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I love reflecting on my past travel experiences and how these moments have enhanced my life. The feeling you get when you’re standing in front of a structure like the Taj Mahal, it’s hard to believe you’re seeing it in real life. Or, swimming in the open ocean alongside the world’s biggest fish, but still feeling completely relaxed. Moments like this are what I travel for!
I’m excited to share with you my 14 most unique & amazing Travel Experiences. I would describe each of them as real “pinch me” moments. Even years later I still remember how I felt each time and how in awe I was of that moment. I honestly think travel is the best gift we can give ourselves. So I’m hoping my list inspires you & gets you excited to start planning trips beyond 2020.
Travel Experiences in ASIA:
1) ANNAPURNA BASE CAMP TREK
2019, Nepal.
The Annapurna Base camp trek is one of the most popular trails in Nepal and can be done in as little as 7 days. I think this trek is so popular because it’s reasonably manageable for first-time trekkers and still has the most incredible scenery. Plus, it starts in Pokhara which is one of the most gorgeous towns in Nepal.
Once you make it to Annapurna Base camp (or ABC) you’ll be 4130 meters above sea level, so compared to some other treks you’ll be less likely to experience altitude sickness.
Before doing this trek I had already been to Nepal 7 times and seen amazing views of the Himalayas. But nothing had prepared me for the beauty of Annapurna Base Camp. (you can read my full ABC guide here).
The morning we arrived at base camp the sun was just starting to rise over the snow-covered mountains, it was stunning. I was surrounded, 360 degrees, by massive mountains and after walking for days I felt so overwhelmed that I had actually made it there.
Book your trek to Annapurna Base Camp here.
2) TAJ MAHAL
2009, India.
The Taj Mahal is located in the city of Agra, in northern India. It was commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan and built by thousands of workers, over a 20 year period. Shah Jahan had the Taj built to house the remains of his favorite wife. I guess this is a romantic story, he must have loved her dearly, but when I was there I heard a story that after the Taj Mahal was complete the emperor ordered that all the worker’s hands be chopped off, to ensure they can never again create something so beautiful.
I’m not saying that story is factual, but it definitely takes away from the romance.
When I visited Indian in 2009 I was 22 and this was my first big trip overseas. The day after we arrived in Agra we woke and nice and early to see the Taj Mahal. The best time to go is either early morning or late afternoon. So not when the sun is at its highest. I remember when I first saw it, I couldn’t believe it was real. To call it a masterpiece is an understatement, it’s absolutely beautiful! I had never seen anything man-made so incredible, and even all these years later, it’s so perfect and well kept.
Learn more about the Taj Mahal on Tripadvisor.
3) THE POTALA PALACE
2014, Tibet.
The Potala Palace is in Tibet’s capital city Lhasa and from 1649-1959 was the winter palace for the Dalai Lamas. The palace sits high up on a hill overlooking the city. And it’s actually the highest palace in the world, sitting at 3,700 meters above sea level. (So not that far off Annapurna base camp).
I visited the Potala Palace during a 7-day tour of Tibet, and it still blows my mind that I’ve actually been inside the rooms that were once home to the current and former Dalai Lamas. Today many sections of the palace operate as a museum but with the sounds of Buddhist chanting and the smell of incense and burning yak-butter, it definitely didn’t feel like a museum. The palace is the centerpiece to the city of Lhasa, it’s such a beautiful and unique building, with so much history. Tibet would definitely be one of the most interesting and saddest places I have ever been to! It was only in 1950 that China first invaded Tibet, and still claims this land today! If you would like to read more about this history visit freetibet.org.
4) PETRA
2016, Jordan.
I’m sure many would agree, Petra is definitely one of those “pinch me” travel experiences. This is one of the most popular sites in Jordan & is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It was also the capital of the Nabataean Empire and has been around since the 1st century BC.
The city of Petra is massive and I don’t even think you could see all of it in one day. But the real “pinch me” moment was seeing The Treasury. It’s absolutely amazing and, like the Taj Mahal, still perfect to this day. The Treasury is also one of the filming locations of the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. It was very exciting to see it in real life.
Day passes are available on viator.com.
