These are the best adventure holidays I have taken! I have visited all seven continents and almost fifty countries, so it was super hard for me to narrow the list down my most favorite adventure vacations. Below, in alphabetical order, are my most fun hiking, biking and paddling adventures!
If you decide to do one of these adventures, please consider going with one of my affiliates listed below. They are my trusted ‘Go To’ partners for adventure. Often they give ATA listeners an exclusive discount, too! Plus, you’ll be helping to support the program and helping to keep it ad free – thanks! Kit
You can download and/or listen to the podcast below
Antarctica Expedition
My most favorite adventure of all!
I went with Hurtigruten (an expert in icy waters) to not just Antarctica, but also the Falkland and South Georgia Islands.
I saw hundreds of thousands of penguins and fur seals, plus whales and other sea birds. I got to kayak around icebergs and penguins, hike the steps of the great explorer Shackelford, see Elephant Island (where Shackelford left his crew), and meet some of the most interesting and well-traveled people on earth!
Plus, at sea, there was always a fascinating lecture to attend, a gym to work out in, plus a sauna and spa to relax in afterwards. The food and staff were outstanding! A ‘Hall of Famer’ experience I cannot more highly recommend!!!
Bhutan in the Himalayan Mountains
No doubt the most unusual country I’ve ever visited! Bhutan retains its unique Buddhist culture and kingdom because they are so isolated by rugged mountains. So much so, that they’ve never been conquered! Outsiders have only recently been allowed in to this safe and friendly country.
The king seeks “Gross National Happiness” over gross national product and his citizens rightly adore him!
Highlights include a hike up to Tiger’s Nest Monastery, a visit to some of the many elaborate temples, and trekking the Gangte Nature Trail in the Phobjikha Valley.
Active Adventures offers a well-balanced 9 day adventure tour that showcase the highlights of this exotic country. Email me for an exclusive Active Adventures Promo Code worth $200 off.
El Camino de Santiago
There are multiple traditional routes to the cathedral in Santiago, where the relics of St. James are purportedly buried. For centuries, ‘pilgrims’ have walked from all across Europe to Santiago to pay homage, for penance, and/or to ask for a ‘special indulgence’. While many still do a Camino for these reasons, more often now, people do it for secular reasons, like to commemorate retirement or to come to terms with a loss.
I have covered many of the Camino routes on the show and this website. You can review a summary HERE. The most popular Camino is the ‘French Way’. The oldest is the ‘Camino Primitivo’ or original Way. Also popular, is the Portuguese Way.
Whichever route you decide is best for you, I recommend my affiliate, Follow The Camino, as they are the experts, and this is all they do! EMAIL ME for an exclusive Follow The Camino Promo Code good for 5% off any of their guided or self-guided Camino tours. They plan all the logistics for you (lodging, luggage transport, etc), so all you have to do is walk!
Hike England’s Coast to Coast Path
I did the first half of this beautiful two week hiking trail from St. Bees on the west coast of the UK, across the stunning Lake District to Kirkby Stephen.
Each night, you stay in a charming inn (including one memorable night at a sheep farm!), and your luggage gets transported for you, so all you have to do is walk and enjoy the scenery and chat with the new friends you meet along the way!
I went with my affiliate, One Foot Abroad. They offer some outstanding self-guided tours across Europe, so you are sure to find one that suits your desires. They are a sister company to Follow The Camino, and also offer ATA listeners an exclusive 5% discount with the One Foot Abroad Promo Code you can get if you EMAIL ME.
Get your FREE printer-friendly copy of the Best Adventure Travel Vacations. Plus you’ll get access to ALL of the ATA Travel Planners for EVERY adventure covered on the show, AND all packing and training lists, and checklists. You’ll also get the once a month ATA newsletter with any updates. I don’t sell your name or spam you – promise!
Costa Rica Camino
This relatively new Camino (to date, less than 1000 thru hikers have completed it!) goes from the Caribbean Sea, up and over the continental divide, and then back down to the Pacific Ocean.
The trail weaves through non-touristed villages, so not only do you get to see how ‘ticos‘ really live, but you are helping to support these communities! It’s a win-win experience!!!
You trek through five ecosystems, from tropical to mountains and cloud forests and will see an abundance of colorful wildlife.
You MUST take a guide as the trail is not well marked yet, and in many places there is no where to sleep or get food unless the guide has arranged for you ahead of time. I recommend UrriTrek. Use my link to save $100 off a full Camino.
The Cotswold Way in England
The Cotswold Way is definitely a favorite long distance walk I’ve done! Think of quintessential England with thatched roofs and medieval villages and THAT is what you’ll see as you walk the Cotswolds!
You’ll not only meet villagers going about their day, but other international walkers. When you are on a long distance hike, you get the chance to really get to know people, so it’s not uncommon to make new life-long friends.
I recommend booking your self-guided Cotswold Way tour with One Foot Abroad. You can EMAIL ME to get a One Foot Abroad Promo Code to save 5%!
