I told you about my itinerary, budget, and my world tour. In this article, I talked about the activities you absolutely must do. In this article, I will give you a bit more detail so that you can do them too.
📋 My top picks to remember: On a world tour, some activities leave a lifelong mark. My top: Inca Trail trek to Machu Picchu, diving in Sipadan, Malaysia, Serengeti safari, northern lights in Iceland, whale flight over Tonga, and the Uyuni Salt Flats during the rainy season. The criterion that makes an activity unforgettable: exclusivity of the experience + extraordinary natural or cultural context.
10 activities to do during your world tour
The best things I did on my world tour in order:-
Take a hot air balloon ride over Cappadocia in Turkey.
Cappadocia is located in the center of Turkey and it is here that there are strange rock formations.
Its main town is Göreme. There are several unforgettable activities in this region of Turkey, such as a bike tour, a hike, or the famous hot air balloon ride over Cappadocia. You ascend several thousand meters.
Cost: 130 euros, you can find companies that take you for 100 euros but there will be more people in the balloon and the flight will be shorter. I went with the company: Göreme Balloon (website http://www.goremeballoons.com/) through my youth hostel: Nomad-Cave-Hostel and I benefited from a discount. I chose this hostel because it offers the chance to live in a cave and I was very pleased. I arrived in Göreme by bus (company www.kamilkoc.com.tr) that I took from Istanbul, it cost me about 20 euros and lasted +/- 8 hours.
🌍 Did you know?
The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is limited to 500 people per day (200 trekkers + 300 guides/porters) by the Peruvian government since 2002 to preserve the site. As a result: you must book your trek 6 months in advance for the high season.
If you are interested in hot air ballooning in another country, I recommend going to Bagan in Myanmar, but the prices are not the same, expect more than 300 euros.
If you don’t have the budget, you can do it in Paris: it costs 12 euros but it only goes up to 150 meters.
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Go on a safari in South Africa
South Africa is one of the safari countries in Africa. How does a safari work? You are in your car, a 4×4, and you go in search of wild animals. Your goal is to see the big 5: the African elephant, the lion, the rhinoceros, the black buffalo. Personally, I only saw 4 out of the 5. You can also see many wild animals, birds, etc.
Cost: 50 euros per day instead of 70 euros, I got a discount through my youth hostel (Lungile-Lodge-beachfront-backpackers) in Port Elizabeth, South Africa; there is a special discount only once a week. I went to Addo National Park.
What I really appreciated was that after the safari, we went to eat African food for less than 10 euros with a drink and a special concert for us (there were about ten of us).
| Activity | Location | Indicative Cost | Ideal Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inca Trail Trek (4 days) | Peru | 650-900 € | May-Sept |
| Sipadan Diving | Malaysia (Sabah) | 180-250 €/day | April-Dec |
| Serengeti Safari (5 days) | Tanzania | 2,000-3,500 € | June-Oct |
| Northern Lights | Iceland, Norway | 50-200 €/outing | Sept-Mar |
| Uyuni Salt Flat (mirror effect) | Bolivia | 180-300 €/3 days | Jan-Mar |
| Annapurna Trek | Nepal | 800-1500 €/15 days | Oct-Nov, Mar-Apr |
Other alternatives: Go to Kruger Park with your own 4×4 but you need to know the area well or go with a tour operator, expect around 100 euros per day (minimum 2-3 days). You have a better chance of seeing animals because Kruger Park is one of the best parks for safaris.
There are other alternatives in Kenya or Tanzania but I cannot provide more information.
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Swimming in Victoria Falls in Zambia
Victoria Falls is among the 3 largest waterfalls in the world (Niagara, Victoria, and Iguazu). I couldn’t miss this during my time in Africa. You can only go during a certain season of the year when the falls are not too full (October and November). You navigate by boat to a certain spot and then you have 30 minutes to enjoy a natural pool, Devil’s Pool (see Google images). It’s a small pool right on the edge of Victoria Falls. It’s very impressive at first sight.
Cost: 100 euros if you are in Zambia, but if you are on the Zimbabwe side, you will have to pay the entry visa to Zambia and another visa to re-enter Zimbabwe (consider getting a double-entry visa with entry into Zambia for about 50 dollars). You also enjoy a very nice and refined lunch.
If you are in the area, I also recommend taking a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River, where you can see many wild animals such as hippos.
If you are a thrill-seeker, you can do a bungee jump!!
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Visiting the Angkor Wat city by bike in Cambodia
You can go during the day or for the sunset by bike, or with a tour operator for sunrise but there are a lot of people for that sunrise, just a heads up. If you prefer biking, know that it takes less than an hour to get to the Angkor Wat city. However, it will take you several hours to explore Angkor Wat, you will need strong legs.
Cost: 20 dollars, bike rental 3 euros for the day. You will first need to go to the place to buy your ticket where they will take your photo, then head to the entrance of the city and, as luck would have it, it’s a bit poorly indicated :D. The advantage of going by bike is that you can enjoy and take your time to visit, it’s very easy to find your way.
If you stay a bit longer, don’t hesitate to go to Pub Street to party for a change of atmosphere. Personally, I visited the city only from the 3rd day ;D.
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My first encounter with a whale shark in the Philippines
You can swim with whale sharks in two places in the Philippines: either in Donsol or in Oslob. The first place hosts wild whale sharks that live in the region and the second place hosts whale sharks that come because they are fed by humans. In the second case, you can get better photos but if you are like me, you have some ethics and prefer to see them naturally, choose Donsol, which is a nice small town. However, you are not guaranteed to see them because you have to find them and when you get close to the spot, they might already be gone. It took me 2 and a half days to see one (half a day because once I looked the wrong way and it was already gone).
