Ready to get outside and explore? We’re here to help you expand your horizons, try new activities or enjoy more hours of the pursuits you’re already passionate about. We can point you toward fresh destinations or help you experience places you already love in a brand-new way. From intimate wildlife adventures on the African plains to meetups with polar bears in Hudson Bay, we scan the globe for the very best active nature-travel opportunities.
We’re proud to have been named “World’s #1 Adventure Travel Outfitter” by Outside magazine, so we can assure you that you’ll be adventuring in good hands. And while the awards have stacked up over the 35+ years we’ve been in business (including Virtuoso’s “Top Sustainable Tourism Leadership” award and Travel + Leisure’s “Top Tour Operator & Safari Outfitter”), we’re most proud of the conservation-minded, eco-sensitive, active nature encounters we provide for our guests.
So, where to go? What to do? We’re glad you asked. We’ve rounded up nine of our top active adventures for the outdoor enthusiast. Take a look and see what strikes a chord—or get in touch and we’ll match you with something that fits your interests. We look forward to memorable adventures with you!
How to Find Active Adventures on Our Website
First things first. Here’s how to use our easy trip filter. At the top of our Trips page, use the dropdown menus to filter by Region, Country, Wildlife and/or Interest. You’ll find active adventures and specific activity opportunities under Interest: Active Adventures, Hiking & Trekking Adventures, Kayaking Adventures, Sailing Adventures and Snorkeling Adventures. This is a great way to narrow down the choices, whether you’re looking for heli-hiking in the Canadian Rockies, meeting the amiable wildlife of the Galapagos or following migrating monarchs in Mexico.
Some of Our Favorite Active Adventures
It’s impossible for us to truly pick our favorite active adventure offerings, but if pressed, here are some we would highly recommend. Remember, if these don’t check every box for you, there’s more where these came from!
1. Natural Jewels of Costa Rica
This new, action-packed itinerary reveals the treasures of Costa Rica, from its lush tangle of rain forest, to its active volcanoes, to its cloud forest canopy. Our Expedition Leaders are well versed in the country’s incredible biodiversity, its conservation issues and its active travel offerings. Plan to meet neon-bright parrots, iridescent hummingbirds, three-toed sloths, monkeys, peccaries, agouti, crocodiles, sea turtles, iguanas and jewel-toned frogs. The jungle erupts in a cacophony of colors and sounds, while the empty beaches along the Pacific and Caribbean coastlines are stirringly silent and peaceful.
Active Adventures in Costa Rica:
- Ziplining through the cloud forest canopy
- Hiking in Corcovado National Park
- Night walks in the rain forest
- Canopy Skywalk in the Monteverde Cloud Forest
- Crossing the Arenal Hanging Bridges with views of Arenal Volcano and Lake Arenal
© Patrick J. Endres
2. East Greenland Arctic Safari
Get outside your comfort zone and take on the rugged landscapes of the Greenland ice sheet. We take you to Base Camp Greenland, where you’ll stay in a safari-style camp in one of the most isolated places on Earth. Experience the raw beauty of an Arctic summer as you kayak through icebergs, hike along fjords overshadowed by granite peaks and search for wildlife and hardy northern wildflowers in East Greenland.
Active Adventures in Greenland:
- Hiking into the Valley of Flowers around Tasiilaq
- Paddling amongst small icebergs on the calm waters of a protected bay
- Trekking the mountainsides and glaciers of the Greenland ice sheet
- Dog sledding
3. Remote Peaks & Meadows of the Canadian Rockies
Active-minded travelers around the world, like you, have long been drawn to the Canadian Rockies. From iconic Lake Louise with its stunning emerald waters to the impressive Icefields Parkway to the expansive Columbia Icefield, there’s no mistaking the region’s grandeur. Our trips introduce you to the glacier-fed rivers, turquoise lakes, abundant wildlife and craggy peaks of this magical landscape, as you hike, float, bike, kayak and more—including an opportunity to fly in to a remote (and luxurious) lodge in the Bugaboos Range.
Active Adventures in the Canadian Rockies:
- Hiking through Johnston Canyon and to the Consolation Lakes
- Walking the shore of Lake Louise, with views of Mt. Victoria and Mt. Lefroy
- Trekking on the Athabasca Glacier, geared up with poles and microspikes, and led by a local Indigenous interpretive guide
- Early-morning walking in Yoho National Park to Emerald Lake
- Guided alpine hiking in Bugaboo Provincial Park
4. Vermont Bike Tour (with Our Partner Company Duvine)
Embrace Vermont’s green mountains in the fall, when the state’s quaint examples of Americana are complemented by red, gold and russet leaves everywhere you look. Cycle along quiet packed-dirt roads through sleepy villages and covered bridges, stopping to visit with a glassblower on the banks of the Ottauquechee River, enjoy a local microbrew or even go for a refreshing dip in a secret swimming hole. One of our favorite parts? All those chances to fuel up for your bike ride with organic cheeses, free-range meats, garden-fresh veggies, artisanal breads and, of course, the finest maple syrup.
