1. Belize, Central America
Belize offers so many outdoorsy adventure opportunities in its jungle, world-famous reef, the breathtaking coastlines as well as seeking its array of wildlife. Most people's highlight of the trip is the visit to the Belize Barrier Reef which is the second-largest coral reef in the world. It is super easy to reach and there are so many things where you can be active.
It’s a perfect place to dive and snorkel while enjoying the magical scenery.
If water adventures don't satisfy you and you are looking for something more challenging, exploring the jungles of Belize is the thing to do. That is where you will be able to explore the ancient Mayan Ruins and climb through the mysterious caves. The most popular cave to explore is the Actun Tunichil Muknal where you will be able to see Mayan skeletons and ceramics.
If you aren't comfortable with crowds you can visit places like the Tiger Cave where you are almost always going to be alone or pass just a couple of people. But during those long and tiring exploring days, you must take some form of non-perishable foods and drinks with you. The best options are water, nuts, powder protein post workout blends that will help your muscles recover.
If you are an adrenaline junkie you can even go zip-lining, animal safari adventure or rappel down the waterfalls.
2. Bolivia, South America
Bolivia has some of the best attractions that you need to experience if you are an adventurous traveller. Bolivia is a place where any type of traveller can have a great time. There are fun things to do in the city, things that will satisfy your adrenaline bug as well as historical sites. One of the most popular things to do in Bolivia is biking down the world's most dangerous road Camino de la Muerte also known as the Death Road.
The best way you can enjoy this adrenaline ride is by renting out a mountain bike. If you are not comfortable doing it all by yourself, there are groups that will help you along the way.
But if that is too much for you, Bolivia has a lot of wildlife that is worth exploring. You will be able to meet exotic animals such as crocodiles, snakes, monkeys, spiders and dolphins. The most famous location is near the jungle town of Rurrenabaque. It offers some of the best amazon wildlife sightings in the whole of South America.
Bolivia is one of the famous place to visit in South America. It is one of the highest and most remote countries on earth. This country is famous for it’s unique architecture and vibrant culture. Sucre has it all, stunning colonial buildings, picturesque neighborhoods, museums, magnificent views, tasty food, pleasant weather. Bolivia is one of the cheapest countries to travel in the world.
At the entrance of the Bolivian Amazon, Rurrenabaque or Rurre for everyone, is the ideal starting point for a trip through the jungle or the pampas. Every year, on February 2, the town celebrates the festivities in honor of the Virgin of La Candelaria, the cultural activities that this festival includes is a representative of the region; Cock fights, bullfights, horse races, etc.
In recent years it has become popular with international tourism (ecotourism), as it is an easy gateway for visits to the Madidi National Park (Bolivian jungle), as well as the surrounding Pampas. Take time to go around the agencies and compare the prices and programs of the tours of the Pampas and the jungle where the Beni River converges, in the vicinity of the Madidi National Park, the foothills of the Andes and the endless plains of the tropical forest.
It is considered the third most visited tourist destination in the country, after Lake Titicaca (La Paz) and the Salar de Uyuni (PotosÃ). Rurrenabaque got known worldwide at the beginning of the 80's, when a traveler who lost in the Benyan jungle for 20 days managed to survive feeding on the fruits he saw the monkeys eat, with the snake meat and taking care of the threats of the jaguar. After being rescued by a hunter, he recounted his experience in a book.
Arrive in Rurrenabaque after traveling for 22 hours dirt roads, crossing 500 kilometers of bumpy roads, suffocated by the dust to end up smeared with mud. See everything during this trip from La Paz, mechanical breakdowns, punctures, hours and hours blocked behind trucks stuck in the mud. Get devoured by mosquitoes, a dangerous road that grazed ravines without bottom.
The flight from La Paz only lasts 40 minutes. Think about it well when you are preparing your trip to Bolivia. But Rurrenabaque deserves it, as this is a different Bolivia. Here it is humid and oppressive. You are far away from the freezing cold of the nights of the Salar de Uyuni.
Not necessarily for the city itself, but because this is the perfect place to go out to see the pampas or the jungle. Take a tour of the numerous agencies to find out which one best suits your expectations.
The Imperial Villa of Potosà rises to more than 3900 meters above sea level and extends under the shade of what was one of the richest mountains in the world. It is Cerro Rico or, in its Quechua voice, Sumaj Orcko in which you can participate in the customs and beliefs that have miners, for example the Challa (toast) with alcohol, coca and cigarettes in honor of the Tata Ckacchu.