Travel Experiences in AFRICA:
5) GORILLA TREKKING
2018, Uganda.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is in the southwest of Uganda and is one of the three countries where you can see wild Mountain Gorillas. The national park is up in the mountains and has densely forested terrain.
Trekking to see Mountain Gorillas was something my best friend and I had talked about for years, and in 2018 we finally went. This isn’t a cheap experience, Africa is generally an expensive part of the world to travel in but Gorilla trekking is next level. In Uganda, a 1-day pass to Bwindi National Park is 600USD per person, and Rwanda is even more at 1500USD per day. But it’s definitely worth it, seeing these beautiful and endangered creatures in their home was out of this world! You can read my full travel guide on Gorilla trekking by clicking here.
Also, these gorillas aren’t in any zoos around the world, as they can only survive living at high altitudes. This fact made seeing them even more special.
6) AFRICAN SAFARI
2013, Zimbabwe, Botswana & South Africa.
During one of my trips to Africa, I visited three national parks, Hwange in Zimbabwe, Chobe in Botswana & Kruger in South Africa. Not many wild-animal encounters are quite like the ones you get on an African Safari.
I remember one time in Hwange, we were parked in an open-air 4WD, it was my friend & I, our guide, and another lady with her two young girls. Only a couple of meters away were two fully grown male Lions. They were just relaxing and enjoying the sun. And this lady with her kids was stressing out and waiting to drive away as she was worried about their safety. Whereas I was in awe of the moment, I couldn’t believe they were right there, and I never wanted to leave! Looking back I can see why she was worried, I guess it’s crazy to be so close to such a big animal.
But that’s what Safari is all about, letting your guard down and playing by the animal’s rules. If at any time the animals were bothered by our presence, our guide would remove us from the situation. After this trip I lost interest in going to Zoos, it was absolutely incredible being in the animal’s home.
All the accommodation we had on this trip was insane, so beautiful & such high quality. It was incredible falling asleep to the sounds of hippos grunting and lions roaring, those little things helped make this one of my favorite travel experiences. Also, one night at Camp Hwange we woke up at 2 am to an elephant standing at our back door.
Follow these links to Tripadvisor & check out each camp!
Camp Hwange, Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe.
7) DEVILS POOLS AT VICTORIA FALLS
2013, Zambia.
Victoria Falls flows into the Zambezi River, which separates Zambia and Zimbabwe. At the top is a natural pool of water called Devils Pools. Visiting Devils Pools literally allows you to sit right on the edge of one of the world’s biggest waterfalls.
I remember when I first stepped into the pool I was so overwhelmed I nearly cried. It was a mixture of feeling a bit scared & amazed that I was actually there.
When we arrived at Vic Falls we asked our driver about visiting Devil’s Pools and he said it’s not currently the right season. The ability to visit depends on the water levels and they are usually open from mid-August to late – December. I was there at the start of August. The next morning we were visiting Vic Falls on the Zimbabwe side and we could see across to Zambia people in the pools!!! So that afternoon, by any means necessary, we crossed the border to Zambia and got to Devil’s pools. It was a mission but my friend Bianca & I made it, so by the time I stepped into the water, I was a little overwhelmed.
This is one of the most insane travel experiences and every thrill-seeker needs to add Devils pools to their bucket list. As much as the water rushes over the falls when you’re sitting in Devil’s Pools the water feels very calm. This is still a dangerous experience but I never felt like I was about to go flying off the edge. I even felt comfortable enough to slide over the rocks on my stomach and put my head right over the edge.
Out of everything on this list, if I could go back and do one of them right now it would be Devils Pools.
Book your Devils Pools experience now at viator.com
8) CLIMBING TABLE MOUNTAIN
2018, South Africa.
Table Mountain is one of the ‘7 wonders of nature’ & is the backdrop to the city of Cape Town. When clouds cover the top, it’s referred to as the “tablecloth”. Climbing Table Mountain was number 1 on my list of 9 Reasons Why I Love This City blog.
There are two options to reach the top of Table Mountain, hiking or taking the cable car. I would recommend hiking up and getting the cable car back down.
