One of the best things about traveling is getting out of your comfort zone – but that can also be scary! People often say to me “I don’t know how you do it, I could never”. Well, behind that beautiful picture is often a terrified, out of shape photographer (read: me) The side of travel that people often don’t see.
Stepping out of your comfort zone is not just about thrill-seeking; it’s a powerful way to grow, learn, and discover new facets of yourself. In this blog post, we’re diving into trips that challenge the norm, inviting you to break free from the usual and explore destinations and activities that will excite and inspire you. Whether it’s navigating the bustling streets of an unfamiliar city, experiencing nature up close, conquering a mountain peak, or immersing yourself in a completely different culture, embracing the fear and doing it anyway can be an incredibly rewarding experience.
I teamed up with other travel bloggers to bring you some incredible trips to get you out of your comfort zone – whether you’re afraid of heights or looking to take that multi-day hike! These trips brought even experienced travelers out of their comfort zones, and they lived to tell the tale!
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Nature Inspired Trips
Gorilla Trekking in Uganda
Going hiking through the forest to get up close to gorillas was something I never thought I would be able to do. As a plus-size traveler, with a bum knee, I didn’t think that I would physically be able to do it.
I was able to get some of my family to come with me to Rwanda, the DRC, and Uganda, with the intent of trekking to gorillas and getting up close. This eased some of my concerns that my group would find me slow, as they love me no matter what size I am.
I advocated for myself and our group to get a closer gorilla family (3 of the 5 of us had knee issues, one had altitude sickness symptoms, one had asthma, so I felt comfortable with this). The hike was about a mile and a half out and a mile and a half back, which doesn’t sound too difficult if you were walking on a road. This was uneven ground with dense trees and bushes. You also have to add in smelly mud swamps that are quite deep, piles of elephant poop to avoid, high altitude, uneven grounds, and like 150% humidity. I was sweating in places I didn’t know I could sweat.
Eventually, we got to the gorilla family that we were assigned and it was worth it. There were a few babies playing and putting a show on for us while the adults slept and ate in the bush. It was incredible to just hang out with gorillas in their environment. It was such a humbling experience that I recommend any animal lover partake in.
I am so proud that I took that chance to book the trip and pushed my physical and mental limits to get to this incredible experience.
Hiking to Everest Base Camp
The trek from Lukla to Everest Base Camp is perhaps one of the most iconic hikes in the world and was high on our list of ‘must-do’ challenges. So, despite some reservations about the level of risk, we made the trip in late February, a few weeks before the main season. Our reward for hiking early was blue-sky weather and very few others on the trail, although I believe we were very lucky!
The hike begins at what is widely regarded as the most dangerous airport in the world. With its short runway terminating in a sheer drop at one end and a wall at the other, it’s easy to see why. While we are all seasoned flyers, the flight into Lukla was certainly one we will remember for the steep, sideways descent and the rapid braking on touchdown.
The Everest Base Camp trek is usually undertaken over fourteen days to allow your body to adjust to the altitude, but due to a forecast of poor weather, we aimed to complete it in eleven. Despite being experienced hikers and relatively fit, we found it really difficult to get enough oxygen into our lungs once we got above 14’000 feet. This was severe enough at one point that we were not sure we could continue and we were certainly well out of our comfort zone.
At this point, our guide stepped in and reassured us that with a bit of rest and some more time to acclimatise, we would be fine… and he was right! While the altitude continued to make the trek a challenge, we no longer felt that we couldn’t continue, and the stunning views of the snow-capped Himalayas and the incredible Khumbu Glacier and Ice Fall made the effort well worthwhile.
Trekking Saurkundi Pass, Himalayas, India
When I was young, I had never left home. I always enjoyed protected, comfortable, and luxurious holidays. This changed with my first trek to the Himalayas, specifically to the Saurkundi Pass. This budget trek had almost no amenities, including proper toilets.
Saurkundi Pass is in Himachal Pradesh state of India, traversing the Shivalik mountain range with spectacular views of the snow-peaked Himalayas. The 11-day trek to an altitude of 13,500 feet was an eye-opener for me. Unprepared, I slept in tents among strangers, with minimal facilities. We used the wild for toilets, ate only vegetarian food, and walked for long hours. Despite bad weather and snow, we hiked daily. It was one of the craziest experiences of my life. It was raw and challenging. I remember one night when heavy snowfall forced us to take turns ensuring our tents did not get buried. It was chilly, and I was almost in tears for having signed up.
However, this journey transformed me. I began to cherish and appreciate what I had back home. I made friends with strangers and started to love my journey. This trek made me realize there was more to life than sitting in front of computers and enjoying city life with friends and family in comfortable homes. A new world awaited exploration.
