You should look for an unforgettable experience when considering the most unique places to travel. There are some experiences you can only find in specific destinations around the world, and there are some experiences you will soon find out of this world.
From getting into a space balloon to travel to the Earth’s stratosphere (something only 600 people have done so far) to pink dolphin watching in the Amazon region, here are some of the world’s rarest travel experiences.
Be Among The First To Look At Planet Earth From A SpaceBalloon
In 2024, there will be a way for people to experience the Earth’s stratosphere. Space Perspective has a roughly six-hour experience that will give explorers a front-row seat on a capsule through the largest windows ever flown to space.
Capsules will come equipped with Wi-Fi connectivity, comfortable seats, and a bathroom to view the world from the vantage points only afforded to astronauts and recorded for people to experience through video and pictures.
Flights will take off from Florida’s Kennedy Space Centre from the company’s launch vessel, Marine Spaceport (MS) Voyager. It’s the first marine spaceport for human spaceflight. You’ll have two hours to view the curve of the Earth, the total blackness of space, and the thin blue line of our atmosphere—the quintessential astronaut experience. The vessel reaches an apogee of 30,480m before a gentle ocean splashdown.
It’s an expensive experience, as flights cost $125,000 per person. However, it’s one of the rarest, as only 600 people have looked down at our home from above. Flights are fully booked with Space Perspective until 2025.
Participate In A Temazcal Ceremony In Mexico
Temazcal is an ancestral shamanic ritual practiced by ancient civilizations throughout Central and North America, including the Mayans, Aztecs, and Toltecs. Often compared to saunas and hot baths, ancient civilizations believed temazcals helped to relieve stress, aches, and injuries, cure skin diseases, and help with respiratory conditions, to name a few.
Shamans accompany people who want to participate in a temazcal ceremony in Mexico. The ceremony is said to help people to detoxify their bodies and purify their minds.
Mars on Earth: Visiting Wadi Rum in Jordan
Wadi Rum desert is one of the most unique places in the world. It’s full of red sand, sandstone rocks, and otherworldly landscapes that easily convince visitors they’re on another planet. It’s so unique that scientists say it’s the only place on Earth that will get us closest to Mars. That’s precisely why Star Wars’ “The Rise of Skywalker” and “Rogue One” were filmed here.
Make no mistake. The New World Wonder of Petra and the Dead Sea are must-sees attractions in Jordan but don’t leave without visiting Wadi Rum, as it’s a wonder of its own. Over 20,000 petroglyphs and 20,000 inscriptions are documented inside Wadi Rum, tracing human existence for over 12,000 years. The Wadi Rum Protected Area has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2011.
Float in Jordan’s Dead Sea
Swimming in the dead sea is a rare experience you won’t find anywhere else in the world, and it has everything to do with the water’s makeup.
Jordan’s Dead Sea is the saltiest water on the planet, to the point that not a single creature lives in it. According to scientists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the high salinity increases the density of the water, making objects that touch the Dead Sea more buoyant. You don’t need to know how to swim. You lay back and float in the water.
Floating in the Dead Sea has some benefits. The water is known to heal skin ailments, back pain, reduce inflammation, and promote relaxation as it calms the nervous system. Talk about bragging rights.
Pink River Dolphin Watching In Brazil
The Amazon is home to unique dolphins you won’t find anywhere else—pink river dolphins. The Amazon region is the only place you will find this beautiful species in its natural habitat.
Pink river dolphins only live in freshwater. They’re typically found in the Amazon and Orinoco River Basins in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Venezuela. Manaus, Brazil is the best place to see them.
According to World Wild Life, pink dolphins are vulnerable in some areas because dams fragment and threaten specific populations. Contamination of rivers and lakes also threatens the population.
The most responsible way to see pink river dolphins is by watching them during a boat ride versus swimming with the creatures. Boat rides from Manaus to Tabatinga are the most popular for pink dolphin watching.
Cruise to Antarctica
Visiting Antarctica isn’t impossible, but it’s rare and challenging. Its extreme weather and harsh conditions mean no regular passenger-plane flights are available for people.
People get around the challenge by booking a trip to Argentina and then sailing to the continent. It’s a polar expedition allowing brave explorers to cross the iconic Drake Passage, witness iconic wildlife and icebergs, but most importantly, set foot on the White Continent that very few people have ventured to.
Like traveling to space, an Antarctica cruise has a hefty price tag averaging between $10,000 and $20,000. The National Geographic and Poseidon Expeditions offer the opportunity to visit Antarctica with a team of scientists and experts to help lead the way.