Your Rich Experience and Travel Adventure

Every traveler has their ultimate list of things to experience around the world—from eating street food in Singapore to seeing an opera in Vienna—but with much of our lives being spent outside these days, Conde Naste Traveler beefing up their list with a slew of outdoor adventures. Consider these as some of the ultimate trips for intrepid travelers, including hikes, extreme sports, and creative ways to see some of the planet’s most beautiful landscapes. Whether it’s hot air ballooning over Turkey or climbing Mt. Fuji, these activities are guaranteed to thrill—and change your entire outlook on life.

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Climb to Machu Picchu, Peru

No adventurer’s must-visit list is complete without Machu Picchu, the famous Incan citadel located in the Andes. While the site can be accessed via bus ride, more adventurous travelers can take the five-day trek along the entire 26-mile-long Inca Trail. Or, thanks to local tour operators you can get dropped at kilometer marker 104 and do the whole experience in 24 hours.

Hot air balloon over Cappadocia, Turkey

A hot air balloon ride over central Turkey’s Cappadocia region provides 360-degree views of the famous limestone spires and “fairy chimneys”—something you can’t get at the ground level. Hot air balloon tourism services typically include transfers to and from your hotel, snacks, full insurance, and a champagne party after the flight.

Climb Mount Fuji

Solitary Mount Fuji is probably Japan’s most iconic natural wonder, rising 12,388 feet above villages and reflecting on lakes’ surfaces. You can get views of the landmark from many places, like Lake Kawaguchi in Fujikawaguchiko and even the Park Hyatt Tokyo, but it’s the views from the mountain that give you the most bragging rights. Visit from early July to mid-September to take advantage of the official climbing season, when the designated trails and paved roads are free from snow.

Bungee jump above the Kawarau River, New Zealand

New Zealand practically invented adventure sports when the Kawarau Bridge Bungy opened in 1988. Here you join around 38,000 annual visitors to take the 140-foot jump from the South Island’s historic, steel-framed Kawarau Bridge.

Modified from Conte Nast Traveler article by Caitlin Morton