World Travelers Are Sharing The 20 Unique Experiences That Were So Entirely Unbelievable, They'll Never Forget Them

If you love to travel, chances are at least one experience you've had stands out. Redditor u/Excellent_Collar_618 asked, "What are some unique travel experiences that have left a lasting impression on people?" Many travelers (including members of the BuzzFeed Community) responded with their most memorable adventures, and here's what they said.

1."Watching the sunrise at Machu Picchu is like hiking up in the early morning mist, reaching the top as the sun peeks over the mountains. There's something incredibly humbling and awe-inspiring about seeing this ancient city slowly come to life with the first light of day."

2."I'm sitting in a cafe, enjoying a late beer with my wife after dinner in Barrio Santa Cruz in Seville. A guy walks in with a guitar. He starts playing some flamenco — not performing, just kicking back at a table, playing. A little while later, a girl walks in, sits beside him, and starts singing. They're both good. Soon after, another guy with a guitar walks in. And another. The girl produces castanets. A guy is now singing, too. They're stomping their feet and clapping their hands to the rhythm at a maddening tempo. The beer and wine are cheap, and the more they drink, the more the intensity level increases. It turns out that this is THE bar where the city's professional flamenco performers go to to unwind after performing for tourists at $50 a head. I got to enjoy the best flamenco I've ever heard — for free — in an open-air cafe with jasmine-scented breezes blowing in from the outside. It was magical."

3."Walking the Nakasendo Trail through Gifu and Nagano prefectures in Japan was a highlight. That whole area was incredible."

4."We hiked the Great Wall of China, but NOT the part closest to Beijing. We hiked the further-flung parts a couple of hours outside the city, where you'll only see a few others all day. Stunningly beautiful."

5."I spent a month driving around the States of Nevada and Utah. The national parks, from Great Basin to Canyonlands, are worth every mile. Also, the absolute quiet and the stars at night were a bonus."

6."Traveling to Fairbanks, Alaska, during the winter to see the northern lights is up there for me! Alaska is stunning and so magical in the winter!"

7."Truffle hunting with dogs on a farm in Pettino, Italy, during the summertime."

8."I'm Hiking through Petra in Jordan. This archaeological site is nuts. Even the fact that it was built at all is mind-boggling, not to mention that it survived thousands of years."

9."Snorkeling with the manatees in Florida. You just drift around, floating on a pool noodle, and the manatees swim beneath you. The more relaxed you are, the more likely the manatees will spend time around you."

10."Nothing quite compares to the serenity of kayaking through the Bioluminescent Bay in Vieques, Puerto Rico. Paddling under the stars, the water glows around you with each stroke due to the microorganisms. It's like stirring the Milky Way in your hands — a cosmic encounter on Earth that etches itself into your soul."

11."Spending a week with a nomadic family in Mongolia was a game changer. Living in a yurt, helping with the herding, and immersing in their daily life was unreal. The simplicity and hospitality were humbling."

12."I walked El Camino de Santiago a few years back. It took 39 days to traverse the 900km, and I mostly stayed in the little out-of-town albergues located in monasteries and churches. It was so beautiful, difficult, peaceful, and life-changing all at the same time."

13."I went to the Channel Islands National Park to camp, chartered a boat, and booked a campsite. The ranger met us at the dock and said he would be on another island for the next few days. We were the only campers (my wife and I), and we wanted to ensure we were comfortable alone on the island for a few days before the boat left. So we had the whole place to ourselves for three days. When the boat returned for us, the return trip lasted several additional hours because we had so much whale and sea life activity that we sat nearly idle for the whole ocean to stop by and say hello. It was incredible."

14."I just hiked Acatenango in Guatemala, and it was like nothing I’ve ever seen or done before. Sitting there watching the volcano erupt as it got dark was incredible."

15."Thailand. I rented a moped in Chang Mai and rode off to Pai. I have never been on a motorcycle or moped, but riding through the mountains and the curves was absolutely breathtaking. It was about a three-hour drive because I wasn't too familiar with how to turn on the curves at a decent speed. I also got my first ticket that day. 10/10 would do it again."

16."While visiting the Isle of Skye, my wife and I took the first boat of the day from Elgol to Loch Coruisk. We were the only people on the boat and had the entire place to ourselves for about two hours. It was surreal."

17."Trekking in the Himalayas. Annapurna Basecamp is the most amazing place I have ever been, and the seven-day hike there makes it even more special."

18."Taking a Galápagos Islands cruise. We did a ton of cool hikes and saw tons of wildlife, but the most memorable experience for me was snorkeling with penguins. Yes, penguins! A penguin species (the Galápagos penguin) lives in the Galápagos Islands, even though we aren't far from the equator and the water is warm enough for coral reefs to grow. When we were there, the water temperature was in the 70s (plenty warm enough to snorkel without a wetsuit), and penguins were whizzing by. It was surreal."

19."I participated in the Mongol Rally. I bought a decrepit car in England and drove to Mongolia in over six weeks with two of my buddies."

20."Visiting Sequoia National Park. I was previously not a 'nature guy,' but this one trip completely changed that for me. Now, national parks are some of my favorite travel destinations."

Do you have one to add? What is one of your most memorable travel experiences? Tell us in the comments or in this anonymous form.

Note: Submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.