Published June 15, 2026 04:51 pm
The Appalachian and Pacific Crest Trails attract thousands of international thru-hikers each year. But a growing number of American backpackers are traveling in the other direction, heading abroad to experience new landscapes, cultures and long-distance trails. From Spain’s historic Camino de Santiago to continent-spanning e-paths, international thru-hikes offer experiences that can’t be replicated at home. But they also bring a unique set of challenges. If you’re considering a long-distance trip abroad, Darrell “Encouraging” Barrett and Linda “Miss Gamut” Barrett have some words of advice.
choosing a trail
Before embarking on a specific international thru-hike, adventurers should look at factors such as shelter options, hiking season, terrain, and overall logistics.
Darrell “Encouraging” Barrett and his wife, Linda “Miss Gamut” Barrett, hike 2,000 to 3,000 miles each year. After watching Linda felt the urge to hike internationally for the first time wayThe film, directed by Emilio Estevez, is about an ophthalmologist who decides to climb the Camino de Santiago after the death of his son along the way.
As he researched the Camino, he realized that some international hikes offer a vastly different experience from a traditional American thru-hike. Instead of carrying a tent, sleeping bag, and several days’ worth of food, hikers can often stay in hotels, eat in town, and travel with a light pack. When combined with the hiking season that runs from spring to autumn, the Camino de Santiago suddenly feels less like a pipe dream and more like a plausible reality.
While some pedestrians Choose to book a guide To avoid the hassles of travel planning and route finding, the Barretts decided to abandon one. “We did all the planning logistics ourselves. We made hostel reservations and we did it in 30 and a half days,” Linda said. “We average 18 miles a day, and don’t take a single zero.”
How much does this cost?
The cost of travel can vary greatly depending on where you are traveling as currency exchange and local pricing vary. Payment methods may also vary.
Following their initial international journey of the traditional Camino de Santiago in 2015, Barretts tackled the West Highland Way, The Cotswolds and the Cleveland Way in the UK. Although the trips were spectacular, they were also expensive.
“The UK is quite expensive (compared to Spain) for food and accommodation,” Darrell said. It wasn’t just prices that were different: while even remote villages in the UK were equipped to take credit cards, Barretts found that much of Spain still relied on cash.
Resupply supplies and accommodation
Access to food is another major consideration for hopeful international thru-hikers. Barretts used a phone app similar to Far Out that is no longer available to keep track of towns to be visited, available beds, and grocery stores where they would resupply along the Camino de Santiago. Using this equipment helped them prepare for each section of the trail.
“There are a lot of towns where you’re going through. You’ll find a grocery store,” Linda explained.
The pair never had any problems finding affordable accommodation in Spain: “There’s no problem finding cheap accommodation (on the Camino). And we’d pay maybe 40 euros for a two-bed with private bathroom,” Linda said. “There will be a restaurant there for pilgrims to have meals that will probably cost nine to 12 euros. And all the towns have potable water, so you just fill up your water bottles.” While many American long trails force you to filter water and carry a full camping setup, trails with abundant lodging services can dramatically alter the pack weight, trail logistics, and cost of a thru-hike.
language barriers
One potential problem that hikers may face when traveling internationally is language differences. But there were very few moments when Darrell struggled to communicate in Spain.
“It was very easy to communicate. I can say maybe 20 words in Spanish, but it’s easier for them to speak English,” he said. “Google Translate can help you.”
At one point, the pair were hiking the Catalonian portion of the Camino de Santiago with a Spanish teacher when they realized the teacher was also having difficulty with some of the translations.
“They may struggle with some of the local words because they use different words for different areas,” Linda said. “Never had any problems except eating.”
Visas, currency exchange, and permits
Entry requirements vary depending on your citizenship and international destination. Residents of the United States, Canada, Australia and the UK are not required to obtain a visa to Spain for visits of 30 days or less, although a new ETIAS authorization is expected to launch in the last quarter of 2026 in Europe’s Schengen area. (That ETIAS authorization is expected to cost 20 euros and be valid for 3 years.)
For the Barretts, getting to Spain was relatively simple, “we just needed passports.”
Trail rules may also vary from country to country. While Barretts did not require a permit for the Camino de Santiago, the West Highland Way, the Cotswolds or the Cleveland Way, other international trails may require advanced reservations, permits, guide requirements or park entrance fees.
Because permit systems and visa policies can change frequently, travelers should verify all requirements through official government and trail-management sources before booking a flight.
bottom line
International hiking allows travelers to see the world through an entirely different cultural lens, whether they’re trekking through the medieval villages of Europe or hiking across windswept peaks across the UK. But planning a trip abroad requires extra planning, so be sure to research each route carefully to understand local regulations while building flexibility into your plans.