The World’s 6 Best Half-Day Hikes

1.Multnomah Falls and Columbia River Gorge Half-Day Hiking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,108 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $73Our pick

Travel from Portland in an air-conditioned van to Multnomah Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, Latourell Falls, and Columbia Gorge viewpoints. Local guides such as Ana, Carrie, James, and Edwin share stories about Oregon, geology, and native plants. Expect short walks, one optional hike of up to 2 miles, changing stops during road construction, and at least three waterfalls plus a viewpoint.

“Ana was the perfect guide - enthusiastic and knowledgeable. The waterfalls were peak after the rainfall the day before the tour.”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.From Taormina: Half-Day Mount Etna Morning Trek

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 504 reviews · 6.5 hours · from $106

Travel from Taormina to 2,000 meters on Mount Etna with a trained guide such as Tony, Roberto, Ricardo, or Ugo. Walk around extinct craters, enter a lava cave, borrow boots and poles, then finish with lunch, Etna wine, and almond wine at a local winery.

“Our guide Ricardo was just perfect. His knowledge about mount Etna is incredible. He was very kind, explained us everything in details and made our day unforgettable!”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.Khao Sok: Private Waterfalls and Wildlife Half-Day Trek

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 337 reviews · 4 hours · from $48Best value

Spend four hours trekking Khao Sok National Park with an English-speaking guide such as Aek, June, Diamond, or Big Boy. Look for monkeys, gibbons, snakes, lizards, insects, and plants before cooling off at Bang Hua Raet and Wing Hin waterfalls. Choose a private or small-group outing, with hotel pickup in the Khao Sok area included.

“Absolutely brilliant experience. Big Boy was a brilliant and funny guide who made the experience so good for us all. Easy walking with lots of stops to see everything. Saw four out of the five monkey species about. 5/5 would recommend to anyone. Thank you Big Boy!”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Half-Day Private Grand Canyon Guided Hiking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 210 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $345

Spend about five hours hiking below the Grand Canyon’s South Rim with a private guide such as Jon, Kevin, or Christy. Pickup is available from Flagstaff, Williams, Tusayan, Grand Canyon addresses, and other northern Arizona locations. Your guide provides poles, backpacks, water, snacks, lunch, park fees, trail advice, and photos while matching the hike to your group.

“Fabulous hike down South Kaibab trail with Kevin as our guide. This outfitter is top shelf. Lifetime memory.”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.Half-day Hike & Picnic with Dog Love in Porto’s Mountains

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 136 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $59

Meet Ricardo near Porto’s São Bento Railway Station, then take a short included trip to Serras do Porto Park. Walk forest and river trails, see waterfalls, villages, rocky paths, and old gold mines, and enjoy a homemade picnic. Ricardo adjusts the pace, while his dog Shy adds an affectionate canine guide to this small-group outing.

“This was the highlight of our trip to Porto. After days in several cities among crowds, we were craving nature time. We got it with this hike. Ricardo did a great job guiding us on this moderately challenging hike. We had a lovely lunch and learned some history of the area and got our nature fix. As an added bonus, Ricardo's sweet dog Shy accompanied us, allowing us to get our dog fix in too. Highly recommend to nature lovers visiting the Porto area!”

Check availability →Read our full review

6.Sedona: Vortex Yoga Hiking Half-Day

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 52 reviews · 3h 30m · from $122

Spend 210 minutes hiking to a Forest Service permitted Sedona vortex site, then practice yoga, Qigong, meditation, and a walking chocolate meditation. Guides such as Yogi Blair, Jax, Yolanda, and Cherlita adapt the session to your group. Request crystals or essential oils before the tour if you want those added.

“Yogi Blair was providing a great atmosphere and magical place with a dragon themed vortex yoga which I really enjoyed. Very pleasant guy with great knowledge of movement and local sights. I recommend him to get the feel of Sedona!”

Check availability →Read our full review