The ‘bucket list’ is a much-abused term. More than a simple to-do list, as the name suggests it means the experiences you want to have before you, er, kick the bucket. (It seems weird to think now that the phrase didn’t even exist before it was popularised by the movie of the same name.)
The whole point of a bucket list is that the things you put on it are both spectacular and somewhat achievable. It’s all about treading that fine line between something being a bit far-fetched and not that far-fetched. After all, most of us will probably conk out without ever, say, going into space.
However, the latest instalment of TripAdvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Awards 2022 is here to help with some bucket-list experiences that are actually possible with a budget somewhere between ‘moderate’ and ‘millionaire’. Based on the quality and quantity of reviews over the past year, the site has ranked the finest experiences that feature the terms ‘bucket list’, ‘extreme’, ‘lifetime’ or ‘unique’ in their description.
Top of the ranking for 2022 is something called ‘Premium Red Dunes, Camel Safari & BBQ at Al Khayma Camp’. As you can probably tell, it’s a bit of a weird one: a seven-hour tour of Dubai’s Al Lahbab desert by jeep, camel and sandboard (yep, that’s a surfboard, but on sand). The experience sure seems pretty fun and lavish – but one of the best experiences in the entire world? We’ll leave you to decide that one, but it certainly has some good reviews.
The rest of the list, however, is packed with much more conventional bucket list-type stuff. Second is a locally-organised trek to Machu Picchu in Peru, while third is a hot-air-balloon ride over the similarly-ancient Egyptian wonders of Luxor, which looks as dazzling as you’d expect.
In fact, not one but two hot-air-balloon experiences appear on the list, alongside various gruelling extreme-sports experiences.
Below is the full list of the top 10 bucket list experiences for 2022, as listed by the TripAdvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Awards.
- Premium Red Dunes, Camel Safari & BBQ at Al Khayma Camp, UAE
- Classic Inca Trail Trek, Peru
- Hot Air Balloon Ride Over Luxor, Egypt
- Balloon Ride and Champagne Breakfast in Cappadocia, Turkey
- Blackstone Beach and Cliff Jump, Aruba
- Rotorua Ziplining Forest Adventure, New Zealand
- San Juan Arenales Caves and River Adventure, Puerto Rico
- Skydive Tandem, Sao Paolo, Brazil
- Northern Lights Adventure with a Greenlander, Norway
- Swim With Manatees, Florida, USA
If you’re interested in finding out more (or even ticking one of these off your very own bucket list), you can see the full list of experiences here.
ICYMI: these are the world’s (non-bucket-list) best travel experiences, according to TripAdvisor.