Visit Antarctica
Traveling to Antarctica sounds like a dream come true for most people – and it was. Seeing penguins, whales, and seals everywhere was unlike anything else I’ve experienced. The pristine, untouched beauty of everything is literally jaw-dropping.
Since I was finally achieving my 7 continents before turning 30. I wanted to make the most out of the trip and do everything I could. Sure, hiking and kayaking were awesome, but not really out there. However, camping in Antarctica was definitely out of my comfort zone. The average temperature when we were visiting was 25 degrees Fahrenheit (-4 degrees Celcius) during the day – let alone at night.
In addition to the cold (freezing) temperatures, “sunset’ was around 11:30 pm and it rose again around 1:30 with no true darkness. There was no running water and you are absolutely not allowed to go #2 on land. The cruise staff brought a small ‘toilet’ for guests to use for #1, complete with a two-foot-tall snow privacy wall. Down the hill from our campsite, a seal was taking a nap. At least one of us would get some sleep that night. After hiking a bit and enjoying the sunset, I got the worst night’s sleep of my life. At 5:30 we were awoken to take our tents down and head back to the boat for breakfast.
If camping wasn’t out of my comfort zone enough, the staff also gave us the option to do a polar plunge at Deception Island. I detest doing polar plunges, but when in Antarctica – do as the penguins do! My dad and I went into the water and came out making sounds that I’ve never made before (or after). Since I have long hair, I didn’t get it wet so it wouldn’t freeze. Well, dad being dad, told me my plunge didn’t count since I didn’t dunk my head. When we had a second opportunity for a polar plunge, this time with small icebergs in the water (joy!), I wouldn’t let my dad have the last laugh.
Visiting Antarctica brought me so much happiness, but also tested my comfort levels and what I was willing to do to have an unforgettable trip. I look back on all three of these experiences with fondness, but at the time, they were are miserable. But that’s what it means to get out of our comfort zone with travel, right?
Whale Watching in Gloucester, Maine, USA
Whale watching in Gloucester, MA, was an adventure that truly pushed me out of my comfort zone. As someone who suffers from seasickness and has a fear of open water, the idea of venturing far out into the Atlantic Ocean was daunting. However, Gloucester MA whale watching is consistently ranked some of the best in the world and I couldn’t pass up that opportunity!
From the moment we boarded the boat, I felt a mix of excitement and anxiety. The boat took about an hour and a half to get out to the feeding grounds and I was pretty terrified and was trying to deep breathe to avoid seasickness. But as soon as I saw the first whale pop its back out of the water, I was in awe! The sight of such a massive, graceful animal was breathtaking- we even saw a few jump entirely out of the water! The boat’s crew provided fascinating insights about the whales’ behaviors and migration patterns, adding to the awe-inspiring experience.
Despite the initial discomfort, the trip became one of the most memorable experiences of my life. I found myself captivated by the whales’ sheer power and elegance. Facing my fears head-on, I realized that stepping out of my comfort zone allowed me to connect with nature in an incredibly profound way.
Road Trips
Driving Iceland in Winter
If you’ve ever seen some of the horror stories online about driving in Iceland, you’ll understand why our first time hiring a car in this country made me extremely nervous.
In our very first time in Iceland, we stayed in Reykjavik the entire time. This meant that we had to get guided tours everywhere and, of course, someone else drove. But, of course, the best way to get around Iceland is by rental car and when we returned, we decided to hire one.
We visited in March and the weather during the winter season in Iceland can be pretty sketchy. You can find blue skies and sunshine one minute then pouring rain the next and 5 minutes later find yourself in the middle of a freak snowstorm.
It also happened that, the week before we were due to fly out there, some of our friends were already in Iceland and had posted lots of photos of their trips on Instagram. Their stories were full of snow-covered roads, icy pathways, and random blizzards.
I was pretty terrified that, we’d end up stuck in the snow somewhere or blown off the road due to some strong wind.
As it turned out, the weather was okay while we were there. We had some snow driving round the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, some more on the way from Reykjavik to Vik, and the journey to Jökulsárlón was incredibly windy to the point where I thought we were going to have to pull over or stay the night along the South Coast.
Luckily, we managed to get around okay for most of the trip.