Croatia Adventures : Split to Dubrovnik
I took a BoatBikeTours.com boat and bike tour from Split to Dubrovnik. Each day, we would sail from one small island to another. The ship’s captain would drop us, along with our guides and bikes (e-Bikes available) on one part of the island, and we would leisurely bike to where the captain would pick us up. A fantastic (and economical) way to explore a country, plus you only unpack once! Get a 25 euro discount : EMAIL ME for an exclusive Boat Bike Tours Promo Code.
If you don’t want to just bike Croatia, how about a multi-activity Croatia tour, where you hike, bike and kayak! Active Adventures offers a terrific 6 day tour that shows you the highlights of this beautiful Mediterranean country. EMAIL ME for a $200 Off Active Adventures Promo Code – good for any of Active’s outstanding worldwide tours.
The Italian Dolomite Mountains
Hiking in the Dolomites of Italy generally makes my “Top Three” most beautiful places I’ve been! These magnificent limestone mountains capture your heart and so does the food. Does Italy even make bad food? If so, I never experienced it!
Bucolic countryside with impressive mountain peaks, including the famous Tre Cime (shown), this adventure has it all.
Even the mountain huts are wonderful! The food at these huts is divine – and a bowl of soup and cup of tea after a cold rain was much appreciated.
I went with Active Adventures, whom I generally book for the epic adventures. EMAIL ME for an Active Adventures Promo Code to save $200 Off. Their 9 day tour is fairly challenging (3 out of 5) and includes not just hiking, but also a day of cycling for a special view of Tre Cime and a glacial lake, plus I did the optional via ferrata (climbing up a mountain side hooked to a guide wire). It was an EPIC adventure that I highly recommend!
Snorkel, Hike and Bike the Galapagos Islands
Next to Antarctica and Tanzania, the most animals I have seen at once is in the Galapagos – mostly while snorkeling. Most days, you take a boat out to explore the various islands and wildlife, seeing the delightful boobies (the male bird does a little dance to show off the color of it’s feet to potential mates – the darker the color, the better provider he will be), playful sea lions, sea turtles, flying sting rays, sharks, dolphins, and so much more! On land, you can see the gigantic land tortoises and visit the Darwin Center.
You can also hike around these volcanic islands. Or bike around the charming villages and ports.
Active Adventures and Hurtigruten are my recommended companies. EMAIL ME for an Active Adventures Promo Code to save $200. The Galapagos are MAGICAL!!!
Get your FREE printer-friendly copy of the Best Adventure Travel Vacations. Plus you’ll get access to ALL of the ATA Travel Planners for EVERY adventure covered on the show, AND all packing and training lists, and checklists. You’ll also get the once a month ATA newsletter with any updates. I don’t sell your name or spam you – promise!
Boat and Bike Less Touristy Greek Islands
Greece can be crowded, but one way to avoid the throngs is to take a BoatBikeTours.com to visit many of the islands missed by the cruise ships. My sister and I did the Cyclades and Saronic Island tour and it was amazing!
I rented an e-Bike and would recommend that you do as well, unless you are a heavy duty biker, as Greece can definitely be ‘hilly’.
In addition to avoiding a lot of the tourists, you only have to unpack once. Most of your (delicious!) meals are included, making this an affordable adventure holiday! Save even more by EMAILING ME for a 25 euro discount BoatBikeTours.com Promo Code.
Trek to Machu Picchu and Hike the Amazon Rainforest
A bucket list adventure for sure! I did Active Adventures’s 4 day trek to Machu Picchu. There are two routes available: the traditional Inca Trail and the Lara Trail (slightly easier plus you visit a small community, which is cool). Uber strong porters carry your camping gear and food, so all you carry is a daypack. Hiking into Machu Picchu from the Sun Gate is something not to be missed!
We also spent time in Cusco, and after our trek, flew to the Amazon where we canoed and fished for piranhas, and did night and day hikes through the rainforest, seeking cool wildlife. One morning, we got up early and boated to a remote island where hundreds of macaws (those huge red, blue and yellow birds) visit a cliff to lick the salt. Utterly incredible!
I went with Active Adventures. They also offer a Machu Picchu AND Galapagos adventure. EMAIL ME for an Active Adventures Promo Code to save $200 Off.
Trek the Mont Blanc Circuit through France, Italy and Switzerland
Considered one of the world’s most beautiful hikes for good reason!
I went with Active Adventures (like I always do for bucket list adventures). We stayed in a lovely inn each night and day hiked the circuit. They also tossed in a bit of mountain biking and kayaking, plus a bit of touring. That’s one thing I love about Active is that they always mix it up to provide an amazing experience.
You do need to train for this hike as it can be challenging (rated 4 out of 5), but it is defintely doable! EMAIL ME for an Active Adventures Promo Code good for $200 Off any of their epic adventures worldwide.
South Island of New Zealand
I wanted to MOVE here! I absolutely LOVED the fun-loving people, the diverse landscape (the wine) and how much this country just lives OUTDOORS! They are always out having fun.
