32 of the world’s most incredible journeys - by bike, car, train, boat...

From 4X4 journeys across the Australian Outback to bike trips in Rwanda, Wanderlust.co.uk readers pick their most memorable journeys from around the world. They could just inspire your next great adventure…

6 mins

Wanderlust.co.uk readers pick the most memorable journeys from their travels…

 

Rowsie: Perth, Australia to Ningaloo Reef in a 4x4 jeep. Cooking outside and sleeping in sheep-shearers’ shacks. Brilliantly different.

Simon Dunbar: Floating down the River Kaveri in the Indian jungle in a coracle (small, round boat) at night, the sky full of stars and the sound of the river flow and chirping crickets filling the air.

BradHillas: Bike trip: Egypt to Rwanda. Chased by dogs. Sleeping under stars. Follow the tarmac through silent deserts and noisy cities. A thousand kind strangers. 


Local cyclist in Rwanda (Dreamstime)

Tess Humphrys: Istanbul to Aleppo, supposed to have been by romantic train, instead by rickety coach. Crossing the border into the unknown, before falling in love with Syria as it was then.

CeeDee: Buenos Aires to Bariloche. Six people smeared into a small car. Arrow-straight dirt road stretching forever. Andes gradually fill the imagination.

L1: Taking the ferry from North to South Island in New Zealand, we gasped as one on entering the breathtaking Marlborough Sound.


Boat in Marlborough Sound (Dreamstime)

ayeshas: On the train from Pyongyang to Beijing, a North Korean immigration officer and I connected, gyrating to Bollywood moves. A revelation. 

Nandini: Driving through San Francisco (cycled Golden Gate Bridge), including Yosemite, Death Valley, Las Vegas, Zion, Bryce, Grand Canyon, Mojave, Los Angeles. 

Priestlycat: Svolvaer to Brenna and back by bicycle followed by Lofoten Codstock music festival in a small Lofoten village

tegan90: A water plane to Hakuraa Huraa island in the Maldives. The back door was wobbling but it was perfect anyway.

yvonnebooth: Overland through South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and Zambia. An incredible experience and our guide is now my best friend. We've since climbed Kilimanjaro and I'll be her bridesmaid in October. 


Road trip in Namibia (Dreamstime)

Sheila Gibo: Cruise ship in Antarctica. Stopped at South Georgia, via a zodiac boat. An old whaling station long abandoned, uninhabited. Abundant wildlife.

The Penniless Writer: I spent two months traveling up the wild west coast of Ireland with my best friend, through each county on a shoestring budget.

stvgreen: A circuit round Yosemite. Climbed Half-Dome. The views were the best ever.

tminzie: First-time backpacking experience. Three weeks, seven cities, one Interrail pass, including Amsterdam, Prague, Krakow, Budapest, Ljubljana, Florence and Rome.


Sunrise over Amsterdam (Dreamstime)

lwall1: The Gahn train in Australia from the tropics of Darwin to Alice Springs. Seeing only the rusty, dry outback from sunrise to sunset.

chrissycat06: From one Fijian Island to another. Nothing beats the feeling of gliding on and over sparkling water in a tiny seaplane manned by a dreadlocked Aussie. 

LukeR: Sailing from Singapore to Bali. Over nine days, we met storms, had a run in with pirates and saw flying fish. 

sirsteve: Traveling along the north rim of the Grand Canyon. Just as spectacular views and viewing points without the crowds.

Debbie: The mountain road from Ollantaytambo to Aquas Calientes in Peru gave us rock overhangs, landslides, fear, exhilaration, empathy and an insight into the lives of local people.


Aquas Calientes (Dreamstime) 

ClemT: St Kitts Scenic Railway was just that: scenic. Black sand beaches, mountains, lush countryside, all on an open top train with a choir singing and Caribbean rum punch. The Caribbean's best (and only. railway.

Around the world in 8000 days: The turbulent 'Drake Shake' crossing from Ushuaia to Antarctica felt like the test that must be endured in the quest for the stunning White Continent, but well worth it.

ariana42: By tuk-tuk with my dad from our hotel in Val di Sogno, Malcesine, to Castello Scaglieri, for my wedding

keithk: White Pass and Yukon Railroad Route Railroad. From snow-capped mountains in Canada to the sea at Skagway, Alaska. Vintage carriages, views for ever. 


Railway bridge over White Pass (Dreamstime)

deboree: Years ago, I took a trip with my boyfriend flying to San Francisco. We travelled to Lake Tahoe, Death Valley, Las Vegas and LA to Big Sur before returning to the Golden City. 15 years later, we returned to do it all again, this time with our two children in tow.

Anaphiri: Walking the length of Malawi, from the Songwe border with Tanzania to the Marka border with Mozambique, was my most incredible journey.

atfirstsight: Winter in Lhasa. Altitude sickness, butter tea, crisp air, thin coat. Going higher. Engine fumes and Tanggla Pass to Golmud. Unforgettable.


Ganden monastery near Lhasa, Tibet (Dreamstime)

SteveJWales: 16 days paddling in a local built canoe from Iquitos to São Paulo de Olivenca in Brazil with no support.

18days: A family road trip, from easy-going Vancouver over the spellbinding Rockies, with glacial lakes, moose and bears, to Canada's cowboy town, Calgary. 

hdsimmons: Flying over an incredibly clear Patagonia from Puerto Montt to Puerto Natales, seeing Mount Fitzroy and the ice fields from above with a perfect view.


Aerial view of Mount Fitzroy (Dreamstime)

pbrewer: 2,000 mile road trip from San Diego to Vancouver, mostly on Route 1, including Hearst Castle, ‘Spruce Goose’ and Boeing factory, in a Mustang convertible.

wee John: Started our travels in Halifax NS on the ‘Ocean’ train to Montreal overnight and then via Toronto to Vancouver on the ‘Canadian’ when the SARS epidemic was prevalent. It made for a very interesting trip where we met lots of people who we still keep in contact with.

  

These journeys were entered into our recent ‘10 Second Travels’ competition. The winner was BradHillas for their evocative description of his bike ride from Egypt to Rwanda. Thanks to everyone who took part. 

Keep an eye out in our News section for info on our next ’10 Second Travels’ competition: www.wanderlust.co.uk/magazine/news.

Main image: Rusty car, Namibia (Dreamstime)

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