The longest route in the world, which (though only according to Google), you can walk, is 22387 km. A significant part of it passes through Russia. We talk about the “fabulous” international route and real eco-trails, equipped in Russia for those who like to walk a lot.
FROM CAPE TOWN TO MAGADAN
The longest walking route in the world, according to the Google Maps service, runs from Cape Town in South Africa to Russian Magadan.
According to Google Maps, the walk will take 4,492 hours – that's 187 days of continuous walking, excluding sleep time. If you go “working day”, that is, 8 hours a day, then it would take about a year and a half to overcome this distance.
The route passes through the territory of 16 states.
Table Mountain in South Africa. Photo by Maxpixel.com
You can start your walk near Table Mountain in South Africa. Climbing to the top takes about 2-3 hours and pays off with breathtaking views of Cape Town and the south coast. If 22.3 thousand km seems not enough, then right on the plateau you can walk along one of several walking routes.
Next, Botswana will wait for the brave walker, where knowledgeable travelers offer to go on a safari tour. Chobe National Park and Okavango Delta are two of the best national parks in Botswana. It is full of elephants, lions, giraffes, buffaloes and zebras.
In addition, the traveler will find somewhere to rest after the first month and a half of the walk. In Botswana, you can choose from luxury wooden cabins to spa resorts.
The longest walking route in the world. Photo: Google Maps screenshot
From Gaborone in Botswana to Victoria Falls in Zambia, a pleasant and easy stretch of 22 days awaits the traveler. In Zambia, of course, you should see the largest waterfall in the world – Victoria Falls, located on the Zambezi River on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe. Its width is 1708 meters. Visitors can take a dip in the natural pools at the top, but because of their proximity to the edge, it's not for the faint of heart!
Six months later, the diligent hiker will be rewarded with an encounter with the Great Pyramid of Giza.
“Whether it was aliens or just an incredible amount of slave labor, the sheer mathematical genius of the pyramids and the many mysteries surrounding their inner passages have become a legend,” travelers argue. Advising, however, to grab enough snacks for the road.
The transition to the next wonder of the world – the magical Petra in Jordan – will take only two weeks. The archaeological site located in the south of the country is perfectly preserved.
Ancient Petra. Jordan. Photo piqsels.com
Among other things, the world-famous Al-Khazneh Temple is located there – a richly decorated building carved directly into the sandstone rock. This tourist attraction is easily recognizable and was featured, for example, in the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Meanwhile, it is believed that it was the mausoleum of the Nabatean king Aretas IV, this is the most popular
If the traveler has already chosen the most non-standard way to get to know the world, then the next stop in 5 weeks should be made in Turkey, on Lake Van.
There are plenty of picturesque hiking trails around the lake and many cozy hotels. This is the perfect place to relax and immerse yourself in the fascinating history from the Armenian kingdoms to the Mongol conquests.
Lake Van. Photo flickr.com (Creative Commons license)
The lake was at the center of the world's largest empires at different times. It even has its own equivalent of the Loch Ness Monster: the Lake Van Monster, first recorded in the 1800s.
And just 16 days from Lake Van, you can make the last stop before crossing the border with Russia and enjoy a city break in the capital of Georgia, Tbilisi. With its cobbled old town and red-roofed houses, the city is remarkably picturesque and nestled under the towering presence of Narikala, a 4th-century fortress.
So, the brave pedestrian reached Russia. But his journey is not over yet. As you move northeast, the temperature will continue to drop, and the landscape will become more and more barren. There will be fewer and fewer places to stay. Traveling to the final point of the route – Magadan – through the territory of Russia will take at least 253 days.
IN REALLY, OF COURSE, THIS ROUTE IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PASS
To be surprised at the quirks of such a journey while sitting at the computer at home – interesting. But you probably shouldn't use this information as a guide to action.
In fact, of course, it is unlikely that such a path will be overcome, since it is full of almost insurmountable obstacles. Even if you start from the end: in Russia there are simply no 253 days of suitable weather for hiking.
Winter in Russia in Siberia. Photo MaxPixel.com
The border of Abkhazia and Georgia is actually closed for a simple traveler. You can't legally go through it. And illegal immigrants are promised minefields and the watchful eye of special services.
It is difficult to call Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Sudan and more distant African states suitable for travel. The security situation there leaves much to be desired, even if the borders can be crossed. There are many difficulties.
Army of South Sudan. Photo by MaxPixel.com
For example, the long-term conflict between Sudan and South Sudan, through which Google offers to go, promises a quick end to the traveler's route: these are some of the most dangerous territories on Earth.
Therefore, it is better to embark on such a long cross-border journey virtually. But….
ECOTROPES WILL ENROLL THE WHOLE RUSSIA
.. But if you want to walk for a long time and calmly, then in Russia you can walk along one of the eco-trails that have equipped many before this season.
For example, in October 2021, an eco-trail along the Uytag ridge in Askizsky area of the Republic of Khakassia.
“This territory is a natural monument and is under protection, but it is of great interest due to its natural beauty and the presence of geological antiquities and fossils,” say the Tourist Information Center of the Republic.
At the end of 2022, it is planned to open a visitor center on the popular tourist walking route “Path of the Ancestors” in the Shirinsky district, and the improvement of this route will also begin.
“New eco-trails are additional points of attraction for travelers. Arbors, small architectural forms and convenient viewing platforms will appear on the routes at interesting locations for lovers of photo content, while the path of tourists becomes as comfortable and safe as possible. All this makes the South Ural attractions more accessible and in demand, there is an increase in tourist traffic, ”says the tourist administration of the Chelyabinsk region, where two similar facilities are scheduled to open in 2022: the Argus and Bolshaya Suká ecotrails.
Trail “To the big Stone river”. Photo from the Taganay National Park website.
In 2021, the trail “To the Big Stone River” in the Taganay National Park and the “Secrets of the Lake” trail in the Zyuratkul National Park, the trail to Mount Kosotur (Zlatoust), the ecological and historical trail were opened for tourists in this region “In the places of Emelyan Pugachev” near the village of Veselovka, Zlatoust city district.
Two new eco-trails of varying difficulty – “Volchya” and “Bear” – are equipped in the Chinetinsky nature reserve in the Altai Territory. The opening of similar facilities is reported from the Vologda and Kirov regions and from the Khabarovsk Territory.
Ecotrail “Volya”, Altai Territory. Photo from ecotrails.ru
In the Komi Republic, in 2021, work continued on the recreational cluster “Virgin Komi Forests”. This territory is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The key idea of development is the construction of infrastructure in four zones: the Manpupuner Plateau, Forest, Zhelannoye and the Ski Area. The arrangement of the eco-trail “Source of the Pechora River – Manpupuner Plateau” is at the completion stage. The total length of the eco-trail is 3140 meters, it is planned to complete the improvement in 2022.
In 2021, a new, already fourth, object of federal significance appeared in Komi – the Paraskiny Lakes reserve for the development of eco-tourism. Today, in addition to the eco-trail, the reserve has a parking lot, wooden sculptures, swings, benches, a suspension bridge, gazebos, and an entrance arch. In the future, it is planned to equip a suspension bridge across the Tobys River.
“Paraskiny Ozera” reserve, photo from the site of the reserve.
In the Ust-Vymsky district of the Komi Republic, on the territory of the Belyi regional reserve, the ecotrail “Visiting Vӧrsy” was opened. For example, at the entrance to the trail they put a stump-goblin. Vӧrsa is a character in the mythology of the Komi people, who personifies the “spirit of the forest.”
So, hiking enthusiasts in Russia have a place to realize their interests and set records.
Ekaterina Tropova