What makes a good five-day trip
Five days is long enough to leave the trailhead crowds behind and short enough to fit around work. It also keeps your pack manageable. Food is the heaviest consumable, and five days of it is still carryable for most hikers.
A strong five-day route usually has:
- A clear start and finish, either a loop or a route with reliable transport back.
- Daily distances that suit your fitness. Many hikers plan roughly 10 to 20 km per day, depending on terrain and elevation gain.
- A bad-weather option, such as a lower route or an extra buffer day.
- Reasonable access to water, huts or campsites.
Hut-to-hut or camping?
Huts and guesthouses let you carry less. You typically need no tent, stove or sleeping mat, though many huts still ask you to bring a sleeping bag or liner. They book up in peak season, so reserve early.
Camping gives you flexibility and lower costs, but means a heavier pack and more skills. Some areas only allow camping at designated sites or with a permit, so confirm the rules for your route.
If this is one of your first multi-day trips, a hut-based route is usually the easier place to start.
Trips that fit in five days
Distances and durations vary with weather and pace, so treat these as starting points and confirm details with official sources.
Europe
- Tour du Mont Blanc (shortened). The full loop usually takes around 10 days, but many walkers take a section by using buses or lifts to skip stretches.
- Dolomites Alta Via sections. Hut-to-hut walking through dramatic limestone scenery; sections can be linked into a five-day trip.
- Laugavegur plus Fimmvorduhals (Iceland). The Laugavegur is often done in around four days, and some add the adjoining Fimmvorduhals pass for an extra day. Huts need advance booking. For wider planning, see our Iceland travel essentials.
- Kungsleden (Sweden). A northern section of this hut-served trail is commonly walked in about five days or more.
The Americas
- Torres del Paine W Trek (Chile). Commonly done in four to five days. Campsites and refugios must be reserved in advance. Our Patagonia travel tips cover weather, bookings and bases.
- Teton Crest Trail (Wyoming). A popular alpine route usually completed in three to five days, with permit requirements.
- Rae Lakes Loop (California). A Sierra Nevada loop in Kings Canyon National Park often completed in around four to five days. Permits are required.
- Olympic National Park (Washington). Coastal and mountain routes of various lengths; check permit and tide-table requirements for the coast.
Oceania
- Milford Track (New Zealand). A four-day Great Walk with a strictly regulated booking system.
- Routeburn and Kepler Tracks. Shorter Great Walks that can be combined with other tracks in the area. If you are also touring by car, see our New Zealand South Island travel guide.
- Overland Track (Tasmania). Usually walked in about six days; a shortened version is possible with side trips left out.
Asia
- Annapurna and Langtang regions (Nepal). Tea-house trekking means you need no camping gear. Itineraries of around five days exist for shorter regions, but altitude and weather mean flexibility is needed.
- Kumano Kodo (Japan). Walking between lodging in the Kii mountains offers a cultural alternative that needs no camping.
For further destination ideas beyond five-day routes, see our guide to the best travel destinations for hiking.
Permits, closures and conditions
Permits are a common surprise. Check, for each route:
- Whether a permit or hut booking is required and when booking opens.
- Current trail status. Snow, flooding and wildfire closures can change plans, so check with the managing agency shortly before you leave.
- Fire rules and food-storage requirements, such as bear canisters in some regions.
Seasonal timing matters too. Lower-elevation trails may be accessible earlier in spring, while high routes may stay snowbound well into summer.
A sample five-day pacing
- Day 1: an easier start to test gear and legs.
- Day 2: a moderate day with a main climb.
- Day 3: often the longest or highest day. Start early.
- Day 4: a steady day, possibly with a pass or ridge.
- Day 5: a shorter walk out, leaving time to reach transport.
Keeping the longest day in the middle gives you the option of shifting plans if weather or fatigue changes things.
Packing and food basics
- Shelter and sleep: tent or hut-appropriate bag, depending on route.
- Clothing: layers, rain jacket and warm hat, even in summer.
- Navigation: offline maps and a paper map or compass as backup.
- Food: plan your usual trail calories per day plus a small reserve.
- First aid, water treatment and a headlamp.
Weigh your pack at home. A comfortable pack matters more than hitting a particular number.
FAQ
Is five days enough for a backpacking trip? Yes. Many classic routes in the Alps, Patagonia and New Zealand are designed for around four to six days.
Can beginners do a five-day trip? Often, if they choose a hut-based route, practise carrying a loaded pack on day hikes first, and keep daily distances moderate.
How far in advance should I book? For popular routes with limited permits or huts, booking many months in advance is common. For others, a few weeks may be enough. Check official sources.