From Antarctica to Uzbekistan, adventurous holidays don’t have to mean roughing it. Comfort, expert guides and time to explore can open up a world of possibilities.
Fancy following the Silk Road through Uzbekistan, sailing past icebergs in Antarctica or hiking the mountain trails of the Dolomites?
Adventuring in later life is more popular than ever, with age no longer a barrier to broadening our horizons. ABTA’s Holiday Habits 2026-27 report, showed the proportion of over-65s travelling abroad rose by four percentage points in the past year
“Over-65s are keen to embrace more adventurous holidays, whether that’s where they go, or the type of holiday and activities they do while they’re there,” says Emma Brennan of ABTA.
“For some, it might be a case of getting off the beaten track and exploring more unknown places or getting to know the communities better. For others it could be more active holidays, like trips that involve hiking.”
The good news is you don’t need a backpack, a sleeping bag or even particularly sturdy knees to go on an adventure.
For a growing number of older travellers, adventure isn’t about giving up comfort. It’s about having the confidence, time and support to go further.
Suzanne Jones, 62, is happy to push herself when the experience is worth it. On a recent trip to China’s Tibetan Plateau, she hiked five miles to a monastery 4,150 metres above sea level.
“I wouldn’t have missed it,” she says. “At the end of the day, though, I do appreciate an en-suite bathroom and a comfortable bed.”
Good organisation can make more ambitious destinations possible. “A knowledgeable guide can help you experience and understand far more of a place and a comfortable hotel gives you somewhere to recharge,” says Suzanne.
“Having the practical details taken care of leaves me with more energy for the adventure itself.”
That desire for comfort isn’t necessarily about luxury. Often, it’s about removing the hassle. Mintel research found that 71% of baby boomers say that ease of booking is a key consideration when choosing a holiday, while 60% agree that package holidays are easy to book.
ABTA’s latest research also suggests ease and reassurance remain important, too. Over-65s were more likely than any other age group to book an overseas holiday with a travel professional, at 44%. And among over-65s who chose a package holiday, 57% cited having everything taken care of as a reason for doing so.
“While older travellers may be interested in a wide range of destinations and experiences, convenience and reassurance remain important parts of the holiday booking experience,” says Emma.
Explore the wild side of Malaysian Borneo with Saga, from the rainforest-covered slopes of Kinabalu Park to the wildlife-rich waterways of the Kinabatangan River.
That’s the idea behind Saga’s escorted tours. A shared chauffeur service takes you from home to your departure point and back again, while transfers, tour managers and local guides remove some of the hassle from travelling. From 2027, its escorted tours are also half-board.
A four-point pacing guide allows you to gauge how demanding a tour will be before you book. Some holidays are based at one hotel with free days to explore, others involve longer walks, sustained altitude and early starts.
Comfort can extend to how you see the sights, too. “The world’s most iconic sites never fail to impress, and on these holidays, we make sure you have plenty of time to truly appreciate them,” says Richard Newsome, Saga’s director of product.
“We may visit early in the morning or make special arrangements so you can avoid the queues.”
For many trips, you don’t have to be super-fit. Saga’s 2027 holidays include crossing the Alps on the Bernina and Glacier Express trains from a locally rated five-star base in Davos.
Exploring somewhere new can mean trying an unfamiliar food or getting to know a very different culture just as much as trekking or camping.
This eight-day holiday is based in Davos, where you'll explore this beautiful region and enjoy two of the country's most iconic train journeys.
On the Bernina Express you'll climb the vertiginous 2,253-metre Bernina Pass, and descend the incredible 110 metre-long spiral viaduct at Brusio.
Retirement can mean having more freedom to spend your time and your budget on the holidays you really want to take.
Among people planning an overseas holiday in 2026, 19% of those aged 65 and over expected to spend at least £3,000 per person on their most expensive trip, according to Mintel. This was a higher proportion than in any other age group.
For many older travellers, that doesn’t simply mean spending more. Mintel identifies quality, seamless experiences and slower travel as particularly important to this age group.
Destination is key. According to ABTA’s research, 57% of over-65s said the destination was the most important consideration when deciding whether to book a holiday, compared with 45% of travellers overall.
Without work limiting how many days you can take off, a journey can become part of the holiday rather than an obstacle to it.
“I can stay longer and travel at a gentler pace without doing less,” says Suzanne. “I enjoy having time to get beyond the main sights, meet people and learn something about everyday life.”
For some, that extra time means finally making the journeys they’ve been putting off.
“Now and again we all feel a bit of wanderlust and dream of exploring places that we’ve never felt we had the time to visit,” says Rachel Forsyth, a Saga product developer.
That opens up journeys that might once have felt impractical. Saga’s 2027 holidays include travelling through the Silk Road cities of Uzbekistan and a 20-day journey combining Rio de Janeiro, Iguazu Falls and Buenos Aires with an expedition cruise to Antarctica.
Travelling more slowly also means you don’t have to race from sight to sight. An afternoon at a café, watching daily life go by, can tell you as much about a place as another stop on the itinerary.
At 79, body-language expert Carole Railton has no intention of putting away her passport. Recent travels have taken her from Bangkok to Alaska. Over the years, her tastes have changed.
“I’m not one for camping anymore,” Carole says. “I’m single and wanting to spend my money while I’m alive.” Exploring can still involve adapting to the circumstances, she adds, but a few comforts now matter a bit more.
When people express surprise that she’s still travelling, she has a simple answer. “Life is for living,” she says. “I don’t want to be on my deathbed saying, ‘I wish I’d seen XYZ’.”
“I think younger people sometimes underestimate [older people],” adds Suzanne. “You can be keen to tackle a challenging hike and still want a lovely hotel afterwards.”
Explore Saga’s holidays to Asia – including India, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Japan
A rail journey through the Alps, walking in the Dolomites, exploring Lake Orta in northern Italy or staying in a European city you don’t know very well can offer the same sense of discovery without a long-haul flight.
Later life can bring “more freedom to choose where we go and how long we stay”, says Suzanne. With good hotels, expert guides and the practical details taken care of, there are plenty of adventures within reach.
“I’m quicker to say yes to an unfamiliar food, a new experience or a destination I once thought was beyond me,” she says.
“While I’m fit and healthy, I want to see and do as much as I can.”
Find out about Saga’s walking holidays here…
Saga’s walking holidays are perfect for exploring Europe’s stunning destinations on foot. They’re suitable for all fitness levels and offer a well-balanced mix of guided walks and relaxation.
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