Active Adventures in Vermont:
- Cycling along the Ottauquechee River and past the historic Taftsville Covered Bridge
- Biking to Long Trail, Vermont’s most well-known microbrewery
- Pedaling your way from farm to farm for picnic lunches and locavore dinners
- Swimming in Silver Lake
5. Ecuador + Galapagos Bike + Adventure Tour (with Our Partner Company Duvine)
There’s so much adventure to be had in Ecuador and the Galapagos that it’s nearly impossible to embrace just one activity. Instead, go biking and beyond, from kayaking to visiting with the famous tortoises of Santa Cruz Island. Trek around the marshy lakes, glimpsing vibrant flamingos. Boat to Tortuga Island, full of secret swimming spots and the chance to float alongside sea lions. From ancient trees to the unusual, gigantic condor, Ecuador and the Galapagos are brimming with all manner of natural phenomenon and adventure.
Active Adventures in Ecuador and the Galapagos:
- Biking through the Andean Dry Forests
- Cycling to Salinas de Ibarra, known for its salt production since the 15th century
- Kayaking Punta Estrada and Divine Bay, meeting sea lions, eagle rays and blue-footed boobies
- Hiking up to Volcano Chico, above the Sierra Negra Volcano
- Riding along the slopes of the Imbabura Volcano
- Fat biking to the Galapagos highlands and El Chato Reserve
6. Maimoana: American Samoa (with Our Partner Company Off the Beaten Path)
Discover tropical islands, culture and the National Park of American Samoa on this multi-sport adventure vacation. Explore the only U.S. territory south of the equator, a pristine paradise of rugged volcanic mountains, dramatic shorelines, empty beaches, colorful coral reefs, lush tropical forests and warm, turquoise waters.
Active Adventures in American Samoa:
- Coastal beach walking and visiting archaeological sites
- Swimming and snorkeling in crystal-clear waters
- Rain forest hiking
- South-of-the-equator wildlife watching
- Hiking Blunts Point Trail to a scenic high point
- Walking tour of Fagatogo Village
© Off the Beaten Path
7. Adventure to Isle Royale and Pictured Rocks (with Our Partner Company Off the Beaten Path)
Discover adventure travel in our nation’s heartland on this active journey into America’s first National Lakeshore, Pictured Rocks. Explore sandstone cliffs, serene forests, steep sand dunes, sandy beaches and more through hiking, canoeing, kayaking and cold-water swimming. You’ll also visit Isle Royale National Park, known for its moose and wolf populations—and its complete lack of paved roads.
Active Adventures in Isle Royale and Pictured Rocks:
- Walking to Marquette Lighthouse Museum for a beachside picnic at Pictured Rocks
- Hiking the hilly shoreline of the Upper Peninsula with its natural archways, sand dunes and waterfalls
- Canoeing and kayaking on Isle Royale
- Hiking to Hidden Lake and Lookout Louise
8. Wild Nature of Croatia and Slovenia
Discover a little-known corner of Europe with this action-packed adventure through Croatia and Slovenia. From rare griffon vulture colonies to sleepy, red-roofed villages, to rugged hikes through karst landscapes, these two Balkan countries offer myriad outdoor adventures. Combine hiking, boating, swimming and even truffle hunting for an all-around exhilarating active travel experience.
Active Adventures in Croatia and Slovenia:
- Walking tour of Zadar, the oldest continuously inhabited city in Croatia
- Hiking in Krupa Canyon, a limestone gorge beneath the Velebit mountain range
- Cruising and swimming in Kornati National Park
- Hiking along the Via Dinarica through Northern Velebit National Park
- Truffle hunting with third-generation farmers and their dogs
- Hiking in Triglav National Park
9. Swimming with Mexico’s Whale Sharks
Imagine swimming next to a fish the size of a school bus. It’s the whale shark, and it actually isn’t a shark at all, but the world’s largest fish, averaging 40 feet long and weighing 15 tons. Every year, these massive marine creatures migrate to the waters around Isla Holbox off Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. Alongside our Expedition Leader, you can have a low-impact, close-up encounter, swimming alongside the sharks in pairs. Watch as their jaws open wide to collect plankton. Join us for this otherworldly, once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Active Adventures in Isla Holbox:- Swimming alongside gentle whale sharks in warm Caribbean waters
- Birding on Isla de Los Pájaros, seeing frigates, flamingos and pelicans
- Snorkeling over the world’s second-largest barrier reef, at the northern tip of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef
- Swimming in a crystal-clear cenote
Ready to adventure with us? Our mission is conservation through exploration, which means that the sustaining of the world’s wild places and the people who live in and around them is integral to who we are and the active-travel experiences we offer. From Alaska to the Arctic, South Africa to Scotland, we bring you unique itineraries full of active days, private accommodations in secluded locations and some of the finest naturalist guides on the planet. We look forward to inspiring you!
