Places to Visit While You’re Still Active {Bucket List Trips to Take Sooner Rather Than Later}

Alright, let's say the quiet part out loud...some trips are easier {and honestly maybe more fun} when your knees still trust you, your balance is decent, and sleeping on a train overnight doesn't ruin your entire week!
This isn't about age-shaming, just me being realistic {and maybe a little strategic} so you don't put off experiences that do get harder with time, even if your curiosity never fades.
I've been putting together a list of places and experiences that I want to consider visiting sooner, rather than later, and I'm sharing it with you too. That way maybe, just maybe, while our bodies are a bit more forgiving and recovery time is shorter, we can enjoy these experiences more.

Places to Visit While You’re Still Active {Bucket List Trips to Take Sooner Rather Than Later}

This is a list of the places that I have on my own personal travel list that I want to visit or that I have visited {in the last few years} that I think will be better to add to your travel bucket list sooner rather than later. Full disclosure, I have been to a few already, and the rest I have on my list and am hoping to visit in the next 10ish years or so, before I'm 60.

1. Africa on Safari

There is nothing quite like being out on safari. Watching elephants cross the road, lions lounging like house cats, giraffes silhouetted at sunset, it really is one of the most magical experiences.
But here's the unglamorous truth...safaris are physically demanding.
Game drives often last 6-10 hours on roads that are deeply rutted, dusty, and bumpy. You're jostled around in a van or Land Cruiser with minimal suspension and bathroom breaks are, shall we say, creative.
As you get older, those long, jarring days can go from an adventure to why the heck did I do this to my spine?!
That doesn't mean that older travelers can't enjoy safari, not at all, it's just that the experience changes. Luxury lodges with fly-in access and shorter drives help, but Africa is a huge country and the parks, and the animals, cover a lot of territory! 
I'm glad that it's an experience I've done when I was younger. There are a lot of really early mornings and long days in the bush. Add in heat, dust, and limited creature comforts and your future self will thank you if you book this experience before you get too old! Trust me.
Pro tip: Add on extra days at the end of your trip for a time at a resort that is just for relaxation. We ended our month-long trip safari trip to Uganda and Tanzania with four nights at a resort in Zanzibar and we never left the resort. It was a nice way to unwind 

2. Manchu Pichu {and high altitude hiking in general}

Manchu Picchu is iconic for a reason. The photos are ridiculous, but no one prepares you for the reality of steep stone steps, uneven terrain, crowds and altitude that can humble even the fittest traveler, so I'm telling you now.
Whether you are hiking the Inca Trail or just exploring the ruins, this isn't a casual stroll. Knees, ankles, and lungs all need to cooperate.
Altitude tolerance also tends to decrease with age. What feels mildly uncomfortable at 35 can feel downright brutal at 65.
Other similar "do it sooner" destinations:PatagoniaThe DolomitesPeru's Sacred Valley HikesNepal's trekking routes
You don't need to be an athlete, but being younger makes recovery faster and discomfort more manageable.

3. Petra, Jordan

Petra is jaw-dropping, but getting there {I'm told...it's on my list!} is half the effort!
You'll walk over a mile through the Siq {on uneven stone} across wide open ruins with little shade and {optionally} up steep steps to the Monastery. 
The scale of Petra is enormous and many people underestimate how much walking is actually involved and how hot it gets.
Can you visit Petra later in life? Of course! Will you enjoy it more when your knees don't ache halfway through? Also yes. 

4. Angkor Wat, Cambodia

Angkor Wat isn't one temple like most people think, it's an entire archaeological complex that's spread across miles!
Visiting properly means long days in heat and humidity, steep temple stairs, climbing over worn stone steps with no railings and standing and walking for hours.
As mobility decreases, Angkor becomes less accessible. The temples weren't designed with handrails or elevators in mind!
Seeing Angkor while you're younger allows you to explore more temples, climb to higher viewpoints and stay longer without exhaustion setting in. 

