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Appalachian Trail Backpacking in the Roan Highlands

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Appalachian Trail Backpacking in the Roan Highlands

More About the Appalachian Trail
What is the Appalachian Trail?
Arguably America’s most famous hiking trail, the Appalachian Trail (AT) stretches across the United States from Georgia to Maine. It is almost 2200 miles (2178 to be exact) and America’s most popular long distance hiking trail. Roughly 3 million people each year hike a portion of the AT, but it’s a tiny fraction of that who actually complete the entire 2178-mile journey. It’s estimated that between 20,000 and 30,000 people have done the whole trail since its inception in 1936.
The idea of creating a hiking trail to connect Georgia and Maine was first dreamed up by a man named Benton Mackaye. Mr. Mackaye – a Harvard University graduate, avid hiker and experienced outdoorsman – introduced the idea via an article in the Journal of the American Institute of Architects in 1921. The idea took hold and the wheels of creation were turning.
In 1930 a gentleman by the name of Myron Avery, an attorney and hiker from Washington D.C., took the reigns and began to execute on Benton Mackaye’s vision. After mapping a route for the trail through the thick forests and rippling mountains of Appalachia, he began recruiting volunteers to build it. Avery was a contentious fellow but drove the process that created America’s first long distance trail. It took 7 years, with the last bit of trail carved out of the southern slopes of Maine’s Sugarloaf Mountain in 1937. Avery was also the first person to hike every inch of the entire trail, which he pieced together in sections over 16 years.
Today the crown jewel achievement on the AT is to hike it in one continuous journey from North to South, or from South to North. The first person to accomplish it in this fashion was Earl Shaffer in 1948. A Pennsylvanian and World War II veteran, Shaffer read about the trail in an outdoor magazine. It is thought by some that he tackled the hike as a therapeutic endeavor to overcome PTSD from the war. He hiked south to north, and completed the journey in 124 days. He would hike it two more times in his life, the final time in 1998 when he was in his late 70s. The record for the shortest time is 46 days, 8 hours and 7 minutes, set by Scott Jurek in 2015.
The Appalachian Trail covers such an immense distance, that it’s difficult to pin this down for the entire trail. Wildland Trekking’s Appalachian Trail trips are in the Great Smoky Mountains and in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.
The Smokies are fantastic year round, with spring and fall being the peak seasons, and winter and summer creating more extremes of cold and heat/humidity. The White Mountains, on the other hand, are really best in the summer due to their high elevation and northern latitude.

Got more questions? Contact us – we’re here 7 days a week to help any way we can!

Group Backpacking in the Roan Highlands
Join us for a group backpacking adventure through the stunning Roan Highlands, where you’ll soak in panoramic vistas and traverse scenic rolling hills over 3 days and 16 miles. The timing of this trip is perfect for early fall colors and less crowded trails during the week. Group tour means that you’ll meet other like-minded outdoor enthusiasts and step into the world of backpacking with ease.
  • Arrive in Hot Springs, NC in the afternoon or evening hours and meet your guides at their bunkhouse. Pack your things for tomorrow and have a good rest at the bunkhouse for the night.
  • You can also meet your guides in the morning of Day 1 if this suits you better.
  • No meals are included on this day.
Meet your guide and fellow hikers at 8am to start your trip! Your trip begins with a pack shakedown. Your guide will pass out your gear and food, teach you how to pack your backpack and go through what you’ve packed to make sure you don’t bring too many extra items. Around 10am, you’ll shuttle to the trailhead to start your hike (drive time is 1.5 hours). You’ll hike over Jane Bald and Grassy Ridge Bald before arriving at your campsite.
  • Meals: Lunch, dinner
  • Hiking: 3.5 mi
  • Elevation gain: 650 ft
  • Elevation loss: 1,100 ft
Wake up and break camp. After a hearty breakfast, hike a short distance to your second campsite and set up camp, then continue hiking to Little Hump and Hump Mountain without your backpacks. After enjoying the view, return to your campsite.
  • Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
  • Hiking: 2 mi with and 7 mi without backpacks
  • Elevation gain: 200 ft with and 1900 ft without backpacks
  • Elevation loss: 650 ft with and 1900 ft without backpacks
After breaking camp and breakfast with a view, we’ll return to the trailhead via the AT. The shuttle will take us back to Hot Springs, NC. The hike generally finishes early afternoon on the last day.
  • Meals: Breakfast, lunch
  • Hiking: 5.5 mi
  • Elevation gain: 1,750 ft
  • Elevation loss: 850 ft
Itinerary is subject to change based on a variety of factors, including weather, trail conditions, and participants needs and abilities. Please inform our admin team ahead of time if you have a time constraint on the last day of your trip.
Private Backpacking in the Roan Highlands
Experience a private backpacking adventure through the stunning Roan Highlands, where you’ll soak in panoramic vistas and traverse scenic rolling hills over 3 days and 16 miles/ 25 km. This trip is perfectly timed for early fall colors and less crowded trails during the week. Enjoy the personalized attention and flexibility of a private tour, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in the beauty of the Highlands and step into the world of backpacking with ease.
  • Arrive in Hot Springs, NC in the afternoon or evening hours and meet your guides at their bunkhouse. Pack your things for tomorrow and have a good rest at the bunkhouse for the night.
  • You can also meet your guides in the morning of Day 1 if this suits you better.
  • No meals are included on this day.
Meet your guide and fellow hikers at 8am to start your trip! Your trip begins with a pack shakedown. Your guide will pass out your gear and food, teach you how to pack your backpack and go through what you’ve packed to make sure you don’t bring too many extra items. Around 10am, you’ll shuttle to the trailhead to start your hike (drive time is 1.5 hours). You’ll hike over Jane Bald and Grassy Ridge Bald before arriving at your campsite.
  • Meals: Lunch, dinner
  • Hiking: 3.5 mi
  • Elevation gain: 650 ft
  • Elevation loss: 1,100 ft
Wake up and break camp. After a hearty breakfast, hike a short distance to your second campsite and set up camp, then continue hiking to Little Hump and Hump Mountain without your backpacks. After enjoying the view, return to your campsite.
  • Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
  • Hiking: 2 mi with and 7 mi without backpacks
  • Elevation gain: 200 ft with and 1900 ft without backpacks
  • Elevation loss: 650 ft with and 1900 ft without backpacks
After breaking camp and breakfast with a view, we’ll return to the trailhead via the AT. The shuttle will take us back to Hot Springs, NC. The hike generally finishes early afternoon on the last day.
  • Meals: Breakfast, lunch
  • Hiking: 5.5 mi
  • Elevation gain: 1,750 ft
  • Elevation loss: 850 ft
Itinerary is subject to change based on a variety of factors, including weather, trail conditions, and participants needs and abilities. Please inform our admin team ahead of time if you have a time constraint on the last day of your trip.
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+1 516 324 4091

