30 Life Changing Experiences Every Traveler Should Have Before 30
From bungee jumping off epic cliffs in New Zealand to chasing tornadoes in the US, here are 30 life-changing things every travel nut needs to experience before they turn 30.
Traveling in your late teens and in your 20s is important. Why? Because when you travel young, you begin to realize who you are and what you want to be. It also prepares you for all the major life decisions you’ll have to make eventually: career, kids, marriage, worldview and all the other daunting social stuff in between. Basically, the things that will impact the rest of your life forever – so no pressure.
Let’s be honest, traveling is expensive but if you do it right, it can be one of the most rewarding experiences of your entire adult life. And, if you were to complete our list of these top 30 travel experiences before you’re actually 30, then we think you’re gonna have a pretty awesome existence.
So grab a pen and paper, maybe a credit card and check out these ultimate soul-searching experiences. We assure you, they’re totally worth it.
1. Test your survival skills in Namibia’s larger than life Sossusvlei desert…
2. Known as the ‘Second Buddha’, climb up to the breathtaking Tiger’s Nest Monastery in Bhutan…
3. Push yourself to the limit and swim through thousands of stinging golden jellies in Palau’s Jellyfish Lake…
4. Put your life in someone else’s hands and bungee jump off a giant cliff in New Zealand…
5. One of the most iconic pile of bricks in the world, pack your bags and walk the Great Wall of China alone (not the whole thing, though – it’s over 5,000 miles long!)…
6. Risk it all and navigate the Drake Passage. The penguins in this part of Antarctica are uber cute too!
7. Get wasted Berlin style in the world’s hottest techno club, the Berghain…
8. See the world from an entirely different point of view by following in the footsteps of famous explorers by trekking the Himalayas…
9. Conquer one of mankind’s tallest structures and dangle off the top of the CN tower, all 457 metres of it…
10. Live dangerously. Grab a storm chaser and seek out America’s most terrifying twisters…
11. Join a group of extreme drivers and embark on a 10-hour, off-the-road race through the Kenyan savannah on an amazeballs ‘Rhino Charge’. Don’t worry, it’s all in the name of animal conservation…
12. Make BFFs by going on an epic pub crawl in London. (You’re totally spoilt for choice as there are over 7000 of them to get smashed in)…
13. Grab a handful of glitter, a fabulous hat, throw out your inhibitions and shake your butt at the New Orleans Mardi Gras…
14. Feel the force of the oceans and go catch the surf in Bondi beach…
15. Drink, have sex with total strangers and party until 6AM in Ibiza….
16. Meet the love of your life tubing through Laos’ incredible rivers…
17. Instagram Bolivia’s stunning salt flats to death. Why? Because it’s so pretty…
18. Experience the best of local culture and head to Catalonia to join thousands of Catalans to form some of the largest human towers on the planet…
19. Had a bad break up? Get over it, scream your lungs out and hike the 26-mile Inca Trail all the way to Machu Picchu. Once you see the view at the top, you’ll forget all about it…
20. Be one with our forests and zip line through the jungles of Costa Rica…
21. Live like a daredevil and skydive over the Great Barrier Reef…
22. Join 60,000 other rockers and party like a Hell’s Angel at the Burning Man festival…
23. Steep hike across the 3,922 steps of Hawaii’s ‘Stairway to Heaven’. Once you reach the top, take pride in knowing you climbed one of the most demanding staircases on the planet…
24. Find inspiration in mother nature and day hike through giant trees, roaring rivers and scale great peaks in Yosemite National Park…
25. Enter another world and swim with great white sharks in South Africa…
26. Lose yourself walking across a bewitching glacier in Iceland…
27. Create your own society based entirely on creative freedom at Spain’s Nowhere festival…
28. Buy a run-down camper van and get plenty of me time road tripping the USA…
29. Find yourself in the crazy streets of New York. After all, it is a ‘concrete jungle where dreams are made of’…
30. And finally, forget all the world’s problems and go colour-crazy at India’s Holi festival…
About the author
Luke Abrahams is a born and bred Londoner and is proud to call the capital his home. He mostly writes about popular culture trends and pugs but isn’t afraid to tackle food, art and style from time-to-time.
Read Next
The 10 Oldest National Parks in the World
The Best Sailing Vacations for Exploring Secret Islands
The World's 10 Most Unusual Museums You Should Visit
Top Travel Ideas for Central America and the Caribbean
The Best Sailing Vacations for Exploring Beautiful Beaches
15 Stylish Cocktails Made With Only Three Ingredients
10 Influential Songs That Changed the World
Where to Find Stunning Fall Foliage in the Pacific Northwest
The Best Private Trips to Book in Central America
The Best Books by William Faulkner You Should Read
The Best Places in North and Central America to Visit in 2024
A Guide to the Best Culture Trip Discounts this Holiday Weekend
BLACK FRIDAY
Save up to $1,322 on our small-group trips! Limited spots.
