The Best Hikes Around the World for 2019

If you're one of the many people whose New Year's resolution was to improve your fitness or see more of the world, hiking is the ideal activity. Whether you're a beginner looking for a short trail to conquer or a seasoned expert seeking a medium- or long-distance trek to cross off of your bucket list, there are plenty of rewarding hikes to choose from in 2019. On The Go Tours recently analyzed some of the best and healthiest trails around the world-breaking down distance, steps and calories burned-to help travelers decide which is the right one for them.

A challenging but popular hiking route, Peru's Inca Trail rewards travelers with a finish at Machu Picchu, a beloved UNESCO World Heritage Site that enhanced visitor access last year. The 26-mile trek includes 52,000 steps and will drain you of nearly a day's worth of calories (2,080), according to On The Go Tours' research.

New Zealand's South Island is where you'll find this 33-mile hiking trail through mountains and rainforest in Fiordland National Park. Completing the entire trail will require 66,000 steps so be prepared to burn as many as 2,640 calories.

Named for the region's Cape clawless otter, this famous and scenic South African trail traverses 26 miles along the coastline for a total of 52,000 steps. Hikers should give themselves several days to complete the trek as they can spend the night in comfortable huts along the way.

One of the most satisfying hiking trails Americans can complete without a passport this year is Hawaii's 22-mile or 44,000-step Kalalau Trail along Kauai's breathtaking Napali Coast. While it's undoubtedly one of the world's most beautiful treks, beginners or average hikers should give themselves more than one day as it can be quite dangerous in parts.

The renowned Routeburn Track covers 20 miles through Mount Aspiring and Fiordland National Parks in New Zealand's South Island and features several huts allowing hikers to break up their journey, which includes a total of 40,000 steps.

Named for the turquoise lake located inside Mount Robson Provincial Park in British Columbia, Canada, Berg Lake Trail is a 14-mile path broken up into multiple sections, including more than 2.5 miles alongside the Robson River.

The Tongariro Alpine Crossing can be found on New Zealand's North Island. The 12-mile route will burn about 960 calories. The term "Alpine" was recently added to the trail's name as it crosses volcanic terrain lacking vegetation and is thus fully exposed to the elements.

One of the shortest but most scenic hikes you'll want to take in 2019 is the 7.5-mile trek through Italy's Cinque Terre National Park, which became the country's first in 1999. This 15,000-step journey will take you past several charming cliff-side towns on the Ligurian Coast.

This 84-mile footpath through England follows the remains of Hadrian's Wall, a defensive wall built by the Romans nearly 1,900 years ago. Hikers can take a train from Newcastle to the start of the trail at Wallsend. From there, it'll be roughly 168,000 steps until you reach the end at the village of Bowness-on-Solway.

The famous Everest Base Camp Trek isn't for the faint of heart. The 70-mile journey requires about 140,000 steps, according to On The Go Tours, and is arduous in places. Consider hiking this route in spring or fall to take advantage of ideal conditions.

Also known as The Great Trail, the Trans Canada Trail is the longest recreational trail in the world, stretching across Canada from the Atlantic to the Pacific to the Arctic oceans. To complete this epic hike, you'll need to take more than 21 million steps and replenish as many as 845,000 calories along the way.

The Continental Divide Trail covers 3,100 miles through five U.S. states, including Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico. Hikers must complete well over six million steps to conquer this mammoth trail, burning a whopping 248,000 calories in the process.

Farther to the west, hikers will find the Pacific Crest Trail, a 2,650-mile long-distance hike through California, Oregon, Washington and British Columbia, Canada. It's considered one leg of the Triple Crown of Hiking along with the Appalachian Trail and the Continental Divide Trail. At 5.3 million steps, it's longer than the former but shorter than the latter.

The aforementioned Appalachian Trail is beloved by East Coast hikers whether they're beginners or advanced. The nearly 2,200-mile trail passes through 14 U.S. states and requires more than 4.3 million steps to finish, burning approximately 175,000 calories in the process.

Easily one of the U.S.'s most popular long-distance hiking trails, the John Muir Trail stretches roughly 211 miles through California's Sierra Nevada mountain range. The famous trail passes through Yosemite, Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks and takes about 422,000 steps to complete.

Winding through scenic southwestern Western Australia, the 623-mile Bibbulmun Track requires approximately 1.25 million steps to complete, so you'll need to replenish with plenty of water and snacks throughout your walk, which will burn nearly 50,000 calories if you go the distance.

This long-distance hikes covers more than 1,000 miles but is extremely versatile as hikers can choose the type of route and length of stay they prefer, be it a few days or a few months. Experienced mountaineers will love it as will travelers who would rather hang out with the friendly locals at each village along the way.

Australia's Great Ocean Walk spans 65 miles along Victoria's southwest coast, passing through multiple national parks, including The Twelve Apostles. In addition to stunning views, hikers will have the opportunity to spot unique wildlife en route to the finish.

This 46-mile hike is named for the ancient "lost city" in Colombia's Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountain range and will prove challenging for any experience level as you'll be required to make steep climbs and cross obstacles such as rivers. However, you can burn up to 3,680 calories in the 92,000 steps it takes to complete.