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As we travel the world, Bill and I keep a running list of our favorite and greatest travel experiences. Sometimes, they are big, Bucket List type experiences. Sometimes, they are smaller things that took just a couple of hours to experience.

Here is our current Top 10 Greatest Travel Experiences List. When a new item makes the Top 10, then something gets bumped off – those are at the bottom so you can see some of the other fun things we’ve done during our travels.

Want to see where else we’ve traveled? Explore Kari & Bill’s Travel Bucket List: Where We’ve Been & What’s Next

#1 Greatest Travel Experience – Safari in Tanzania

Our 9-day safari in Tanzania Africa was a huge Bucket List item for me, and boy, did it deliver! We saw the Big Five and dozens of other wild animals in their natural habitat. I also added 100 new birds to my Life List! Read more about our adventures here.

Enormous Elephant approaching across the grasslands of the Serengeti

#2 Greatest Travel Experience – Snorkeling the Galapagos

We spent an unforgettable month living on the Galapagos Islands in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of Ecuador. We got to snorkel and swim with sea turtles, sharks, manta rays, playful sea lions and thousands of colorful fish. And the bird watching was also fantastic – we saw penguins, blue footed boobies and red footed boobies.

A large sea turtle swims right up to the camera with Kari swimming along behind it.

#3 Greatest Travel Experience – Cruising in Antarctica

We finally reached our 7th continent – Antarctica! On our scenic cruise, we sailed past gorgeous Glaciers, fascinating Penguins, cool-shaped Icebergs and diving Humpback Whales – it was so amazing and breathtaking.

Antarctica once seemed out of reach! Here’s how we made it happen in Bucket List Travel: 7 Steps to Finally Make It Happen.

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#4 Greatest Travel Experience – Mount Cook, New Zealand

Glaciers and reflections make Mount Cook at gorgeous destination for New Zealand. It can been seen from both sides of the islandl — Mount Cook, South Island, New Zealand

During our time in New Zealand, We were lucky enough to get to view stunning Mount Cook (and her sister Mount Tasman) from both sides. Stunning, untouched beauty that made my heart (and my camera) very happy. All of NZ is beautiful, but this view is a real highlight. More New Zealand highlights here.

#5 Greatest Travel Experience – Lake Lucerne, Switzerland

We spent a whole week exploring the gorgeous area surrounding Lake Lucerne, Switzerland. Around every corner we encountered a spectacular new view. The people were super friendly and the country was so clean. Lauterbrunnen Valley was also a highlight.

Gorgeous mountains surround the deep blue Lake Lucerne in Switzerland — Lake Lucerne, Switzerland

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#6 Greatest Travel Experience – Chianti Cooking Class, Italy

One of the most fun things we did during our month in Italy was taking a cooking class at a vineyard and hilltop farm in the Chianti area of Tuscany. Camilla taught us how to make focaccia bread, 3 different kinds of pasta and a yummy grape dessert. So much fun!!

#7 Greatest Travel Experience – Snorkeling in Bali

After our great snorkeling experience in Thailand, we rearranged part of our travels so we could do more snorkeling in beautiful and tropical Bali. We especially loved the clear water and colorful fish at Menjangan Island, about an hour by boat from Bali. In fact, we liked it so much, we went there twice!

#8 Greatest Travel Experience – Wildlife of Kangaroo Island

We spent a whole week exploring the wildlife of Kangaroo Island in South Australia. There were lots of kangaroos everywhere, and hundreds of adorable Koalas, huge Sea Lions, and tons of birds. Australia was my favorite place for wildlife, until I went to Africa. But it’s still a close second!

#9 Greatest Travel Experience – Doubtful Sound / Milford Sound, New Zealand

At the top of most people’s Bucket List when they come to New Zealand, is a trip to either Milford Sound or Doubtful Sound. We did both of them and they were mystical and magical, yet very different experiences. We highly recommend both of them if you have the time.

Fun New Zealand Fact - it rains 280 days a year in Doubtful Sound!

#10 Greatest Travel Experience – Bird Watching in Costa Rica

Bright green bird with a colorful bill perches on a branch in the sunshine.

I have been lucky enough to go birding all around the world, and Costa Rica is one of my favorite places to do it. So many new and colorful birds waiting to be found. The highlight on our recent trip there was finding Toucans, Scarlet Macaws and the Resplendent Quetzal.

Great Travel Experiences that Fell Off the Top 10 List

Here are some of the experiences that were on the Top 10 list at some point in our travels, but they got bumped off when something even better came along. Listed in no particular order:

Cool artwork on the staircases in Noto, Italy
Steeples and cobblestones in Munich, Germany
Getting lost in the alpine meadows near Berchtesgaden National Park, Germany
Thai Cooking Class in Ao Nang, Thailand
Cinque Terre boat tour, Levanto, Italy
Kylemore Abbey in Galway County, Ireland
Duomo/Cathedral in Florence, Italy
Jaunting ride in the Gap of Dunloe, Ireland
Bird Watching in the Algarve Coast of Portugal
Charming Stone walled Village in San Donato, Italy
The stunning views from the South Amalfi Coast, Italy
Glenelg Beach and all the nearby parks in South Australia
Majestic mountains in Lauterbrunnen Valley, Switzerland
Seeing thousands of stars in the Dark Sky Zone at Lake Tekapo, New Zealand
Viewing Mount Cook and Mount Tasman over the stunning Lake Matheson in New Zealand
Albatross Encounter Cruise in Kaikoura, New Zealand
Bird Watching in Boquete, Panama
Seeing the engineering marvel of the Panama Canal
Exploring beautiful Casco Viejo (the old town of Panama City)
Costa Rican Cooking Class in La Fortuna, CR
Seeing the majestic mountain Vistas in Banff Canada
Bioluminescent snorkeling in Puerto Rico
Seeing the ancient temples of Angkor Wat at sunrise
Having the Remarkable Rocks on Kangaroo Island all to ourselves for an hour on Christmas Day 2023
Exploring the Algarve Region of southern Portugal
Snorkeling the Surin Islands in Thailand

Conclusion: Greatest Travel Experiences of All Time

We hope you are inspired to travel by our favorite travel experiences. Reach out to me if you’d like to learn more about any of these amazing places and our experiences.

Inspired to create your own Bucket List? Start with Make A Bucket List in 5 Easy Steps and download the free worksheet.

More Bucket List Resources

Here are some more posts to help you create your Bucket List, overcome the barriers holding you back, and finally start achieving your dreams!

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