It is precisely because of this abundance of silver that came from the bowels of the hill that the saying this is worth a potosà was made, popularized later by Don Quixote, meaning that something has great value.
In the outskirts you can make a trekking to the lagoons of Kari-Kari. An excursion that is worth it if you have extra time is to Torotoro National Park where you can see dinosaur footprints, fossils, visit the caves of Umajalanta all framed by an incredible natural environment that has a large canyon and waterfalls.
Also known as the Tarapaya Lagoon, it is a lagoon of volcanic origin in whose center the water reaches 30ºC. Tupiza is the southern gate of Bolivia and although it is located 90 km from Villazón (first city entering from Argentina), it is the obligatory point for those who want to visit the mythical Salar de Uyuni.
Bolivia is remarkable for it's vast and beautiful landscapes. Most famous, perhaps, are the Salt Flats in Uyuni that stretch on towards the horizon. When there is rain, it looks like a giant mirror. People like to take picture there.
It is not in the border where one enters Bolivia but in this small city located in the Tupiza River Valley. Whether on foot, by bicycle or with excursions in 4×4 vehicles, one enters the gorges and the different rock formations of the Machos Valley; the Sillar; the Tower and the Quebrada del Inca (In Argentina there is another ravine: the Quebrada de las Conchas that you will like to see as well).
A few kilometres away is the town of San Vicente, where the bodies of the famous American bandits Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid rest. In the month of January, on the sixth day, the Kings' Day is celebrated.
Archaeologists have uncovered numerous earthworks and settlement sites that undoubtedly indicate the presence of ancient civilizations once ruling the region, including some that are estimated to predate the Europeans’ arrival, nay the jungle itself! Among these are the Amazon Rings, circles in the ground uncovered by deforestation (an ongoing problem nowadays).
More than 4,500 of these possibly human-made geoglyphs have been found, but no one has any idea what exact purpose they serve, nor why ancient civilizations made them, though some theories suggest they were built for ritualistic purposes.
3. Austria, Europe
If you are thinking of taking a trip to Austria accompanied by your faithful bike, electric scooter or hoverboard, there are many cities that you will love to visit. There are many cities that expand their network of bike lanes almost daily so that all those who opt for clean mobility have increasingly easier their urban journeys. Nowadays these lanes not only circulate bicycles but a multitude of electric vehicles such as scooters, hoverboards etc.
Most people associate Austria with alpine ski slopes and winters. But what most people don't think or know about is that during warmer months those ski slopes are used as hiking trails. When the country isn't covered by snow there are plenty of amazing adventurous things that you can do. If you are interested in going there during the winter months there are more things to do than just ski or snowboard.
You can snowshoe or Segway around the valley fringes. But if you want to do something that is more physically challenging you can go frozen wall climbing.
If you are interested in travelling during warmer months, when there is no snow in Austria, you will be able to enjoy so many amazing things. There are rocky cavers, zip lines in the forests along with climbing parks, and whitewater rafters. If you are up to something that will give you an adrenaline rush you can do a bridge bungee jump or paraglide over the breathtaking valleys.
4. Kyrgyzstan, Central Asia
Your ultimate adventure travel destination is Kyrgyzstan. It is a country where every single person can have fun in the way they enjoy. If you are interested in hiking amazing trails you should visit the amazing Tian Shan Mountains. It is a great place where you can go on multiple-day hikes and camp along the way.
But if you want to try out something different and experience their culture, you can take a horseback trek. Because they are a nomadic culture, they have special bonds with their horses. That way you are doing something adventurous but you are getting to experience a different way of living.
If that is not something that you are interested in doing, there are around 2000 lakes in Kyrgyzstan. Some of them are the size of the sea like the famous Issyk-Kul, but others are small lakes that are hidden. But no matter which one you decide to visit you won't make a mistake because they are all breathtaking.
5. Eritrea
Just imagine spending a few days in a BEAUTIFUL tiny little country where you are almost completely cut-off from rest of the world. Majority of the third world countries are off the beaten trail and they are amazingly beautiful. Majority of them are termed unsafe but in reality they are not unsafe.
