Ten of the best hiking trails around the world - in pictures

From Patagonia to Machu Picchu, we pick out the most stunning global routes to test your endurance

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  The W Circuit, which runs through the Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia, Chile, takes between five and six days to complete. Photo: Olga Stalska / Unsplash

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  The Jordan Trail is 650 kilometres long and was established in 2015. It incorporates world-famous tourism sites such as Petra and Wadi Rum (pictured). Photo: Daniele Colucci / Unsplash

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  First established in the tenth century, Camino de Santiago, or 'The Way of St James', is a network of several pilgrimages encompassing Spain, Portugal and France, leading to the shrine of the apostle Saint James the Great in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia in north-western Spain. Photo: Unsplash

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  The Tongariro Northern Circuit in Tongariro National Park, New Zealand. The hike is a 50km loop around Mount Ngauruhoe and includes views of the Emerald Lakes. Photo: Sebastien Goldberg / Unsplash

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  A view from Lion Rock, Section 5 of the MacLehose Trail in Hong Kong. It is 100km long, and was named after Murray MacLehose, the longest-serving governor of Hong Kong, who established the Country Parks. Photo: Rebecca Cairns / Unsplash

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  Peru's Inca Trail consists of three trails, Mollepata, Classic, and One Day, which terminate at Machu Piccu (pictured). Photo: Xiyuan Du / Unsplash

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  The Kungsleden trail, in Sweden, is approximately 440km long and stretches between Hemavan, in the south, and Abisko in the north. Photo: Anna Kubiak / Unsplash

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  Visitors to Japan can trek the Yoshida Trail, a popular and scenic way to approach the summit of Mount Fuji. Photo: Tommy Silver / Unsplash

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  The Kalalau Trail is 18km along the northern coastline of Kauai island in the US state of Hawaii. Photo: Roberto Reposo / Unsplash

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  Jebel Jais in Ras Al Khaimah, the UAE's highest peak, has been named the best destination for hikers in the country. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Human beings are natural long-distance walkers - since prehistory we have traversed long and difficult routes to survive.

While most humans are no longer nomadic and now spend their days rooted in place, hiking remains a popular recreational activity and form of exercise.

From the challenging adventure of scaling Lion Rock in Hong Kong, to the religious pilgrimage of the Camino de Santiago in northern Spain, here are ten of the best hiking trails around the world.

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