Do you have a taste for adventure travel?
If you said yes then read on!
This blog post goes over 10 of the top travel destinations in the world. It spans the globe and covers a range of activities from hiking, diving, riding and so much more!
Get off the beaten track and plan your next epic adventure
1. Get Adventurous in New Zealand
New Zealand is famous for the great outdoors! The incredible lakes, alps, wild beaches, volcanoes and so much more.
Even in the biggest cities, you are only minutes away from idyllic nature. New Zealand has incredible nature combined with some serious extreme sports for the adrenaline junkies out there!
In the North Island, you can go white water rafting in Tongariro, surfing on some seriously big waves in Piha, ski on Mt Ruapen which is an active volcano. You can go into glow worm caves in Waitomo, race down a luge and get up close and personal with thermal springs in Rotorua. There are also some amazing hikes all over the North Island like the Tongariro Crossing, The Te Henga walkway and so much more!
In the South Island, explore some of the most beautiful and untouched lakes and mountains in the Southern Alps. Wanaka and Queenstown are the perfect winter skiing destination. The South Island is also home to the most famous extreme sports! These include bungy jumping (did you know bungy jumping was invented in New Zealand?!), jet boating, skydiving, canyon swings, helicopter rides and so much more.
The South Island has many world-famous hiking trails such as the Milford Track, Routeburn Track and Roy’s peak to name just a few!
The best part about New Zealand is that there are free camping sites all over the country so grab yourself a campervan and take your time to explore New Zealand from top to bottom!
2. Go Diving In The Maldives
You might think of the Maldives as a tropical island with super expensive resorts. But it is actually home to some of the best diving spots in the world, making it a great spot for adventure travel!
The Maldives is made up of 1000 islands. The islands are surrounded by warm crystal clear waters with coral reefs, sandy banks and steep drops offs that the most beautiful marine life on the planet call home.
The isolation of the Maldives has allowed a variety of marine species to flourish there. There are strong seasonal currents flowing through the islands which are rich in plankton. These channels are directed into the calm reefs and lagoons allowing marine life to thrive.
You are likely to spot huge manta rays, hammerheads, whale sharks, giant sea turtles and tiger sharks diving in the Maldives. There are a huge number of different spots you can pick to go diving!
Also, you don’t have to be a millionaire to visit the Maldives. It is possible to travel the Maldives on a budgetby staying with locals on local islands instead of big all-inclusive resorts.
3. Climb The Highest Free Standing Mountain on Earth In Tanzania
At 5,895m above sea level, Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania is the highest free-standing mountain on earth and the highest point in Africa. This makes it one of the best places in the world for some adventure travel! Around 40,000 people make the ascent to the roof of Africa each year.
Before you set off to Tanzania you must prepare. Do your research on the appropriate company to guide you up the mountain, source medications you might need and get physically fit. The change in altitude and lack of oxygen is the most challenging aspect of this hike!
By embarking on this adventure you will be treated with the most memorable sunrises of your life and new friendships that will last you a lifetime. This could be the most epic adventure of your life!
Tanzania is full of other incredible adventurous activities too. Realise your African wildlife dreams with a safari in the Serengeti. The Serengeti is the number 1 wildlife destination in Africa. You can spot gazelles, zebra, giraffe, elephants, leopards and tigers on the vast African planes.
After all the adventure you may want to chill out on a tropical island for a bit so hope over to Zanzibar for some R&R!
4. Hike On The Perito Moreno Glacier In Patagonia
The Perito Moreno is a huge glacier in the Patagonia region in Argentina near the town of El Calafate. This glacier is not only accessible to hike on but it is one of the only glaciers in the world that is growing instead of receding!
It is an incredibly unique experience to hike on endless shards of ice and drink fresh glacial water right from the source. It feels like you are on another planet!
You can also witness the shocking cracking and crashing of sheets of ice into the freezing cold waters below on the front of the glacier. These form mini tidal waves which are quite spooky but it is so incredible to see nature alive!
If you want more adventure in this region you can go on a jeep safari experience. Spot wild foxes and horses and get a taste of traditional farm life in Argentina.
There is also the famous Mt Fitz Roy hike nearby in El Chalten. This takes you to dramatically towering and icy mountain top views.
5. Go Climbing In The Yosemite Valley
Yosemite is the most iconic destination in the world for rock climbing making it a must to for big adventure seekers. The Yosemite National Park is located in central California. It boasts some of the most breathtaking mountain views in the entire world.
Climbers from all over the world have been visiting the Valley for decades. They test themselves against the great big climbs on El Capitan and Half Dome. Yosemite Valley also has long free climbs to and bouldering.
There are several campgrounds to stay at. The most famous being Camp 4 which is in the centre of the action and always buzzing with climbers.
6. Ride a Royal Enfield Bike Through Ladakh, India
This is the Indian adventure traveller's dream. Riding a motorbike amongst the highest mountains in the world! If you are riding a bike in India, it has to be on a Royal Enfield!
Ladakh is known as the desert in the sky. It is in the north of India in the Himalayas. It has an incredible landscape of barren mountains, lakes and dirt roads. The climate in Ladakh is extremely cold and volatile. The highest are roads only accessible in the months of July and August when it is the warmest.
