The Best Hiking and Sailing Vacations for Adventurous Travellers

Myth-laden islands await on this sailing expedition along the Dalmatian coast, from Split to Dubrovnik. Hike along limestone cliffs on Hvar before tackling the forests of Lastovo to reach the island’s highest point, the 417m (1,368ft) Hum. Then it’s on to Mljet, where the Greek hero Odyessus is said to have lived for several years after escaping a sea storm. There, explore the dense pine forests of the oldest national park in the Mediterranean on a guided walk.

Wrap up warm for this 14-day quest into the Arctic Circle, starting in Aberdeen and finishing in Longyearbyen in Norway. Admire sea-carved arches and caves as you walk along the cliffs of Scotland’s Fair Isle – the most remote inhabited island in the UK – before sailing past glaciers and icebergs to the barely populated islands of Faroe and Jan Mayen. You’ll finish this epic trip with three days in Spitsbergen, exploring the fjords and maybe even hiking the tundra to meet its resident reindeer.

Get ready to challenge yourself on this sailing expedition around the Cape Verde islands, a cluster of ten volcanic isles off the northwestern coast of Africa. You’ll have the chance to trek to the crater rim of the archipelago’s most active volcano, the 2,830m (9,285ft) Pico do Fogo, before having lunch in a village inside the caldera itself. Then it’s on to Santo Antao, the westernmost island, where you’ll explore pine forests, mountain valleys and isolated villages on foot.