There’s only so much relaxing I can do on a holiday before I start wanting to get out and see something. Give me a new city, a mountain trail, a boat ride, or a completely unfamiliar street and I’m happy.
If you’re anything like me, an adventure trip is much more exciting when there’s a little variety involved. A few days of exploring, some good food, beautiful scenery, maybe a hike that makes you question your fitness choices halfway through. That’s where these tours really caught my eye.
Sri Lanka Has a Little Bit of Everything
Sri Lanka is high on my list for the simple reason that you don’t have to choose between beaches, wildlife, mountains and culture.
The Sri Lanka Island Culture and Adventure Tour takes you through some of the country's most interesting spots over 12 days, including Sigiriya, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Ella and Yala. You get temples and historic sites, but then the scenery changes completely and you’re surrounded by tea country, mountains or wildlife.
And I love that kind of trip. You can have a busy day exploring and then slow things down the next morning with a train ride through the hills or some time by the coast.
If you want to add even more adventure, TourRadar also has the Sri Lankan Adventure - Train, Surf & Safari! tour. Train rides, surfing and a safari in the same trip? I’m already interested.
Peru Is One for the Bucket List
Then there’s Peru, which feels like a completely different kind of adventure.
I’ve wanted to see Machu Picchu for as long as I can remember, but I’d want more than a quick visit where you arrive, take a few photos and leave again.
The Peru Explorer 8 Days – Lima, Andes & Inca Jungle Adventure to Machu Picchu takes you through Lima, the Andes and the Inca Jungle before reaching Machu Picchu. There’s hiking, incredible scenery and plenty of opportunities to actually experience the landscape along the way.
And let’s be honest, getting to Machu Picchu is part of the excitement. I’d much rather spend those days moving through Peru and seeing how the scenery changes than stay in one place the entire time.
Vietnam Is Calling If You Like Packed Itineraries
Some people like a holiday where they unpack once and barely move.
I am not one of those people.
If you’d rather have a full itinerary and wake up somewhere different every few days, Vietnam is worth looking at. The Ultimate Vietnam: Big Cities, Beaches & The Best Views Ever is a 16-day trip that brings together exactly what I’d want from a Vietnam adventure: cities, beaches, scenery and plenty of opportunities to explore.
And Vietnam is one of those places where food is basically part of the sightseeing. I’d happily plan an entire day around finding the next thing to eat.
For something focused more on the north, there’s also the Northern Vietnam Adventure In 13 Days, which takes you into the landscapes and smaller destinations that make northern Vietnam so beautiful.
Give Me the Philippines and a Boat
There’s something about island hopping that makes a holiday instantly more exciting.
Maybe it’s the fact that you’re never quite sure what the next stop is going to look like. Or maybe I just really like the idea of getting on a boat and heading somewhere new.
The 12 Days Ultimate Manila and Cebu - Philippines Island Hopping combines city time with the tropical side of the Philippines, giving you plenty of opportunities to get out on the water and explore different islands.
This would be one of my picks for a trip where I want adventure without spending every morning waking up at 6am for a hike. Some days can involve exploring, some can involve swimming, and some can just be about finding a beautiful beach and staying there longer than planned.
Honestly, I see no problem with that.
Morocco When You Want Something Completely Different
Morocco has such a different feel from the usual holiday destinations.
You can spend the morning wandering through the streets of Marrakech, surrounded by markets, food and color, and then find yourself looking at nothing but desert a few hours later.
The 4-Days Private Desert Tour From Marrakech To Luxury Desert Camp Erg Chigaga is the one I’d be looking at if I wanted to experience that side of Morocco properly.
And yes, I would absolutely want the desert camp experience. There’s something about spending the night surrounded by that much open space that sounds so much better than another night in a regular hotel room.
If you have more time, TourRadar also has longer Morocco itineraries that combine the desert with cities, mountains and other parts of the country.
Bali Without Spending the Whole Trip by the Pool
I completely understand why people go to Bali and never want to leave their resort.
But I’d probably last about two days.
After that, I’d want to see the rice terraces, visit temples, find a waterfall and wander around somewhere I hadn’t seen on Instagram a hundred times already.
The Bali Adventure Tours option on TourRadar is a six-day trip for travelers who want to experience more of the island rather than treating it as a beach-only destination.
And that’s how I’d want to do Bali. Keep the beautiful beaches and slow evenings, but make sure there’s plenty of exploring in between.
Ireland for the Road Trip Lovers
Adventure doesn’t always mean climbing something.
Sometimes it’s driving through a landscape so pretty that you keep asking whoever is driving to stop the car.
That’s why Ireland appeals to me so much.
The 11 Day Full Irish Adventure Small Group Tour gives you plenty of time to explore the country, from dramatic coastlines and green countryside to historic towns and those little scenic stops that somehow end up being your favorite part of the trip.
I also like the small-group setup here. You get to meet people along the way without feeling like you’re traveling with an entire bus full of strangers.
And if we’re being honest, Ireland is going to give you plenty of opportunities to take photos you’ll never actually get around to organizing later.
Western Australia Is Worth the Long Flight
If you’re going all the way to Australia, you might as well make the trip count.
The 6-Day Esperance & Margaret River Adventure Tour takes you through two very different parts of Western Australia, with beaches, nature, scenery and plenty of opportunities to get outdoors.
Esperance is especially tempting if you’re anything like me and can never walk past a ridiculously beautiful beach without stopping for a photo.
Then Margaret River brings a completely different side of the trip, with its landscapes, food and wine.
Six days would also work nicely if you’re planning a longer Australia trip and want to add an organized adventure without giving up your entire itinerary.
The Galápagos Is for the Wildlife Obsessed
There are destinations where you go for the beaches.
Then there are places where you go because you genuinely have no idea what you’re going to see next.
The Galápagos falls into the second category.
The 9 Days Galapagos Active Escape is built around exploring the islands and experiencing the wildlife and landscapes rather than simply sightseeing from a hotel.
If you’re the person who gets ridiculously excited every time you see a turtle, sea lion or some unusual bird while traveling, I have a feeling you’d love this one.
And being able to experience the islands through an active itinerary makes the whole trip feel much more memorable than simply ticking the Galápagos off a list.
So, Where Would I Go First?
This is the difficult part.
Give me Sri Lanka when I want a little bit of everything. Peru if I’m finally ready to make that Machu Picchu trip happen. Vietnam when I want two weeks of constantly having somewhere new to explore.
The Philippines would win when I’m craving sunshine, beaches and boat rides, while Morocco would be my choice when I want something that feels completely different from my usual trips.
And then there’s Ireland, Australia and the Galápagos, which are all reminders that adventure travel doesn’t have to look the same every time.
That’s probably what I like most about it.
You can spend one trip hiking through the Andes and the next one swimming between islands. You can wake up in a desert camp one year and be watching wildlife in the Galápagos the next.
There’s a whole world out there, and thankfully, you don’t have to plan every single detail yourself. TourRadar has thousands of organized trips across destinations around the world, so you can find something that fits the kind of adventure you actually want.
Now the only question is where to go first.
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