The Best Senior Adventures – Hiking, Cycling, Cruising And Much More!
Getting older can be challenging. Not just because of the physical, financial and social pressures, but also because of the way that seniors are perceived in society. Many men and women over 50 say that they have started to feel invisible.
So why not, as active agers, embark on the best senior adventures of your lives? Not only do you fight back against the stereotypes of ageing. But you may also find freedom from ageism and rediscover that mental toughness that you may have forgotten that you possess.
Remember, being “adventurous” doesn’t mean that you need to be “extreme” (unless you want to!). It just means that each and every one of us deserves as much enjoyment from this amazing life that we have been blessed with. Seniors or otherwise.
Seeing active seniors hiking, exploring, rafting, sailing, snowboarding, dancing, singing and generally having a blast of a time doing what they love is rock-solid proof that ageing doesn’t mean that life can’t be enjoyed to the fullest.
LET’S MEET PAT TEOH AND HER SUPER-ADVENTUROUS FRIENDS
Pat Teoh from Kuala Lumpur teaches online fitness classes to groups of seniors and also arranges getaways for the group from time to time. These getaways can be day trips, weekend sojourns and even overseas holidays.
These groups of sometimes over 40 plus seniors have no qualms about dancing, singing, adventure outings looking for the best food, hiking, jungle walking and swimming in rivers. And of course, there’s lots of talk, fun and laughter thrown in for good measure.
As Pat says “although we are all getting older by age, we are relatively fit, healthy and mostly do what we need to do to stay that way. We still want to enjoy the best senior adventures but we are careful and not cavalier about our bodies. We know that things sometimes take longer to heal than when we were younger. And some of us have conditions that do have to be managed.”
inspired ? HERE ARE SOME OF THE BEST DESTINATIONS FOR YOUR SENIOR ADVENTURE TOURS
To get the most out of your senior adventure tours, it is best to leave the planning to professional tour guides whose job it is to ensure that you enjoy your adventure getaway to the fullest, and of course, to make sure that safety is paramount.
Here is a list that we have curated of the best senior adventure tours for 2022.
CLASSIC CHINA
One of the best senior adventures and a must-have on anyone’s bucket list is to experience the country they call the Red Dragon – China.
In this 10-day classic China tour, you start your adventure up north in the country’s capital Beijing.
There you will visit the poignant Tiananmen Square and the UNESCO-listed Temple of Heaven – considered the supreme achievement of traditional Chinese architecture with its famous layout symbolising the belief that heaven is round and earth is square.
You will also visit China’s most glorious palace and UNESCO Heritage Site which sits in the heart of Beijing. Home to 24 Chinese emperors, the Forbidden Palace is a masterpiece of Chinese architecture and one of China’s largest and most well-preserved heritage sites. Apart from the complex’s magnitude, the architecture’s detail is astounding; every detail reflects Chinese traditional architecture and rich culture. The Palace Museum in the Forbidden City is also considered one of the best museums in the world.
Adding to your best senior adventures is visiting the 7.3 km long Sacred Way. Constructed in 1435, it is the main passageway leading to the thirteen imperial tombs in the scenic area.
No trip to China is complete without experiencing one of the undisputed Wonders of the World – the Great Wall of China. Immerse in the experience as you find yourself snaking your way across the rolling countryside and through the winding ancient alleys of Beijing’s hutongs to learn about Chinese traditions over a home-cooked lunch.
Another undisputed bucket-list experience is to see the Terracotta Warriors in Xi’an, another UNESCO Heritage Site. Here, you can up the adventure factor by joining a cycle tour around part of the ancient City Wall of Xi’an.
Complete your senior adventure tours in the Paris of the East – Shanghai where you can visit the famed Bund waterfront and Jinmao Tower.
WONDERS OF ANCIENT EGYPT
Your best senior adventures in epic Egypt begin in the country’s capital Cairo. Feel the energy and intoxicating buzz of this lively city where past and present collide and where the sounds and smells are almost overwhelming.
Launch your discovery of ancient Egypt where you can marvel at the mighty Sphinx and the imposing Great Pyramid of Giza amongst others.