Drive a Lap Around Australia
Driving a Lap of Australia – solo – was one experience that truly brought me out of my comfort zone. I’d dreamed of spending a year Down Under for nearly a decade, but landed in Sydney with no plans whatsoever. As a supreme travel planner, this was well and truly outside my comfort zone. Within three weeks, I’d set up my phone, bank account, and tax number, bought a car, kitted it out to live in it, and hit the road. I started driving up the East Coast with no plan and no deadline – I literally threw my Ikea mattress in the back and just started driving. The first few weeks were an adjustment for me, as I spontaneously checked the WikiCamps app to decide where I’d sleep that night. The vastness of Australia, and the various challenges of living in my Nissan X-Trail for 11 months, tested me. I spent literal days without phone signal driving through the outback, unable to communicate with anyone I knew. I rolled my car and almost died in WA, becoming stranded and homeless in an instant. As an experienced solo traveler, I rarely feel lonely on my own – but the magnitude of sleeping alone in my vehicle, hundreds of kilometers from the nearest town, meant I often felt intense loneliness. I went days without showering, and forgot what it was like to eat breakfast without several hundred flies for company. My Lap humbled me as plans constantly changed and I was forced to live outside my comfort zone. 36,000km and 338 days later, having spent 158 nights sleeping in my car and visiting all eight states and territories of Australia, I arrived back in Sydney – successfully completing my Lap.
Road Trip Around Morocco
I dreamt about visiting Morocco for several years before I began a cross-country road trip with a female friend. I envisioned an exotic trip with deserts, kasbahs, camels, and out of the ordinary experiences. I wanted to experience a totally different culture that would push me out of my comfort zone.
Our trip coincided with Ramadan, so I quickly learned about religious customs and how families and communities’ bond during this sacred time. Tourists could eat but there were restrictions on eating or drinking between sunrise and sunset for our Moroccan guides. Each day we took a moment to pause when we heard the call to prayer, announced five times a day over loudspeakers. There were clear contrasts between the norms of people in Berber and Arabic areas of Morocco and rural areas and larger cities.
This was my first trip to Africa, and I didn’t speak Arabic or Berber so I could not read signs, menus, or understand the language spoken all around me. I tried several local dishes like flavourful tagine stews, crispy phyllo pastilla, honey chebakia pastry, and mint tea but I passed on lamb brain and camel meat.
Personal safety was a concern as a female traveler because I had heard of incidents of harassment. Females dressed modestly and most women wore a hajib or sometimes a burka in more traditional rural areas. I felt completely safe in a group with a local guide, but I wouldn’t have felt comfortable on my own in some locations. We felt out of place getting a drink in the only smoky bar in Chefchaouen surrounded by men.
The landscapes across the country varied from dry deserts, lush green countryside, remote mountain peaks, and seaside beach towns. I loved the bright colours everywhere including buildings, stoneware, décor, and clothing.
Solo Travel Trips
Ak Suu Traverse, Kyrguzstan
I’m an adventurous traveller, so I’ve done a lot of things that have put me outside of my comfort zone. The biggest one, however, was when I undertook a solo 10-day trekking expedition through Kyrgyzstan’s high-altitude mountains. The trek? The Ak Suu Traverse.
You may think that this sounds negligent, or even insane. Fear not, I’m an experienced hiker and already had one solo long-distance hike under my belt before I set off for this trek.
What made this experience particularly challenging and pushed me out of my comfort zone, however, was the setting.
The Ak Suu Traverse covers a broad swath of Kyrgyzstan’s Tian Shan Mountains, with base elevations of around 2500m (8200 feet) and a max elevation of 3850m (12,630 feet). Not only was the trek a high-altitude one, but it’s in a very remote location. Unlike my previous solo long-distance hike, this trail sees very few people, so I was largely on my own out there. (I had an emergency beacon on me for safety).
So why did I do it? Because I love two things: challenges and hiking. I love to push myself, especially when it comes to the outdoors. My happy place is in the mountains, and nothing gives me greater satisfaction than being amongst them. The hike is also rated as one of the top 100 hikes in the world by National Geographic, so that really made me want to do it!
Needless to say, I loved it all. The scenery was out of this world and the serenity was amazing.
I did have some very challenging moments though. I got sick and was taken in by some shepherds, who nursed me back to health. But experiences like that only reaffirmed my belief in the overall goodness of humanity.
Experiencing Revolution in Lebanon
At the end of 2019, I was all set to go on a two-month journey that included 2 weeks in Lebanon. And then the October Revolution broke out. I was tempted to cancel but would have felt like a wimp, so I decided to go. Traveling around Lebanon is already challenging, there’s not much infrastructure, and I wondered how much tougher the revolution would make things.
My first experience of Lebanon? My airport taxi driver was trying to broker a marriage deal between me and the Yemeni business man I was sharing the cab with. A single girl with a Canadian passport has good marriage prospects in some parts of the world.
My second experience? The black market. It turned out that all schools, banks and government offices had been closed for 2 weeks. The cell phone stores didn’t have any sims left. This was Revolution 101. Only black market sims, and black market money exchanges, for that matter, were available.
