Ultimate Adventure Travel Bucket List

By Jennifer Chen ,  Travel + Leisure and Travel + Leisure Staff
October 11, 2012
Courtesy of Nihiwatu
Getting to the chinstrap penguin colony along the Antarctic Peninsula isn’t for the fainthearted. To reach the finger of land that juts out from the frozen continent’s western coast, you have to first face the stormy Drake Passage. 

But the risks are worth it. Gliding through the waters of Orne Harbor, you may encounter humpback and minke whales, leopard and fur seals, and cormorants and other seabirds. Greeting you onshore is the sight of hundreds of squawking penguins tending their young. Still unimpressed? Then hike up the 935-foot Spigot Peak for awe-inspiring panoramic views of the world’s last great wilderness.

Related: World's Top Adventure Trips

Challenging experiences like Quark Expeditions’ guided trip from Argentina to Antarctica remind us that the toughest journeys are often the most memorable. And in an age where time is treated as a commodity, arriving at a destination through toil and sweat is becoming a lost art.

Adventure plays a key role in T+L’s bucket list of 101 experiences every traveler should know—gleaned from our network of correspondents and tastemakers. But not every escapade requires traveling to the ends of the earth or pushing your body’s limits. David Chang, the chef behind the Momofuku restaurant empire, favors fly-fishing in Jackson Hole, WY.

Other all-American adventures include driving down the dramatic Pacific Coast Highway, with a stop at the Redwood Grill for a pulled-pork sandwich, and paying a visit to the millennia-old sequoias in Yosemite’s Mariposa Grove (documentary filmmaker Ken Burns’s pick).

For thrill-seekers, there are the serious adrenaline rushes: white-water rafting through the Class Four rapids of the Salmon River’s Middle Fork in central Idaho or heli-skiing in British Columbia’s Bugaboo Mountains. And you don’t always need to leave the big city behind. You can channel your inner race-car driver at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, zooming from zero to 60 mph in 3 1/2 seconds in a Ferrari F430 GT.

If you’re seeking a gentler pace, consider a stay at Campi Ya Kanzi, a community-owned lodge in eastern Kenya where Masai trackers lead guests through the savanna and cloud forest.

Related: Best Adventure Travel Destinations 2014

Read on for more life-changing adventures and our tips on how to tackle them. —Jennifer Chen

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1 of 26

Hiking Hawaii's Na Pali Coast

Jan-Kristian Markiewicz

Hike the green folded cliffs and secret beaches of the 11-mile Kalalau Trail on the island of Kauai.

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2 of 26

Seeing the Northern Lights in Iceland

Arctic-Images / Alamy

The northern lights are brightest on the Álftanes Peninsula, just outside Reykjavík, during the winter solstice. Marvel at the celestial display, then head back to town for local lamb at Dill restaurant ($$$).

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3 of 26

Cruising to See Penguins in Antarctica

Courtesy of Quark Expeditions

Visit penguin rookeries on Quark Expeditions’ 20-day voyage (from $9,495).

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4 of 26

Sailing the Milford Sound, New Zealand

Ian Watt / Alamy

The jaw-dropping landscape—clear glacial waters; mist-shrouded peaks—is like a fantasy novel come to life. Explore it by ferry, sailing the length of the fjord to the Tasman Sea. nztp.net.nz.

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5 of 26

Fly-Fishing in Jackson Hole, WY

Steve Bly / Alamy

“I love to go fly-fishing in Jackson Hole, in Wyoming. It’s where I get some of my best thinking done. WorldCast Anglers leads excellent guided trips for all levels.” —David Chang, chef

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6 of 26

Getting Up-Close to Iguazú Falls, Brazil

Genivs Loci

Have the thunderous waters all to yourself: guests of the Hotel das Cataratas ($$$), on the Brazilian side, can access the viewing platforms after the park closes—no rangers, no other people.

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7 of 26

Living With Locals in Chyulu Hills, Kenya

Courtesy of Campi ya Kanzi

“Campi Ya Kanzi, the Masai-community-owned lodge in the Chyulu Hills of eastern Kenya, achieves the perfect combination of luxury and exclusivity, with rigorous sustainability and commitment to the locals. I like to walk with Masai trackers early in the morning or hike up to the cloud forest, which is another world entirely.” —Edward Norton, actor and board member of the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust

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8 of 26

Meeting Polar Bears in Churchill, Manitoba

Michelle Valberg

An Inuit guide will bring you face-to-face with migrating 10-foot polar bears in the frozen tundra of northern Canada. Book with Arctic Kingdom (five days from $7,800).

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9 of 26

Cruising China's Yangtze River

Courtesy of Viking River Cruises

Viking River Cruises’ 18-day trip (from $4,242) takes you from Beijing to Shanghai via the imposing Three Gorges.