A country in the horn of Africa with a narrow coastline of the Red Sea and majorly bordering Ethiopia is one of the most beautiful offbeat countries. You have complete freedom to roam around the country, take pictures and express yourself. People are nice, loving and caring for the tourists as it is not a common sight for them to see, especially in the provinces.
It was an Italian colony for a very long time. The capital city of Asmara has a huge Italian influence even today with its architecture and food. Eritrea is where Italy meets Africa. You can experience a city with high Italian influence, bird watching, marine life and hills in one single trip. The capital city of Asmara is buzzing with Italian restaurants, bars and cafe.
For the time being, you may not feel like you are in Africa. The food is amazing and it is not expensive either. Almost the entire country is into mountains. The countryside is so beautiful that they have a tagline “3 Seasons in 2 Hours” and it pretty much stands by it. Driving through the desert is once in a lifetime experience. It is not a sand desert on a plateau, which we usually perceive.
People do live in the desert spread across mountains with tough terrain. Some of the drives pass through beautiful green landscape. As the tagline says, everything changes dramatically in a drive of 3 hours. On a clear day you can see cloud covered mountains in the distance, which makes the drive even more pleasing.
What is now Eritrea was the site of the mysterious Iron Age kingdom of D’mt, one of the first advanced civilizations in Sub-Saharan Africa. The kingdom emerged at around 1,000 BC, and disappeared for unknown reasons in 400 BC.
The panoramic Asmara-Massawa railway, at a time considered by many as the eight wonder in just over 100 km sees a difference in height of over 2,500 meters going from the highlands down to the coast (that would be an 8,000 feet drop in 65 miles). The Asmara-Massawa railway is now a tourist attraction thanks to its scenic route.
The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary in Asmara, built in the 1920s in the neo-Romanesque style, resembles many churches found across Northern Italy.
6. Gabon
This is one of the most promising African countries for wildlife conservation, as it is fairly prosperous, politically stable and biodiverse. Of the nation’s rainforests, which make up 85% of its area, a whole 11% is dedicated to natural parks and wildlife reservations.
7. Gambia
The highest point in all of the Gambia is the aptly named Red Rock - which is a measly 53 metres above sea level!
8. Guinea
The country is one of the least visited countries in the world. Despite being rather small for a country, roughly a quarter of all the known bauxite in the world is found in Guinea. Bauxite is a reddish rock and the world’s main source of aluminium, and is mined on a huge scale in Guinea.
The country is divided into the insular region and a mainland region. The insular region consists of one of the most popular islands Bioko and a volcanic island Annobon. The tourism industry in this African state is largely underdeveloped as the country has gone many years of international isolation.
Nevertheless, in Equatorial Guinea, you can experience the Spanish colonial architecture of Malabo, the tropical rain forest, and beaches with nesting turtles. Malabo, the capital city is interesting and rich in Spanish colonial heritage. Animal-lovers can make their way to Malabo national park, which is away from the city Hussle of Malabo and offers a peaceful retreat.
Visit Cathedral of Saint-Isabel of Malabo the largest church in Equator of Guinea. If you wish to spot some rare primates head straight to Bioko island. It’s a living natural laboratory for studying how plants and animals evolve in isolation.
If some biologists are to believe this one-of-a-kind ecosystem has been isolated from Mainland Africa for at least 12000 years.
There are direct flights to Malabo from major European cities. Sofitel Malabo Sipopo Le Golf, Sofitel Malabo, Grand Hotel Djibloho are the best places in Guinea to stay in. All nationals are required to have a valid visa to accept the US nationals. For US citizens the visa is free on arrival for up to 90 days. For the rest the visa charges are applicable.
9. Libya
Overall, Libya is perhaps the driest and hottest country in the whole world. Its average annual precipitation is 55 millimeters - compare that to the USA’s 1,035. Sometimes, here, a drop of rain doesn’t fall for decades at a time.
10. Mozambique
Gorongosa National Park might seem fairly standard at first glance, but its history is what sets it apart. In the ‘80s, during the country’s decade-long civil war, it was heavily bombed and overrun by soldiers. Large mammal populations decreased by 95%! However, thanks to tireless restoration efforts, its ecosystem is once again flourishing.
When you are an active and adventurous traveler you will find an adventure just about anywhere you go. Even though there are so many places that you can visit, whichever place you end up going to will always stay engraved in your memory as every place is magical in its own way.
