The Top Adventure Travel Trends

And we're ready to seek it! Adventure travel has been trending since the pandemic began to wane, likely due to the long period of time without the opportunity for any travel and a stronger desire for once-in-a-lifetime, experiential travel trips.

The Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) has released a new report on the year's adventure travel industry, reporting the top trending adventure travel activities this year. From hiking in places like the Andes to Machu Picchu to an expedition in mysterious Antarctica to hone wildlife photography skills, these are the most popular adventures of the year.

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Cycling with electric bikes is considered the top trending adventure travel activity of the year. Easier than regular biking, it's still considered a greener method of travel than driving in a car, with all the benefits of experiencing a new destination with freedom. Whether you're in Bourdeaux, winding between scenic vineyards and cycling along the river, or in San Francisco zooming through the city on a tour, an electric bike adventure can offer plenty of memories to enjoy for years to come.

It's not surprising that hiking, walking and trekking is so far up on the list. In second place, the method of using one's feet to explore a destination continues to be beloved by people across the globe, whether they'll be hiking in a national park, discovering an ancient pilgrimage route or making the monumental journey to a mountain's peak. Popular journeys include hiking the Alps in Europe, trekking to the ruins of Machu Picchu in Peru and exploring yourself and your life along the famed pilgrimage route, El Camino de Santiago.

With more people reconnecting with nature than ever before, the third most popular form of adventure travel experiences this year are safaris or wildlife viewing activities. From a bucket-list trip to Southern Africa to see lions, cheetahs, giraffes, elephants and other incredible animals in their natural habitats to taking a whale-watching tour in Puerto Vallarta or hiking through the jungles of Costa Rica in search of sloths and howler monkeys, there are so many different ways to enjoy the beauty and resilience of the animals across the globe.

Gastronomy is an experience in and of itself, and travelers have loved savoring new flavors, dishes and ingredients for centuries. Now, adventure travel experiences that combine adventure with food are becoming more popular than ever: from hiking through the jungle's of Colombia in search of some of the world's best coffee plantations to foraging in the forests and beaches of Scandinavia for a sustainable, low-impact meal.

After two years of the pandemic, people also value their personal health and wellness more than before, many starting new wellness hobbies such as dancing, yoga, cycling, meditation, gardening and more. Resorts and tours across the travel industry are investing in offering more wellness experiences, and adventure travel can combine these new experiences to offer a spiritual trek through the kingdom of Bhutan to strengthen both body and mind, hiking through the lakes and volcanoes region of southern Chile in search of volcanically heated hot springs, or combining Switzerland or Germany's spa cultures with their plentiful outdoor activities.

A greater desire to experience local cultures and learn about new ways of life is spurring another adventure travel experience: cultural adventure experiences. Experiences in this category can include Mayan cleansing rituals in the lush jungles of Mexico's Yucatan, tours that include hikes in national parks and stays in local temples in South Korea, or even those that offer local Native American-guided hikes through sacred and preserved wilderness in the north-central United States.

Three different types of cycling made it into the top ten trending adventure activities this year. This second one is cross-country, or off-road, cycling. Those who love to rough it and challenge themselves and their biking skills in the great outdoors are driving the trend this year. Experiences in this category range from cycling tours across the wilds of Ireland or Scotland, a trip through the Italian countryside, or a bike across part of the Appalachian Trail.

Related to the popular trend of safaris, wildlife and nature photography is such a big trend right now that it deserves its own category for its own sake. The rise in incredible cell phone cameras and social media encourages younger travelers, like millennials and Gen Z, to discover a greater passion for photography and collecting photos as momentoes of their trip.

Wildlife and nature photography combines this newfound passion with exploration: from Antarctic expeditions to Amazon cruises, Australian tours and much more. After all, many of the best places in the world to discover and photograph unique wildlife and nature are in far-flung locales requiring a bit of an excursion.

The third form of cycling on this list is cycling on roads and paved surfaces, which is the classic form of traveling across borders and state lines. From cycling trips that start on the West Coast and end in the East Coast of the United States to trips that cycle all across Europe (or just across one country), cycling remains a preferred adventure activity across the globe. Europe remains a favorite among cyclers, due to its bike-friendliness and diversity of terrain and difficulty levels.

A unique adventure travel experience that's a bit surprising for our tenth trending adventure travel activity is snowshoeing. From the Alps to Finland, Yellowstone National Park and more, snowshoeing remains an important (and often necessary) way to traverse a wintry landscape on foot. A larger trend this year, people are discovering the helpful and healthy way of discovering a wintry wonderland across the world.