Beirut was interesting – so much money in some areas – beautiful high rises and lots of luxury vehicles on the roads, but then there were all the bullet-ridden apartment buildings, and the barbed wire everywhere. But even with all its scars, I could see why Beirut was called the Paris of the Middle East.
From Beirut I traveled all the way up to Tripoli and then into the mountains, making stops at several smaller cities. What I learned is, there’s no scheduled bus service. It’s an informal system of big vans or mini buses that wait for passengers at designated corners for different destinations. The locals all know where to get the bus to other Lebanese destinations, but it’s very confusing for visitors. In smaller cities, there aren’t even corners – you stand on the highway with your luggage and wait for a van to drive by. When he slows down, you call out your destination and if he stops, you hop on and try to find a seat. I’m sure there are private transfers, but I was doing this trip on a budget.
Lebanon is very beautiful, and the people are kind, warm and friendly. I always felt safe, even with everything that was going on. The entire trip pushed me out of my comfort zone, but I’m so glad I went. Like the Lebanese say, you have to live like today is better than tomorrow.
Getting Cold in Norway
Always being someone who loved tropical climates and beaches, planning a trip to Norway while exciting was not a trip I was completely comfortable about as I was travelling in peak winter – in February, and even though I’d lived a couple of years in the UK, I still hadn’t gotten accustomed to the cold.
It took me almost 18 hours to get from point to point and Norway looked like a postcard from Frozen. Almost completely white but also freezing. It used to take me an hour to get dressed as I would layer on layer. Wearing too many thick layers also made it difficult to move on.
It was also quite frustrating to travel in winter as most activities – including dog sledding required a fair bit of outdoor activity. Being someone who isn’t active at all, it did mean pushing my limits.
While Norway was not at the top of my Europe itinerary, I still wanted to go as I wanted to experience the Northern lights.
But since they are unpredictable and Norway is one of the most expensive countries, I wanted to make sure I spent my time wisely and had fun doing so. So I had to indulge in bucket list experiences – snowshoe walks, snowmobile rides and even ice fishing – all which had me freezing but also super pleased at the end of the day.
The best bit was getting to watch the lights one of the days! Would I do it again? Possibly, however, while I’m better equipped to handle the cold after Norway, I may have to train a little for the outdoors!
Slow Travel in Lyon, France
My husband and I have always had limited vacation time, so our trips have been a whirlwind of bouncing from one city to another and cramming in as many activities as possible.
With retirement on the horizon, I decided to get out of my comfort zone and try something completely different for me – slow travel. So, after our transatlantic cruise, my husband came back home and I embarked on a two-week solo trip to Lyon – in search of content for my new travel site.
He was certain that I’d be bored out of my mind after a few days in the same city. And I was worried about the social aspect. I’m very much an introvert, but even I can’t go for two weeks without some personal interactions.
It did take a few days for me to knock myself out of my normal ‘check things off the list’ busy travel mode. Then I was able to let myself wander through the city, without necessarily having a goal destination.
In a little park, I struck up a conversation with a local walking his beagle (I can’t resist a cute dog). He gave me a recommendation to visit the Jardin des Curiosités, one of Lyon’s hidden gems with great city views.
I also made a point to chat with some of the local shopkeepers, who were all very kind and even complimented my (not-so-great) French skills.
There were definitely some uncomfortable moments during this trip (especially when I fought my fear of heights with a rooftop tour of the Notre Dame Basilica). But I have proven to myself that I am adaptable and capable, and am ready to tackle the next phase of my life!
Visiting Madeira Solo
When I found out about Madeira, I was immediately drawn to the island’s serene beauty and nature offerings. While it was not my first solo trip, I had never gone to a nature-centric place centered around outdoor activities alone.
One of the biggest pushes out of my comfort zone was doing my first solo hike. I was so nervous because of the dangers I had heard of with solo hiking.
The risks of getting injured with nobody nearby to help and simply being a female solo traveler in the wilderness made me nervous.
However, after researching the safest hikes on the island for solo travelers, I am so glad that I did it! I ended up doing two hikes, Vereda da Ponta de São Lourenço and Vereda dos Balcões, and they were incredible. I even met people on the way, and it helped calm my nerves and make me feel perfectly safe.
More parts of Madeira that pushed the limits of my comfort zone were driving and the weather conditions. I had never driven in a foreign country alone, and Madeira is known for having some winding and sometimes narrow roads.
Overall, I became very comfortable, and I was very proud of myself since driving in Madeira is a must to see the most unique sites.
