Easter vacations are over, and here come post-vacation-blues; those who traveled are at their worst as they had to return back from lovely holidays to the same old routine, and those who didn’t envy so much those who were lucky to…no more crying over spilled milk, no more envy, it’s time to start planning your next holiday using our list of 19 travel experiences you must do before you die.
Witness The Wildebeest Migration In Masai Mara Or The Serengeti
A once in a lifetime experience, that one would be genuinely lucky to witness in his lifetime, and a moving one too. It involves the movement of thousands of wildebeests, zebras, and gazelles crossing from/to Masai Mara in Kenya, to the Serengeti in Tanzania in the look out for; lush greenery and fresh water. During the migration you will see the effort put by those beasts to cross safely the Mara River to the other side without getting killed; you might see a crocodile attacking a wildebeest while drinking from a lake, a live animal kill, or an animal who miraculously escaped death.
Spend A Night At Adrère Amellal Ecolodge
An unusual place that will make you travel to Laurence of Arabia’s time with a modern twist. It’d take you some time to believe that this hidden gem is located in Egypt’s remotest oasis of Siwa and some more time to figure out how can one afford a night at this luxurious yet primitive eco-lodge that could cost up to 1400$ a night!!! The uniqueness of Adrère Amellal lies at how the lodge is built from mud, salt, among other eco-friendly materials, with no electricity or wifi access, so one can easily unplug from the world, with water springs to cool off the heat of the western desert. Private parties are hosted, luxurious dinners and horseback ride too.
Summit A Challenging Mountain Or Walk The Camino de Santiago
Those who usually like to challenge themselves would find the ultimate experience while summiting a physically demanding mountain, or completing the Camino de Santiago -also known as St. James Trail- that takes 10, 20 to 30 days of continuous walking.
Explore Vietnam’s Caves
Home to the largest cave in the world “Son Doong”; which is big to the extent that it has its very own climate, river, and jungles. This cave, in particular, can only be accessible through a 5 days organised expedition to explore it among many others, it is not suitable for any fitness level.
Stay In Laos’ Tree Houses The Tallest In The World
Should I call it everyone’s dream of a bird’s eye view, and living the Tarzan Experience, or is it just me? You won’t only be spending some time in the tallest tree houses in the world, but will move from one tree house to the other zip-lining like Tarzan, not only but also getting up, close and personal to the gibbons -a special species of monkeys- in their natural habitat. Laos is also famous for its beaches, temple stays -eat pray love style- and savour Lao cuisine.
Go to Europe’s Small Towns & Villages
Skip Europe’s big famous cities, go instead to the countryside or its fairytale-like towns and villages. Few examples are; Mostar in Bosnia & Herzegovina, Colmar in the French Alsace & Annecy in France, Lucerne & Montreux in Switzerland -well any small city in Switzerland is breathtaking-, Heidelberg in Germany, the Cotswolds in England, Toledo that is a day trip from Madrid in Spain, Goreme in Turkey, Cesky Krumlov & Telc in the Czech Republic, Hallstatt in Austria, Bled in Slovenia, and many more.
Take Part Of Dia De Los Muertos In Mexico
Day of the Dead it is!!!
While it should be a sad day or just a day where the deceased are remembered, visited and prayed for, in Mexico people celebrate the memory of their deceased in a fun way; dressed in sugar skulls costumes, buying gifts, and cooking the deceased’s favourite foods in his memory.
Island Hop In The Philippines
Boracay, Bohol, El Nido, or else?!! Are you having the hardest time trying to figure out which island should you go to? Have I told you that there are 7100 of them, not only 4 to choose from? haha. Read about my experience in the Philippines which might help you a bit more about this amazing country.
Cycle Your Way Through Angkor Wat At Break Of Dawn
You can do it any time of day till sunset, can get there by public transport, taxi, or on foot…But hey, nothing beats cycling your way through Angkor Wat the largest religious complex in the world at break of dawn <3.
Kayak In Croatia For Several Days
Known for its crystal clear waters, makes it the perfect place to go sailing, and island-hopping, one can join a guided kayaking tour for a day, a week, or more. Need more ideas to get the best out of Croatia? This article is definitely for you.
Gorilla Trek In Uganda or Rwanda
That’s probably the closest you could get to a beautiful wild creature; Uganda’s and Rwanda’s highlight which comes at an expensive cost too. During this trek, you will be escorted by armed guards to walk in forests in the look-out for Gorillas in their natural habitat..how cool is that?!
Go to Africa’s Tip Via The Scenic Garden Route
Commonly known as Cape Point or Africa’s tip; where the Atlantic meets the Indian ocean, however, Africa’s tip is at Cape Agulhas.
Attend The Cruces De Mayo In Granada
It happens every year in the enchanting city of Granada & Cordoba towards the first week of May -Granada in my view is the most charming city of southern Spain-, during this event locals of the same neighborhood, build several meters high crosses made of flowers to decorate squares, set temporary bars where drinks and tapas are served, flamenco is performed, and above all locals are all dressed in flamenco outfits. The city council runs a competition for the best cross, and the whole city and atmosphere become a big happy place for everyone to enjoy.
Walk The Blue City Of Chefchaouen
With its wide range of shades of blue, I promise you it is as mesmerising as you see it in photos, once you step a foot it would be too hard to believe that you are not in the making of the Smurfs movie. Chefchaouen known as Chaouen by the locals is the second best place in Morocco to have an authentic public Moroccan bath experience. Check out my guide to exploring Morocco in 9 days.
Visit Colourful Neighbourhoods Of The World
Bo-Kaap & Muizenberg beach chalets in Cape Town, Notting Hill in London, Cinque Terre in Italy, Jodhpur in India, Copenhagen in Denmark, Colonial town of Trinidad in Cuba, La Boca of Buenos Aires in Argentina, Santorini in Greece, the list is endless!
Take A Dip At The Beaches Of Zakynthos Island
When it comes to Greece, it’s really hard to choose where to go, would it be; Mykonos for the energy and parties running day and night? Santorini for its charming shades of white and blue? Crete for the food? Kefalonia for its similarity to Italy’s Cinque Terre? Or Zakynthos for its surreal beaches? This photo I am going to post will sure let you decide.
Hot Air Balloon Over Cappadocia’s Rock Formations In Turkey Or Bagan’s 3000 Ancient Temples In Myanmar
Cappadocia is also a hiker’s heaven, and a place where the most common mean of transport is donkey or horse carts, bicycles and scooters, among the highlights are; sleeping in caves, and visiting underground cities. As for Bagan, you will be very lucky to do a sunset tour to have a bird’s eye view of 3000 ancient temples; some are well preserved, others that were ruined due to the time factor.
Travel Onboard The Trans-Siberian Railway
The world’s longest railway in the world connecting Moscow to the Far East. It has three rail routes; 1. the Trans-Siberian connecting Moscow to Vladivostok in Russia; 2. the Trans-Manchurian passing through Siberia & Manchuria all the way to Beijing; and 3. the Trans-Mongolian that travels from Moscow to Beijing via Mongolia. Please take me there!
Visit Cuba While Still Not Frequented By Mass Tourism
Cuba is a country that luckily hasn’t been so much affected by mass tourism, cars are still dating back to the 50th, internet connection is rare to find, and locals mostly spend their siesta smoking Cuban cigars.
Can you think of any other experiences one must try before he dies? Please share them in the comments below.
Your next vacation starts right here
About the Author
Passainte Assem
A former lawyer, travel junkie and adventurer from head to toe. Whether broke or out of vacation time, always on the lookout for the next destination. Keen to share her travel stories, planning tips and photographs to give you a real sense of place.
