Budget guide
Homestays, public transport, and small group tours - yes, you can do many destinations on a budget without resorting to a cheap All-inclusive resort.
Best places for a budget walking vacation
Europe has plenty of budget walking options because, from hiking huts to well-mapped, long-trod trails, there’s plenty of infrastructure. There are national parks, and there’s lots of competitively priced accommodation available. Alternatively, you could look to Morocco, where the Atlas Mountains combine all the drama of high peaks with sleeping sound in cosy gites. And looking further afield, perhaps peruse Peru, too – the Inca Trail can be less pricy than you think- even for a once-in-a-lifetime trip. Keep costs down by eating and staying local, and swap car hire for the bus – these are places with good public transport links.
Lace up those hiking boots. You can walk across the Atlas Mountains on a shoestring.![]()
Croatia
1. Croatia
It’s possible to walk in multiple national parks and across several islands on one vacation in Croatia. Inexpensive ferries take walkers to clutches of Adriatic islands off the coast, and small group tours can take you between the parks via a van transfer. The country’s national parks comprise deep, dark woods and bright water; the Plitvice Lakes National Park is especially beautiful.
France
2. France
What’s cuddlier than a car, and cheaper to run? A mule, of course. Take the family walking in the Rhône Valley in France, tempting kids along with the prospect of walking with a luggage-lugging donkey. Obliging mules also feature on budget walks around Mont Blanc. Elsewhere in France, walk in Provence’s Mercantour National Park, or in the gorgeous French Riviera.
Greece
3. Greece
You could stick to one island for your Greek walking – like Kythnos, where hot springs can help soothe tired muscles after days clambering to clifftop ruins. Or you could hop around the Cyclades, skirting their busier shores in favour of the Lesser Cyclades. You might be surprised to find combining sailing and walking is relatively inexpensive – again, the Cyclades are a great place to cast off.
Italy
4. Italy
The culture might be rich, but you don’t have to be. Walk in unspoilt Umbria, where you can get your lunch straight from the producer at a famers’ market. Come to Lake Como with the family, staying in rifugi (small, local inns) and picnicking on ready-made packed lunches to fit your budget. Even the glitzy Amalfi Coast can be low cost when you’re on foot.
Morocco
5. Morocco
Wake up in your gite in the High Atlas Mountains. In the distance, a sandy trail snakes down to the next village. Crumbling Kasbahs, Berber villages and high mountain passes all await on your walking trip. Once you’ve descended to the valley, riads with swimming pools and a trip to the local hammam will help clear away the very last of the dust.
Portugal
6. Portugal
Stagger through the soft sand of long dunes, with some of Europe’s most beautiful beaches stretching at your feet. Lots of people have heard of the Algarve but what about the Alentejo? It’s just north, and its quiet hiking trails weave between cork oak forests and dunes. Seafood grills are inexpensive and bird-watching is free – remember to bring your binoculars.
Peru
7. Peru
It’s surprising to think Peru can be done on a budget – and on the Inca Trail, no less. Permits for Machu Picchu, the ruined Incan citadel at the end of the trail, aren’t expensive but they are sought-after, so you will need to book in advance. Camping cuts costs, as do locally owned and family-run hotels, and using public transport where possible.
Spain
8. Spain
Penniless pilgrims once spent months walking on the Camino de Santiago through Spain. The Camino can still be tackled with a light wallet, thanks to a range of accommodations for all budgets and Galicia’s inexpensive restaurants. Elsewhere, combine Spanish language courses with the Picos de Europa, or clamber around Catalonia in the precipitous Pyrenees.
