15 of the most epic outdoor adventure I’ve had as a solo female traveler

| May 31, 2022

Nature is just the best. I love being out in nature – it helps me recharge, relax, and put everything in perspective. Standing next to a glorious vista or a giant tree, you feel small. You remember you are just one small piece of humanity, and the world is so much bigger than you. I find this reassuring in a way. Whatever problem or issue I may have – when I view it in that context, it doesn’t seem so scary. Being active in the outdoors makes me feel powerful. It’s such a joy to be able to use our bodies and see the natural wonders of the world. That’s one of the reasons I quit my job to become a digital nomad and start my own business in 2019 – I wanted to make the most of my life and enjoy it now, while I’m young and able bodied and can really take advantage of traveling. As a millennial, I’m all about experiences over things. I love trying new things and having a unique story to tell. Here are some of my absolute favorite outdoors experiences I’ve had all over the world.

1. Ice trekking on Perrito Moreno glacier in Patagonia.

Near the southern tip of Argentinian Patagonia is the town of Calafate. From there, you can book tours to not just see Perrito Moreno glacier – but to strap on some crampons and step foot on it. I don’t know how to describe the awe and the otherworldly beauty that it was to witness that much ice. Not only that, at the end you get to drink a little whiskey with some glacier ice. Plus, Calafate has some incredible food. And you better get down there soon – glaciers are losing 267 gigatons of ice every year. In fact, the pace of glacier melt has doubled over the last two decades.

2. Ha Giang Motorcyle loop in Vietnam.

This was absolutely epic, and made me so glad I had gotten my motorcycle license and international driving permit. Over six days, I biked 730 kilometers with a friend and a local guide. We got to see incredible vistas in northern Vietnam, as well as meet members of various ethnic minority tribes. We did more than the typical 3-day loop, and ended our journey at the glorious Bản Giốc waterfall.

3. Paragliding outside La Paz in Bolivia.

If you’ve never been paragliding, whewww it is wild! I literally ran and jumped off a cliff (of course, with an experienced guide strapped to my back). What an adrenaline rush, and it comes with quite the view. Be prepared to help…manage…the landing ;p

4. Climbing the Mount Ijen volcano in Indonesia. What an experience.

We left around midnight I think to drive to the trailhead. Our guide distributed gas masks – the volcano is an active sulfur mine. On our hike up, you could see the stars and the glimmering lights from nearby cities. There were locals holding push carts, saying “taxi”. At first, I thought it was a joke. Then I realized they could make more money “taxi-ing” a human being than mining. The miners carry loads of 70-100 kilos at a time — 150 to 220 pounds. For each kilo, they are paid 800 rupiah – about 50 cents. That’s USD $4-6 per load. The miners share the same path as the hikers – a strange and sometimes disturbing experience. I was appalled when hikers wouldn’t move out of the way for the miners. But this hike is absolutely worth doing. You hike at night so you can see the blue fire Ijen is famous for – and it is something unlike anything I’ve ever seen. The dawn was beautiful. And the color of the water and the rocks is a sight to behold.

5. Bungee jumping in Costa Rica.

In Monteverde, Costa Rica, there is an Extremo Park full of ziplines, swings, and, yes, bungee jumping. The bungee jump there is the highest in Central America, and the scenery is glorious. I really enjoyed the whole park! It was my first time bungee jumping. It took a bit to work up the courage, but gosh is it an incredible feeling to fly.

6. Learning to surf in Mexico.

Ok, I wouldn’t say I’ve finished learning – I still have a longgg way to go. But I obviously love trying new things in different locations, and surfing in Sayulita, Mexico was a blast. It’s a great spot for beginners, and I got a bunch of lessons. We even took a boat trip to a break where we swam from the boat directly to the break! Sayulita was quite touristy – and I was there in low season, so I’m not sure I would like it (or you could get much surfing in) in high season.

