Exodus Travels dares you to test your
physical and emotional limits on your next vacation
In an age of social media envy, it’s hard not to want to follow the crowd in mass tourism. While the “Instagram Effect” has a powerful impact on travel consumer behavior, sometimes we want to break the mold and tackle a trip that makes us feel more alive—testing our boundaries and earning us bragging rights. Exodus Travels, the world’s leading and award-winning adventure tour operator, offers more than 600 tours in 100+ countries, meaning whether you want to rappel into a canyon, shred a mountain by bike, cliff dive or climb glaciers, you are covered.
Here are six life-affirming adventures that will push travelers outside of their comfort zone and encourage them to embrace their inner hero:
Abseil in the Taurus Mountains of Turkey
Rise to the challenge of canyoning in Turkey’s Taurus Mountains with Lycian Activity Week, an 8-day tour where the brave-hearted can abseil or jump meters into the depths of secret mountain pools. In Kas, take in one of the world’s most breathtaking natural phenomena, Saklikent Canyon, before grabbing a paddle and traversing down the river for a wild tube ride. Feel like old-world explorers by venturing by sea kayak to the Kekova Island sunken ruins, before taking to the dense and rough trails by bike, as the hills gradually incline until reaching the top of Akörü at 1450 meters. Feel the ultimate adrenaline rush on an optional paragliding flight, where daredevils can fling themselves off the cliff face and over the surrounding coastal islands. Priced from: $949 USD
Wrestle Rapids in Slovenia
The tiny town of Kobarid may seem unassuming, but it offers an abundance of adventure on the action-packed 8-day Slovenia Mixed Activity in the country’s mountainous countryside. Spanning from the vast Susec Canyon to the roaring Soca River, adventurers must swallow their inhibitions as they face the rough and fast-running rapids of Kobarid on a whitewater rafting excursion. Trek to the Susec chasm before canyoning down over steep cliffs and soaring high above the mountains by tandem paragliding. Then, take to two wheels and gear up for a full day of mountain biking through the steep hills of the dense forest alongside the Nadiza River, or reach for the sky at Zipline Slovenia (one of Europe’s highest and longest zip lines) and fly at speeds of 37 miles an hour over the Bovec Valley. Priced from: $1,549 USD
Conquer Nepal’s Highest Trekking Peak
For serious mountaineers only, Exodus’ 21-day Mera Peak Climb is a willpower-challenging summit that leads away from the Everest Base Camp and up the highest trekking peak in Nepal (6,461 meters). Set forth into remote valleys and past shifting crevasses as you stray far from the beaten path with the guidance of specially trained Exodus guides and porters. Put your mental and physical endurance to the test, braving steep ascents and even steeper drops in air pressure as you climb to the Mera Peak Base Camp for spectacular views of the mountain ranges of Mera, Charpati Himal, and Kyeshar Peak. Later, continue on to the extremely cold and rocky High Camp outcrop. With a 2 a.m. start time, summit day sees climbers up the steep Mera Central Peak, where fantastic views of the sun rising over Kanchenjunga are followed by an altitude-shifting abseil back down the valley to Kote. Priced from: $4,279 USD
Explore the Lesser-Known Ruins of Peru
Forgo the typical Inca trail and take a far more remote route—Exodus’ new 9-day Moonstone Trek. Enjoy a unique sort of solitude on this remote plateau, as it is rare to see another soul on the Moonstone trail. Start the journey from the Moonstone itself, a large boulder, and from there, climb the final crest of the Accoccosa on loose red scree. Follow alongside a unique Inca aqueduct system that has been carved out of the mountain to bring water to the Sacred Valley, before visiting the ridge-top shrine of Huayrapunku. After a night of rest, prepare for a second trek to the ruins of Wiñay Wayna. Climb past the tallest peaks of the surrounding forest and after six hours, reach the world-renowned Sun Gate to take in the first sights of Machu Picchu itself. Priced from: $1,799 USD
Surmount Glaciers and Icy Rivers in Pakistan
Tucked away in the convergence of the Godwin Austen and Baltoro glaciers lies Pakistan’s K2, the second highest mountain in the world. This 21-day Concordia & K2 climb is not for the faint of heart, with adventurers tackling glacial moraines, rugged terrain, and granite peaks. Explore ice cream cone-shaped glaciers and wade through fast-flowing icy rivers fed by the Braldu gorge, before tackling the final leg to world-famous Concordia. Travelers can pay their respects to those who have lost their lives to K2 on the optional trek to Art Gilky Memorial, which lies at the foot of Base Camp. Prepare for a long but rewarding hike back down crossing over ever-changing glacier faces with views of the Trango Towers in the distance. Priced from: $4,979 USD
Go Rappelling & Off-Roading in Spain
In the Spanish countryside lies Picos de Europa—the country’s first national park and the home base for the 8-day Picos Mixed Activity Week tour. Trade in churros and Tinto de Verano for cavernous canyons, steep cliffs, and verdant valleys. Suited to those of all skill levels, explorers will follow their guide as they descend into the depths of rocky pools, rappelling down nature-made waterslides at Rubo Gorge. Paddle the River Sella, which is host to the Sella River race, running since 1930. Tackle off-roading challenges on the coastal path of the old Camino de Santiago, as adventurers speed through small local towns before capping off the trip with a refreshing dip in the sea. Priced from: $1,749 USD