Madeira is also an island of microclimates. You can very quickly experience multiple weather conditions in a single day! One day after coming from the beach, I was hit by a severe thunderstorm on the way back home.
I was very nervous, so I pulled into a restaurant and met some of the kindest locals on my trip while waiting for the storm to pass. Situations like that grew my comfort with handling sudden challenges while being solo.
General “Out of Comfort Zone” Trips
Become a Mermaid in Bali
Most people visit Bali for its epic beach sunsets, holy temples, and infamous acai bowls. When I boarded my flight for a month-long stint in Bali, I went with something else in mind: I wanted to fall in love with my body.
A few years prior, I had been experiencing lots of bloat and weight gain. After a few ER visits, I was diagnosed with large ovarian cysts that required surgery.
I kept putting off surgery out of fear until one day, I went to a massage spa, and the masseuse told me that she couldn’t give a massage to pregnant women. Her comment reminded me of the severity of my cysts and inspired me to finally go through with the laparoscopy surgery to remove them. After the surgery, I was left with visible scars. Combined with a poor diet and inconsistent workouts, my body had changed, and I was uncomfortable wearing bathing suits.
But there was a big problem. For years, I dreamed of going to Bali to become a certified PADI Mermaid. I was always a water child and looked forward to swimming at a few of Bali’s beautiful beaches. But mermaids don’t wear oversized T-shirts to the beach, and I was nervous about wearing a bathing suit in public.
Although Bali is a wellness utopia filled with meditation retreats, temples, and tourists seeking self-reflection, it’s also a hotspot for size 0 ladies with minimal body fat—something I’m far from. And local shop owners made sure to remind me of my size when I went to try clothes on.
After a few weeks of exploring Canggu and Ubud, I headed to Amed for a mermaid boot camp. It was my first time wearing a bathing suit in years, and I was afraid that people would notice my scars and back rolls. But as I practiced my dolphin flips and underwater posing, my worries began to disappear. I forgot to hold in my stomach. Instead, I allowed myself to live in the moment. Learning to love my body and commit to healthier choices is a lifelong journey, but I’m in for the task.
Climbing Havasu Falls, USA
Doing the Havasu Falls hike in the Havasupai Indian reservation in Arizona had always been at the top of my bucket list, but there was one big problem.
I’m terrified of heights and, to see some of the famed turquoise waterfalls that spill over the red walls of the Grand Canyon, you have to make an incredibly steep climb down a series of wet and slippery footholds and chains along a cliffside to the base of the 200 foot tall Mooney Falls. The idea of doing this made me so uncomfortable that it literally kept me up some nights.
After securing the highly coveted permits to hike the trail, though, I knew I had to get comfortable with the idea of making the climb. I joined forums for other hikers who had successfully completed the descent to get a better feel for what I was in for, I watched countless YouTube videos documenting the climb from a first person point of view, and gleaned all the tips and tricks I could from blog posts.
Even after we made the ten mile hike to set up our tent in the nearby Havasu Falls campground, I still wasn’t sure that I was going to be able to muster the courage to make the climb down. But all of my previous research made me feel confident enough to at least attempt it.
Even though it was the scariest thing I had done in my life by far, I was able to safely make it down the cliff and swim through the turquoise waters of the spectacularly beautiful Mooney and Beaver Falls.
Accordingly, if you’re doing something that makes you feel out of your comfort zone, do as much research as you can to feel prepared and have the confidence in yourself that you can do it- you’re way stronger than you think!
Complete a 1/2 Marathon on Greenland
Greenland is one of the most memorable destinations on the planet, and one reason is that it will easily push you out of your comfort zone! There’s intense weather and temperatures, unfamiliar terrain, limited infrastructure, and challenging logistics to arrive. But if you’re able to embrace the unknown and push past your comfort zone, Greenland is a remote, untouched land that is immensely gratifying to those who visit! And one of the most rewarding experiences I have had was running a half marathon across the world’s 2nd largest ice cap in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland!
One of the best ways to get to know this unique destination is by running 13 miles over the frozen tundra, past glaciers, alpine lakes, and small Greenlandic towns. The annual Polar Circle Half Marathon is one of the most affirming challenges I have undertaken, as I ran this race on my own, in a destination that was strange and foreign to me even as an experienced runner. There were sub-freezing temperatures to contend with, immense stretches of the stark ice cap that were difficult to directionally navigate, challenging terrain that contained plenty of ice and crevasses to deal with, and the long stretches of course that were largely unsupported.