The trail I took up the mountain was called Indian Venster. Along the way, there are 4 phases of climbing (without ropes), but there are staples, chains, and also the natural rocks for you to use to pull yourself up with. This route is about 7 km and at some points, it could be very difficult. But I’m no professional and I managed, I felt like it was such a great achievement to make it to the top.
The views along this trail are incredible, Cape Town is such a beautiful city and along the way, you’ll get views of the coastline, CBD, and out to Robin Island.
If you could like to read my full travel guide on Cape Town, click here.
Travel Experiences in EUROPE:
9) LAPLAND DURING CHRISTMAS
2009, Finland.
Lapland is in the very north of Finland, and from the countries capital Helsinki you can get direct flights to Rovaniemi. In Lapland, you can step into the article circle, and if you’re lucky you may see the Northern Lights.
The main reason my friends and I visited Lapland was to meet the real Santa Clause, yep he lives there. You’re able to visit his village, the post office where all the kid’s letters go, and meet the man himself. (but in all seriousness though, Lapland would be a great holiday with kids).
We were there at the start of December & it was just starting to become a winter wonderland. There was a little bit of snow, and we knew winter was really starting to set in because the only daylight we got was from 10 am to 2 pm. During winter Lapland is dark 24/7, but on the upside, during summer you can still see the sun at midnight.
The main reason I included Lapland in this list was that it was my first time being in Europe and where I saw snowfall for the first time. It was a magical place to visit in December and I would love to go back one day.
More information about Lapland can be found on Tripadvisor.com.
Find the cheapest flights to Lapland with Skyscanner.
Experiences in AUSTRALIA:
10) WHALE SHARKS
2016, Australia.
Whale shakes are slow-moving gentle giants, they aren’t a type of whale or a shark, they are actually the largest fish in the world. Whale Sharks regularly swim close to the surface but can dive to depths of 1000 meters. This allows for incredible opportunities for us to swim reasonably close to them.
I’ve been lucky enough to swim with Whale Sharks in Australia and Mexico. But to be honest I wouldn’t recommend swimming with them in Mexico. I did this off the coast of Cancun and I felt like the whole day was awful for the animals. There were way too many boats surrounding the Whale Sharks and there were people just jumping in and out of the water, with little regard for the animal’s wellbeing. So it wasn’t one of my best travel experiences!
But then my experience swimming with Whale Sharks in Australia was far better. I think whenever visiting animals in their environment it’s important to be conscious of their health, safety, and happiness. And, Whale Sharks are protected in Australian waters under both state and federal law.
To swim with Whale Sharks in Australia you’ll need to visit the UNESCO World Heritage-listed, Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia. Whale sharks aside this is a beautiful part of the world. I booked my day tour with Three Island Whale Shark Dive and they’re amazing. They limit the number of people in the water with the whale shark at any one time, ensuring we never touched them, got within 3 meters, or restricted their normal movement & behavior. If you want to read more about my travel experience swimming with Whale Sharks, click here to read my blog.
Travel Experiences in NORTH AMERICA:
11) HELICOPTER OVER & INTO THE GRAND CANYON
2019, U.S.A.
When my husband & I went to Las Vegas last year it wasn’t confirmed that we were going to do this trip. It was one of those “we’ll see what happens” kind of things. But I was completely blown away by how incredible this tour was!
The flight left from Boulder City Municipal Airport, which is located about a 30 minutes drive from the Las Vegas Strip. Then the flight took us over, Hover Dame & Lake Mead. The pilot was great at pointing out notable sights and talking about the history of the area. Then we landed in the Grand Canyon and had a champagne breakfast, sitting next to the Colorado River. It was a once in a lifetime moment and I was excited by every second of it. This is one of the best things about travel, you never know what amazing experiences are just around the corner.
The company we booked with was called Papillon Helicopters and we did the Grand Celebration Tour.
Click here to book your Grand Canyon Helicopter tours with Viator.com
12) SKYDIVE KEY WEST
2013, U.S.A.
Key West is a small island city in the state of Florida and is also Florida’s southernmost point. Spending a day in Key West was amazing in itself, it’s such a cute city. But skydiving over the Florida Keys and Florida’s Barrier Reef was insane!