7. Scuba diving in Thailand. Get you PADI-certified!

Yes, getting an open-water scuba diving certification is expensive. And yes, being 30 meters underwater looking up, and knowing your life depends on your equipment, is more than a little scary. But there is a whole world underwater that we can’t see from the surface – or even from snorkeling depth. I loved swimming with the fishes, and I bet you would too!

8. Solo camping in Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons.

Not only did I go solo camping – I actually did a solo cross-country US road trip from Washington, DC, to Seattle and back! My trip was 6 weeks, 8K miles, 130 hours of solo driving, and had 15 stops! I stayed with friends and family, in hotels – and yes, did a bunch of solo camping and hiking! I love national parks, and Yellowstone and Grand Tetons both blew me away. I was worried they would be too crowded, but as soon as you get out on the trail, I had whole swaths of the park to myself! Just make sure you book campsites welllll in advance.

9. Backpacking through caves in Vietnam.

Outside UNESCO-recognized Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park is Phong Nha and Oxalis Adventure tours – the gateway to Hang Son Doong, the largest cave on the planet, plus various cave systems that are underground adventure playgrounds for swimming, climbing, fjording rivers, and hiking. Oxalis is 100% locally owned and over 95% of their employees are from Phong Nha and around. As community members, they care about the local area and developing it sustainably, and they are always giving back. I did an epic 3-day trek with them to a 4-million year old cave. We were wet the entire time from the rain and river crossings, but I could not have had more fun!

10. Diving with sharks in Hawaii.

I was scared but so excited to go shark diving (no cage!) with Island View Hawai’i, a family-owned and operated tour company with all Hawaiian crew. Their ancestors pioneered the shark tour industry in Hawai’i to teach respect for Hawaiian culture, the ocean, and its inhabitants. Beware of commercialized tours that have a negative impact on the ocean and its inhabitants.

11. Skiing in the alps.

The alps are incredibly gorgeous, and I enjoyed every second skiing there…until I tore my ACL. Hopefully that won’t happen to you! I stayed at two great different coliving ski chalets for digital nomads, one in the French Alps, and one in the Swiss Alps – highly recommend if you’re thinking of going (you can check those out here)!

12. Snorkeling in the Maldives.

There’s a lot more to the Maldives than you’ll see on Instagram and in glossy western magazines. But one thing that is true through and through is the insane underwater life. Climate change and coral reef bleaching is a real threat to these habitats. So go snorkeling or scuba diving there while you can!

13. Hiking to the Tumpak Sewu waterfall in Indonesia.

I love chasing waterfalls. I can’t believe I’m sharing this one with you, because I honestly think it’s my favorite waterfall I’ve been to in the world (and I’ve been to Iguazu). What made Tumpak Sewu so special to me was it’s insane natural beauty, compared to how untouristed it was. We had the falls practically all to ourselves, and only passed a handful of people on our way up and down. I got here by driving a scooter a few hours from Malang in Indonesia. 10/10 would recommend.

14. Hiking in Huaraz, Peru.

Having done Peace Corps in Peru and lived there for over two years, I’ve been almost everywhere tourits go in Peru. So my Peru advice is not your generic ‘go to Machu Picchu’ advice. For some of my top tips on where to go in Peru and what to do, check out this blog. If you love hiking and mountains, make sure you get to Huaraz. Laguna 69 is an epic day hike, and for something longer, try the Santa Cruz trek.

15. Deep water soloing in Vietnam.

I had barely done any climbing before trying bouldering in Bali, top-roping in Thailand, and deep water soloing in Vietnam. Deep water soloing is where you climb up a rock face with no ropes, and when you fall, you just fall into the water! (With a boat there to scoop you up.) The karst rock formations around Cat Ba (my prefered alternative to over-touristed Hạ Long Bay Bay) are excellent for climbing. I know it doesn’t look like I’m high up in this picture, but I was scared ???? Super fun though!

I can’t wait to continue adding to these experiences! Do you have any favorite experiences you’d add to this list? Do you love epic outdoors adventures too? What have been your favorite experiences? And what should I do next?? Hit me up on IG @t.prad.

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