If you find yourself - like a certain 140-pound St. Bernard by the name of Buck - lured by the call of the wild, we've got you covered. While we firmly believe there’s an adventure to be found anywhere, it’s clear that some destinations have an upper hand. From treks through the lush rainforests of Guyana to outdoorsy activities in the cinematic landscapes of Mongolia and Iceland, read on for our roundup of the best adventure holidays around the world...
1. Pristine rainforests in Guyana
2. Bear-watching in the Yukon
3. Ancient deserts in Namibia
4. Otherworldly scenery in Iceland
5. Outback adventures in Australia
6. Wide-open spaces in Mongolia
Pristine rainforests in Guyana
Kicking off our list of the best adventure holidays is the small South American country of Guyana, a land where pristine rainforest covers 85% of the land and adventure is all but guaranteed. Pack your sturdiest pair of walking boots and venture into the wilderness with an expert local guide for the best adventures. Stay in community-run lodges, embark on canoeing trips down the Rupununi River and wander on wildlife-watching treks to see everything from giant river otters to notoriously hard-to-spot jaguars.
Image by 500px Plus/Getty Images
Bear-watching in the Yukon
Canada's remote Yukon region is a place unlike any other. Animals (think grizzly bears, moose, wolves and everything in between) greatly outnumber people, and pockets of civilisation are few and far between. In the Yukon, live out your Wild West daydreams in the former frontier town of Dawson City before trekking through the wide-open wilderness in search of the resident grizzlies. Soar above the mountains on a single propellor plane and cosy up by a crackling campfire as the Northern Lights dance above your head. You’ll not easily forget a holiday in the Yukon.
Ancient deserts in Namibia
Home to the vast Namib Desert (the oldest desert in the world) and the hauntingly beautiful Skeleton Coast (so remote it's only accessible on a fly-in safari by light aircraft), Namibia is well-deserving of its spot on our list of the best adventure holidays in the world. This is the perfect destination for travellers seeking a different kind of safari experience, be it a low-level flight to see seal colonies and rare, desert-adapted elephants or thrilling 4x4 rides through the rolling dunes of Sossusvlei.
Otherworldly scenery in Iceland
You’ll only have to see a handful of photographs of Iceland (or read our list of the most beautiful places in the country) to get a sense of how unbelievably cool a destination it is. Outdoorsy activities include everything from climbing active volcanoes and bathing in mineral-rich thermal springs to walking along dramatic black-sand beaches. Iceland, known as the ‘land of fire and ice’, is one of the best adventure holidays for nature-loving families, boasting some of the best whale-watching in Europe. Humpback, Minke, Blue and Fin whales are commonly sighted off the atmospheric Icelandic coast.
Image by Vincent van den Hoogen/HH REA
Outback adventures in Australia
When it comes to the best far-flung adventures, you can't get much further (or better) than Australia. The Land Down Under is bursting with unforgettable experiences, from guided hikes through the dusty Outback to wildlife spotting on Kangaroo Island. Perhaps diving over the world-famous Great Barrier Reef is more your bag, where colourful corals teem with marine life (there are a whopping 1,500 species of fish alone). It’s so mind-bogglingly big that you can see it from space.
Wide-open spaces in Mongolia
With masses of land and a tiny population, Mongolia's vast landscapes are about as wild and rugged as they get. This makes Mongolia one of the best adventure holidays for the most intrepid explorers, requiring serious planning and expertise (don’t worry, we can help). If you've got some time on your hands, make sure to tick off the many different landscapes. Travel across the expansive steppes to experience the epic scale of mother nature; venture into thick forests populated by reindeer, bear, moose, elk and yak; and explore the beautiful networks of lakes and rivers that feed into the huge Lake Khovsgol, the perfect site for a spot of fishing.
Image by Taylor Weidman/REDUX REA
Header image by Grant Harder
