Read below to learn about our top trekking destinations for September, October and November. We’ve picked some of our best options in Peru, Nepal, India, Ecuador and Morocco!
Machu Picchu in Peru: a stunning end to unforgettable treks!
This post is the third installment of the Adventures Within Reach “Trek a Month” overview highlighting our favorite treks each month to help you pick a great adventure for your travel dates. We’ll write 1 more post with 3 months of the best treks for those times of year.
>> Read about top treks for March, April and May! >>
>> Read about top treks for June, July and August! >>
September
- Our Top Trek Recommendation: The Inca Trail, Peru
- Runner Up: 9-day Choquequirao to Machu Picchu Trek, Peru
Machu Picchu
The Inca Trail: September is an ideal time to hike in Peru! Culminating at Machu Picchu, this hike is one of the world’s best treks! The legendary Inca Trail takes you through the diverse wilderness of the Machu Picchu Historical Sanctuary, passing numerous Inca ruins on the magnificent stone highway before descending to the famed citadel of Machu Picchu. It starts in Cusco or Ollantaytambo and returns to Cusco with an overnight at a hotel in Aguas Calientes. We offer both groups to join and private treks.
Choquequirao to Machu Picchu Trek: Very few people know that Hiram Bingham visited Choquequirao before he “rediscovered” Machu Picchu. His explorations took him to this “other Machu Picchu” and along trails that are used today as a back way to get to Machu Picchu! The trails are Inca Trails, but not the classic route!
This trek is one of the most difficult treks for this area of Peru….and one of the finest challenges for the intrepid hiker. It links the two most spectacular Inca ruins: Choquequirao and Machu Picchu. It travels through a wide range of Peru’s vegetation zones, inviting you to experiencea large amount of native flora. The last day is spent at Machu Picchu, with an opportunity to climb Huayna Picchu.
October
- Our Top Trek Recommendation: Everest Base Camp Trek, Nepal
- Runner Up: Kanchenjunga Base Camp Trek, Sikkim, India
See the beauty of the highest peaks on earth!
Everest Base Camp Trek: This trek among the Sherpa people of Nepal is perhaps the most popular hike in all the Himalaya. We offer a standard teahouse trek and a “luxury” lodge trek. The trek begins with an “eye opening” flight to Lukla, situated at 9,184ft. The trek passes through the picturesque Sherpa village of Namche Bazaar culminating in the “ascent” of Kala Patthar – 18,187ft – from where classic views of Everest and its surrounding peaks are available. Most of the trek is spent above altitudes of 3000 meters. Beautiful, multi-hued prayer flags, prayer wheels and intricately carved mani stones line every hilltop, rock wall, and trail-side, singing prayers to the gods with every breeze and every passing traveler.
Kanchenjunga Base Camp Trek, the world’s 3rd highest mountain
Kanchenjunga Base Camp Trek: October is also an ideal time to trek to the base of the world’s third highest peak, Kanchenjunga. While not nearly as well known as Everest, the views are just as amazing and the cultures you meet along the way are unforgettable! For the people of Sikkim, Kanchenjunga is more than just the third highest peak in the world; it is believed to be the abode of the state’s patron deity. This trek takes one right up close to the big mountain, through forests of rhododendrons, orchids, pine and magnolia to the higher valleys and the rolling meadows used for grazing by the gentle yak-herding Lepchas.
November
- Our Top Trek Recommendation: 7 Summits with Cotopaxi, Ecuador
- Runner Up: Sahara Desert Trek, Morocco
Stunning Cotopaxi: Glaciated peaks on the Equator!
7 Summits with Cotopaxi: Our 14-Day Seven Ecuadorian Peaks With Cotopaxi and Chimborazo is a fantastic trip for enthusiasts of high summits and stunning scenery. In the heart of the Ecuadorian Andes, this trip is best for climbers with mountaineering experience or for trekkers looking to break into new terrain and learn the ropes of technical mountaineering. The treks and the ascents are linked to assure a perfect acclimatization to the altitude and to increase your physical resistance. You will climb 7 of the most famous Ecuadorian volcanoes: Fuya-Fuya, Culbiche, Imbabura, Pasochoa, Illinizas, Cotopaxi and Chimborazo. The itinerary also includes several days of rest and recovery that will allow you to discover 4 of the most famous tourist attractions in Ecuador: the old colonial city of Quito, the equator, the famous Indian market of Otavalo and the charming thermal city of Baños.
Dunes of the Sahara
Sahara Desert Trek: We only recommend trekking in the Sahara from October through April, so this is a perfect time of year to explore towering sand dunes and the backside of the Atlas mountains. This trek in the Sahara desert will take you to the renowned Chegaga dunes and other less visited areas. After departing from Marrakesh the trip crosses the Atlas mountains and enters the desert. You’ll spend 5 nights camping in the desert and hike with camels to soaring dunes through a beautiful and barren landscape. The trip begins and ends in Marrakesh, so you will also be able to discover this fascinating city with its palaces and famous markets.