Calling all thrill seekers, check out our list of twenty adventure vacations to take before you die. From swimming with whale sharks to hot air ballooning in Turkey, it takes special kind of people to attempt these things, are you one of them?
1. Swimming With Whale Sharks
The whale shark is a slow-moving filter feeding shark and the largest known extant fish species. It holds many records for sheer size in the animal kingdom, most notably being by far the largest living non-mammalian vertebrate, rivaling many of the largest dinosaurs in weight.
The whale shark is found in tropical and warm oceans and lives in the open sea with a lifespan of about 70 years.
Swimming with a whale shark is the experience of a lifetime – a unique wildlife interaction that will live with you forever.
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2. Climb To Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu is a 15th-century Inca site located 2,430 meters (7,970 ft) above sea level. It is located in the Cusco Region of Peru and is situated on a mountain ridge above the Sacred Valley. Often referred to as the “Lost City of the Incas”, it is perhaps the most familiar icon of Inca civilization.
The Incas built the estate around 1450, but abandoned it a century later at the time of the Spanish Conquest. Machu Picchu has become an important tourist attraction with most of the outlying buildings have being reconstructed in order to give tourists a better idea of what the structures originally looked like.
3. Take An Outdoor Bath In Budapest
Thermal baths or spas in Budapest are popular tourist attractions as well as public comforts for the city’s residents. Budapest gained its reputation as a city of spas in the 1920s, following the first realization of the economic potential of the thermal waters in drawing in visitors.
These thermal baths are to Budapest what baguettes are to Paris or yellow taxis are to New York. From the Szechenyi, to the Gellert, to the Lukacs, a range of extravagant, resplendent buildings reside on both the Buda and Pest sides of the city, plunging beneath the earth to draw up thermal waters for the benefit of cleansing and healing its citizens, not to mention providing the necessary environment for a game of chess.
4. Float In The Dead Sea
The Dead Sea’s shore is the Earth’s lowest elevation on land and its waters are among the saltiest in the world making it uninhabitable for animal life. Don’t let the salt concentration deter you though, The Dead Sea boasts waters with naturally healing properties that are often used to treat medical conditions such as psoriasis and osteoarthritis.
5. See Animals at the Galapagos
Darwin’s fascination with the Galapagos led to historic changes in the world’s view of evolution, but the islands are also just downright pretty. Whether it’s for science or aesthetics, the Galapagos is a site that deserve some in person perspective.
6. Go Hot Air Ballooning in Turkey
Hot air balloons are iconic for their leisurely pace and breathtaking views. There are few places better than Turkey to take a balloon up and soak in the sublime landscapes from hundreds of miles above the air.
7. Walk the Torres del Paine in Chile
Located in Chilean Patagonia, the Torres del Paine is a part of National System of Protected Forested Areas of Chile). The park is one of the most visited in Chile boasting around 150,000 visitors a year, with more than half being foreign. The park measures itself at 242,242 hectares. Littered with scenic beauty, the park is a hiking destination for most visitors who flock to experience its beauty.
8. Scuba in the Great Barrier Reef in Australia
This activity has a time stamp on it! While the coral reefs probably deserve their own bucket list with continued climate change, swimming among them should definitely make yours as well. These important habitats for a wealth of aquatic life are not only important ecologically but serve a purpose beyond environmental conservation – being really pretty.
9. Climb Kilimanjaro and See the “Big Five”
This activity requires someone at the peak of their fitness as Kilimanjaro is the tallest free standing mountain in the entire world. Taking a safari through allows visitors to spot the big five: buffalo, elephants, leopards, lions and rhinos. Would you scout for these rare beasts?
10. Raft the Green River in Colorado and Utah
Heralded as one of America’s favorite rafting trips. The Green River is a spectacular scenic flight from Moab, Utah that brings you atop a dramatic desert plateau. Give in to your senses as you’re immersed into 40 million years of geologic history, and get a good work out while you are at it.
11. Sail the Turkish Coast
You’ve seen Turkey from dizzying heights, but get a good look at the coast in the comfort of a catamaran. Sailing around the idyllic coast is an opportunity not many have the time to do, but finding the time will prove worth it as you absorb the breathtaking scenery and the soothing rumble of the waves slapping against the vessels hull.
12. Spend a Night in an Ice Hotel
Spending the night in an ice hotel, might seem like an impractical way to get a little rest but this destination is more about the art than the comfort. The hotel is built every year from scratch and is harvested from the Torne River in the UK.
13. Volcano Boarding in Nicaragua
Never heard of volcano boarding? Well, it isn’t exactly commonplace. Bigfoot Hostel is located in the heart of Nicaragua’s old, colonial León. Visitors have the option to take a volcano tour of the city and stay overnight and belly-up to the Bigfoot Bar Shuttle. This an experience that is both unique and thrilling. Anyone can ride a wave but very few can say they have tackled a volcano.
14. Dog-sled in Mont Tremblant, Canada
Dog sledding is an activity that we see in films but few of us actually get a chance to attempt it. When heading to Alaska to see the northern lights or kayak in some of the turbulent waters take a pit stop and enjoy a vehicle running on 12 dog-power.
15. See the Great Wall of China
The Great Wall of China is regaled as one of the seven wonders of the world and seeing it is only half the adventure. Satellites can see the mammoth structure from space and the wall is around 5,500 miles long. This testament to human architecture and the Chinese empire is a must see for anyone and if you are feeling really adventurous then try the annual marathon that runs along the wall.
16. Safari in Tanzania
Safari in the beautiful African country of Tanzania is truly a unique experience. On safari participants can see the wealth of African wildlife as well as endure Mt Kilimanjaro and Mt Meru climbs. Safari also allows beach stays on the shores of the Indian Ocean on either Tanzania’s mainland or on one of the beautiful islands of Zanzibar, Mafia or Pemba.
17. Take a Camel Trek in Morocco
Morocco is a beautiful place to visit, but add a camel trek in there and you’ve got an activity that is as exciting as it is unique. You can find yourself riding off into the Moroccan sunset in between camel humps, something not many people outside of Morocco can boast.
18. Take a Road Trip Across Route 66
Often referred to as the Main Street of America, Route 66 stretching from Chicago all the way to Santa Monica. The iconic highway has inspired many American anthems and writings, such as “Route 66” by Nat King Cole Trio. The nearly 2,500 mile expanse takes days to traverse, but coupled with a friend or some good music would be both memorable and visually stunning.
19. Run With the Bulls in Pamplona
This Spanish right of passage is one of the most dangerous activities on this list, but the rewards of participating oftentimes outweigh the ghastly risks.
20. Spot Polar Bears in Norway
Just like the coral reef before, this activity has a climate time stamp on it. As glacier ice melts across the globe, polar bear habitats are in turn dwindling. The arctic bear won’t have much habitat for too much longer forcing the species into endangerment, so get to Norway before there are no bears left to see.
21. Take A Motorbike Tour In Ho Chi Minh City
If you are feeling really adventurous then how about taking a tour in Ho Chi Minh City. You will get to see all the top attractions this amazing city has to offer as well as get imursed in the local culture.
Do you know of any other amazing adventure vacations?
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