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Caminito del Rey

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The history of Caminito del Rey: from hydroelectric installation to tourist attraction

Running through the municipalities of Ardales, Álora and Antequera, the Caminito del Rey has a curious history which has nothing to do with tourism and dates back to the early twentieth century. This was when the Sociedad Hidroeléctrica del Chorro, owner of the Gaitanejo and the El Chorro power stations, decided to build a water canal that would unite them within a hydroelectric power plant, taking advantage of the unevenness of the land. The project included a maintenance path that linked both ends of the hydroelectric station, which would be used by company operators much earlier than tourists. The works finished in 1905, but as the path was so beautiful—it was already attracting numerous visits—the chief engineer Rafael Benjumea decided to improve the layout and the bridge that joined both ends of the gorge, known as Balconcillo de los Gaitanes. In 1921, the path received the name of Caminito del Rey after it was inaugurated by the monarch Alfonso XIII, as attested by several images from the time.

With the passing of the years, the path fell into a state of disrepair that ended with some sections collapsing and the railing along almost the entire route disappeared. This was how it earned its reputation as “the most dangerous path in the world”, and it attracted adventurous hikers unaware of the risks. In 2001, after four fatal accidents in just two years, the authorities closed all access roads to it.

It was not, however, the death of the Caminito del Rey. On 28 March 2015, after one year of restoration work and five million euros’ public investment, the path was reopened to the public, and quickly became one of the most attractive destinations in the world and a great driver of tourism in the region. In 2019, its candidacy for UNESCO World Heritage recognition was submitted.

The Caminito del Rey Path: 8 Kilometres of adrenaline

The route begins in the municipality of Ardales, in the El Kiosko restaurant reception area—where the tickets are bought and a safety helmet is given. From here the journey descends downhill for 8 kilometres until arriving at the El Chorro station, in the municipality of Álora. It can be completed in approximately three or four hours. There are two access routes to the Caminito del Rey footbridges: the Senda de Gaitanejo, a 2.7-kilometre, narrow path that runs between pine trees, and a shorter one that takes the adventurer through a narrow pedestrian tunnel and the Pista de Gaitanejo (1.5 kilometres).

Both converge at the Visitor Reception Booth, where the official route begins next to the former Electrical Substation. We will walk along three kilometres of dizzily high footbridges, through old hydroelectric infrastructure. Plaques marking the maximum levels reached by the water, during floods in 1941 and 1949 can be seen on the rock wall. We will pass up to three canyons: the Desfiladero de Gaitanejo, just 10 metres wide; the Tajo de las Palomas, where we will have to walk over the abyss by crossing the Puente del Rey bridge and cross several lookouts; and the Desfiladero de los Gaitanes, the most breathtaking stretch of the route, with narrow walkways literally hanging from the cliff and the famous Hanging Bridge, 105 metres above the Guadalhorce river.

The last section of the route, the Avenida Caminito del Rey, is a 2.1-kilometre downhill path that takes us to the El Chorro railway station after passing through the old town of El Chorro, where workers who built the canal and, later, the operators of the hydroelectric plant and their families, used to live.

