Vacationing in your sixties differs from taking a trip in your younger years—in the best way possible. According to a recent Gallup poll , the average retirement age in the U. S. is 61. This means many travelers in this age range are able to experience destinations at their leisure without full-time jobs or young children to rush back to. This freedom opens up a new world of possibilities: Instead of planning a mere weekend getaway , tourists in their sixties can finally start exploring the places on their bucket list. To get you started, we went to the experts to find out where to travel for spectacular views, culture, and unforgettable adventures.
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Edward Lyimo , owner associated with Pristine Trails Adventure & Safaris says that in his experience, many U. S. travelers within their sixties haven’t made it to Africa yet. “This group can typically afford to extend their time on the continent and even include travel to multiple countries in the region, ” he says. If you’re seeking an awe-inspiring trip, he admits that Gorilla trekking in Rwanda plus Uganda should be on top of your container listing. “Coming close to these gentle giants that share 98 percent of our DNA is a humbling encounter, inch says Lyimo. “A gorilla hiking experience will get you near to the habituated gorilla family. You can spend an hour watching them go about their own day with juveniles frolicking within the watchful eye of several females and up in order to four silverbacks at the same time. inches
Lyimo also encourages travelers in their 60s to embark on a wildlife safari in order to Serengeti. “A firefox visiting Serengeti national park to witness the particular wildebeest migration is an once-in-a-lifetime experience to not be missed, ” he says. “This is one of the world’s largest mammal migrations. It is an annual cycle that will traverses the Serengeti ecosystem in an area of 12, 000 square miles. inch It starts in the Southern Serengeti plains during the calving season (January – February) and moves into the Northern Serengeti area, pouring into Masai Mara reserve (late July – early September). “Seeing this natural phenomenon migrating any time of the year is awesome, ” says Lyimo.
For active travelers within their sixties, Hilary Matson of Yugen Earthside recommends trekking through the Himalayas, where you’ll find some of the greatest hiking in the world . “What active traveler hasn’t dreamed of being amongst these types of majestic mountains? inches says Matson. Yugen Earthside offers privately guided 11-day tours where hikers may discover mountain lodges, typical villages and their particular friendly residents, plus soak in magnificent alpine sights. “This trip is a relatively mild walk with an ‘average’ physical rating, so it’s well-suited in order to anybody comfortable with walking between 30 minutes and six hours per day, ” states Matson.
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The Galapagos will be high on the list of the best locations to travel internationally . inch[They are] one of the most beautiful locations on earth, inches states Matson. The particular pristine nature plus animals on the islands has been safeguarded since boats are highly regulated. Diving within the water offers tourists a chance to see whale sharks, manta rays, and more. If you stick to land you can focus on creatures, rugged landscapes, and trekking. One of the things that make the particular Galapagos truly special is the Giant Sea Tortoise population, which was miraculously saved through extinction. Seeing all of them up close and personal is worth the journey alone.
Cuba is infused along with tradition, delicious food, and some of the most colorful towns on the planet. Best of all? You can visit on a budget. When planning your own itinerary, Greg Buzulencia , CEO plus Founder associated with ViaHero , a travel service that uses locals to help plan trips, says that will in addition to Havana, visitors shouldn’t miss the town of Vinales. “Not only is it an UNESCO World Heritage Site, it’s also has a national recreation area and many excursions and museums, ” he admits that. “It’s furthermore renowned for its tobacco production plus handicrafts. For the tourist who wants to splurge, check out the famous La Guarida restaurant inside Havana–a famous restaurant frequented by celebrities like Beyonce and Jay-Z. Although this is one of the most expensive restaurants in Havana, it is still reasonably priced by American standards. For a luxury hotel, check out Hotel Nacional in Havana, where hotel rooms go for about an average of $250 per night in high season. ”
You don’t need to leave the U. S. to check something off your bucket says Melanie Musson , a travel expert with AutoInsurance. org . Yellowstone National Park is rich with natural beauty and one of the best parks to see wildlife . “The landscape, wildlife, and waterfalls are incredible, but the geothermal features take it to the next level, ” says Musson. “From Old Faithful to the Dragon’s Mouth, there are thousands of hot springs, geysers, and fumaroles to see. ”
Musson says Yellowstone National Park is perfect for travelers in their sixties because it’s easy to set your own pace. “If you want to hike into the backcountry to see the wonders associated with Yellowstone, you can. But if you want to stay with what you can see from your vehicle, you’ll still see incredible sights. Also, there are accessible boardwalks through the major geyser basins. So if you want to experience the park immersively while keeping a steady footing, the particular boardwalks are a great option. inch
Sandy Lipkowitz , an extravagance traveling advisor , continues to be to over 75 nations. Her guidance to people within their sixties is, “do the outings that are a bit more energetic now while you are nevertheless in good health. Anyone, at a late age, may sit in a café inside Paris (for example) and enjoy the world passing by or even take a river cruise through Europe. Climbing in and out of a Safari jeep may become a challenge later in life. ”
For these reasons, Lipkowitz suggests the particular ancient ruins of Machu Picchu in Peru. “You can walk the Inca trail there if you are in shape or you can take a spectacular train ride, inches she states. “However, you have to get to Cusco which is at a very high altitude. That can be difficult for anyone, adding in age, [it makes it more] more difficult. ” This is why she says the time for a trip to a place like Machu Picchu is now.
As Lipkowitz mentioned, some trips can be more physically challenging than others. Luxury train rides on the Rocky Mountaineer are accessible to anybody, including passengers in wheelchairs. There are options for trips in both the U. S. and Canada. Both roll with the spectacular scenery from the Rocky Mountains and stop inside charming small cities regarding overnights within hotels along the way. Gourmet meals, wine, beer, and cocktails make it the ultimate foodie encounter. The Rugged Mountaineer provides a number of packages intended for short one-night journeys all the way up to epic travels associated with 11 nights.
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Viewing the particular Northern Lights is an adventure everyone should have before they die. “One of the bucket checklist locations plus experiences I would highly recommend is a night in a glass igloo viewing the northern lights, ” Paula Prickett , travel agent and proprietor of Black Dog Luxury Journey claims. They are magical in general, but to have them on full display all night from the personal heated and cozy glass igloo is the icing around the cake. The best place for this legendary viewing is in the particular arctic circle associated with north Norway exactly where they can be seen 99 % of the time. inch
inches For travelers in their sixties, we think that Iceland may be the perfect combination of safe plus amazing, ” says Eric Newman , owner of Iceland Step by Step . “Iceland is usually continuously ranked as the safest country on the planet, yet it’s easy to get to world-class glaciers, black sand beaches, volcanos, and much more. inch
In a week, you can see puffins close up, rise on a glacier, bathe in luxurious thermal baths, trip unique purebred Icelandic horses, and so much more. He adds that will Icelanders drive on the same side from the road as we do in the US., which makes vacation less stressful for anyone worried about driving in another country. Newman gives, “And if you live on the east coast, it takes less time to get to Iceland than it does to access California! ”
