The Great Holiday Bucket List

*This is a collaborative post.

With Summer coming to a close and the nights drawing in it’s the perfect time to reminisce about everything you’ve done this Summer. Most of our fondest memories are drawn from our holidays. Whether it was swimming with dolphins in the Caribbean, climbing Everest, cycling in Italy or boating in the Amazon, there will undoubtedly be a holiday memory you cling to above all others.

But before next year, what other potential bucket list vacations might you want to consider?

See the northern lights – A very common bucket list item for many is to see and capture the northern lights. It’s perhaps one of the most stunning spectacles in nature and can be seen from Iceland, Sweden, Norway, Finland and even certain parts of Canada.

See Stonehenge – I know it is only just down the road and I have seen it from afar but I really really want to do a stonehenge tour and get up close and personal to one of the world’s most amazing landmarks.

Raft in the Grand Canyon – Whilst helicopter tours of this iconic natural canyon have been popular for decades, the best and most intimate way to truly see it is from within the belly of the beast itself. Trips are incredibly popular though and fill up fast so make sure you book in advance if you’re planning a trip.

Marvel at the Sistine Chapel – There are a hundred reasons to visit Rome and Vatican City, but the Sistine Chapel is perhaps one of the most famous and impressive feats of artistry in existence. You’ll probably have to queue for a few hours, but even the journey to the chapel itself is an experience you’ll want to savour.

Trek to Machu Picchu – The Peruvian spectacle really deserves the slow build-up that only a mountain trek can provide. The Inca Trail is the iconic route, but there are many other routes to take if you fancy something a little more adventurous – from the dramatic Salkantay Trail to the more demanding Vilcabamba Traverse.

Climb Kilimanjaro – The greatest trek of them all – Tanzania is a country that should be on everyone e’s bucket list for one and one reason only. Unlike Everest, Kilimanjaro is known as the ‘achievable’ mountain for those of us that are not professional mountaineers. At almost 6,000m it is still a significant challenge, of course, but once you reach that snowy peak, you’ll appreciate the effort it took.

Ride the Trans-Siberian – The world’s most famous train journey is a gorgeous, unhurried trip from  Moscow to Beijing that is blissfully atmospheric and almost singularly dense. If you were really worried about time, you could take a modern train in a single day, but this trip is more about the journey than the destination and will take you on a six-day leisurely jaunt through some of the world’s most stunning scenery. Bucket list holidays don’t get much more special than this.