By David Noland

Putting one foot in front of the other is perhaps the world’s most popular recreational activity. A hiking or trekking trip is the easiest way to get beyond the look-out-the-bus-window or lie-on-the-beach mentality of the mass-market tourist. But choosing the right trip will cut down on the exhaustion and/or boredom. Here’s how to nail it.

Long-distance Trek
First, know the difference between a trek and a walking or hiking trip. A trek is loosely defined as a multiday, long-distance walk from point A to B (or a big loop from A back to A), with porters or pack animals carrying the loads and guides setting up camps along the way. Call it full-service backpacking without the backpack. Treks typically run in remote, mountainous regions like the Himalayan countries of Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan, and India, as well as the Andes of South America. Treks typically cost $50-$150 per day.

Day Hiking
On a walking or hiking trip, you’ll make day hikes in the local area, returning each night to a restaurant meal and a warm bed in an inn or hotel. Europe is the most popular area for walking vacations, with New Zealand, Chile, Costa Rica, Hawaii, and the American Southwest not far behind. A European walking trip costs $175 to $400 per day, depending on the poshness of accommodations. (Self-guided trips--no guide, no group, you pick the departure date--cost 10 to 40 percent less.) Walking trips in the rest of the world are cheaper, about $100-$200 per day.

David Noland is the author of Travels Along the Edge.