Catalonia self guided walking vacations
Self-guided walking vacations in Catalonia
From
€973 to €1099
8 days
ex flights
Upper Provence walking vacation in France
Walks through fragrant, colourful lavender landscapes
From
€1090 to €1530
7 days
ex flights
Croatia self guided hiking vacation, Istria region
Explore the untouched Istrian Peninsula on this hiking tour
From
€890 to €1390
7 days
ex flights
Carpathian Mountains conservation & culture vacation
Wolves, bears and sightseeing in Romania
From
US $1870 to US $2325
8 days
ex flights
Menalon Trail guided hiking vacation in Greece
Epic hike experience along the 75km Menalon trail
From
£697 to £789
7 days
ex flights
Greece hiking vacation, Kythnos
Hiking vacation on Kythnos, a beautiful Greek island in the Cyclades group
From
€635
6 days
ex flights
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Advice from our travelers
At Responsible Travel, we think the best people to advise our travelers are often... other travelers. They always return from our tours with packing tips, weather reports, ideas about what to do – and opinions about what not to.
We have selected some of the most useful budget walking vacation tips that our guests have provided over the years to help you make the very most of your vacation – and the space inside your suitcase.
We have selected some of the most useful budget walking vacation tips that our guests have provided over the years to help you make the very most of your vacation – and the space inside your suitcase.
As a first visit to Croatia I can really recommend it, it’s a lovely green area, in autumn in Konavle there were cyclamen everywhere.![]()
- Alison Farnill
“There was unbelievably gorgeous coastline, a profusion of spring wildflowers and excellent Alentejo-style cooking available in every village inexpensively. The Portuguese govt and E.U. have invested a great deal in protecting this coastline, opening low impact access to the public, and adding interpretive signs about the environmental dynamics of the region. It would be great to see more people taking the opportunity to hike at least a few days of this trail.” - Tara Fenwick, on an Alentejo and Algarve self guided walking vacation
“Moving on every two days had the effect of making the break feel longer than a week. As a first visit to Croatia I can really recommend it, it’s a lovely green area, in autumn in Konavle there were cyclamen everywhere, and a plentiful supply of walking snacks from orange and wild strawberry trees if you get hungry!” - Alison Farnill, on a self guided Croatian coast walking tour
“Moving on every two days had the effect of making the break feel longer than a week. As a first visit to Croatia I can really recommend it, it’s a lovely green area, in autumn in Konavle there were cyclamen everywhere, and a plentiful supply of walking snacks from orange and wild strawberry trees if you get hungry!” - Alison Farnill, on a self guided Croatian coast walking tour
Everything seemed to be locally caught, grown and cooked. Mio's one man restaurant being an example, he gets up at dawn to catch the carp... fries them up for you and serves them with a delicious home made soup and salad.![]()
- Jon Aldous
“The vacation company we used in Greece had advocated for the mapping, clearing and conservation of old trails and paths that locals used to use to cross the island until they began driving. I think the people who saw us hiking on them got a real kick out of seeing these historic routes being used by visitors.” - Sandra Forrester, on a Greece walking vacation on Kythos
“Everything seemed to be locally caught, grown and cooked. Mio's one man restaurant being an example, he gets up at dawn to catch the carp, despite having badly sprained his ankle, fries them up for you and serves them with a delicious home made soup and salad and a large glass of his really excellent home produced wine. We indeed felt that we were welcome regular customers at one restaurant in Virpazar village, not least when the waiters offer to drive you home to the villa at the end of the evening!” - Jon Aldous, on a walking vacation in Montenegro
“Everything seemed to be locally caught, grown and cooked. Mio's one man restaurant being an example, he gets up at dawn to catch the carp, despite having badly sprained his ankle, fries them up for you and serves them with a delicious home made soup and salad and a large glass of his really excellent home produced wine. We indeed felt that we were welcome regular customers at one restaurant in Virpazar village, not least when the waiters offer to drive you home to the villa at the end of the evening!” - Jon Aldous, on a walking vacation in Montenegro
More Budget walking articles
Head out with a spring in your step with our budget walking vacations guide.
Tailor-made budget vacations on the Camino de Santiago don't mean discomfort.
Budget walking vacations in Montenegro take you well away from the coastal hotspots.
The Amalfi Coast’s longstanding reputation as a vacation spot makes it great for budget walkers.
Budget walking vacations in Picos de Europa can be combined with Spanish language lessons.
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