5 moments to add to your bucket list

Our top 5 activities and adventures

It’s a big world out there, so we’ve filled our Exodus Edits itineraries with adventures and experiences abound. We’ve chosen five of our favourite activities, whether it’s unusual wildlife discoveries, moments of tranquillity, or daring adventures that quench your wanderlust.

1. Hike the Inca Trail

Treading the famous Inca Trail well-deserves its place on many a bucket list. On our Incas & Intrigue in Peru trip, you won’t take the full four-day Inca Trail hike (because honestly, there’s so much more of Peru to see on a nine-day tour), but you’ll experience part of this sacred route that winds its way around mountains and through orchid-filled cloud forests. And it wouldn’t be a trip to Peru without a tour of the spectacular and inimitable Machu Picchu, an ancient city and archaeological masterpiece rediscovered in 1911.

2. Sunrise yoga at the Taj Mahal

Namaste yogis. Picture this for pure and utter serenity: easing yourself gently into yoga poses as dawn breaks over the Taj Mahal, bathing it in a golden light. On our 13 day Bazaars & Backwaters in India trip, the sunrise yoga at the Taj Mahal is an undisputed highlight. But you’ll also go bamboo rafting, tour Old Delhi, experience Cherai Beach, stay in a Fort Palace and on a houseboat in Alleppey too.

3. A twilight rainforest walk

 Imagine creeping through the Costa Rican jungle as night falls, listening for its nocturnal residents emerging. It’s a memorable experience, lit only by the moon and stars (okay, a torch too) as you follow a trail to uncover the mysteries of the rainforest by night. On our Rainforest & Restful Retreats in Costa Rica trip, adventure is abundant  – you’ll river tube down the bright turquoise Rio Celeste, and take a daylit hike to a magnificent waterfall too. All before adventures continue with ziplining and thermal baths in Rincon de la Vieja, then surfing at Tamarindo.

4. Kayak with penguins

 The 3000-strong African penguin colony on Boulder’s Beach is a spectacular sight. Being surrounded by them on the beach boardwalk is an experience in itself but paddling a kayak alongside these delightful creatures promises to be a penguin encounter like no other. And it’s not just beach-loving waddlers you’ll spy -- as you glide through the water you may see frolicking Cape Fur seals and even whales in the winter and spring. Our action-packed Cabernet & Capers in South Africa trip gives you ample opportunity to see the African penguins after you’ve scaled Table Mountain and before you head to the Winelands.

5. A champagne-fuelled mountain climb

 If you ask us, there’s never a bad moment for a glass of fizz. So it’s unsurprising that one of our favourite activities celebrates climbing the active volcano of Gunung Batur in Bali before dawn with a champagne breakfast at the crater’s edge. It’s just one of many unforgettable moments on our extra-special Sunrises & Summits in Bali trip that blends hikes to waterfalls, dinner in secret caves, mixology in swanky beach clubs, cycling through rice terraces and staying in a hilltop coffee plantation. Phew.