Hiking seasons: when to walk the world's great trails

The best time for a trek depends on two things: when the high passes are free of snow, and when the rain stays away. In the Alps that leaves a short summer window; in the Himalaya it leaves two seasons, either side of the monsoon; in Patagonia and New Zealand it runs through the southern summer, from November to March. Get the month wrong and a famous trail can be closed, under cloud, or simply too hot.

Month by month

• March to May: spring in the Himalaya, with rhododendrons in flower. Good months for Jordan, the American Southwest and the Grand Canyon.
• June to September: the Alps, the Scottish Highlands, Iceland's interior, Ladakh and the Inca Trail.
• October and November: the clearest views of the year in Nepal and Bhutan, and autumn colour on Japanese and Chinese mountains.
• November to March: Patagonia, New Zealand's Great Walks and Tasmania. Winter walking in the Canary Islands and Madeira.

The Himalaya

In Nepal, October and November bring the clearest skies, when the monsoon has washed the dust out of the air. Spring, from March to May, is a little hazier but warmer, and the rhododendron forests are in flower. From June to September the monsoon brings rain, leeches and clouds over the peaks. This is true for Everest Base Camp and for the Annapurna treks from Pokhara. Bhutan follows the same pattern.

Ladakh is the exception. It sits in the rain shadow behind the main range, so its trekking season is June to September, exactly when the rest of the Himalaya is wet.

The Alps

Mountain huts in the Alps usually open from mid or late June to mid September, and high passes may hold snow until July. The Tour du Mont Blanc starts in Chamonix and circles the massif through France, Italy and Switzerland in about ten days. The Haute Route links Chamonix to Zermatt. In the Dolomites, the Alta Via 1 runs from hut to hut under the limestone towers. September is often the best month: stable weather, quieter huts and fresh snow on the peaks some mornings.

Britain and Iceland

In the Scottish Highlands, May and June have long days and fewer midges than July and August. The West Highland Way runs about 150 km from near Glasgow to Fort William. In Iceland, the Laugavegur trail through the highlands only opens from late June to early September, when the roads and huts are open.

Patagonia and New Zealand

Torres del Paine in Chile is walked from November to March, on the W Trek or the longer O Circuit. The wind is the famous part: gusts can knock you over, so plan a spare day. Across the border, the trails around Fitz Roy are reached from El Chaltén, north of El Calafate.

In New Zealand, the Great Walks run from late October to April. The Milford Track to Milford Sound needs bookings months ahead, and the Routeburn starts near Queenstown. In Tasmania, the Overland Track is best from November to April.

Africa and South America

Kilimanjaro is climbed in its two dry seasons, January to early March and June to October. The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, from Cusco, is driest from May to September and closes every February for maintenance.

The United States

• The Grand Canyon is best for hiking into the canyon in spring and autumn. In summer the bottom can pass 40°C, and walking down and back in one day is dangerous.
• Utah's national parks, such as Zion and Arches, are at their best from March to May and September to November.
• Yosemite: the high country opens from July to September, while the waterfalls are fullest in May and June.

Asia

The official climbing season on Mount Fuji, near Fuji and Hakone, runs from early July to early September. Huangshan is lovely in spring and autumn, and Tiger Leaping Gorge, near Lijiang, is best walked from October to May, outside the rainy season.

Winter hiking

When the north is cold, the Canary Islands and Madeira have mild weather and good trails, from volcanic ridges to Madeira's levadas, paths along old irrigation channels. Jordan is best from March to May and September to November; the Jordan Trail crosses the country to Petra and Wadi Rum.

Tips

• Check when huts, campsites and permits open. A closed hut can end a trek more surely than bad weather.
• Book famous trails early: the Inca Trail, the Milford Track and the huts in Torres del Paine and the Dolomites fill months ahead.
• Start early in the day in summer, in the mountains and in the desert.