by Mark Chesnut
Last updated: 7:00 AM ET, Sat April 26, 2025
LGBTQ+ adventure travel enthusiasts aren't much different
from anyone else when planning a thrill-seeking vacation — heart-pounding
excitement, gorgeous natural beauty and a healthy dose of adrenaline are all
par for the course. However, an equally important factor that makes this
segment stand out is the need to feel welcome, safe, and respected.
Tour operators are responding to that demand. According to
last year’s Adventure Travel Industry Snapshot by the Adventure Travel Trade Association,
LGBTQ+ travelers are among the groups that tour operators are increasingly
focused on as they diversify their market base.
From whitewater rafting and mountain trekking to jungle
hikes and ocean dives, there are lots of ways for LGBTQ+ travelers to turn up
the excitement in an inclusive environment. Here are eight noteworthy options
around the world.
Whitewater Journeys
with Community Vibes
OARS,
a longtime player in the whitewater rafting industry, is offering three LGBTQ+
rafting trips this year that combine outdoor excitement and a sense of
community. The multi-day itineraries include Oregon’s Rogue River (June 7-10),
Utah’s Green River (July 15-19) and Idaho’s Main Salmon River (August 25-29),
and each is staffed by guides who identify either as LGBTQ+ or allies. Members
and friends of the queer community are welcome, and the trips include visits to
historic sites, Native American cultural sites and natural wonders.
Kayaks on Lake Washington. (Photo Credit: Visit Bellevue)
Scuba Diving
Based in Fort Lauderdale, Out
Scuba is a nonprofit organization formed by a group of gay and lesbian
scuba enthusiasts that organizes outings designed for divers of every
experience level in Florida locations like Blue Heron Bridge in Florida’s Palm
Beach County and also hosts dives to clean up local waterways. Barnacle Busters, meanwhile, hosts
events in California as well as LGBTQ+ scuba vacations to destinations including
Cozumel, Mexico (June 7-14, with accommodations at the Fiesta Americana Cozumel)
and Palau, Micronesia (November 20-29, with accommodations at the Palau Royal
Resort).
Luxury and Adventure
in Tulum
Adventure travel and sumptuous accommodations aren’t
mutually exclusive at Casa Xixim, a villa on
Soliman Bay in Tulum, on Mexico’s Caribbean coast. Soft adventure and luxurious
accommodations are complementary draws, and guests can sign up for curated
experiences like jungle cenote excursions and guided visits to Mayan ruins and
the UNESCO-listed Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve. After exploring the region’s
vast natural beauty, guests can savor the hotel’s gourmet cuisine.
Inclusive Hiking in
the Blue Ridge Mountains
In North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains, Magical Mountain Resorts offers
an interesting mix of outdoor activities — and the property’s owner, Shannon
Moore, aims to create a welcome space for vacationers of all genders,
identities and orientations. Moore’s artistic eye is evident in the
accommodations, which include a repurposed double-decker bus and “Alice’s White
Bunny Cottage,” a cabin inspired by Alice in Wonderland. Soft adventures at
Magical Mountain include trout fishing and hiking the Nantahala National Forest
and the Appalachian Trail.
AutoCamp Catskills. (Photo Credit: AutoCamp Media)
Breathtaking
Altitudes at Mount Everest
Those looking to take the concept of adventure travel to new
heights might want to consider the LGBTQ+ hike to the Everest Base Camp in
Nepal, a 15-day trip offered by EveryQueer
(November 3-17). The services of an English-speaking local guide, assistants
and porters are included, with stops at top sites in the region, including
Namche Bazaar, the gateway to the Everest Base Camp, where participants can
visit nearby villages.
Exploring the Pacific
Northwest
Oregon and Washington offer plenty of opportunities for queer-friendly
adventures. In Bellevue,
Washington, top activities include hiking on Cougar Mountain and paddling Lake
Washington. For organized group adventures in the region, Queer Mountaineers offers hikes,
gym climbs, mountaineering, ice-climbing clinics and other activities in both
Washington and Oregon.
Sherwin Banda, President of African Travel, with his husband and son on safari. (Photo Credit: African Travel Media)
Feeling the Pride in
Southern Africa
Sherwin Banda, president of African Travel Inc. and an LGBTQ+ industry expert, heads the Pride Safaris program,
a series of curated journeys run by the Travel Corporation’s ATI team
that supports the Treadright Foundation. Pride Safaris offers
itineraries in South Africa, Botswana, Rwanda, Mozambique, Madagascar
and Seychelles — all featuring camps, lodges, hotels and guides trained
in inclusivity (in some cases, services are run by members of the LGBTQ+
community). Options include a 10-day South Africa’s Natural Wonders
itinerary that features a helicopter ride to the Grootbos private nature
reserve and the 11-day Platinum Botswana luxury safari, including the
Selinda Reserve and Okavango Delta tours.
Surfing in Punta de
Mita
The W
Punta de Mita, a Queer Destinations-certified hotel, provides an ideal base
for exploring the wonders of Mexico’s Riviera Nayarit. Guests can take surfing
lessons and make the most of the region's best waves. It’s also easy to arrange
excursions inland in the beautiful state of Nayarit and boat trips further out
into the Pacific for snorkeling and scuba diving at the Marieta Islands.
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