'Once in a lifetime' trips?

[TubeLover]

Have any of you been on any trips you would consider 'once in a lifetime' trips?

I'd like to take my DH somewhere we will likely never be able to (afford to) go again for his 30th in 2025 and I'm looking for some ideas.

Places that we considered 'big' trips that we've already been (aware this is subjective, and these arent once in a lifetime for many people), are New York and Toronto/Niagara Falls

Those who said Japan, hope you don't mind me asking how much it cost all in?

Looking expensive so don't know if it's in my 6k budget 🥲

6k isn't including spending money, so just flights and accommodation if you can remember!

I did a safari in Tanzania in 2022 then went to Japan for two weeks over this Christmas/new year

Book in advance and pay off gradually.

The safari was booked through voyage prive who were brilliant- it included everything.

For Japan booked the package through BA- flights and hotels in 3 cities. Then had to pay for train tickets etc.

Amazing experiences both trips

It cost us about 4.5k for two weeks, flights and 3 hotels in 3 cities x

@TubeLover Flights with BA premium economy were around £2k and we booked in January 2019 for May 2019. Spending money was £1.5k but I did have to book some attractions in advance as I had no choice (e.g. studio Ghibli). Two weeks Shinkansen passes were £600. Accommodation came to around £1k and included:

4 nights Tokyo (business hotel with breakfast).

3 nights Kyoto (aparthotel) Day tripped to Nara from here.

1 night Kurashiki (budget hotel with breakfast). Day tripped to Okayama on the way here.

1 night Miyajima island (fancy pants hotel). Day tripped to Hiroshima on the way here.

1 night Kyoto (business hotel with breakfast).

3 nights Kanazawa. (business hotel). Day tripped to Takayama from here.

1 night Tokyo (business hotel with breakfast).

Thailand, beautiful country, lovely people, saw so much when I went, food is fantastic, it's easy to get around and it's cheap when you're there.
The flight is 12 hrs though

Was in Japan last year with our 2 year old

Didn't actually find it very expensive - the exchange rate was good and we live in london and it's deffo not as expensive in comparison!

We didn't do as much as we would have liked as had the toddler with us so slowed us a bit

But rough itinerary was

3 days Tokyo
2 days Disneyland
5 days Kyoto / Osaka / Nara (stayed in a lovely Ryokan in Kyoto as the base and it was amazing and easy to get to Osaka and Nara from there!)
back to Tokyo for 5 more days!

We did some day trips - one was a hello kitty bullet train from Osaka to Hiroshima

Eating out we tended to stick to family style places becasue again toddler - and needed space (I did go to some little Raman bars alone and stuff super affordable!)

MY daughter LOVED the conveyer belt restaurants so we went there a few times

Got lunches / snacks on the go sometimes in 7/11

Coffees from the vending machines

Rail pass is a must

Just had a quick look at spreadsheet we had - and we only spent 1700£ on accommodation!

Rail pass was £452.82 (we only got a 1 week one as it was all we needed! but 2 weeks would be good if you think you'd travel more!)

We use a BA amex for all spending and had a companion voucher so flew premium economy and we paid £1097for flights!

So all in was around £3500

We are going back next year to do more of the Country it was just amazing

Galapagos

Two weeks is fine for Japan - get the bullet train pass and you can whizz around

Thailand is lovely too - or laos/cambodia/Vietnam - i travelled all around for 6 months a few years ago pre kids! probably still quite affordable!

We are looking at going back to south east asia again while im on maternity leave next year while i have the time off work

But thinking South america could be a goer too! its so hard to pick when theres a whole world haha

The Grand Canyon is a big hole in the ground. I've been twice and once you get there it's 'Yeah...and?'

