on our Highlights of Japan adventure, which combines the natural and human-made wonders of Japan. Consider Meiji Jingu Forest a bit of both. You’ll also visit Kyoto, Hiroshima and captivating Miyajima on an adventure that truly gets to the heart of this wonderful country. Visit during cherry blossom season from late March to early April to see nature’s prettiest show.
Ghorepani Rhododendron Forests, Nepal
Though it’s easy to think of rhododendron blooms as a staple of the English country garden, there are few sights more pleasing than ascending Himalayan trails surrounded by brightly coloured rhododendrons.
The most famous rhododendron forests in Nepal are those on the slopes of Poon Hill, which burst into flower in late March and April. Views over the Annapurna range make a hike here even more magical.
Find the Forest Trail: Annapurna Sanctuary Trek
Hike through the Annapurnas, a gigantic Himalayan massif with several peaks over 7,000m (22,965ft), and you’ll have the optional of scaling Poon Hill. April is your best time to visit for the rhododendron blooms, though the spectacular hike means you’ll have stunning landscape views whenever you visit.
Andes Cloud Forest, Peru
As any Andean trekker will tell you, the cloud forests of Peru are a sight to behold. Clinging to the edges of the huge Andes mountains, and accompanying walkers taking on the world-famous Inca Trail, these atmospheric forests are as poetic as the name suggests.
The dense mists that swirl around these canopies are a photographic dream, with their dramatic curls making for unforgettable sights. Reaching Machu Picchu, one of the New Wonders of the World, is an unforgettable way to finish the trail.
Find the Forest Trail: The Inca Trail
With more than 40 years running this trek, we know all the best viewpoints and rest stops around. Over the eight-day adventure, you’ll strike through forests, over mountain passes, and past Inca ruins, as you make you way to Machu Picchu.
Browse our trips below and plan your next forest hike.
