Have you been flirting with the idea of a walking holiday for a while now but not want it to be too strenuous? Adventure travel specialist World Expeditions, which has been pioneering trekking trips for 40 years, has a number of itineraries around the globe that can be enjoyed safely by everyone, even first timers.

Gordon Steer, UK Manager for World Expeditions, explains:

“A trekking holiday does not have to be demanding or only for seasoned, fitter hikers. A reasonable good level of physical fitness is required, of course, but you do not have to be an experienced trekker to immerse in the natural beauty of some of the world's most breathtaking, captivating regions, from Cuba to Japan, Canada to the Himalayas”.

Among World Expeditions' most popular introductory level trekking trips are:

CUBA | Cuba on Foot [NEW FOR 2015]
From Vinales in the west to Sierra Maestra in the east, Cuba is a natural paradise for walkers. The UNESCO-listed Vinales Valley is home to the 'mogotes' limestone karst scenery, which dates back 160 million years. After spotting hummingbirds, you will amble through Topes de Collantes with its exuberant flora, caves, waterfalls, grottos and cool off in crystal clear natural pools. In the Sierra Maestra National Park visit Castro's revolutionary base, La Comandancia, and climb Cuba's highest peak, with the colonial towns of Cienfuegos, Trinidad and Santiago breaking up the daily walks.
www.worldexpeditions.com/uk/index.php?section=trips&id=285328
• Cuba on foot (15 days, introductory level) departs February-April and October-November, from £1,950 per person

CANADA | Rockies Adventure
Spectacular mountain landscapes, comprising peaks, glaciers, lakes, waterfalls, canyons, limestone caves and fossils: there is a good reason why most of the Canadian Rockies is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. The area surrounding Canmore, Banff and Lake Louise contains a lifetime of walking and hiking opportunities, with eight National and Provincial Mountain Parks within easy driving distance – and you also get to experience the celebrated 'Icefields Parkway', one of the most scenic drives in the world.
www.worldexpeditions.com/uk/index.php?section=trips&id=1502624
• Canadian Rockies Adventure (7 days, introductory level) departs June-September, from £1,495 per person

JAPAN | Kii Hanto Pilgrim Hike
The Kii Peninsula, the largest peninsula on the island of Honshū, is one of the most sacred places in Japan. Emperors and pilgrims alike have walked in the past an arduous journey across these mountains, which for over 1,200 years have been deemed a spiritual region inhabited by the gods. This new trip is specially designed to take in sacred sites and mountain trails that were influential in the development and exchange of Japanese culture and religion, evoking a deep connection between the environment, history, traditions and faith.
www.worldexpeditions.com/uk/index.php?section=trips&id=741179
• Kii Hanto Pilgrim Hike (5 days, introductory level) departs daily year round, from £1,050 per person

MONGOLIA | Gobi Traverse
The Great Gobi Desert is one of the last few wildernesses on earth that draws in the most avid travellers, witnessing its unique and untouched features such as windswept sand dunes, ancient dinosaur relics, while at the Valley of Yol you will find solid ice formations even in the heat of the Mongolian summer! This unique trekking and camping itinerary was developed with locals – people intimate with every corner of the places you will visit. In true nomadic style we ride through the desert on camel back and of course spend a few nights at an original 'ger' camp!
www.worldexpeditions.com/uk/index.php?section=trips&id=374
• Gobi Traverse (15 days, introductory level) departs May-September, from £2,150 per person

For more information and bookings please contact World Expeditions (www.worldexpeditions.co.uk, 0800 0744 135). Quoted prices are inclusive of accommodation, most meals, equipment rental, experienced guides, luggage transfers between hotels (where applicable) and clear maps with images. Flights from the UK are not included but can be booked on request.

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Notes for editors:
• One of the very first operators in what is now becoming a very popular area in travel, since its inception in 1975 World Expeditions has earned itself an outstanding reputation as a world leader in small group adventure holidays and cultural journeys.
• The two factors that distinguish World Expeditions from its competitors, the number of inclusions and the exceptional value of its trips, can be found today in more than 500 stand-alone itineraries, escorted by expert leaders and meticulously designed for those travellers who want to take the 'paths less travelled'.
• Always innovative, it was, among others, the first operator to offer cycling holidays in India (1977) and China (1978) and trekking trips in Mongolia (1980) and Tibet (1981). In 2013 it launched a dedicated 'World Cycle Journeys' programme, while as of 2011 it is the only company to offer the newly mapped Great Himalaya Trail.
• UTracks and Sherpa Expeditions, the European division of World Expeditions, offer a collection of activity holidays across Europe and the UK covering over 25 countries, from short four-day breaks to longer two-week trips.
• World Expeditions is independently owned and a truly global company, with nine offices around the world, including London, Sydney and Montreal.

For high-res images and PR/media enquiries:
World Expeditions | UTracks | Sherpa Expeditions
020 8545 9030
Tom Panagos pr@worldexpeditions.co.uk
Gordon Steer gordon@worldexpeditions.co.uk