This experience reaffirmed my confidence in myself to run solo in a new place, take on new challenges of terrain and weather, and learn new skills like navigating on an ice cap. The payoff was views of the most striking landscapes and the chance to celebrate a finish with fellow runners from all over the world, as well as small-town locals. In addition to the confidence boost I received, I was also surprised to discover there’s a handful of other fascinating things to do in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, including the Northern Lights, touring Russell Glacier, hiking the Arctic Circle Trail, and sampling cuisine like reindeer, seafood, and musk ox!
Going to the Democratic Republic of Congo
Venturing to Kahuzi Biega National Park for gorilla trekking is an extraordinary way to step out of your comfort zone and immerse yourself in a truly wild experience. Located in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, this UNESCO World Heritage site is renowned for its thriving population of eastern lowland gorillas. However, due to the ongoing violence throughout the country, the DRC is often skipped for safer trekking in Rwanda or Uganda.
After doing a LOT of research about safety and violence in the Congo, we moved our trek from Virunga National Park to Kahuzi Biega, which is on the other side of Lake Kivu. This would bring us away from the current ‘hot spot’. It also is the only home of the Eastern Lowland Gorillas (which we were not going to see in Uganda later in our trip). After talking to the group, and our tour company, we decided it was worth it.
Once we crossed the border from Rwanda, the poverty was intense. It was the first time I saw a distended belly from malnutrition in real life. We were five white Americans in a very large safari vehicle that screamed TOURIST, we got many funny looks.
The journey begins with a trek through dense rainforests, guided by experienced trackers who help you navigate the rugged terrain. As you venture deeper into the forest, the anticipation builds, and the sounds of the jungle envelop you. Encountering these magnificent creatures up close is both awe-inspiring and humbling, providing a profound connection to nature that is often missing in our daily lives. We got to spend an hour with these incredible gentle giants. A silverback charged at us threateningly, a mother protected her newborn baby, and we just enjoyed it with our local guides.
On our way back to Rwanda, we stopped in traffic. I could feel the tension in the car – worry that something happened to the car or that someone was going to break into the car – all of the horror stories we heard for months came flooding back. I made eye contact with a few women who were cooking and dancing on the street (we stood out, remember), and I started dancing with them in the car. They laughed, I laughed, and the tension in the car lessened. While our circumstances were different, at the end, we are all just people, and people love to dance.
Both the animals and the people impressed me. While I only recommend visiting the DRC if you’re an experienced traveler and do a lot of research (things are ever-changing in the DRC), I’m glad I did it.
Learning Spanish in Guatemala
I’d always wanted to travel abroad, and after a professor told me about a language school in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, I knew I wanted to go. Two college friends offered to join me, and I gladly accepted their company. My professor’s recommendation was good enough for the three of us – we didn’t have another plan.
The plan was to spend four weeks studying at a language school and living with host families. Although the trip was not organized by our school, I was able to get credit for independent language study while I was abroad.
When I was researching the trip, I started to learn about the security issues in Guatemala and, having never traveled abroad before, started to feel quite nervous. At that time, Guatemala had the highest homicide rate in the Western Hemisphere. I researched Guatemala on the State Department’s website, Googled safety concerns, and even had a call with the coordinator at the language school to try to ease some of my anxieties.
I was very nervous before my departure flight to Guatemala, but resolved to go. When I landed in Guatemala City, I was so afraid that I had broken out in hives. I spent the first night of my trip in a hostel in Quetzaltenango terrified every time I heard a loud bang because I assumed they were gunshots (they were fireworks).
By the end of my first week in Guatemala, I had settled into the pace of the city and started to really enjoy myself. It ended up being one of the best trips I’ve ever taken, and I’m so grateful that I was able to push past the fear and travel anyway.
Living & Teaching in China
If you want to get completely thrown out of your comfort zone, move to China. That’s what my husband and I did when we accepted one-year teaching positions in, China.
We chose China because we craved a change of lifestyle. Everything about living in Qingdao was outside our norm. Our apartment was on the 26th floor in an older part of the city. When we walked outside, authentic China bombarded Qingdao us with new, intriguing, or mind-boggling sights and sounds.
The first months were eye-opening, entertaining, and challenging. Signs were in Mandarin, the shops sold products we didn’t recognize, and no one, besides our students, spoke English. It’s an understatement to say our charade-miming skills improved that year.
It took a while to gain our footing, both in and out of the classroom. Our Chinese students were shy and unfamiliar with Canadian teaching, so we were forced to adapt our thinking and communication.
As time went on, we picked up a few Mandarin phrases, gained confidence, and began greeting our neighbors with smiles. We traveled to amazing places, like Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Guilin, Yangshuo, and Xi’an. Getting to know the locals allowed us to experience a side of China few are lucky to see.
Most importantly, we witnessed our quiet, timid students transform into curious, open-minded individuals. As they grew and matured, so did we, and a year later, we departed China as better versions of ourselves.