5. The Galapagos Islands

I hear that the Galapagos are extraordinary, but I also hear that it's not a passive vacation! Visitors can expect wet landings {stepping from boats into surf}, clambering over lava rock, snorkeling in cold water, and smaller ships that move with the sea. 
You're going to need balance, agility, and confidence in the water. While luxury cruises do exist, if you want the full experience of the islands, that's going to require physical effort to enjoy all aspects of it.
Go when you are comfortable hopping in and out of boats without anxiety, and while your balance is solid. Bonus points if you are a comfortable swimmer too!

6. Iceland {Beyond the Ring Road}

Last time I went to Iceland, it was just a quick 24 hour stop over. I'd love to make it back. Iceland's landscapes are otherworldly, but many of its best sights involve walking over uneven volcanic terrain, making your way across slippery waterfalls and wind that whips you sideways. Top that off with long driving days. 
If you want to get to the best part of Iceland {and off the tourist track} that means you might want to do the hiking to the hidden waterfalls, walk those glacier tongues and scramble across those lava fields while your joints still cooperate and your less worried about falling and breaking a hip.

7. Walking the Camino de Santiago {or Other Walking Holidays}

I've heard people talk about the transformative powers of walking the Camino. But you've got to imagine that it's also physically relentless. Days often include 10-15+ miles of walking, battling blisters, sore hips, and tired feet and carrying a pack {even a light one} can add up.
Many older pilgrims walk the Camino, but the experience is a bit different. There are often more rest days, shorter distances, maybe even a shorter or partial route {no shame!} and always more recovery time! 
I'm hoping to still hike it when I can cover longer stretches, feel stronger and more resilient and focus less on pain management and more on the journey!
Other similar "do it soon" locations:The Cotswold WayWest Highland WayThe Italian Dolomites

8. Vietnam {and Other Chaotic, Fast Moving Destinations}

Vietnam is vibrant, exhilarating, and occasionally overwhelming! Heck, I hired someone to help me cross the streets. Travel to Vietnam {and other similar locations} rewards flexibility, quick reflexes and stamina. As energy levels change with age, fast paced destinations can feel more exhausting than exciting.
You need to be prepared for crossing streets filled with motorbikes, climbing in and out of tight spaces {especially if you are taking sleeper buses}, wandering up and down narrow staircases and constant sensory input.

9. Hiking-Centric National Parks

Some of the most spectacular and memorable views are going to require a little bit of hiking. I'm talking about places like Zion, Glacier, Yosemite, and Banff. Many parks are becoming more crowded and restricted and are adding in things like shuttle systems, longer walks from parking lots, and will give limited access without physical effort. 
If you are able to see these parks while you can still hike comfortably, then you'll get a chance to experience more than just roadside viewpoints, and isn't that really the point?
Other similar "do it soon" destinations {especially if you want to hike}:IrelandScotland

10. Anywhere That Requires "Just Powering Through"

Some trips simply require endurance. That might mean long travel days, early mornings, late nights, and constant movement. These kinds of trips are easier when sleep deprivation doesn't wreck you and you can recover more quickly. I know as I age there are certain discomforts that derail my mood, and I'm guessing that's not going to get easier as I get older!
As we age, comfort starts to matter more, and that's not a bad thing. But certain trips are better done before comfort becomes a non-negotiable.

It's All About Timing

Let me be really clear here...travel doesn't expire! Many people travel well into their 70s and 80s and beyond and some of their experiences actually get better with age. There's the ability to spend more time at a destination because there are less obligations {like work!} that are tugging at them. We all know that with age, we also experience things differently because we have the ability to look at life through a different lens.
All that to say that there are trips that do benefit from being physically able to enjoy and experience them to the fullest. Those trips deserve priority...not someday, but intentionally!
So if you are building a travel bucket list, don't just ask "where do I want to go?" ask, "which trips will be hardest to do later?" Move those trips to the top of the list. Because the goal isn't to race the clock, it's to match the experience to the version of your body that will enjoy it the most. And when you look back, you won't remember the sore muscles or those early mornings quite so much as you will remember the fact that you went and oh the stories you could tell!
Take the trip my friends! Don't wait!

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