10 Best Places to Visit for Adventure in 2024

If you’re not the adventurous, daring type of person, this blog post might not be for you. The world is full of countless sights to see, and that’s what this blog post looks past because adventurous people want to do things. These places are spread out across the world and consist of different activities, all specially picked for adventure. We’ll cover all types of adventures including white water rafting, ziplining, bungee jumping, and so much more. Without any more interruption, let’s get into the list of the top 10 adventure places to visit for adventure in 2024.

1. Les 3 Vallées, France

Les 3 Vallées is a place that I discovered when writing about winter destinations in Europe, and it’s become one of my favorites. Getting to this place means traveling to the center of the Alps, taking in some of the best views that this mountain range has to offer. As skiing has become a big passion of mine, I’ve started to really appreciate how massive this ski area really is. Les 3 Vallées is the largest ski area in the world with over 375 miles or 600 kilometers of slopes connected by 180 ski lifts. 330 slopes are conveniently placed with beginner slopes present. Les 3 Vallées translates to The 3 Valleys in English and there’s a reason for this. The ski area connects the valleys of Belleville, Méribel, and Courchevel, all ski towns designed around this massive ski area. Exploring this ski area isn’t a one-day job. As with most other ski areas, it will take several days if not weeks as you travel by skiing, how cool is that! What’s less mentioned is that snowboarding is allowed here too, so you can explore these mountains in whichever way you prefer. 

2. Denali National Park, Alaska, United States

Home to the tallest mountain in all of North America, Denali National Park is a must-see place if you’re the adventurous kind. The park is located in Alaska around 4-5 hours from Anchorage, trains also connect but they will take a bit longer. There are tons of exhilarating experiences here apart from the most obvious one, hiking. Flightseeing tours are a phenomenal way to see Denali National Park, these flights take you over the hard-to-reach places giving you an up-close look at Mount Denali and the surrounding area. These flights are either done by plane or helicopter. Either way, you’ve got a guaranteed window seat and views that will amaze you. You can even land on a glacier in some tours giving you the chance to walk on frozen ice. River rafting is another cool option on the Nenana River, you get the chance to explore the wilderness while immersing yourself in a cool experience. The last one is the most obvious, hiking. Hiking in Denali National Park is a crazy cool experience, one worth doing. The park is around 7,400 square miles or 19,000 square kilometers making it the third largest national park in the world. There are countless different hikes that you can do in the park from easy to expert, you’ll have to see which ones are best for you. 

3. Dubai, United Arab of Emirates

Where can I even start with this one, there’s so much to do. Dubai is an adventurer’s paradise as they’ve built almost every exhilarating experience imaginable. This city earned a spot in our “Top 10 Best Places to Travel in 2024” where I said that this place needed a dedicated blog post. I share my experience of Dubai and all the fun things I did. I missed out on so much solely because 5 days wasn’t enough time to do everything. I thoroughly enjoyed all the places that I visited in this city but the one that stood out the most was the ATV Tour, there was something about the Emiraty desert that made this experience that much better. I also visited Aquaventure Waterpark, the Dubai Autodrome, and Sky Views Observatory. A short two hours drive southwest will land you in Abu Dhabi. Here, you can see Ferrari World and experience the world’s fastest roller coaster. If you love speed, head right across the road to Yas Marina Circuit where you can find Formula 1 races every year. Two hours northeast will get you to the border of Oman and to Jebel Jais, the world’s longest zipline. Due to the warm weather, watersports are common here. You can ride jet skis, yachts, and the iconic sea breacher. On top of that, you can go flyboarding, wakeboarding, snorkeling, kneeboarding, and the list goes on. Dubai has pretty much everything and anything for whatever your adventurous spirit entails, and that’s why this city gets a spot on our list.

4. Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

Nestled at the southern end of Chile is Torres del Paine National Park, an absolute paradise for hikers. South America is known for rainforests such as the Amazon so landscapes like this are surprising for this reason. The park is located in the fjords of Chile at the southern end of Patagonia. Mt. Paine Grande is the park’s tallest mountain, scaling 9,022 feet or 2,749 meters in height. The mountain is almost impossible to climb as it’s more like a vertical rock rather than a mountain. Still, you can climb the base of this mountain range to get an up-close view of the mountains and a photo just like the one above. The National Park is over 700mi² or 1,800km² making it one of the largest in South America, and with that comes much to explore. There are several mountains, valleys, waterfalls, rivers, lakes, and even glaciers to see. 66 hiking trails cover almost all corners of the park and are open to explore. The most notable trail is the Torres del Paine hike, a 13-mile or 21-km out-and-back trail that takes around eight hours to complete. Grey Glacier is located within the park and is a 100mi² or 260 km² glacier that you can either hike to or take a three-hour boat excursion to see. Between all the natural sites that this park has to offer, this place can never get boring for adventurers and outdoor enthusiasts.

5. Geirangerfjord, Norway

We’re going straight from the fjords in Chile to the fjords in Norway. This country holds the spot for the most famous fjords in the world along with the second most islands behind its Scandinavia neighbor, Sweden. Geirangerfjord is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is a nine-mile or 15-kilometer stretch right outside the town of Geiranger. Drive or hike up to Flydalsjuvet, a viewpoint over the town of Geirangerfjord and the fjords below and also serves as a very nice photo spot and scenic lookout. Seven Sisters Waterfall is where the real fun begins as you can see this 1350-foot or 410-meter waterfall as you sail along the fjords. As the name suggests, there are seven waterfalls side by side all running into the river below. Korsmyra is a cool hiking spot where you can catch spectacular views while hiking the fjords. I saved the best for last, as Explore Geiranger has tons of crazy experiences. Norway’s first double zipline is situated here and lets you fly parallel to someone. You’ll get the chance to fly over treetops and a waterfall as you take in the views of this stunning location. A via ferrata route is also situated here, one of 15 in the country. A via ferrata is a climbing route that uses steel cables and walkways so that you can enjoy a dangerous route safely. You can also hike a waterfall and rappel a cliff, both insane things to do.