Living in China left me with immense gratitude, and a sense of humility that doesn’t come from sitting at home. Diving headfirst into the unknown, forcing my mind open, and embracing a new culture is why I am so passionately in love with travel.
Sky Biking in Mexico
La Huasteca is a region in Mexico with amazing waterfalls. When I researched it and saw this adventurous activity, I knew I had to try it. This activity combined my love of cycling with my fear of heights: The Sky Bike.
I booked the tour months in advance. That I only realized the day I arrived that I had to do two ziplines before comfortably sitting on a bike. While putting on the safety belt, a mix of excitement and nervousness hit me.
The first zipline was short. I let others go first to see that it worked properly. The second zipline was much higher. I was terrified, but before I knew it, I was flying over the river, a hundred meters in the air. Somehow, I turned around and saw a big waterfall. It was absolutely incredible. At that moment I realized how tense I was, so I relaxed more and enjoyed the flight.
After landing, it was finally bike time. I still felt the adrenaline rush.
Finally, I had the comfort of a bike seat beneath me. The first few meters were easy, but my fear of heights kicked in after the tree branches beneath me disappeared. It was more challenging on the bike because it was slower. I focused on the end of the leash and my breathing until it got easier. I could only enjoy the ride shortly before reaching the end. Riding the bike back was much easier and faster
The experience taught me that I can face my fears. I felt powerful and proud of myself. I had a big smile on my face for the rest of the day.
Travel Overland from Hong Kong to the U.K. with Kids
The trip that brought me out of my comfort zone was our decision to travel overland from Hong Kong to the U.K by rail – with three kids in tow. We were tired of flying and looking at amazing places through a tiny aeroplane window.
We were fairly experienced family travellers but up to this point, we had always known where we were going, when and for how long. We always liked to know when we were arriving and where we would be staying. Careful planning is essential to safe and stress-free travel with kids but it often results in a lack of spontaneity.
Travelling by rail meant travelling slower with a much freer, flexible route and schedule. It felt like an enormous leap of faith, especially as a family of five. Would the children engage with slow travel? Would they get bored or restless? Would we be able to get last-minute bookings or accommodation as a group of five?
I needn’t have worried. As soon as we started our new style of travel, we quickly adapted to more flexible travel and loved the freedom to choose where we went and when. We may have just been lucky but we were always able to find accommodation at short notice.
We zig-zagged our way through China and across Mongolia (staying in a ger on the Mongolian steppe along the way) before joining the Trans-Siberian railway to travel across Russia before our last leg across Europe.
By the time we took our longest continuous rail journey – five days and four nights from Irkutsk to Moscow – our children were seasoned slow travellers and revelled in the journey being as much of an adventure as the destination.
Traveling to Myanmar
I have a dream to visit every country in the world. With a dream like this, you will have to step out of your comfort zone one day and leave the easy countries like the Canadas and Italys behind.
After visiting 63 countries I was ready to take the step up, and headed to Myanmar for 11 days.
This is the one major country in Southeast Asia that people avoid. It has been at civil war since 2021 with various conflicts between ethnic groups taking place since independence in 1948. It also saw the government overthrown by a military junta in 2021, who still run the country today. Needless to say, this meant extra research was necessary, but I went to Myanmar alone regardless and had a great time!
You have four major tourist spots: Yangon, Bagan, Mandalay and Inle Lake. Staying within these places keeps you well away from the conflict. The military will not bother you if you don’t bother them. It’s important to not take photos of anyone in uniform or anywhere potentially sensitive. Manage this and you will have few issues.
I was a little nervous during a bus trip from Yangon to Bagan, when we were stopped by soldiers who came onboard. But they were just checking passports and everything was fine.
The people are very friendly and crime is low. Myanmar is safe for tourists who stick to the 4 places mentioned above.
I saw 7 tourists in 11 days here. The conflict is certainly a deterrent for visitors, regardless of the fact it occurs far from where you will visit. The main struggles came from the environment. Countless electrical blackouts, rats coming out at night, aggressive dogs, and crumbling pavements.
Myanmar is not for the beginner traveler, but it’s an incredibly rewarding experience if you get the chance to go.
Visiting Oman
One of the trips that took me out of my comfort zone was my recent trip to Oman. I was quite nervous the whole time leading up to the flight and then a little unsure when I was out there as well.
Oman was our first time travelling in the Middle East. We mainly explore Europe and the UK and, most of the time, we know exactly what to expect, and how people are going to behave.
But this was completely very different culturally. There were lots of rules and customs that we had to adhere to before we’d even entered the country.
