Almost anybody can travel nowadays. Gone are the days when you would have to meticulously plan every little aspect of your trip in order to meet budget expectations or wait an entire year simply to save up enough money, partly thanks to the masses of information available online and partly due to the proliferation of tourist destinations all vying for your tourism money.
Although the cost of flights has increased significantly over the past few years (mostly post-pandemic), and the cost of living has put a substantial dent in most people’s budgets, the fact remains that there are almost unlimited options for those willing to do some research.
Now, what these mean to the average traveler will vary from person to person, but it’s probably fair to say that it means sunshine, sandy beaches, and plenty of the creature comforts of home that ensure you stay firmly within your comfort zone. But what if you’re the kind of person who wishes to eschew the tourist hotspots, leave your preconceived notions of the world in your home country, and genuinely get out and amongst some of the most stunning natural landscapes and wildly peculiar cultures that the world has to offer? Well, this takes a bit of extra work on your part, but for the right kind of people, it’s not too hyperbolic to say that this could be a life-changing experience.
Adrenaline-Fueled Escapes: Testing The Body’s Breaking Point
Some folks want to spend their free time sipping mojitos on the beach, while others want to push their minds and bodies to limits that they never knew were possible.
Both are perfectly legitimate forms of recreation, but for the latter, it takes a little more than simply waking up and choosing to dive to the depths of the ocean or summit the highest peaks. The interesting thing, though, is that in many cases, you needn’t head off to the back of beyond, as there are often plenty of incredible experiences to be had in more familiar locations than those of Africa or Asia.
You might believe that Europe doesn’t have any peaks worthy of climbing, but you’d be utterly wrong. Mont Blanc is the highest peak in Western Europe (Mount Elbrus takes the award for height in all of Europe, but seeing as that’s on the Russian bit of the continent, it’s unlikely you’ll be traveling there anytime soon).
This means that you can engage in some pretty gnarly mountain expeditions while still being easy to get to and travel around. If you’ve never participated in tours like this, you may want to opt for a Mont Blanc guided ascent that will allow you to complete your dream of climbing up one of the world’s highest mountains, while having plenty of support and people looking out for you. So what other activities might you choose if you want to push yourself to the limits?
| Adventure | Physical demand | Mental demands | Why you might choose this option |
| Multi-Day Trek in Papua New Guinea’s Highlands | High | Extreme isolation in the middle of some of the most remote rainforests in the world. | Something is fascinating about finding isolated cultures while navigating a mentally taxing jungle environment. |
| White-Water Rafting the Zambezi Below Victoria Falls | Extreme | Having to push through the “fear factor” if you’re to break through to the end. | When you’re able to meet your fears head-on, you will feel more alive than ever. |
| Sandboarding Dunes in Namibia’s Skeleton Coast | Moderate | The heat and remoteness of the location. | The Spartan beauty mixed with an extreme sport can make for an exhilarating experience. |
Note that these are just some examples to give you a flavor, but in reality, the sky is the limit. Whatever you enjoy doing, whatever activity you’d like to learn, it’s walmost 100% likely that you can find something that matches your ability, desires, and that will push an average adventure over the edge into something utterly unforgettable.
Cultural Deep Dives: Immersing In The Unseen Threads Of Humanity
A lot of the previous section can also be integrated with immersing yourself into the multitude of cultures that grace our pale blue dot in the universe. But just as you would need to exercise caution when traveling to the most extreme natural spots in terms of leaving as little trace of your existence as possible, so too must you tread carefully around any culture that you choose to experience.
So how might cultural sensitivity work in the real world when you are undoubtedly raring to get out and among the people of the world?
Seek Permission And Learn Some Local Etiquette
There are plenty of times that tourists around the world will stick their cameras into the faces of those they wish to document. This author believes that most travelers aren’t setting out to disturb local populations directly, but lack a sort of awareness that can often come when encountering new and exciting things.
Instead, aim to seek permission whenever possible, and before you head out to a country or location, perhaps spend a little time to learn some of the local lingo and etiquette surrounding them. This could even mean practicing things that you may disagree with if you want to blend in and discover the true face of a culture.
Always remember that it is you who has chosen to visit some far-flung civilization, not the other way around.
Prioritize Community-Led Experiences Over Commercial Tours
It’s not entirely fair to say that all commercially available tours will be insensitive to local populations, and plenty do give back a lot more than you might think. But the fact remains that you are far more likely to be in a position to dig deeper when opting for tours led by the local community you are visiting, as they will have far more indepth knowledge about the area and the people.
The locals leading these tours can speak the language, are more sensitive to the customs and norms, and as such, are more likely to let you know if you’re doing something that goes against the grain than a tour company might be. Again, you shouldn’t paint all commercial entities with the same brush, but in practice, try to check out community-led tours when possible.
If not, or if you feel more comfortable with a travel company, do some research and make sure they use local guides and give something back to the communities they are using to enrich themselves.
Listen More Than You Speak And Embrace Active Observation
Obviously, hanging around a community without interacting when invited to do so gives a slightly creepy impression. But taking a step back and shadowing people in their everyday lives will offer you far more than if you attempted to impose your own style of travel on the experience.
If you are speaking with them, avoid inputting your own views into the conversation unless directly asked. For instance, you will learn so much more by listening to a local farmer discuss how they cultivate crops than by trying to interject and tell them how people farm in your home country.
Of course, if they ask about your life, then feel free, but try to steer things back to them. After all, you already know about your life, and you’re here to see how life exists outside the boundaries of your own experiences.
Adapt To Local Rhythms Without Imposing Your Own
You might have jetlag, you may very well have a slightly upset stomach from eating unfamiliar cuisine, but if you are truly seeking ventures that will push you outside the life you currently inhabit, it’s a must that you push yourself to adapt to the rhythms of the location you’re currently exploring.
What does this actually mean, though? Well, it could be getting used to awaking up early enough to interact with villagers as they go about their lives (and life in some villages can begin very early indeed). It might also be opening your mind and perhaps eating food that has been offered to you that you might not ordinarily choose to eat.
Contribute Thoughtfully, Not Charitably
It’s very tempting to offer gifts and aid to those places you visit that appear to be less well off than you are. And while that thought is likely coming from a place of empathy and goodwill, doing so could upset a balance that exists.
For example, you might want to provide gifts and money to a local family that has members who can speak your language, but this might cause fallout in a village that resents the fact that one family has been rewarded over the entire village. It’s best to speak with a guide about what might be most well-received, or to offer a gift to the entire village by way of the village chief, for example.
Reflect And Debrief On Your Experiences
You should always ask yourself what you achieved from the experience after the fact. This actually counts for the first section about adventure experiences just as much as it does for cultural ones. Are you simply doing these trips because you want to tick some boxes based on an idea of how you should live your life, or have you actually grown as a person and can bring the things you’ve seen and learnt back to your regular life?
Travel is one of life’s more unique treats. While we all have differing ideas of what makes a great holiday, for some, it will be a burning desire to get out into the real world and push themselves to the limit. Hopefully, we have offered a few ideas on not just the sorts of experiences you can go for, but also how to get the most out of them.
