Best walking holidays in September 2026

That lingering back-to-school feeling in September can be tough to shake. While some welcome it as a month of fresh starts and new insights, others see it as the arrival of rigid routines, a loss of freedom and the start of a slow slide into winter. If you fall into that second group, maybe it is time to play life truancy, break away from the norm, and savour every remaining drop of summer left in September. To those bound to the academic calendar, we feel your pain. But we will be here for you when school’s out. And for everyone else, enjoy perusing our best walking holidays in September. You can also see all of our September walking holidays here.

Karkonosze Mountains, Poland

Sitting directly on the border with the Czech Republic, the Karkonosze Mountains are also known as the Giant Mountains. Protected by Karkonosze National Park, the range’s highest summit, Mount Sněžka (1,603m), is shared with the Czech Republic. It boasts an alpine terrain of glacial cirques, waterfalls, Ramsar-protected peat bogs and moorlands where black storks fly and red deer roam. Particularly in the early days of autumn. Although Mount Sněžka attracts significant attention, the true highlights that steal your heart are the quieter paths of the Karkonosze ridge and Mount Labski Szczyt (1,472m), as well as the meadows surrounding Wielki Staw and Maly Staw Lakes. For this reason, we have designed a week-long walking itinerary dedicated solely to the Karkonosze Mountains, with trips available until late in the month.

It’s a short window to hike in the Karkonosze Mountains, but the view from that window is across a bit of Polish paradise.

Alte Via 1, Dolomites, Italy

There is a relatively short window for trekking along the Alta Via 1 in Italy, in order to avoid the first autumnal snowfalls at higher altitudes, as well as the heat (and hordes) of August and summer storms. September is one of those months, and just perfect at this time of year too for exploring the endless sceneries of high-mountain pastures surrounded by jagged peaks and vertical walls following a classical long-distance trail, covering 120km.

Walking the Lycian Way, Turkey

The Lycian Way Trail is legendary for lovers of all things littoral. Although the 500km trail along ancient pastoral tracks and through idyllic Aegean villages has been here for centuries, it was only really put on the map in 1999 by British walker and writer, Kate Clow. Too hot for the height of summer, our walking holidays there open up again in September. It’s still hot though, with daytime temperatures between 28-20C, but cooling slightly in late September. Nights are cooler, dropping to 15C while the sea stays at a balmy 23C average. In September, we highly recommend starting early, taking long breaks and shady snoozes if necessary during the midday sun.

You can walk the whole Lycian Way in 20 days, with some transfers to trailheads, passing through archaeological wonders like Olympos and the sunken city of Simena, as well as Mediterranean coastal landscapes that stop even the most hardened hiker in their tracks. Or choose between east and west sections over a week, although the Lycian will always lure you back for more.

Early autumn in Aveyron, France

Situated in southern France’s Occitanie region, Aveyron stands out as a hidden, lush paradise for walkers, blending impressive geology with heritage architecture. Its main attractions include Gorges du Tarn and the sweeping panoramic views from the causses, or expansive limestone plateaus. Hikers can experience this remarkable scenery firsthand on our Walking in Aveyron itinerary. For many adventurers, however, the true standout of the trip is trekking through the historic troglodyte settlements of Saint-Marcellin and Eglazines, an experience made even more unforgettable by the spectacular light of September. Photographers will be psyched. These tours remain available through the end of September and extend into October.

It’s a dramatic double-take moment when you first see Eglazine troglodyte village in the Aveyron.

Hiking in Mercantour National Park, France

Mercantour National Park is another of France’s well kept secrets. It’s an Alpine paradise without the crowds, a culture that combines Italian and French heritage, and has a climate that reflects its proximity to the Med. On our Mercantour six day hiking holiday, you can take in some of its natural heritage highlights, including the aptly named Vallée des Merveilles or Valley of Wonders, one of our favourite day walks in France. With an array of peaks, glacial lakes, larch forests and waterfalls, one of its other green goodies is that it is very easy to reach by rail from Nice on the French Riviera. If you want to make a real adventure of it, you can even go there from Paris by sleeper train which takes you to Nice, after which you take a magnificent mountain train up to La Brigue. September is your last month of the year to explore this gorgeous spot, before the heavier weather comes in.

Is September good for hiking in Mallorca, Spain?

With Mallorca’s average sea temperatures at 25C in September and air temperatures 21C, September is spot on. And, as a popular family destination, Mallorca is a lot more mellow when schools have gone back. It’s also the season when the wine really starts to flow, with Festa des Vermar, in the wine town and region of Binissalem boasting a two-week grape harvest festival from mid to late September, with parades, grape crushing events, tastings and even a grape battle. Although you don’t walk through it on our walking holidays, you might want to time your trip to go there for a day trip at the end, as it’s only 28km from Palma. For more information, see our Ultimate guide to walking in the Balearics.

Mallorca is a mix of sublime saunters and swimming in September. Photograph by Christopher Ison ©

Which trek is best in September in Albania?

September is the last month of the year to travel with our walking holidays on the High Scardus Trail and we couldn’t recommend it more highly. Here, our tour focuses on Albania’s Sharr Mountains section, which you can do guided or self-guided. Natural highlights include the wild terrain of Korab-Koritnik Nature Park, home to Mount Korab (2,764m), the highest peak in both Albania and North Macedonia, and natural border between the two. You also have the chance to meet shepherd communities, stay in mountain huts and hike up Grama Pass (2,300m), with dizzying views of many peaks in this elevated terrain. September on the Scardus will give you a new perspective on life as you head into autumn.

For some September highs, hit the High Scardus Trail.

Is September a good time to hike Mont Blanc?

We don’t offer summit trips on Mont Blanc, but the iconic Tour du Mont Blanc long-distance trail that circumnavigates the great massif is still available in September. During this time, as with all months of the tour really, there are ups and downs with the weather, depending on the elevations. In general, daytime temperatures in the valleys range from 10- 20C, while nights drop to a chilly 05C. High mountain passes can dip to freezing, and early snowfalls are possible, especially from mid-September onwards. For more information, see our blog, Everything you need to know about the Tour du Mont Blanc hike.

Best hiking in September in the Pyrenees

We adore Andorra in September which, although it’s petite, is all about the Pyrenees. Perfectly poised between Catalonia and France, Andorra’s a bit alternative, and we adore her for it, especially in September when schools are back and you have this family favourite of a destination all to yourself. As our tours run until mid-October, September is also one of the best times to get in before the wanderlust window closes. And there’s some serious wandering to be done in the likes of Comapedrosa and Sorteny Natural Parks, Circ des Pessons and in Incles Valley. It’s always an Andorra-ble adventure in early autumn.

Spot the person in the midst of this colossal cirque. Andorra’s small, but it puts things into perspective sometimes.

Athens and islands classics combo

Maybe this September is the time to major in classics and get an educational fix in Athens, followed by a walking holiday on one of the nearby islands. For example, on our Athens to Kea holiday, you spend two days exploring the food scene in Athens and some of the important sites, then take a ferry to Kea, the Cyclades island closest to Athens, to walk on its ancient kalderimi paths. Another option is to travel in Athens independently, then add on a week in the Saronic Islands of Poros and Hydra, both Hellenic hiking havens, and a quick ferry trip from the capital. Mind you, Greece is pretty gorgeous wherever you go in September, so check out all our trips here.

For more adventure tours that take you into Narnia-like lands, national parks or give you natural highs to fight September scaries, don’t hesitate to contact us. We have many more September walking holidays here.