6. Victoria Falls, Zambia/Zimbabwe

On the border of Zimbabwe and Zambia is the world’s largest waterfall. You can watch the water of the Zambezi River drop over 350 feet or 107 meters as it continues to weave between the two African countries. The towns of Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe and Livingstone in Zambia are located just a short distance away. Victoria Falls is spectacular to see but the activities that come with it are the reason this place is on this list. Many five-star hotels are situated on both sides of Victoria Falls with adventures built-in, so consider one of them when planning your trip. The most obvious first stop is Victoria Falls Bridge to get the most spectacular views of Victoria Falls. Make sure to do bungee jumping here as it’s one of the best in the world. You get to fall around 350 feet or 110 meters over the Zambezi River, what a cool experience. Make sure you stop by Devils Pool, a part of the river right at Victoria Falls. Other activities include helicopter rides, white water rafting, zipline, and a bridge swing. The activities here are endless so visit Victoria Falls and see the fun for yourself!

7. Hạ Long Bay, Vietnam

If you’ve seen views like the one above blowing up on your Instagram feed recently, chances are that’s Hạ Long Bay in Vietnam. The scenery here is almost unreal and even better in person. 1,600 islands are scattered in the 600 square mile or 1,500 square kilometer bay bordering Vietnam’s northern coast. The bay was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994 and is Vietnam’s most popular tourist destination. Visit Dau Go Cave, a massive 5,000 square meter cave that was formed around 2 million years ago under one of these islands. The bay is popular with canoes and kayaks and you can rent one to enjoy the bay. Other activities include rock climbing, hiking, and island hopping. The 1,600 islands are sure to keep you busy year-round.

8. Parque Nacional Volcán Arenal, Costa Rica

A list around the world wouldn’t be complete without the tropical country of Costa Rica. Parque Nacional Volcán Arenal is primarily a rainforest located at the northern end of Costa Rica, the park was named after the Arenal Volcano. This 5,358-foot or 1,633-meter volcano stands as a symbol of the nearly 47 square mile or 121 square kilometer park. The park sits just over three hours away from San José, Costa Rica’s capital city. Enjoy views over the rainforest on the Sky Trek Arenal Zipline, you’ll be dangling almost 650 feet or 200 meters in the air as you race over 40 mph or 70 kph through the Arenal Conservation Area. Riding a gondola through a rainforest is definitely a must-do for me, and something that can be done inside of this park. A suspension bridge is also there giving you even more views of Lake Arenal and the surrounding rainforest. Hiking is also popular here with several trails to choose from leading you to the best parts of the park. Parque Nacional Volcán Arenal can be a trip of its own, but if you’re in San José, taking a day trip out here is a no-brainer.

9. Table Mountain National Park, Cape Town, South Africa

When you think about a city, I bet your mind doesn’t think of this. Table Mountain National Park lies within the city of Cape Town and is a popular attraction bringing in over 4 million tourists every year. The park is over 85 square miles or 220 square kilometers and was announced and is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The reason behind Table Mountain’s name is because of its flat top, making it enjoyable and easy to hang out at the top. The tallest point in Table Mountain National Park is Maclear’s Beacon looking over Cape Town with an elevation of 3,558 feet or 1,085 meters. The park is full of fun things to do and adventures to be enjoyed with the best part being its close proximity to downtown Cape Town. For the really adventurous folks, five routes are accending Table Mountain so pick one and start climbing. Most people take the cable car to fast-track their views to the top. Paragliding is a popular thing to do from Table Mountain as you descend over the city of Cape Town. Ziplining is a great way to see the park while having fun. Beaches are scattered on the coasts of the park making surfing, kiteboarding, and scuba diving possible. Other activities include rock climbing and mountain biking.

10. Caucasus Mountains, Georgia

When you think of mountains in Europe, your mind will probably instantly goes to the Alps. This site looks familiar to something in Switzerland, Austria, or maybe Northern Italy, but these mountains aren’t that. These are the Caucasus Mountains, a mountain range that takes up the majority of Georgia and feeds into Russia. The tallest mountain in Europe, Mt Elbrus, is situated in this mountain range along with over 200 other mountains. In fact, the top 5 tallest mountains in Europe are all in this mountain range, making the Alps seem unimpressive. The adventurous folks partake in the Caucasian Challenge, driving from one end of this mountain range to the other. The multi-country trip is around 2,500 miles or 4,000 km and will take around five days to complete. Hiking is the next best thing as the views here will make the Alps seem overhyped. These mountains are insane and getting to the top of them is even crazier. Winter brings loads of new activities as the snow makes skiing and snowboarding possible. Going solo is definitely possible here but I would recommend going on a tour as Georgian and Russian are the two most spoken languages, making communication quite difficult.

Conclusion

There you have it, ten of my favorite places to visit for adventure in 2024. This guide was fun to make as I got the chance to research all around the globe and compile my favorite adventures. If you want more ideas, check out Travel Wise for ideas on everywhere you can imagine. Some of these destinations I’ve already completed but a lot of them are tempting to visit for the first time. Who knows, maybe I’ll see you there.