Important Recommendations

Walking the Caminito del Rey involves approximately four hours of considerable physical effort, so we recommend that you plan your excursion well. Comfortable clothing and hiking footwear are essential, as well as water, food and sunscreen in summer. There are no bathrooms along the route, so bear this in mind when you are in the visitor reception area. This route is not recommended for people who have a low fitness level or issues with heights.

Finally, it should be noted that this is a linear, not a circular path, so visitors will need to return to the starting point by their own means (there is a shuttle bus service between the north access—Ardales—and the south accesses—El Chorro, Álora).

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Annapurna

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Route and itinerary for the Annapurna Base Camp Trek

The start of your trek is up to you. Many people do the Annapurna Circuit or Poon Hill treks before and join the Annapurna Base Camp trek in Chomrong. If you are coming from Pokhara there are several options to begin your trek:

Transport from Pokhara to the beginning of the Annapurna trek

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Take a bus from Pokhara to Kimchi (400 NPR takes aprox 4 hours) and begin trekking from there.

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Take a taxi or jeep to Nayapul (2000 NPR, 2 hours) and either trek from there or take a jeep further to Gandruk (1500-2500 NPR, 2 hours)

The part of the trek before Kimchi and Gandruk is not very exciting and is mostly along the dusty jeep road. I would recommend going as far as possible by vehicle to save time and energy. You will need to stop in Birethanti twice to register your permit and later on again in Chomrong.

Below is an outline of the trek by day as we did it. The photo is of a very useful map given to us when we applied for our permits. It tells you roughly the distance, time and climb between each of the towns allowing you to plan each day depending on your abilities, energy levels and time. It is best not to have set parts to achieve each day and just see how it goes as you never know what will happen with weather, injuries etc.

Day 1
  • Taxi + Jeep to Kimchi
  • Kimchi to Ghandruk – 1 hr up steep stairs
  • Ghandruk to Komrong – 1 hr mostly flat
  • Overnight Komrong (Due to Rain)
  • Komrong to Kimrong – 1hr steep downhill
  • Kimrong to Chomrong – 2.5 hrs steep uphill followed by flat
  • Chomrong to Sinuwa – 1.5 hrs steeply down a valley and back up the other side.
  • Overnight Sinuwa (due to rain)
  • Sometimes it can get quiet steep up towards the summit.
  • Sinuwa to Bamboo – 1hr 15 min lots of stairs and downhill
  • Bamboo to Dovan – 50 mins easy going
  • Dovan to Himalaya – 1.5 hrs uphill through lots of dense jungle
  • Himalaya to Durali – 1 hr 10 mins steep uphill and then flat, amazing scenery
  • Overnight Durali
  • Durali to MBC – 1.5 hrs mostly flat with some uphill parts
  • MBC to ABC – 1hr 20 min easy going up hill but harder at altitude
  • Overnight at MBC (we didn’t have clear views so should have stayed at ABC for next morning)
  • Up to ABC for sunrise
  • MBC to Bamboo – 4 hrs
  • Overnight in Bamboo
  • Bamboo to Jhinu to stop at the hot springs – 4.5 hrs
  • Overnight Jhinu
  • Jhinu to the road to get a jeep back to Pokhara – 3 hrs
  • Finally reached the Annapurna Base Camp at 4130 meters!

Accommodation on the Annapurna base camp trek

Accommodation along the route is in the form of tea houses. At the start of the trek they are in villages where locals live and work however further up these huts have been specifically built for trekkers. The standards are basic but comfortable (mostly). Rooms have anywhere from 2 beds to a dorm of 7 or 8. Expect a thin mattress, pillow and warm blanket. The sheets were varying levels of clean and we preferred to use our sleeping bag liners (get one here).

If you stay somewhere you need to eat there too and if you speak quietly with the owner many places will let you stay for free if you eat breakfast and dinner. Turning up as a larger group makes this negotiation easier. When we did pay we never paid more than 150 NPR per person for the night.

 

Hot water was available throughout most of the trek but cost an extra fee, usually around 100 NPR per person. There was cellphone signal as far as Sinwa, past there almost everywhere, including the base camp, had WiFi for an additional fee. We chose to disconnect for a few days.

Always having the summit in sight!

 Food on the Annapurna base camp trek

Almost all the huts serve the same menu which is regulated by the authorities and prices are set. The menu is surprisingly good and prices are reasonable, increasing slightly as you get higher up. Dal baht is a standard option it provides great sustenance for trekking, it’s one of the more expensive options on offer but you get unlimited refills so it’s worth it. There are also a range of pasta meals, noodles, rice and egg and toast combinations for breakfast.

Expect to pay 400-700 NPR for a meal and around 60-150 for a tea or coffee.

The menu is very similar at the tea houses along the trek.

Water Plastic bottles are (thankfully) banned after a certain point so make sure you bring a refillable bottle. Tea houses sell 1L of safe drinking water for between 100-170 NPR or you can bring your own sterilising method. We used our Steripen (UV steriliser) and further up drank directly from the streams or taps without any problems.

Reach Us

HEAD OFFICE

575 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10022, United States

CONTACTS

info@crown-journeys.com

+1 516 324 4091

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