Cruise along the famous Nile where all these wonders await you :
- Marvel at Luxor’s Temple and visit Luxor Museum to see an astounding collection of archaeological treasures, including items from Tutankhamun’s tomb.
- Your Nile cruise also includes paying a tribute to the soaring structure of the Goddess Hathor at Dendera Temple, built around 330BC.
- Visit the roofless Temple of Kom-Ombo, a temple built to honour two gods – Horus the Elder and Sobek. The Temple has a perfectly symmetrical design, the two sides mirror each other with one side dedicated to the crocodile god, and the other to the falcon god. You’ll learn all about the mythical link the two gods shared and why the Nile crocodile, which gathered in great numbers at this bend in the Nile, was of such importance to the ancient Egyptian priests.
- Watch how the river gives life to an arid landscape and the people who live within it as you sail down the Nile to Luxor, once an ancient Egyptian capital and today one of the world’s most epic open-air museums.
- Every moment spent exploring the Valley of the Kings will leave you enthralled as you trace its many treasures. You’ll feel that same thrill the Egyptologists who first discovered what lay beyond these walls must have felt as they explored these incredible ancient sites.
PERU AND MACHU PICCHU
Hiking and nature enthusiasts may find this 8-day tour of Peru one of the best senior adventures ever.
Start off with experiencing the sights and flavours of Peru’s captivating capital Lima. Stand in the birthplace of this ancient, yet modern city, surrounded by the Baroque façades of the Cathedral of Lima and Palace of the Union. Connect with the colonial heritage of Francisco Pizzaro’s ‘City of Kings’, admire the splendour of Lima’s UNESCO-listed Historic Centre and see the Church of San Francisco with its hidden catacombs
Foodies, did you know Lima is the culinary capital of South America? Visit a local market with an expert and experience its heady buzz plus learn which Peruvian fruits, vegetables, seafood and meats are the basis of Peruvian cooking. You also get to try a cooking class and sample the classic Peruvian pisco sour.
Culture lovers will love the Sacred Valley, where you can visit the Pisac market displaying Quechua arts and crafts and, even, meet a master Quecha weaver.
Then, the mystical empire of the Incas takes centre stage as you experience your best senior hiking tours onward to Machu Picchu, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Step back in time and delve into the mysteries of this once-great civilisation. Admire the 15th-century stone ruins of temples, palaces and terraces perched high amidst the clouds. Explore the iconic great Temple of the Sun, the House of the Priest, the Sacred Plaza and the Intihuatana, an intricately carved rock most likely used as a sundial centuries ago.
If you’re feeling adventurous and feel up for it, hike up to the Gate of the Sun for stunning views over the fortress.
Complete your Machu Picchu adventure by visiting the sacred city of Cusco where you can admire 16th-century Spanish colonial buildings that stand on the foundations of former Inca temples and palaces, see the baroque Cathedral on the Plaza de Armas and 17th-century Church of Santo Domingo. Visit the ruins of the Sacsayhuaman fortress and see nearby warehouses where the Incas once stored their grain.
ECUADOR AND GALAPAGOS
If you’re up for it and want to make the most of your best senior adventures, extend your Peru trip by adding on Ecuador and the mythical Galapagos islands.
Did you know the capital of Ecuador, Quito was the first place in the world to be designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site? Visit the historical centre of Quito and travel to the ‘Middle of the World’ to stand on the Equator.
The Galapagos is the land that inspired Charles Darwin to form his Theory of Natural Selection. Sail to Bartolomé Island, hiking to its summit for soul-stirring views, then snorkel in the midst of Galápagos penguins and turtles.
The Galapagos’s South Plaza Island is home to the famed Galápagos sea lions and the unusual prickly pear cactus tree which dot the island’s red landscape.
Next up is North Seymour Island, on whose long sandy beach and rocks, the resident sea lions and marine iguanas sun themselves. At Cerro Brujo’s coral sand beach, we see where we can connect with the resident sea lions or snorkel in the shadow of Witch’s Hill.
Enjoying a first-hand encounter with giant tortoises softly lumbering around in their own reserve will be a highlight as your best senior adventures for 2022 draws to a close. Just bear in mind that there’s always next year to plan for!
In the words of the great Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw – “We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.”
embark on the best senior adventures of your life with us!
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