The best active and adventure holidays around the world

Whether you’re into day hikes or week-long expeditions, there’s something hugely rewarding about a hiking holiday. There are beautiful trails to do across the world either guided or self-guided. 

Big bucket list hikes that should be on your list include Everest Base Camp, the Kilimanjaro Trek, Annapurna Ranges and the Camino de Santiago. 

If you’re looking for adventure with an added slice of luxury, we recommend the Inca Trail with a spectacular finish at Machu Picchu in Peru. 

And for afters? Stay at Sanctuary Lodge, A Belmond Hotel, the only accommodation with views of this Inca site. You’ll have this Seven Wonders of the World member all to yourself!

Over to Africa, animal lovers can combine hiking holidays with a chance to tick off a bucket list wildlife encounter at One&Only Gorilla’s Nest. The luxury treehouse resort in Rwanda facilitates trekking excursions to see the endangered mountains gorillas. 

Get a hole in one on a championship golf course and stay at luxury hotels around the world. You’ll certainly be channelling your inner Rory McIlroy. 

While Scotland’s St Andrew’s is crowned the birthplace of golf, you don’t have to keep your options slim for a fantastic game. There is a wealth of championship-level golf courses including ones with the benefit of a warm climate. 

Our top pick for a golfing holiday is The Boca Raton in Florida which has a championship course exclusively for resort guests and members. The golf course has 6,253 yards of green with 18 holes to play and state-of-the-art Toptracer technology. There are pools, a spa and a beach here too!

For somewhere closer to home with the addition of warmer weather is Fairmont Royal Palm Marrakech in Morocco. 

This luxury resort offers the ultimate golfing break with a course designed by Cabell B. Robinson. It’s exclusive to resort guests so you have the fairways to yourself. 

Whether you like to explore the mysteries of the underwater world or catch thrills surfing on the waves, you’re spoiled for choice when it comes to world-class water sports. 

Bucket list experiences across the globe include swimming with manatees in Belize, snorkelling with manta rays in Fiji, luxury liveaboard experiences in the Caribbean, yachting in Dubai and scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef. 

In our opinion, Conrad Maldives Rangali Island’s underwater experiences are unparalleled. The star of the show is Ithaa Undersea Restaurant. The world’s first undersea restaurant is five metres below the water and gives you panoramic views of marine life while you dine. 

For something more active, this resort invites you to charter one of its yachts, hire jet skis, go paddle boarding, snorkelling and diving. 

If you’ve always wanted to learn how to surf, One&Only Palmilla in Los Cabos, Mexico has its own surf school. Here, surfing experts teach guests how to ride the waves like a pro. For a more leisurely pace, charter a yacht or go fishing too. 

Yoga and wellness retreats are a popular trend as an increasing number of travellers swap indulgence for health. Many luxury hotels and resorts the world over have dedicated spas plus wellness facilities with activities like yoga classes and fitness. 

Benefits of a yoga retreat include increasing your flexibility, building muscle strength, improving your posture and regulating your adrenal glands. It’s the perfect way to give your body a little TLC. 

You don’t have to go far to enjoy five-star wellness programs. Six Senses Ibiza has both yoga classes and a Discover Yoga retreat designed to soothe your mind and body. Retreats range from three to five nights. 

Swap yoga for martial arts at Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas. This beautiful resort offers Muay Thai kickboxing with one-to-one classes designed to enhance your agility, endurance and strength. Alternate with a balancing private yoga class which focuses on a range of Hatha, Ashtanga and Flow sessions. 

Take your thrill-seeking adventures to new heights with extreme sports and adrenaline-boosting activities to test your mettle on. 

If there’s one place in the world that takes ziplining to a whole new level, it’s Costa Rica. The country is covered in a thick canopy of rainforest and cloud forest, and you can see it all from above while channelling your inner Tarzan. 

Enjoy volcano views and look out for monkeys as you whizz through Arenal Volcano National Park. Head to Monteverde Cloud Forest for one of the longest ziplining tours in the country. 

As for where to stay, you can’t go wrong with Nayara Tented Camp, award-winning luxury glamping with private infinity pools in La Fortuna. 

If zipping over a forest canopy isn’t quite high enough, a skydive is calling your name. One of the most incredible places in the world to do it is Dubai as you get to see jaw-dropping views of Palm Jumeirah. 

Skydive Dubai offers tandem skydiving experiences which you can immortalise in a one-minute edited video. 

We recommend staying at W Dubai Mina Seyahi on Jumeirah Beach. It’s just under ten minutes from Skydive Dubai and after all that excitement, you can relax at the BAR-B spa. 

Nothing beats fresh air and the great outdoors to reinvigorate your mind and body. Put your Out of Office on and your phone away as nature offers the very best digital detox. 

The Resort at Paws Up in Montana is a five-star estate set within wild backcountry. Outdoor pursuits are in abundance here with activities that invite you to connect with nature. Enjoy the likes of hiking, fly-fishing, clay pigeon shooting, horse riding and hot air ballooning. 

Accommodation is in the form of country cabins and luxury glamping available from mid-May. Despite being a ranch set within the wilderness, you’ll be well taken care of with the fine-dining restaurant and spa. 

Closer to home, Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland features a magnificent golf course and nine tennis courts. The rugged wilds of the Scottish Highlands are also yours to explore on foot, on horseback or by bicycle. 

Step it up a notch with a ride in Gleneagles’ 4x4 vehicles which go off-road with water splashes, ditches and steep gradients to keep it fun. Afterwards, soothe tired muscles and wind-swept limbs at the hotel’s award-winning spa and its extensive menu of nourishing treatments. 

Keen to swap activity for the spectator’s box? Check out these upcoming sports events around the world and witness some of the best athletes in their field: 

• The Golf Open Championship takes places in Scotland from 16th July to 23rd July 2023. 
• The FIFA Women’s Football World Cup is taking place in Australia and New Zealand from 20th July to 20th August 2023. 
• The Rugby World Cup 2023 takes place in France from 8th September to 28th October. 
• Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2023 is taking place on 26th November 2023 in Abu Dhabi. Check out our top hotel recommendations in Abu Dhabi. 
• Paris is hosting the Olympic Games in summer 2024 – be sure to book your tickets and hotel!