Do it properly on a raft! When we lived in the US we did this, combined with a road trip in some of Arizona and up into the Bryce and Zion national parks as well.

www.westernriver.com/grand-canyon-vacation

@TubeLover Japan is doable but do you want to DIY everything and flights are way more expensive now. You might be ok with budget hotels, we aren’t really. So I think £3000 is too little for a Japan holiday with a tour operator. DIY is possible but a hell of a lot of your budget will be flights. We had all our travel itinerary worked out by our tour operator and its total peace of mind!

Safari: DH and me have been going on safaris for 40 years. Going again in July to Botswana. You might just about get a basic safari and beach holiday but not an in depth one. Kenya is probably the cheapest option. You will find you are with lots of others in the reserves and the holiday will probably all be by road. Zambia and Botswana are way more expensive but a lot more exclusive. If you want a better safari holiday, book via a specialist, eg Wildlife Worldwide. They can provide a holiday of a lifetime. South Africa tends to lean towards luxury lodges but have you considered Cape Town and the Winelands? You can do a trip to Hermanus to see whales (August to Nov) and go into the Little Karoo for a less visited area. We stay in guest houses and South Africans have the best anywhere!

Other places you might consider is South USA, Nashville, Savanah etc. USA with tipping culture costs more though but is a good spring destination. You might also like Iceland. Fantastic in the summer and within budget - totally unique though.

We are going to Eastern Canada in late summer. Nova Scotia. We are staying in quite top rated places but there’s a variety.

I guess my holiday of a lifetime was The Falklands, South Georgia and the Antarctic. I’m also a huge fan of Argentina but flights are now expensive. Great country though!

Vietnam.

Or U.S again but fly-drive West coast: whale watching in Monterey or Cartmel, Big Sur, giant sequoias, Grand Canyon, Yosemite. But unless you do that in a very budget basis it will probably be too expensive.

@TizerorFizz I imagine lots of people, like myself, get a lot of joy out of working out all of the itinerary themselves :D The planning is half of the fun! And ultimately it's always going to be cheaper than a tour operator.

Speaking as an old girl, do trips now that are not suitable/trickier with kids in tow.

Yeah, definitely, if you're likely to be having kids that's a real consideration, plus think about doing things you may not be fit enough to do when you're 60. We did quite a lot when we were younger (and with DD) but now find ourselves at an age where we've money and time but DH now has medical issues which mean we can't do long haul and we've missed the boat on yacht sailing.

Maybe I'm just a philistine but Cheddar Gorge is as impressive for me.

It may sound a bit superficial but would it be worth considering what time of food /wine or similar you love and base it around that so it's part of the adventure?
Eastern foods etc

Also weather. Do you mind heat? Don't mind a cold adventure?

If you like wildlife and adventure Galapagos has got to be the best place I've ever been to. You can see animals in the wild close up, dive with amazing sea creatures, see what feels like the whole universe in the nights sky.

Costa Rica! We went early November and it was amazing, direct flights from London and rented a car for 3 weeks. Manuel Antonio and Tortuguero were the highlights for us. Won’t forget it!

Long time since I've been but I don't remember driving along the B3135 being quite comparable to the rapids on the Colorado River.😂

Victoria Falls. Or Iguazu.

Years ago we did an island hopping in the Caribbean holiday. Antigua, then on to Nevis staying at a small Plantation House Hotel then hired a private plane, with two other couples, flew to St Kitts for the day with a private lunch at a sugar plantation. It was wonderful.
These days it's probably not considered a holiday of a lifetime as people are generally more adventurous. We no longer do long haul so I think the Oman trip sounds a lovely mid haul choice.

Safari in South Africa and Zambia, best holiday we've ever had.

I think I've been persuaded by Japan!

Given the time of year could you look at something wintery? I've had my eye on Svalbard or Tromsø then cruise back down the coast for a while but going to the remote bits of the Yukon would work too. Flights are pretty cheap to Vancouver and then you can fly to Whitehorse and make it really memorable.

The best ‘big’ holidays we have sone have been
-south africa
-safari in zimbabwe
-cambodia
-Thai island hopping