The toughest route to ride is from Manali to Leh. You will ride through several high altitude mountain passes. First, the Rohtang Pass at an altitude of 3,980 meters followed by Baralacha Pass at 4892 meters, Lachung la Pass at 5,065 meters and finally Tanglang Pass at 5,360 meters.
Last, there is the Khardung Pass. This is the highest motorable road in India and the second in the world at 5,359 meters. You can take a road from the township of Leh to Khardung pass.
This ride is not for beginners or for the faint-hearted. The roads can be treacherous, the weather freezing and unpredictable even in the summer months. So you must go prepared.
This adventure is sure to be one that you will never forget.
7. Try Hot Air Ballooning In Cappadocia!
Hot Air Ballooning in Cappadocia is incredibly famous and for good reason! It will literally take your breath away.
You will wake up at 3 am and get driven out to a giant paddock. You will watch your balloon and many others slowly inflate all around you. Then you will get in the big basket and put your life in the hands of the pilot!
Flying in a hot air balloon feels really scary at first! You are controlled by the wind and you go up, down and around those famous pointy rock formations. This really gets your adrenaline pumping! As you reach higher and the sun starts to blaze up over the horizon you witness a spectacular view! The unique red and gold landscape of Cappadocia and countless other Hot Air Balloons decorating the sky is dazzling.
When you finally reach the ground you will be treated with bubbly and a nice certificate!
The best time to go is during the summer months when it is warmer and the weather is calm making it more likely that your trip will go ahead. Always give yourself a couple of days in case the balloons can’t go up due to the weather when you are there!
There are numerous companies operating out of Cappadocia so do your research to book directly or just book through a travel agent or your hotel. This experience will only set you back around €100 which is a bargain for a travel adventure experience of a lifetime!
8. Cycle The Karakoram Highway Through Pakistan And China
The Karakoram Highway is the highest paved border crossing in the world, passing through both China and Pakistan. It reaches an altitude of 4,700 meters at Khunjerab Pass.
This is one of the worlds greatest roads and famous for cycling, making it one of the top adventure travel destinations in the world.
The scenery is simply stunning with breathtaking mountain views, lakes and glaciers. The snow-capped Karakoram Mountains are always in sight as they tower over the valleys. You can also find small villages to stop into along your journey.
Cycling this highway is one of the most beautiful yet challenging experiences you will face in your life!
The Karakoram Highway route is 1260km and goes from Ghoragali in Pakistan to Kashgar in China. There are many places where the road is unpaved and dangerous so make sure you are an experienced rider.
Off The Map makes travel and adventure jewellery especially for cyclists. A Cycling nut lives for the ride! Having a special signet ring or pendant to take with you on an epic adventure like this will be your lucky charm. You will be able to treasure the memories of your ride for years to come!
9. Hike The Inca Trail In Peru
Completing the Inca Trail is the ultimate Peruvian travel experience! This famous hike is a pathway that was built thousands of years ago by the Incas to their village hidden in the mountains. This famous village is known as Machu Picchu and was undiscovered for many years after it was abandoned.
Now we are lucky enough to be able to walk in the footsteps of the ancient Incas and hike to Machu Picchu on the Inca Trail. The hike takes around 4 days. You climb to the highest point called Dead Woman's Pass at 4215m then you start descending further into the mountains before reaching Machu Picchu.
This mystical hike will take you through many ancient Incan ruins and gives you breathtaking scenery the whole way. This hike isn’t necessarily hard but due to the altitude, it becomes extremely difficult to get enough oxygen making the hike exhausting.
Once you reach the sun gate early in the morning and watch the sunrise over the still and misty Machu Picchu it will all be worth it! It is so much better to reach Machu Picchu by foot then by train. The experience will blow you away and give you a real sense of how it was to live as an Inca.
You have to do the Inca Trail with a guide and there are only a limited number of people allowed to do the hike each year so do you research and book in advance. There are many reputable tour companies like G Adventures who offer comprehensive Inca Trail packages.
10. Camp In The Gobi Desert In Mongolia
Going to the desert is a travel adventure you need to have on your bucket list. Doing it in Mongolia is one of the most off the beaten track and adventurous options you can take!
Mongolia is remote, difficult to get to and a challenge to travel in. But the adventures that take the most work are always the most rewarding! There is a huge language barrier, the tourism infrastructure is lacking, accommodation is limited and there aren’t many paved roads. But the challenges are more than worth overcoming.
You will need to get driven out to the Gobi Desert from Ulan Bataar. On the way, you can stop at the Painted Mountains of The White Stupa which is a breathtaking viewpoint and one of the most impressive sights in Mongolia.
Once you have reached the desert you can climb the highest sand dunes in Mongolia to watch the sun go down. Then make your way to The Flaming Cliffs where you can search for dinosaur bones! If you have a guide who knows local nomadic Mongolians you may be lucky enough to spend some time with them in their ger (a Mongolian “yurt”).
You can camp in yurts either at a campground or with a local family. Staying in a yurt in the desert is the most authentic and remarkable way to spend your time in this untouched part of the world!
If you want to up the adventure factor opt to travel through Mongolia on the Transiberian Railway which goes from Russia to China. Russia, China and Mongolia are all destinations that are less travelled to as they come with more challenges. But this is one way to have an adventure of a lifetime and see landscapes and cultures that are not seen by many!
Adventure awaits!
There you have a selection of the top 10 travel destinations in the world.
Got itchy feet yet?
