There are all different types of travelers out there, from broke backpackers to luxurious honeymooners to the one that only joins organized, curated tour groups. Then... there are the serious adventure bucket-list tickers, constantly trying to outdo themselves and everyone around them by going on the most epic of adventures. If you fall into the latter category, this list is for you, with 10 ideas to spark some inspiration for your bucket list.
10 Visit All 7 Continents
If you're a bucket list traveler, it's likely this is already on your list, but in case it's not, here's your reminder that it should be! All seven continents include North America, Oceania, South America, Africa, Asia, Europe, and the least visited one of Antarctica. Start planning out when you can go to each one, and if your budget is tight, visit them in the low season. Pro-tip: the Northern Hemisphere's winter is the Southern Hemisphere's summer, and vice-versa, meaning spots such as Brazil and Ecuador are bound to be packed in January and February but likely less busy in months such as May and June. Another pro-tip: Antarctica can only be visited from November-March.
9 Visit 7 New Wonders Of The World
The 7 New Wonders of the World include the Taj Mahal in Agra, India; the Colosseum in Rome, Italy; The Great Wall of China in Beijing, China; Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Petra in Petra, Jordan; Chichen Itza in Yucatan, Mexico; and Machu Picchu in Cusco, Peru. Not many people can say they've visited all seven new wonders of the world, and before the list changes (which it frequently does), jump on the bandwagon and start planning how to see all of them.
8 Climb Mount Kilimanjaro
If you want serious bragging rights, nothing will top casually bringing up that you hiked Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa's highest peak. You'd be surprised to know you don't need a ton of physical training to successfully hike Kilimanjaro; you likely need some form of anti-altitude sickness pill, as well as serious mental stamina. Note that it is required to hire a guide for Kilimanjaro, and it will likely cost in the $1500-$2000 range just for the guide, and you are expected to tip on top of it. That price might sound steep, but hiking Kilimanjaro takes an average of 6-8 days, and that price includes all of your meals, your sleeping tent, and equipment, as well as porters carrying all of your stuff. Go for an adrenaline-infused hike with the best of the best.
7 Get Scuba Certified In The Great Barrier Reef
There's no better way to really get away from it all than by scuba diving underwater and joining the magical world of the sea. If you are looking to get certified in one of the best places in the world for diving, The Great Barrier Reef should be on your bucket list. You'll have to spend four days learning diving and safety techniques, with the first two days being in a classroom with an outdoor pool and the last two days being in the ocean itself. Be prepared to swim alongside turtles, and clownfish, and see exciting sights such as large clams and reef sharks taking a nap (they sleep during the day). After four days, as long as you follow protocol and successfully complete all of your tasks, you'll officially be PADI-scuba certified at one of the most epic places to do so.
6 Visit The 7 Wonders Of Nature
The new seven wonders of the world is not the only list that deserves attention. Have you heard of the seven wonders of nature? The list includes Komodo Island in Indonesia, Ha Long Bay in Vietnam, Jeju Island in Korea, The Amazon in South America (spanning several countries), the Puerto Princesa Underground River in The Philippines, Iguazu Falls in Argentina and Brazil, and Table Mountain in South Africa. Some of these locations overlap with the 7 new wonders of the world, so you might as well kill two birds with one stone and see them!
5 Visit Every Country In The World
Did you know more people have been to space than those who have visited every country in the world? Though people in the past have accomplished this very difficult and tricky feat, recent additions to the "every-country" list are Lexie Alford, Drew Binsky, Cassie de Pecol, Jessica Nabongo, and Alvaro Rojas, to name a few. Visiting every country includes hassles like finding funding, obtaining hard-to-get visas, and traveling to places with serious political conflict, but if you're a hungry traveler looking for the ultimate adventure, this is probably the one.
4 Visit "Forbidden" Places
Are you less interested in popular vacation spots such as Paris and the Bahamas and keener on the road less traveled? There are some places that receive very little tourism, either due to instability or just not having the infrastructure to market themselves as touristic destinations. If you're looking for a truly forbidden getaway, head to somewhere like Socotra Island in Yemen, Iraqi Kurdistan, or even North Korea, though keep in mind Americans can no longer visit North Korea due to the death of Otto Warmbier in 2017.
3 Visit 2 (Or More) Countries In One Day
There are a few unique places in the world where it's possible to multi-country hop in a singular day. Head to northern Thailand, and hop over to Laos and Myanmar in the span of a day (though prepare a lot of time for border crossings). Take a stroll from southern Brazil into Paraguay. Better yet, visit Iguazu Falls (pictured above), where one side is in Argentina, and one side is in Brazil. Italy has two landlocked nations within its borders, The Vatican and San Marino. Take an Eastern European road trip, and you can easily hit Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania, and possibly Montenegro and/or Bosnia and Herzegovina all in a day.
2 Take a Foreign Road-Trip
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What's better than having the ultimate freedom to choose where to go when on a trip abroad? Be in the driver's seat of your own adventure, literally, and rent a car abroad. A foreign road trip, especially in a place like New Zealand or Iceland, where driving is somewhat of a necessity, is an adventure that is not to be missed. If you really want to go for it, rent a camper van and sleep in your car as well.
1 Break A Travel Guinness World Record
This is a tough one with a lot of logistics involved, but can you think of anything more epic than being a Guinness World Record holder? Current records include visiting the most countries in a singular day with 19 countries visited in 23 hours and 33 minutes, being the youngest person to visit every country in the world at age 21, visiting the most UNESCO World Heritage Sites in a day (visiting 23), and plenty more. Take a look at Guinness World Records, and try to break one that already exists, or create your own!