By Everett Potter

Walking tours, don’t you know, may just be the best way to see the world. The pace is slow, the better to take in all the new sights and sounds around you. You can savor the landscape, the architecture, and the people you encounter, just as you delight in the food and wine that invariably follow a day on foot. There are no crowds, no lines, no delays. Just a quieter way to travel. Here are five new walking trips for 2024 —  in Scotland, Croatia, Spain, the Canadian Rockies and the French Alps —  all of them terrific ways to see the world at a slower pace.

France Alps GR5 Trekking Tour

The France Alps GR5 Trekking Tour from MT Sobek is a historic trek in the Alps along ancient trade routes that lead from the mountains down to the Mediterranean Sea.  Grand Randonnée 5, or GR5, has been used by traders and soldiers for thousands of years. It begins in the storied alpine world of the Mont Blanc Massif. You’ll travel through remote valleys and wildflower-filled meadows, and explore three pristine French Alps National Parks: Vanoise, Queyras, and Mercantour. The finish line is the French Riviera and a dip in the Mediterranean. This 14-day trip is rated activity level 4, which translates to 5-9 hours a day of hiking at elevations below 10,000 feet. The trails can be rocky and steep, requiring stamina, excellent balance, and coordination … continue reading