10 life-defining experiences from around the world

Looking for an ultimate travel experience and need some ideas? Andrea Wren investigates 10 of the best thrills the planet has to offer

Looking for an ultimate travel experience and need some ideas? Andrea Wren of Wren Elite Travel picks 10 experiences which can provide an epiphany; or at least some of the best thrills the planet can offer

Watch Polar Bears in Canada

Watch the annual Polar Bear migration across Hudson Bay in Canada through October. Seeing families of Polar Bears trekking their way across a pristine sub-artic wilderness to their traditional hunting grounds is most definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

It will surely bring tears to your eyes (as well as frost bite to your toes, unless you wrap up well).
Sand-board the dunes

Go sand-boarding on the largest moving coastal sand mass in the world, Stockton Sand Dunes at Port Stephens near Sydney, Australia.

For anyone who likes being active but usually does it on snow or in the sea, this makes an incredible change. When you've finished, travel further down the coast and eat a picnic on Pebbly Beach with kangaroos.
Climb Kilimanjaro

At 5,895 metres high, Kilimanjaro is Africa's highest mountain, yet its snow caps look set to disappear by 2020 due to the effects of global warming.

Tackle the summit now while you have the chance. Depending on your levels of fitness, there are a number of routes you can take and guided tours to do them on, but pre-training is advised.
Find your own Madagascar

This ancient land evolved as a world on its own for thousands of years, and has some of the most unusual and unique wildlife on the planet.

The country has a very fragile eco-system though, and a third of Madagascar's native vegetation has disappeared since the 1970s, with only 18 per cent remaining intact. Go while you can.
Howling at dawn

Listen to the sound of howler monkeys at dawn in the Bolivian Amazon. Bolivia is a wonderful country to visit the world's most famous rain forest, trek though its thick and lush vegetation, and spot its incredible wildlife.

Just watch out for the mosquitoes and ensure you're well-protected. Being bitten all over by them could be a life-changing experience in itself!
Blow your top in Reunion

Watch fiery-red molten lava flow down the sides of Piton de la Fournoise and into the ocean around Reunion, the French-owned island in the Indian Ocean.

The locals are very proud of their volcano, and live eruptions frequently happen. The last major one occurred in 2007 and added a few extra square metres to the island.
Watch out for dragons

The magnificent three-metre long 'Komodo dragons', renowned for being athletic swimmers and runners, are lizards indigenous to a small Indonesian archipelago.

However, they are one of the world's most endangered species, with only 350 breeding females estimated to be left. You've heard David Attenborough talk about them at length, now see them for yourself on an Indonesian voyage of discovery.
Climb high in Montenegro

The world's newest country has some spectacular scenery and magnificent UNESCO World Heritage sights.

Climb the steps above the medieval town of Kotor (be warned, it is a trek) to marvel at Kotor Bay, or clamber the stairs up to the mausoleum of Count Njegos on Mt Lovcen for astounding mountain views (before everyone else catches on).
See red in Jordan

Visit the ancient red city of Petra in Jordan. A well-known life-defining experience but one that cannot be ignored, the 'Red Rose City' is a sight to behold and will cause a sharp intake of breath for event the most hardened of explorers.

Add it to your list of 'must-do in a lifetime' and combine a trip with Egypt's pyramids. Just don't expect to be the only person there.
Dance in feathers in Papua New Guinea

Attend an authentic Highlands singsing (festival) in Papua New Guinea. Watching thousands of tribes' people in their traditional dress of feathers dancing to tribal beats in this part of the Pacific, could certainly illicit Western culture shock.

But if you want to have your life defined by being in such wild and untamed surroundings (as you could never imagine from the comfort of your living room), then this is the experience to have.

For more information on how to find any of these experiences, or to book a worldwide luxury holiday, trek, tour or adventure trip, email Andrea Wren andrea@luxuryworldwideholidays.co.uk or go to Luxury Worldwide Tours