A Girl’s Guide to the Best Adventure Trips Around the World

It’s easy to become happy with routine—head to work, head home, work out, make dinner, watch Netflix and repeat.

But what about when you crave adventure? When you want to get out of your comfort zone, shake up your routine and see the world—and a side of yourself you maybe didn’t know existed (or that you simply forgot you had).

Well, these adventures are perfect for just that. And they’re all female-friendly. So, what are you waiting for, girlfriend? Let’s hit the road.

Guanacaste, Costa Rica

Whether you’re wanting to check out the legendary surf at Witch’s Rock or you’d rather head into the rainforest in search of waterfalls for cliff jumping and rivers for taking a cooling dip, it’s all about the water here. While you’ll want to take a boat out in search of secret lush beaches and spend the day swimming with sea turtles and stingrays, you’ll want to spend your nights watching the gorgeous sunsets over the Gulf of Papagayo, where you’re going to want to stay for this adventure.

Why it’s perfect for female adventurers: Costa Rica is easy to get around on your own—roads are wide and you won’t have to worry about any traffic in Guanacaste, plus most locals speak English and there are plenty of expats (and fellow tourists) around every corner.

Muscat, Oman

Oman’s rugged landscape makes it one of the most beautiful—and toughest—places to see and experience in the world. It’s almost otherworldly here. And that’s exactly why you’ll find some of the most incredible hikes here. Think rocky terrain with turquoise pools, waterfalls, and secret caves as your reward. You may even find yourself taking a refreshing dip in a sinkhole. Or maybe you fancy a little dune bashing or paragliding instead. They have that here, too.

Why it’s perfect for female adventurers: While females traveling through the Middle East should be aware of local customs and religious beliefs—as you should when you travel to any country—Omani’s are some of the most respectful locals you’ll find anywhere in the world.

Patagonia, Chile and Argentina

No list is complete without Patagonia, which is often considered the ultimate adventure travel destination. Hike fifty miles through the W Circuit at Torres del Paine or raft your way down forty miles of pristine, raftable river at Futaleufú. Kayak through marble caves or trek across the top of the Perito Moreno Glacier to round out your trip.

Why it’s perfect for female adventurers: Patagonia’s remote countryside is a humbling destination for anyone, from anywhere.

Cape Town, South Africa

There’s no shortage of adrenaline-filled adventures in Cape Town. Go cage diving with great white sharks, abseil down Table Mountain, take in the views from a helicopter or make the four-hour drive to search for the Big Five in the Sanbona Wildlife Game Reserve in the Western Cape. No matter how you choose to spend your days here, they’ll be anything but boring.

Why it’s perfect for female adventurers: South Africa can have a bad reputation when it comes to travel, but the locals can be some of the friendliest, and most welcoming in the world. And although there are 11 official languages spoken here, most South Africans speak English as a second language.

Scottsdale, Arizona

Scottsdale is the perfect starting point to explore the Grand Canyon—and skydiving over it is the best way to do that right now. Take the Westwind Air puddle jumper from Scottsdale and then go big and do a 17,500 foot skydive over one of the world’s most iconic natural wonders. Back in Scottsdale keep your feet on the ground and take on a hike at Camelback Mountain or a paddle down the Salt River.

Why it’s perfect for female adventurers: Grab the girls, because this is the perfect kind of group adventure with no passports required.

Bonaire

Bonaire is a diver’s paradise. With wrecks and bioluminescence, this is the place to try deep diving and night diving (you should probably just get your Advanced Open Water Certification while you’re at it). Above the surface head to Lac Bay for some of the best windsurfing in the world or take a clear bottom kayak (and a snorkel) and head in to explore the nearby Lac Cai Mangroves. The off-roading and cliff jumping in Washington Slagbaai National Park shouldn’t be overlooked either.

Why it’s perfect for female adventurers: It’s possible to dive all around the island on all female-led dives, and if you’re interested in getting certified (or in getting your advanced certifications), Great Adventures Bonaire dive shop has one of the best female instructors in the Caribbean, Ann-Marie Schelvis.

Queensland, Australia

Between the Great Barrier Reef, islands way off the beaten path, like Lady Elliot Island, which is completely surrounded by reef (you can’t even take a boat in here—everyone arrives by airplane) and whose inhabitants include manta rays year-round and humpback whales who migrate through here, this is the place to go to get lost. And once you’re lost, you just might find yourself bungee jumping on a BMX bike in Cairns, taking on grade three and four rapids on the Tully River or hiking Mount Bartle Frere, Queensland’s tallest mountain.

Why it’s perfect for female adventurers: More than 24 million visitors head to Queensland each year—so, you’ll be in good travel company.

Iceland

Car camping is the best way to make your way around the land of fire and ice, as it’s so affectionately called. Live out all of your #vanlife dreams while also doing things like diving or snorkeling between two tectonic plates in freezing cold glacier water, snowmobiling across glaciers, walking behind a waterfall at Seljalandsfoss or sipping on something called black death (which is an adventure of its own). With the Northern Lights leading your way, trek into the Reykjadalur Valley in search of the area’s natural hot springs.

Why it’s perfect for female adventurers: Iceland is regularly regarded as one of the safest countries in the world, and the Global Peace Index even designated it the most peaceful country in the world in 2017.

Krabi, Thailand

Your day might start with rock climbing at Railay Beach or Tonsai Bay—two of the most beautiful places in the world for a climbing adventure—but it should most certainly end with a $3 beachside massage. While you’ll really be heading here for the rock climbing, there’s plenty of other ways to fill your time in between—you can also spend your days diving, beach and lagoon hopping by way of a longtail boat or trying your endurance at a Muay Thai class. Plus, the night markets are an adventure of a whole different kind, and one that shouldn’t be missed.

Why it’s perfect for female adventurers: There aren’t just cheap massages in Krabi, cheap hostels and hotels make this another great place for a girl’s trip, even when you’re on a budget.

North Island, New Zealand

New Zealand is another place where adventure is a part of the culture—this is the land where bungee jumping was invented, after all. While many will debate which part of the country is better—the North Island or the South Island—we’ll just say that skiing down an active volcano at Mount Ruapehu, staying overnight in a Maori village in Rotorua, exploring Hobbit holes in Matamata, black water rafting and canyoning in the Waitomo caves makes the North Island sound like a place we want to explore.

Why it’s perfect for female adventurers: After Iceland, New Zealand was named the second most peaceful country in the world on Global Peace Index’s 2017 list.