Outdoor holiday destinations

It’s one of the most underrated holidays you can go on, as it’s a great way to de-stress and explore a country’s natural beauty. However, with gorgeous views all over the world, deciding on a destination for your next outdoor holiday can be tricky. 

To make your decision easier, we’ve ranked some of the top countries for outdoor holidays by looking into the number of walking tours, hiking trails and the percentage of protected land to reveal the best countries for an active holiday. 

The best countries for outdoor holidays

1. United Kingdom - 8.98 outdoor destination score

The United Kingdom takes the top spot with an outdoor destination score of 8.98 out of 10. The UK scores highly across all categories, ranking in the top five for three categories: walking tours, hiking trails and canoe and kayak trails. The UK boasts incredible scenery, several national parks and plentiful campsites, making it a wonderful place to adventure in, no matter what you want to do. 

2. Spain - 8.52 outdoor destination score

Spain is the second-best country for an outdoor holiday, with an outdoor destination score of 8.52 out of 10. It is packed with national parks, beautiful mountains and stunning scenery; from the mountains of the Pyrenees to the nature reserves of the Asturias to the Picos de Europa. Spain ranked in fourth and sixth place for walking tours and hiking trails, respectively. Spain also has more walking tours than our top three destinations for outdoor holidays.

3. France - 8.32 outdoor destination score

France completes our top three with an outdoor destination score of 8.32 out of 10. France boasts beautiful lakes and rivers, such as the Ardeche River, which is great for paddleboarding or canoeing, with almost 60 trails for these sports. If you prefer hiking, France also has more than 30,000 hiking trails where you can enjoy breathtaking mountains and scenery. 

The countries with the most hiking trails

1. United States - 253,793 hiking trails

Taking the top spot is the United States, with more than 250,000 hiking trails. National parks are abundant in the US, with Zion National Park, Yosemite National Park and Great Smoky Mountains among the best. Arizona, California and Utah are some of the best states for hiking enthusiasts, with plenty of hiking trails to suit both the infrequent hiker and the seasoned hiker. 

2. United Kingdom - 49,365 hiking trails

In second place is the United Kingdom, with just under 50,000 hiking trails. From canals to the countryside, the UK has plenty of scenic options for hikers. And when you’ve worked up your appetite and need to quench your thirst, grabbing a snack and having a pint at one of the many country pubs situated along the UK’s hiking trails is the perfect mid-way break for your hike. The UK also has a great walking culture, which is encouraged at a young age. A great example of this is the Duke of Edinburgh award, which is an outdoor-based programme for schoolchildren aged 14 and above which involves a hiking trip to achieve the award.

3. Canada - 36,683 hiking trails

Canada completes our top three with over 35,000 hiking trails, allowing everyone to enjoy the country’s panoramic views. Some of the highest-rated hiking trails in Canada are the Lake Agnes Trail, the Tunnel Mountain Summit and the Sulphur Mountain Trail. 

Countries with the most canoe and kayaking trails

1. United States - 1,769 canoe and kayaking trails

The United States takes the top spot, with almost 1,800 canoe and kayaking trails. The US has a wide range of trails for canoeing and kayaking, with some as long as 100km. However, most of them are considered easy, which would be well suited for beginners. Green Lake Trail, Lake Isabelle Trail and Manasquan Reservoir Loop are among the best in the US. 

2. Canada - 1,502 canoe and kayaking trails

In second place is Canada, with just over 1,500 canoeing and kayaking trails. Canada is more suited to experienced canoers and kayakers, with more moderate and hard trails compared to its North American neighbour. 

3. Indonesia - 634 canoe and kayaking trails

Indonesia completes our top three with 634 canoe and kayak trails. All canoe and kayak trails in Indonesia are easy to moderate difficulty, making it more suited to those with less experience. However, if you want to enjoy the beautiful scenery whilst still challenging yourself, the longest trail in Indonesia, Lake Poso, is 72.9km. 

Countries with the most protected land

1. Croatia - 38.5% of land is protected

Croatia is first, with almost 40% of its land protected. There are over 400 areas of protected land in Croatia, most of which are national parks, nature parks and strict reserves. Croatia’s oldest national park and one of its most famous protected areas is Plitvice Lakes National Park, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

2. Greece - 35.2% of land is protected

With just over 35% of land protected, Greece takes second place. Greece has more than 1,200 protected areas, with around 800 under national law. Around 20% of its marine waters are also protected. In April 2024, Greece became the first country to ban bottom trawling, a method of fishing that targets species that live close to the seabed. 

3. New Zealand - 33.4% of land is protected

New Zealand concludes our top three, with 33% of its land being protected. More than 10,000 areas of New Zealand are protected, covering about 80,000 square kilometres. Tongariro National Park is one of New Zealand’s most famous protected areas and is one of the 10 oldest national parks in the World. It’s also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

Countries with the most walking tours

1. Italy - 8,833 walking tours

Taking the top spot is Italy, with almost 9,000 walking tours. Many of Italy’s walking tours involve Rome’s Colosseum, Florence’s art galleries and the Vatican’s museums. More than a third of Italy’s walking tours are rated five stars on Tripadvisor, showing the lasting impression Italy leaves on its visitors. It’s abundant in quantity and quality, with visitors from all over enjoying its beautiful sights and stunning scenery.

2. United States - 5,669 walking tours

The United States takes second place, with 5,669 walking tours. Similarly to Italy, the US has a high percentage of walking tours rated five stars and above on Tripadvisor. Walking tours in the US involve history, food and scenery, meaning that there’s a walking tour for everyone.

3. Vietnam - 3,577 walking tours

Vietnam has the third-highest number of walking tours, with just over 3,500. Vietnam has several stunning sights and most of the walking tours allow you to see them for yourself. But if you want to try the local cuisine, there are also many food tours. Of the walking tours Vietnam has to offer, just under a third of them are rated five stars on Tripadvisor. 

Methodology

• We used Newsweek to get the top 50 countries for adventure.

• For hiking trails, we used All Trails, using the hiking filter for each country.

• We also used the paddle sports filter on All Trails to find the number of canoe and kayaking trails.

• We then used World Bank to get the percentage of land that’s under protection.

• Finally, we used Tripadvisor to get the number of walking tours in each country.

• We used a weighted table to give each factor a normalised score out of 10. We then averaged these scores to get the overall outdoor destination score for each country.