For instance, I’ve never had to think so carefully about what to pack before. Since Oman is a Muslim country, they take modesty very seriously, especially for women. I had to go and buy new clothes to ensure that my knees and shoulders were covered at all times whilst also staying cool enough in the 25-degree heat.
We were also a little concerned about the hotels as we’d heard that some people have gotten in trouble for sharing a room as an unmarried couple. Luckily, this didn’t affect us, but it was in the back of my mind every time we checked into a hotel room.
Lastly, we hired a car and drove around the country. This was another thing that I was a little unsure of because I wasn’t sure how strict their driving rules were and if there was anything different I’d have to remember.
Despite these worries, our trip to Oman was fantastic. The country is beautiful and there’s such a variety of things to do there from swimming in wadis, to staying in a desert camp under the stars. Perhaps I didn’t need to worry nearly as much as I did, but it was certainly a destination that took me out of my comfort zone.
Final Thoughts
Traveling out of your comfort zone can be a transformative experience, offering a fresh perspective and enriching your life in ways you never imagined. Whether you’re trekking through the dense jungles of Uganda to witness the majestic mountain gorillas in their natural habitat or braving the chilly waters of Massachusetts to marvel at the grandeur of humpback whales, stepping beyond your usual boundaries opens up a world of adventure and discovery. These journeys push you to overcome fears, embrace the unknown, and connect with nature in its purest forms. I hope this post inspired you to get out of your comfort zone and take that trip!
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Save “Trips to Inspire Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone” for Later
Travelling outside of your comfort zone can be challenging but can also be so rewarding! These are exactly the sort of trips we love to do. We have been lucky to have done some of these – Uganda gorilla trekking, driving around Iceland in winter, getting very cold in Norway – but there are many more that we would love to do. In fact, we’ve just booked a trip to Oman so was super-excited to read about that. A great post with fantastic travel inspiration!
Traveling out of your comfort zone is incredibly rewarding. I liked to combine trips where one part is fairly comfortable, while another stretches me out of my comfort zone. Great post!
I love how your bloggers tackled hard pursuits, such as confronting a fear of heights or water. But I also think just traveling solo is a huge accomplishment. So many women are afraid to try it, then they love it!
Fun post!! Love these suggestions. I’ve done a couple!
For me, pushing myself to be out of my travel zone is often what travel is about.
I love to set my challenges and see how I an adapt, react and survive – I have surprised myself several times ….. and then looked back and realised how I put myself at risk but got through it successfully. If travel and exploration was a piece of cake I think I’d get bored with it very quickly. Experiencing something new and different is part or the journey.
Lots of good tips and advice here and I have to say many of these locations I have not been to, so it’s great to read about them.
What a great collection of exciting adventures! I try to stretch my boundaries on every trip. I have done a couple, am inspired by most, and am terrified by a few of your friends’ adventures that are too far outside my comfort zone.
Lyn | http://www.ramblynjazz.com
Great suggestions! Awesome pictures.
Very inspirational post – I’m just about to start a big lap of Australia in my Suburu Forester – hopefully no accidents.
We hope to travel to the snow one day…. that will seriously be out of our comfort zone. Don’t like the cold!
What an incredible post. I loved reading all these travel stories, some of which have given me good ideas for future trips. For me a big part of going out of my comfort zone, other than the physical challenges of big hiking trips, is facing a language barrier in a new place. I actually love figuring it out as I go and being just a little lost, as you get to have the most meaningful interactions with people even if you’re not speaking the same language. But it can also be hard, and slow to get things done and of course frustrating at times
To be wallop of one’s comfort zone in traveling is one way of discovering not just a place but also another part of one’s self – and that’s the most rewarding bit. Lovely to read about your mermaid and revolution experience! An inspiring post #flyingbaguette
Jan – https://flyingbaguette.com/
Most of these are proper out of the comfort zone pushers in really extreme weather conditions. I could never do anything in the cold, so well done to the ladies tackling these experiences in harsh weather. I related hard to the Australia loop story and found the Mermaid story interesting. What an amazing dream of the travel blogger to become a certified mermaid in one of the dreamiest locations in the world!!! But I also liked that you included the lady travelling solo to Madeira, which was rather tame in comparison to the winter challenges.
Carolin | Solo Travel Story
So many wonderful stories about visiting less common places on the planet.
Without wanting to get into the old argument about the difference between being a tourist and being a traveler, I think that when someone puts themselves to the test by exploring places outside their comfort zone, they show that they can be a traveler.
It’s the challenges we set ourselves, the ability to face our fears, the desire to explore new territories and cultures that give travel adventures a special meaning. Or at least, that’s how I see it 🙂