🗣️ My experience: My number one activity memory remains diving at Sipadan. At 18 meters deep, a wall of barracudas spirals around me for 3 minutes. The school is so dense that it gets dark. Unforgettable. The Sipadan permit is limited to 120 divers/day, you need to book 3-4 months in advance and go through a certified operator.
Cost: 7 euros in Donsol then 5 euros for the next ones or 30 euros in Oslob (I think). You can enjoy a boat ride and have the excitement of spotting the whale shark, the scenery is nice once if you don’t find any whale sharks but not twice, it becomes boring.
Other places where you can swim with whale sharks: Ningaloo reef in Australia, expect 350 euros but the interaction is longer. Otherwise, you can see them in Mexico for at least 120 euros around Cancun.
I could have written an article on Asia only but I spent ONLY 3 months out of my 2 years of travel in Asia. If you want to travel only in Asia, this article is made for you.
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Swim with giant manta rays in Hawaii
It’s a bit the same experience as before with less excitement but the show is magical. You wait for the sunset, there are bright spotlights that attract plankton and when the manta rays arrive, you see them dancing, turning, and doing somersaults. I saw more than 4 manta rays over 3 meters and I can tell you the show is fabulous. They can come very close to you.
Cost: 120 euros with a snorkeling trip and the manta rays, if you want to do scuba diving, it will cost you 180 euros. After thinking about it, I think seeing the manta rays swim is much better while scuba diving because you see them much better. You will find the manta rays at Kailua Kona on the west of Big Island.
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Admire an erupting volcano on Big Island in Hawaii
Having been used to hiking in extinct volcanoes, the first time I saw a volcano with lava in Hawaii was an intense moment for me. It is really impressive to see an eruption (don’t forget binoculars) because you are a bit far from the scene. You arrive a little before sunset, and also don’t arrive too late to avoid parking jams. You observe the different colors and the change throughout the day.
Cost: park entrance 15 dollars and car rental, I went with people I found in my youth hostel so I didn’t have to pay but I cooked for them that same evening. You can take a tour in the park and observe the different past eruptions. There are nice walks to do before going to the molten lava area.
🍀 Invest in flagship activities
- Memories for life
- Unique experiences difficult to reproduce
- Exceptional content (photos/videos)
- Feeling of accomplishment
🔻 Limits
- High cost (often €200-3000)
- Booking 3-6 months in advance
- Unpredictable weather (auroras)
- Physical level sometimes required
Don’t forget to dress warmly. Depending on the time of year and the season, you will see more or less different eruptions but don’t expect flowing lava. In any case, it’s worth the trip.
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My hikes in the Canadian Rockies in Canada
If there is one activity I do quite often, it is hiking to exercise and stay in shape. One of my goals when going to Canada was to go to the Canadian Rockies to reach the summit of some mountains, see magical lakes, and also see wildlife (especially bears and grizzlies) which I actually saw several times. If you like cycling, you will also be well served; you can also climb above a glacier or walk on a Skywalk. There are plenty of things to do in the region and one week is not enough.
Cost: it is necessary to have a car, you can hitchhike or take a bus that takes you from one point to another or do a tour that will take you from Banff to Jasper stopping at interesting places along the way (expect around 100 euros). The park is very large and distances should not be underestimated.
If you like mountains, lakes, hiking, don’t hesitate to go to New Zealand; for a country closer to us, visit Iceland. I am 100% sure you will not regret it.
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Visit the Grand Canyon, in Arizona, United States
My visit to the Grand Canyon was brief, that is 3 hours during which I toured part of the south rim. But the Grand Canyon is so HUGE and magnificent to see that it remains one of my best memories. It is one of the largest canyons in the world. Being a hiking fan, I was still left wanting more; I would have liked to go down to the bottom and climb back up.
⚠️ Classic trap
Booking iconic activities on site. Inca Trail, Sipadan diving, Serengeti safari often fill up 3 to 6 months in advance. On site, only low-cost, unreliable operators or dates that don’t fit remain. Plan the 2-3 key activities of your trip BEFORE you leave.
Cost: 100 euros, I went to the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas, they pick you up at 6 a.m. at your hotel or youth hostel and you return at 10 p.m. The trip there takes 5 hours if you don’t stop, but you stop on the way where Route 66 began or at the dam that separates Nevada and Arizona. Personally, I didn’t sleep the night before and slept during most of the bus transport time (8 hours out of 10). Personally, if I had to do it again, I would rent a car and take my time, spending a few days visiting the north side and the south side (I would have done it if I had a license :D).
There are also many canyons but they did not impress me as much: Colca Canyon in Peru (2 or 3 day hike) or King Canyon (5 – 7 hours)
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Swim in the cenotes and the lagoon of 7 colors in Mexico
If there is one special thing in Mexico that you don’t find anywhere else in the world, it is the cenotes. What is a cenote? It is a kind of water hole or underwater cave. Some of these cenotes can be a hundred meters deep. I visited some in the Yucatan province region and I find it is a place you don’t find anywhere else like the lagoon of 7 colors in Mexico.
To structure a long trip around these activities, budget and round-the-world itinerary helps to size the budget. Preparing a long trip covers the preliminary steps. And for adventure sports specifically, Chapka insurance with the Adventure+ option remains essential.
The lagoon of 7 colors is a place where you see 7 different blues from light blue to dark blue.
The water is almost transparent and the water is always warm. We took several midnight swims to enjoy this place at any time of the day. 😀
Cost: Up to 15 euros depending on the cenote and the lagoon is normally free.
What activities should you absolutely do on a world tour?
Should you book in advance?
What budget for these activities?
- Enjoy your world tour by taking your time.
- Save on plane tickets by paying as little as possible.
- Before leaving on a world tour, the reason.
- How not to spend too much on a world tour.