On New Zealand’s South Island, you can heli-hike on the Franz Josef glacier, kayak Milford Sound and hike on some of the world’s most beautiful trails along NZ’s ‘Great Walks‘ and hike to see Mount Cook/Aoraki. We kayaked in a quiet inlet looking for wildlife. One of my favorite trips ever!
I went with Active Adventures, of course, as they are based in the adventure town of Queenstown – where they invented bunge jumping and you can do anything ever invented that is adventurous and fun! EMAIL ME for an Active Adventures Promo Code to save $200 Off any of their epic adventures.
North Island of New Zealand
When I finished my South Island tour, three in my group were going to catch the last five days of Active Adventure’s North Island tour. I was having so much fun on my trip, that I ditched my prepaid flight and lodging and decided to join them. GREAT DECISION: we had an absolute BLAST!!!
Not only did we hike the world famous Tongariro Crossing and other incredible trails like Rainbow Mountain, but we tubed Waitamo on an underground river and discovered thousands of glowworms, we learned about the Māori culture and saw the steam pouring out of the land in Rotorua, we hiked to Huka Falls and so much more! I tell folks it was like being a little kid having so much fun every day. Fabulous!!!
EMAIL ME for an Active Adventures Promo Code to save $200 Off any of their epic adventures.
Get your FREE printer-friendly copy of the Best Adventure Travel Vacations. Plus you’ll get access to ALL of the ATA Travel Planners for EVERY adventure covered on the show, AND all packing and training lists, and checklists. You’ll also get the once a month ATA newsletter with any updates. I don’t sell your name or spam you – promise!
Trek Patagonia in Chile and Argentina
Ok, this is another adventure that usually ranks in my “Top Three” most beautiful!!! It is hard to get to, at the bottom of South America, but it is totally worth it!
I went with Active Adventures to hike not only the famous “W Trek” and the French Valley in Torres del Paine National Park, but also to kayak around the glacier in Grey Lake, visit the stunning Perito Moreno glacier in Chile, plus some other great hikes, including Mirador Laguna Torre, where dramatic views of Fitz Roy Valley and Cerro Torre.
We also visited cool mountain villages like Calafate and El Chatan on this epic adventure holiday.
EMAIL ME for an Active Adventures Promo Code to save $200 Off any of their epic adventures.
Multi-Activity Slovenia Adventures
I call my adventure in Slovenia my ‘sleeper’ adventure, as I only decided to do it because it was located in between my Dolomites and Croatia (re-scheduled from covid) tours. What a DELIGHTFUL surprise!!!
I hiked, biked and paddled with One Foot Abroad(OFA) from the ski town of Kranska Gora in the Julian alps to Bohinj Lake. Along the way, we biked around Lake Bled, famous for the church on the little island. I went on a self-guided tour with a fellow ATA listener, and OFA arranged all of our lovely accommodations and transported our luggage daily. When it was time to bike, a van would be outside waiting to give us our bikes. Helpful maps made it easy to navigate this wonderful country. All very affordably!
Slovenia is a delightfully tidy and safe country on the Mediterranean Sea, easily accessible from Venice (we took a scenic bus ride). The landscape is gorgeous, the locals are friendly and it is not overly touristed, so you’ll have a more authentic holiday.
EMAIL ME for a One Foot Abroad Promo Code good on ANY of their amazing European self-guided tours.
National Parks of Utah
Southern Utah boasts five national parks, all worthy of a visit: Arches, Canyonlands, Bryce Canyon, Zion and Capital Reef. While you can certainly visit them on your own, like I did, frankly I think that the parks have gotten so crowded that you are better off going on a guided tour, like Active Adventures’s Mighty Five. Authorized tour companies are able get you to the trailheads before the crowds and know places that regular tourists don’t. Active also offers a Bryce Canyon and Zion only adventure that is a little less difficult.
Happily the five parks are fairly close to each other, yet each has its own distinct personality!
EMAIL ME for a $200 Off Active Adventures Promo Code – good for any of Active’s outstanding worldwide tours.
West Highland Way of Scotland
The West Highland Way, Scotland’s most popular long distance walk, was my introduction to walking holidays, so it will always have a special place in my heart. This beautiful walk is mostly along the famous Loch Lomond (lake). Each night, you end up in a charming medieval village where you can choose amongst the pubs for a hearty dinner.
This ten day walk of just under 100 miles can easily be done self-guided with One Foot Abroad. They will arrange your cozy lodging and transport your luggage daily so all you have to do is walk! You’ll get a map, an app and 24/7 service, should you need it. It’s an affordable way to explore the UK!
I recommend booking your self-guided Cotswold Way tour with One Foot Abroad. You can EMAIL ME to get a One Foot Abroad Promo Code to save 5%!
Get your FREE printer-friendly copy of the Best Adventure Travel Vacations. Plus you’ll get access to ALL of the ATA Travel Planners for EVERY adventure covered on the show, AND all packing and training lists, and checklists. You’ll also get the once a month ATA newsletter with any updates. I don’t sell your name or spam you – promise!
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