6 of the Most Lavish Adventure Travel Packages on the Market
Looking for an Unparalleled Adventure?
Adventure travel has become one of the hottest holiday trends in recent years. While trips tend to get more expensive than a typical tour package, some have gone into luxury territory — only accessible to the very rich.
These travel experiences are often all-inclusive and trade roughing it for posh hotels, private guides and business class airfare. Ranging from the tens of thousands to the millions, luxury adventure travel packages offer exclusive opportunities with unrivaled experiences, without sacrificing comfort for thrills.
Start saving up now and perhaps someday you can cross one of these lavish trips off your bucket list.
National Geographic Expedition to Antarctica
There are very few corners left in the world that have remained relatively unexplored, but Antarctica still has that new frontier spirit. Its frigid, frozen environment — full of glaciers and unpredictable weather — has made travel there sparse and dangerous.
But if the opportunity to visit the southernmost continent sits atop your bucket list, you won’t want to miss National Geographic’s Journey to Antarctica.
While there are dozens of tour companies offering trips to Antarctica, few can beat this one. A luxury adventure travel tour, you’ll sail on board an exploration ship alongside a team of scientists and experts who will be available to answer all your burning questions about Antarctica’s unique environment.
For 13 days, you’ll get to whale-watch, cruise around in Zodiac boats, kayak through icebergs and beside glaciers, hike to icy summits, and admire Gentoo penguin colonies. Through it all, there’s even a National Geographic photographer on board who will instruct you on how to photograph the wildlife like a pro.
It’s a trip of a lifetime for adventure travel enthusiasts who are willing to drop between $14,000 and $30,0000 on the experience.
Trek the Himalaya Trail
If you’ve ever wanted to experience the Himalayas by trekking through their entire 1,700 km distance, you’re in luck. World Expeditions offers a 152-day tour of the Great Himalaya Trail, which spans five countries and offers views of Mt. Everest, Makalu and Annapurna.
While not a luxury vacation in the sense that you’ll be waited on hand and foot — or be sleeping on the world’s most comfortable mattress — the price tag for the five month trip is nothing to sneeze at. For $25,000, you’ll trek through the icy mountains for about six hours a day, making your way across one of the most breathtaking mountain ranges in the world.
All of your meals, internal transfers and equipment are included provided you have an intermediate grasp of mountaineering. This adventure travel trip is not for the faint of heart or the out of shape.
Sit on the porch and listen to the jungle sounds or get right in there and experience it for yourself — these rainforest vacations have plenty in store.
Diamond Safari
Sure you could go on a luxury African safari adventure. Botswana safaris are some of the most expensive and memorable safaris at the south end of the continent, with some permanent camps costing around $12,000 a night.
You could track the Big 5 and venture onto the big game preserves, but you can’t take any of the animals home with you. So how about adding on a safari where you can take home the prize?
Through Ellerman House, a five-star boutique hotel in South Africa, you can actually mine your own diamonds off the coast of the Cape. The exclusive day trip allows participants to scuba dive and pan the precious gems for sorting.
Offered only in late summer or early fall, for up to six guests staying at the hotel, you get to experience the life of a diamond from its discovery to its cutting and polishing. All you need is $17,000 and a PADI Open Water I certification, although the cost of the hotel and actual diamonds aren’t included in the price.