I had skydived once before in Fiji, so wasn’t overly nervous. The flight up to the drop point was stunning, even with someone strapped to my back I still managed to get an awesome view of the world below.
And, then jumping out is one of the most thrilling experiences you could ever have. They say you fall at a speed of 120 mph or more, and the free fall lasts for nearly a minute. It’s definitely a scary thing to do, but I promise it’s worth the nerves. I had so much fun.
13) SNOWING IN CENTRAL PARK
2020, U.S.A.
Central Park, the center of New York City! Growing up I had seen movies like Home Alone 2 & Elf, with scenes filmed in a snow-covered central park and it always looked so dreamy.
Then during my stay in NYC last January we got one day of snow and it was absolutely amazing. I was walking around central park, completely covered in snow and it looked like a postcard. I know being in New York is a “pinch me” travel moment in general, but seeing Central Park like this was incredible. And it doesn’t always snow in the city during January so I felt so lucky to be there.
14) SWIMMING IN CAVES ON THE YUCATAN PENINSULA.
2018, Mexico.
One of the amazing things about traveling in Mexico is discovering all the Cenotes and caves, that are scattered over the Yucatan Peninsula. I have been to a hand full of Cenotes during my trips to Cancun and Playa Del Carmen, and they have all been so beautiful. These swimming holes are always surrounded by tropical jungle and large rock formations that make you feel like you’re lost in another time.
The most memorable travel experience I have had discovering caves and cenotes in Mexico was during a visit to Kantun Chi Ecopark. Included in your entry pass is access to an underground cave. To get from one end to the other will involve swimming & walking, and generally takes people about an hour.
As much as I loved this, I do look back on this experience and remember how cold we were and that we probably rushed through a bit too fast 🤦🏽♀️. But I also have a clear memory of how insane this cave was, it was amazing and the water couldn’t have been any clearer. This is definitely a good lesson for me to slow down and really take it all in.
Traveling the world makes so many amazing things possible. You can’t have all these unique travel experiences in your own back yard, the world is so big and has so much to teach us. So, I hope this article has inspired you to follow your wanderlust spirit, far and wide! Comment below about what has been your biggest “pinch me” travel experience.
Thanks for reading,
Happy Travels.
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Elyse is the author & content creator behind A World To Live. After traveling to over 40 countries, she has a passion for discovering new places. Elyse is a money-conscious traveller who loves writing independent travel guides to help her readers get the most out of their travels.
The gorilla trekking sounded so interesting. Was it a hike up or you got to the location by driving ? Also the African safari sounds unreal seeing wildlife that close becomes surreal !
Thanks Taylor, we only got transport to the parks entrance then it was all on foot until we found them, I think the longest we walked until we saw them was around three hours.
You’ve been to some pretty amazing places! I totally get what you mean — there are just some places that make you go, “Wow, I’m really traveling the world!” The only ones from this list that I’ve seen/done are the Taj Mahal and the African safari (in Kenya). The rest are still on my bucket list. Wish me luck!
Yes exactly, such special moments. I’m sure you’ll get there, all the best x
Love your article and your site design. It is so beautiful and reader friendly.
Oh thank you so much Sayali, really appreciate the feedback
Wow! So many of your experiences are on my bucket list! I’ve only recently started travelling and my ‘pinch me’ moment has to be my first day in Venice. I was sat drinking coffee with a pastry in St Mark’s Square early in the morning, before the crowds and I was so excited to be there. I’ll never forget it
Thats so cool Tracy, I still haven’t been to Venice (my trip last year was cancelled because of Covid), but definitely getting up early, before the crowds sounds perfect. Thank you for your comment.
Girl, what an incredible life and experiences you’ve had! Some of these are absolute bucket list goals of mine. I’d love to trek the ABC in Nepal, I’m the world’s unfittest person so this would be a massive goal to do something like this. I’m so inspired by this list!
Aww that’s so good to hear Missy! You can do it…
You have planned some amazing experiences. Great to highlight them here to give ideas of the amazing adventures all over the world.
These are such incredible experiences! We’re visiting Key West in a few weeks but I don’t think we will be brave enough to skydive. Great job! 🙂