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10 of 26

Driving Through Mexican Hat and Monument Valley, UT

iStockphoto

“The San Juan Inn, in Mexican Hat, Utah ($), is a motel, trading post, and diner on the banks of a gorgeous red river. It’s like the motel from that Humphrey Bogart movie Petrified Forest. Monument Valley is 25 minutes south, and what you see on that drive, the scale of it, is so vast and beautiful. You’re in this enormous, wondrous silence.” —Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor

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11 of 26

Racing in Las Vegas

Powers Imagery/Courtesy of Dream Racing

Slots aren’t thrilling enough? Zoom from zero to 60 mph in 3 1/2 seconds in a Ferrari F430 GT at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

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12 of 26

Exploring Chile's Atacama Desert

Oliver Davis Photography

Check in to the rustic-chic Awasi lodge and take a guided tour in a 4 x 4 to the blue-and-black twin lagoons, Meñiques and Miscanti, dotted with pink flamingos. Spend the day hiking the surrounding salt flat and volcanoes.

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13 of 26

Ascending Machu Picchu

Genivs Loci

Enter the citadel like the Incas did by walking through the Sun Gate. Here’s how: hop off the train from Cuzco at Km. 104. Hike to the ruins of Huinay Huayna, five miles away, then north to the 15th-century site. Stay at Sanctuary Lodge ($$$$), the only hotel there. Acquire permits in advance from travel specialist Maita Barrenechea.

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14 of 26

Rafting the Middle Fork of the Salmon River, ID

Ron Roberts

Whitewater aficionados consider this America’s most dramatic river. Attack it on a weeklong rafting trip with Row Adventures. Expect luxury camping and stops at waterfalls and hot springs.

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15 of 26

Going to Extremes on Namibia's Skeleton Coast

Alessandro Barbieri

A desert safari with Geographic Expeditions includes trekking across 1,000-foot sand dunes, spotting black and white rhinos, and viewing the shipwrecks and bleached animal bones that give this region its name.

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16 of 26

Flying High Above Rio de Janeiro

iStockphoto

On a helicopter ride from Sugarloaf, around the Cristo statue, and over Copacabana, you’ll see Rio in all its curvaceous, chaotic glory.

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17 of 26

Getting Immersed in Papua New Guinea's Culture

Darrin Bennett

Meet villagers and watch traditional ceremonies with Orion Expedition Cruises (12 days from $7,690).

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18 of 26

Exploring Perito Moreno Glacier, Argentina

Blue Parallel

Between Argentina’s snowy Andes and arid Patagonian steppe, the 200-foot-high mass is the world’s largest expanse of ice outside Antarctica. Take in the towering views with bespoke outfitter Blue Parallel.

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19 of 26

Hiking in Yosemite National Park, CA

iStockphoto

“Stay at the Ahwahnee Hotel ($$$), in Yosemite National Park, and visit the ancient sequoias in Mariposa Grove, the biggest living things on earth.” —Ken Burns, filmmaker

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20 of 26

Wildlife-Viewing Along the Amazon

Courtesy Aqua Expeditions

On Aqua Expeditions’ intimate Aria, guests can spy on howler monkeys, pink dolphins, and swooping macaws from their oversize suites—or from the Jacuzzi in the outdoor lounge. Four days from $2,835.

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21 of 26

Whale-Watching on Australia's Kimberley Coastline

Courtesy of Kuri Bay

Watch for breaching humpback whales along the wildest corner of the outback.

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22 of 26

Learning Wildlife Photography in the Serengeti

Courtesy of Micato Safaris

Get behind the lens with professional photographers and capture the herds of wildebeests, zebras, and gazelles on a Micato Safaris trip through East Africa’s Serengeti (14 days from $16,225).

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23 of 26

Seeing Wildlife in Galápagos Islands

Frans Lanting Studio / Alamy

Spot Darwin’s finches, blue-footed boobies, and giant tortoises on a small expedition ship in the Galápagos Islands (four days from $2,427).

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24 of 26

Heli-Skiing in the Bugaboo Mountains, British Columbia

Peter Valchev

The view from the helicopter is reason enough to sign up for a heli-skiing excursion with Canadian Mountain Holidays. Conquer the majestic peaks and uncharted powder by day, then unwind with a hot toddy at Bugaboo Lodge’s wood-and-stone bar.

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25 of 26

Driving to Big Sur, CA

Jon Arnold Images Ltd / Alamy

Cruise along the Pacific Coast Highway south from Carmel, stopping at Redwood Grill ($$) for a pulled-pork sandwich.

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26 of 26

Surfing on Sumba Island, Indonesia

Courtesy of Nihiwatu

“Nihiwatu ($$$) is essentially a surf camp built by an eco-minded American couple. The staff is made up of mostly locals, and they’ll take guests on village tours. Hikes, bike rides, and diving are all on the menu. Did I mention the surfing wave is perfect?” —Yves Béhar, industrial designer

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